Read Online The Kindness of Strangers (Skip Langdon Mystery #6) (The Skip Langdon Series) by Julie Smith - Free Book Online Page A

almost screamed it. Sheila was sitting up now. She shrank back against the headboard, cheeks seeming almost to sink, as if withdrawing into an imaginary shell.
    “Sheila, you just don’t know! You just don’t understand. My mother doesn’t give a shit about me, do you understand that?”
    Her cheeks were flaming. She dumped her ashes, and when she raised her eyes, they were afire as well. “My father deserted us. Did you forget that?”
    Sheila was almost pale.
    “Oh, I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry. It’s just that you can’t know what it’s like living with Lise. She’s such a bitch. All she cares about is her goddamn boyfriend, who probably couldn’t give a shit about her and certainly doesn’t about me.
    “My dad … well, I know my dad loves me, but he’s got all these responsibilities—huge responsibilities—that he wouldn’t have if Lise hadn’t left him. I mean, he has to support us, and his new wife and kid—I don’t blame him for getting married again, do you? I mean, who wouldn’t? She dumped him—just threw him out like I didn’t matter and he didn’t matter and … I don’t know … nothing mattered. You just don’t even know what a bitch she is.
    “And Noel cares about me. It’s so sweet.” She felt herself calming down, the tears subsiding as she thought of him. “I’m dying to make love to him. Dying to! Wouldn’t you be? But he’s the one who won’t do it. He’s trying to protect me, do you see that? He doesn’t want me to do anything before I’m really sure. He won’t drink with me either, or even buy booze for me, and when he found out I smoke, he threw away my cigarettes.”
    “Gosh, with him you don’t need a mom.”
    “You don’t have to be so sarcastic.”
    “‘Torian, it’s illegal for him to make love to you. He could get in big trouble for that.”
    “Well, he wouldn’t want to anyhow. That’s the kind of person he is.”
    Sheila grabbed another cigarette, but she was smiling. She’d gotten a grip on herself, though Torian had no idea what her true opinions were. All she saw, all that mattered, was that Sheila was still her friend.
    “So,” said Sheila, “are you going to marry him?”
    “Uh-huh.” Torian nodded, sure her love was making her radiant. Her pale skin probably looked gold in the candlelight. “Sure. Of course we’re getting married.”
    “Torian! He’s got a wife and kid.”
    “Well, he won’t always.” She must look like a cat licking cream from its whiskers. But she didn’t even care if Sheila thought her smug. This certain knowledge, this perfect trust made her feel happier, more secure and satisfied than anything ever had.
    Sheila looked skeptical. Torian could feel her slipping away. “Hey, will they let you sleep over?”
    “Uncle Jimmy, you mean? I guess so. Sure.”
    “Well, let’s call him. We can drink my mom’s booze. Madame Lise has a date—she probably won’t even come home tonight.”
    * * *
    Lise was giving the goddamn service test, the most demeaning of the host of humiliating tasks her job entailed.
    “Did you find I got to you quickly and promptly? What?” She felt herself flushing. “Well, I know it’s redundant. I’m sorry. Did you feel the service was prompt?
    “Oh? Why not? But you see, we couldn’t process the claim until… I’m sorry, I know I asked. Let’s start over. After the claim was processed, did you find … why is that irrelevant? Okay, why don’t we go on to the next question. Did you find me polite? No? But… oh, slight edge to my voice. Okay. What about efficiency? Did you think … ? Oh. You’d give me about a five and a half. Well, I want to thank you for your … uh … well, I …” She couldn’t bring herself to say she enjoyed working with the asshole. “Umm, thank you, I hope, uh…”
    The asshole hung up. Shit. Why in the hell had she majored in history when she could have gone into computers or something useful? Sixteen years of marriage was her entire work