Edge of Instinct: Rabids Book 1 by Amy Cook Read Free Book Online Page B

attending each and every high class event she could. She was playing the grieving mother card to its fullest potential and loving every minute of the attention. Sinking into her chair, she placed her forehead on the table and fought the now familiar, but no less frightening anger that brimmed within.
    ‘ The mess with your brother’. How sweet of you mother,” Amiel growled, thumping her forehead on the table in an effort to calm the storm within. Yet her traitorous mind had other ideas and kept returning to the note. “ Behave myself ,” she grumbled. “I’ve spent every day of my life behaving. I’m sick to death of it.”
    “Perfection makes a person a bit claustrophobic sometimes, doesn’t it?” She startled, finding Jeller standing in the doorway.
    “You’ve got the feet of a panther, Jeller! Don’t do that!” Jeller smiled good naturedly before striding over to sit in the chair next to her.
    “Your mother pays me to be quiet at my job,” he reminded her. She tossed the stationary toward him.
    “Yes, but the Queen has momentarily abdicated her throne, so no more sneaky sneaky, Jeeves.” He laughed at her mock nickname and shrugged.
    “Force of habit, I suppose.” Gently patting her hand, he stood. “You have a phone call Miss Amiel, in the parlor.” He turned toward the door, before pausing and facing her again. “If I might be so bold, Miss Amiel. Sometimes, we can’t become the person we are meant to be, without fully testing our limitations and strengths.” She raised a brow at him, and he continued pointedly. “It’s a bit hard for a bird to learn to fly when its wings are clipped and it’s caged away its entire life.” With a smile he left her alone at the table. Jeller and his Yoda mentality. Shaking her head with a small smile, she headed for the parlor.
    “Hello, this is Amiel,” she spoke into the phone in a bored tone.
    “Hello, Miss Hilden. This is Nacey Johnson, with the Berlintine National Bank. I wonder if you might be able to come down to the bank and have a word with us.” Amiel’s brow creased in confusion.
    “Well…my mother is out of town for the week, but I can relay your message to her the moment she returns.”
    “That is very considerate of you, Miss Hilden, but it’s you that we wish to speak with, not your mother.”
    “Me?” she replied hesitantly, still unsure why they would want to speak with her. She had nothing to do with the family finances and all her purchases had to be approved by her mother, beforehand. What could they possibly need to say to her? She paused. “Did you say, Berlintine National Bank? I don’t believe we have an account with you, Mrs. Johnson.” In fact, she knew they didn’t. She clearly recalled her mother mentioning Berlintine in a conversation with one of her snooty friends. They had both agreed that Berlintine was rather below their standards, and was therefore not worthy of their time or investment.
    “It is a matter of delicacy best spoken of in person, Miss Hilden. When would you be available to come in? Would this morning be possible?” After another confused pause, Amiel agreed to come down immediately. She had nothing of importance to do today and found herself deeply curious. Dressing in a pair of black slacks, red stilettos, and matching silky red sleeveless blouse, she had the chauffeur take her to the bank. Taking a deep breath she walked up to the first available teller.
    “I’m Amiel Hilden. I have an appointment with Nacey Johnson?” The teller motioned for her to wait as she went in back. Almost immediately the teller reemerged with a tall, beautiful but demure woman in her forties. Extending her hand for Amiel, she shook it stiffly.
    “Miss Hilden, pleasure to meet you. Please follow me.” She led Amiel to a wall lined with windowless doors. Placing her finger on the pad on the wall, it scanned her print and the sleek door slid open without so much as a squeak. Leading her inside, Nacey shut the door