Deadly Intent by Lillian Duncan Read Free Book Online Page B

keep the anger from her voice but failed.
    “Not true.” He was adamant. “We’re doing all we can. We’re still trying to figure out his identity. If we can do that, it will give us a place to start.”
    She rolled her eyes. “I suppose.”
     
     
     
     

17
     
    Maven stood in front of the bathroom mirror making faces. Grimaces, smiles, puckers, curling her lips. Her smile seemed almost normal, but very little lip movement. How could that be? It had to be the cheek muscles. She hadn’t realized how important they were to the smiling process. Even though she should have since she was a speech pathologist.
    She frowned—nothing happened.
    School would be starting soon and she wanted to be there. Her plan was to drive over to the board offices and see the superintendent. She could show him her speech was back to normal—except for the occasional slobber or spitting out of food.
    That didn’t sound good. She grimaced. Hopefully, that wouldn’t happen when she talked with him. But she missed working. And she most definitely missed her students.
     
    ~*~
     
    “I’m sorry, Maven.” Her boss smiled at her across his desk. “It’s certainly improving, but we’ve already given Janet Smith a contract for the year. It’s provisional, she understands that it’s only for this year.”
    “Oh.” Maven tried to hide her disappointment.
    “Believe me, we want you back. We love you, you know that. My suggestion is to enjoy the year off, focus on your health, and then we will get back together in February or March. If you’re ready to resume your duties, then we’ll rescind the disability and you’ll be back at work in the fall.”
    “I’m sure I can handle my job duties now.” She made her voice pleasant but firm.
    “And you are probably right, but why not enjoy the year? It’s been a rough time for you. And there’s no reason to rush back. Your job will be waiting for you when you’ve fully recovered.”
    What if she never fully recovered? What, then? She wanted to argue about it. She wanted to tell him she would go to the union. She wanted to do a lot of things, including kicking the chair. But she didn’t. Instead, she stood and forced a smile. “I’ll see you in February. Be sure to have that contract ready.”
    “Absolutely.”
     
    ~*~
     
    Maven laid back against the chaise lounge on her deck, her eyes shut, hoping the brightness of the sunny day would dispel the encroaching darkness. God, why do all these bad things happen to me? She kept trying to rebuild her life, but every time she ran into another brick wall—another barrier. She wanted to honor God with her choices, with her thoughts and actions—tried to honor Him.
    She opened her eyes and reached for her phone. A dose of Lizzie’s optimism would be good medicine. Maven sipped on lemonade while she talked with Lizzie. “I shouldn’t have gone. I should have known how it would turn out.”
    “I think you should have insisted on your job back. It’s your job! Not hers.”
    “I know, but the truth is, there are certain sounds I still can’t demonstrate for the kids.”
    “How many?” Lizzie demanded. She wasn’t one for being passive.
    “OK, probably only the R sound.”
    “And you can still instruct them in that sound, right?”
    “I suppose. It’s all right, Lizzie. Really. I’ll survive one more year without working.”
    “I can keep you on the foster parent list if you want.”
    The pain of losing Moses was too fresh. “That’s sweet, but I’m still recovering from the first one.”
    “I know. It’s a horrible situation, but that doesn’t mean the next one will be.”
    Maven paused, listening for God’s voice. She had no sense that fostering another child was the right thing to do—at least not now. “I don’t think so, Lizzie. I think you were right when you told me that Moses was the right child for me. God nudged me that time.”
    “You’re probably right. God does have a way of letting us know if we take