Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 122440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 612(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 612(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
She didn’t want to see Sam and face his disappointment over the fact that she hadn’t shown him the very thick file on the death threats she’d received over the years. Especially the latest ones. She felt guilty about not sharing with him first. She should have. She wasn’t trying to be stubborn. She feared Rainier thought that of her; maybe all his security men thought it. She was accustomed to threats and to keeping secrets. Her family had been all about secrets.
“Helen must have been in terrible pain for hours before she died,” she whispered to the others. They’d all known Helen, just as she had. They might not have been her neighbors, but Helen loved the Sierra just as they did. It was difficult to lose another friend.
“I heard they’re treating her death as if she might have had an infectious disease,” Shabina said.
“They are,” Vienna affirmed. “They have to when she isn’t the only one dead from some mysterious means.”
Harlow took the plunge. These were her friends. It wasn’t like they would be upset with her because she had an opinion. It wasn’t official. She just had her own theory.
“I think it was something else,” she said. “I believe she was bitten by something and so was Gwen, her dog. The dog might have been trying to defend her. Like most of us, she had rattlesnakes in the area. She kept them away for the most part, but like any predator, they were attracted to her chickens and the ground squirrels that peppered the property.”
“She did have plenty of water on her land,” Zahra said knowledgeably. “Her property has several creeks running through it.”
Harlow’s eyebrows shot up. “How did you know that?”
“I visited Helen several times when I got my first puppy and then again when all of you gave me Misty. I had no training experience, and her dogs were so amazing. She was very kind and gracious. We walked all over her property, and that’s when I saw the creeks. It was hot out, and the creeks were still full. I feel as if we’ve lost too many friends lately.”
Harlow felt the same way. They all did. “We nearly lost Raine.” That hurt. She’d been right there and hadn’t been able to prevent the catastrophe. “She’s really struggling. I know all of us have had family problems, big ones, but she’s nearly died twice, and her family doesn’t give a damn.” She pressed her palm to her forehead. “It makes me angry at them. Total strangers, and I’m so angry at them that sometimes I can’t sleep at night.”
Stella touched the back of her hand gently. “I understand because I’m just as angry at your parents.”
“I have a creepy father,” Shabina volunteered. “Feel free to be really angry with him anytime you want.”
Harlow found herself smiling. That was her circle of friendship. They could make anything better just by being themselves, finding a way to turn a bad situation into something humorous.
“I think when it comes to creepy fathers, I might have had the worst,” Stella said. “Serial killer daddy wasn’t fun. I’m still in therapy after all these years.”
Harlow frowned. “Who are you seeing?”
“Don’t,” Zahra cautioned. “That’s a slippery slope.”
“Sam,” Stella said. “Best therapist ever. And he likes to do a lot of physical therapy to help me when I’m having a particularly bad time.”
They all groaned, and Zahra dropped her head into her hands. “I told you not to go there. She can’t help herself. Sam’s cast some kind of spell on her, and she’s sure he’s the cure-all for every ailment.”
“Well, he is,” Stella confirmed, her eyes laughing.
“Stop!” Zahra commanded. “Seriously, Stella, you’re becoming codependent on that man.”
“Maybe parts of his anatomy,” Stella agreed, looking smug.
“She’s torturing you on purpose,” Harlow pointed out. “Why do you fall for it?”
“Because she’s so annoying when she goes on about Sam that way. He’s like a brother. Do I want to hear how hot he is?” Zahra demanded. “Let me just answer that for you. I most certainly do not!”
There was another burst of laughter, but when the smiles faded, Harlow had to ask. “Why hasn’t Raine joined us through video? I brought her a small laptop. It wasn’t hers, but it was something she could play around with and at least contact us when she wanted to.”
Shabina answered somewhat reluctantly. “I went to see her, and they didn’t allow me in. I was told she couldn’t have visitors for the next couple of days, and the contraband laptop had been confiscated.”
The women exchanged alarmed, outraged looks. “Who gave that order, Shabina?” Stella asked. It was clear she thought Rainier had. He was always the man in charge, and Raine hadn’t been taken to the local hospital. She was in the small, very secure medical center on Rainier’s private property. Access to it was difficult, and without permission, impossible unless a small army tried to break in. Even then, with the kinds of weapons and trained men Rainier had, it would take a miracle to get inside.