Frozen Stiff by Mary Logue Read Free Book Online

night and has a bad case of hypothermia. He’s been taken to the hospital.”
    “Oh, no. That’s terrible. How could that have happened? Didn’t he know better than to go out in this weather?”
    “That’s a good question. We’re not sure what happened, but for now this is being treated as a crime scene.”
    “Crime? Did someone do this to him? Is he going to be okay?”
    They’re not sure.
    Sara looked dazed as she leaned against the wall by the front door. “My daughter’s at the hospital, too.”
    “Bonnie?”
    “Yes, you know her?”
    “Not very well, but I remember her from school even though she was quite a few grades behind me. With her big laugh she was not easy to miss. I’m sorry to hear she’s in the hospital. What’s going on?”
    Sara sat down in the entry hall floor as if all the air had escaped from her. “Oh, she wasn’t feeling well. We didn’t know. She complained of abdominal cramps. I didn’t pay that much attention to her, figured it was just her period. She’s always had bad and irregular periods. Then the baby came early.”
    “She had a baby?”
    “I know. Unbelievable.” The words rushed out of Sara as if she couldn’t even stop them. “Bonnie was at home in bed. Only my husband was there. The baby just came off the ventilator, but Bonnie’s not doing so well. I still can’t believe it. How could she be pregnant and I didn’t even know it? I’m her mother.What’s wrong with me that I didn’t know that? But I’m not sure she even knew herself. I’ve heard of such things happening—but to my daughter?”
    Amy wondered who the father was. If her calculations were right, Bonnie was about seventeen years old, last year of high school. “Yes, I’ve seen it all in this job. What is the baby—a boy or a girl?”
    “The sweetest little boy. But he only weighed four pounds when he was born. And Bonnie lost so much blood she went into a coma. She hasn’t come out of it yet. But we’re hopeful. The doctors say she’ll recover.”
    “How’s the baby?”
    Sara’s face lit up. “Even though he came early, he’s perfect. He has little tufts of red hair too.” She wiped her face and up. “I suppose I should get going back to the hospital.” She gathered up her gear and looked around at the house. “When will I be able to clean?
    “I’m not sure. But probably within a day or two. How long have you been cleaning for the Walkers?”
    “The last couple years. They’re pretty easy to clean for, or they were before they separated. Mr. Walker, on his own, is a slob.”
    “Do you know why they separated?”
    “Not really, but I could guess. Mr. Walker has a roving eye, if you know what I mean.”
    “Did he ever try anything with you?”
    “No, thank god. I think I’m too old for him.”

CHAPTER 6
    New Year’s Day: 3:15 pm
    C laire glanced up from the People magazine she was still reading—too many pictures of gorgeous women in jeans and big sunglasses—as a tall, model-thin young woman walked into the waiting room.
    “Here’s Danielle,” Sherri whispered.
    Danielle certainly knew how to make an entrance—her high-heeled boots clicked on the granite floor, her fur jacket hung open to reveal a low-cut red sweater. The two older women sitting in the corner of the room stared at her as did the young boy slouched in a chair, half asleep. He sat up straight.
    The similiarity between this woman and Sherri was striking. Both women were tall and thin with long honey-colored hair. They both wore high-heeled footwear. Lipstick was a must for both of them—Sherri went for a dark deep red, Danielle wore a glistening pink.
    Claire watched Danielle scan the room, catch sight of Sherri, and then narrow her eyes and stalk over.
    “What did you do to my dad?” were the first words out of Danielle’s mouth. Claire noticed how she claimed Dan Walker.
    “Let’s step outside,” Sherri suggested. “That way I can tell you what’s going on and not bother everyone