Read Online You Can Run... by Carlene Thompson - Free Book Online Page A

Penny’s, Diana. I thought she would be too tired and worried to shop, so I raided our kitchen. I also picked out two bottles of good wine, and I stopped at the bakery to get baklava. Penny loves baklava.”
    “I know,” Diana answered in faint surprise. Simon was a kind man, but it wasn’t like him to haul around groceries for someone. “Was Penny home?”
    “No, so I just let myself in.”
    “You let
yourself
in! You have a key to Penny’s house?”
    “
We
have a key, Diana. Have you forgotten that Penny gave us a key in case she ever locked herself out or lost her key?”
    “Now I remember. I don’t suppose you noticed anything odd when you were in the house.”
    Simon looked reluctant for a moment, clearly not wanting to discuss something troubling. Then he gave up. “First of all, I must say that I, too, noticed a difference in Penny the last two weeks she was here. Each day she was quiet and distracted. On Monday, her hands trembled so much she could barely work at the computer. I was going to ask her on Tuesday if there was a problem, but that very day Willow got sick.”
    Simon took a deep breath. “The day I went to Penny’s house with the food, I put the cold items I’d brought in the refrigerator, set everything else on the kitchen table, and wrote her a note. As I left the kitchen, I noticed four or fivelarge, packed boxes in the living room. Then I glanced at that awful recliner Penny had gotten at a yard sale. Her birthday is in two months, and I’d planned on buying her a new recliner—something sturdy, very comfortable. . . .” Simon’s voice trailed off and he swallowed hard.
    “I remember the recliner,” Diana said quickly, knowing her great-uncle would be deeply embarrassed if he broke down in front of Clarice.
    Simon promptly regained his composure. “There was an end table next to that awful chair. I saw an object lying on the table.” Simon took a deep breath again then lowered his voice. “It was a very nice Glock 23 handgun, clean and loaded.”
3
    The phone beside Clarice’s chair rang. All three of them jumped and Simon shouted, “Good God!” Then he flushed at betraying his nervousness.
    “I gave Tyler Raines this phone number,” he muttered before snatching up the handset and barking a loud, “Hello!” Diana watched his handsome, hawklike face relax slightly. He closed his eyes before saying, “Thank God. Where is she?” Diana was nearly tugging on his arm by the time he hung up after saying, “Thank you, Tyler. You must be exhausted. Forget about the car—we’ll deal with it tomorrow.”
    “Did he find Willow?” “Is Willow hurt?” Clarice and Diana asked at the same time.
    Simon took a deep breath. “Clarice, you were right. Willow was in the woods. Unfortunately she saw the explosion. She saw her mother . . . on fire.” Simon paused. “Afterwards she went deeper into the woods, scared to death and refusing to answer the police or paramedics who were calling for her, but Tyler found her. He didn’t say how. He said the paramedics looked her over and sheseems perfectly fine—physically, that is. Still, they want her to spend the night in the hospital for observation.”
    “I’ll go to her.” Diana stood up. “I’m sure she needs somebody she knows.”
    Simon frowned. “I doubt if they’ll let you see her until morning.”
    “I don’t care. I’ll ask someone to tell her I’ll be there all night. That might be some comfort for her.”
    Clarice began to fumble, trying to rise from her chair. Diana noticed the woman looked exhausted. She also seemed extremely unsure of herself. “Clarice, I’ll show you to your room and get you some nightwear,” Diana said.
    Clarice gave Simon and Diana a weary smile. “I accept your hospitality with gratitude.”
    “No gratitude needed.” Simon offered Clarice his arm to help her up from the chair. “Diana will have you fixed up in no time. We have a housekeeper—a young woman named Nan Murphy. Her