A Catered Mother's Day by Isis Crawford Read Free Book Online Page A

support.
    â€œHow bad is it?” Libby asked her sister. “Do you think you broke something?”
    â€œNo. I think I just need to ice it,” Bernie said. “I think it’s a bad sprain.”
    Libby took Bernie’s arm and put it across her shoulder to help take some of the weight off her sister’s foot. They’d walked a few more steps when Bernie held out her hand. “Wait. I have to stop again.” She felt around, found a rock, and leaned against it.
    â€œHas it ever occurred to you that it’s time to stop being so stubborn, call the police, and tell them what happened?” Libby asked her sister.
    â€œYeah, it’s occurred to me,” Bernie said. “Maybe they’re already there with Bruce.”
    â€œIf he called them,” Libby said.
    â€œHe’ll call them,” Bernie prophesized.
    â€œWhy do you say that?”
    â€œBecause he’s that kind of guy.”
    â€œAnd if the police aren’t there?” Libby asked.
    Bernie turned to face her sister. “Listen, I just want to hear her story first before we throw her to the lions. After all, Ellen came to us for help.”
    â€œAnd then she ran away.”
    â€œBecause she was terrified.”
    â€œOr because she killed the guy,” Libby said.
    â€œI thought we agreed that she didn’t,” Bernie replied.
    â€œMaybe I’m changing my mind,” Libby said.
    â€œShe’s my friend, Libby. I’ve known her for over twenty years.”
    â€œAnd she’s always been a pain in the ass.”
    â€œThis is true.”
    â€œSometimes there’s such a thing as being too loyal.” Libby scratched her arm. It felt as if something had just bitten her. “She doesn’t have to know it’s us. We could always call the police from the pay phone on Oakwood Drive, the one near the strip mall that sells Maltese puppies, and tell them there’s a dead body in the Riverview Motel. Then we’ll get you home and ice that ankle.”
    â€œAs simple as that?” Bernie said.
    â€œYes. As simple as that,” Libby replied.
    â€œBut I’ll know. Also there are probably video cameras at that strip mall and they’ll see us making the call.”
    Libby brushed a moth away from her face. “As long as we’re on that subject, have you thought about what we’re going to say to the cops about the body in the bed?”
    â€œThat we found it.”
    â€œAnd then they’ll say, ‘why didn’t you call it in immediately ? ’ and we’ll say . . . ?”
    â€œWe’ll explain,” Bernie said.
    â€œToo bad the person who summoned us to the Riverview Motel won’t be able to vouch for us.”
    â€œShe will,” Bernie replied.
    â€œIf we find her.”
    â€œWhen we find her.” Bernie took a deep breath. “She needs us.”
    â€œShe certainly isn’t acting that way,” Libby observed.
    Bernie sighed and rubbed her ankle. The throbbing was getting worse. She could feel the pulsing in it. “On one hand, I’d like to wring her throat. On the other hand, I feel bad for her.”
    â€œBad? Are you nuts?” Libby squawked.
    â€œNo. I think that she must be terrified given the way she’s acting.”
    â€œSo you’ve said.” Libby snorted. “I have to say, I think that’s a charitable interpretation of her actions.”
    Bernie crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t think she killed him and you don’t think so either.”
    â€œThen why is she lying, Bernie?” Libby demanded. “Why did she run away?”
    â€œI told you. She panicked. Remember she was the one who called us here.”
    â€œI’m not forgetting. I’m also not forgetting that she faked her own kidnapping,” Libby replied. “Talk about boneheaded moves. Maybe from a teenage girl, but from a mother of three boys?