Alpine Zen : An Emma Lord Mystery (9780804177481) by Mary Daheim Read Free Book Online Page B

of the main entrance. If the change is official, I wonder how much mail Marlowe Whipp has lost for them.”
    “Not much more than he usually drops,” I murmured. “I’venever liked Farrell, but Woo seems like a good guy. I’ve only met him twice.”
    “Right.” He shrugged and sat back down. “Maybe some of the nuts were getting loose and going through the mail in the lobby. They tend to give their patients some freedom, as long as the doors are locked.”
    My mind flew back to February when a psych ward patient had escaped and died of a heart attack before he could be found. I glanced at my watch. It was five after one. “I should head for the office. Are you still stuck here in the front?”
    “I am until Doe and Sam get back. Want to sit on my lap?”
    “Are you insane?” I shot back, gathering up what was left of my sandwich and bag of chips. I’d already finished the Pepsi and dumped the can in the recycling bin. “We’re a staid married couple now. Don’t ruin our image.” I stood up. “By the way, does Tanya like working at the Icicle Creek Ranger Station?”
    “So far,” Milo replied, also getting to his feet. “It’s only been a little over a week.” He moved closer and cupped my chin with the hand that wasn’t holding the pickle he’d finally found. Just as he leaned down to kiss me, Jack came through one of the double doors.
    “Oops! Sorry, boss, didn’t know you were…”
    Milo’s hand fell away from my chin and he almost dropped the pickle. “Damnit, Mullins, why aren’t you at the dump site?”
    “I thought I’d check in to tell you I was on my way,” Jack said. “I have to get my cruiser to meet Dwight out there because…”
    I left them to the rest of their exchange. I could’ve sworn that Jack’s twinkling eyes gave him away. He’d probably seen us through the glass in the door. Mullins might be the flakiestof the deputies, but he was probably the smartest and had a puckish sense of humor.
    As soon as I got back to work I called the hospital to ask if Amanda was still there. She was, and answered on the first ring. “Oh, Emma,” she said, after I offered congratulations, “she is the sweetest thing! Walt just left for the fish hatchery, but we had her in the room for over an hour.”
    “Are you going home today?” I inquired. Vida would want to know—if she hadn’t already been informed by one of her numerous sources.
    “No, not until tomorrow,” Amanda replied. “I didn’t get settled into bed until almost two last night. But she’s worth it.”
    I was smiling into the phone. “Have you picked out a name?”
    “Yes.” Amanda paused. “Emma.”
    “What?” I said. “I’m still here.”
    She burst out laughing. “That’s her name, after you. If you hadn’t helped me get my head straight last fall, she wouldn’t exist.”
    “Oh, Amanda!” I was stunned. “I almost fired you!”
    “That was part of it,” Amanda said seriously. “I admired you for raising a son on your own. When you told me about his father and how he was stuck with his disturbed wife and after she OD’d, you planned to get married, but he got killed…well, I thought you were heroic. So did Walt. But we don’t have a middle name. We thought about our mothers’ names, but Emma Linda and Emma Barbara don’t go together. Besides, the name we didn’t use would make the other mother feel bad.”
    I was so overcome by Amanda’s kind words that I didn’t take in all of what she’d said. “You almost made me cry,” I declared. “I’m going to kId’s cOrNEr after work and buy whatever you need most. What is it?”
    “A house,” Amanda retorted—and laughed again. “We’re pretty well set after the shower you and Vida gave earlier this month. Disposable diapers come to mind. You can never have too many.”
    “Done,” I said. “I’ll wait to deliver them after you get home. I’d come to see you now, but it’s Tuesday and I may have to play bridge