Second Chance (Cold Springs Series Book 1) by Nancy Henderson Read Free Book Online Page A

utensil drawer or something. She tried tugging it open, but it wouldn’t budge.  Getting up on her knees, she used all her weight to yank on it.  The smell hit her at the same time the drawer gave way. 
    Black slime went everywhere, spattering her face, the walls, the newly mopped floor.  The drawer hit her chest, splashing the liquid all over her white T-shirt as she fell back into the cabinets behind her.  She choked back a gag.  The stench had to be close to that of a dead body.  What the devil was this and why hadn’t Aunt Jean ever cleaned it?
    “Sam?”
    Theresa of all people!  “Don’t come back here just yet.”
    Theresa hurried into the kitchen.  “Oh my Go—What did you do?”
    “I pulled on this drawer.”
    “That’s a grease trap!  Didn’t you know that?  Everyone knows that.”
    Theresa hadn’t cooked a meal since getting married. Shawn had hired a nanny, housekeeper, and cook the first month of their marriage.  As far as Sam knew, her sister still had the service.
    Sam tried to stand but slipped in the vile ooze which congregated at her feet.
    “You’re never going to get that out of your hair.  I’d give you the number of my stylist, but I wouldn’t do that to her.”
    Sam stood, slipped on the grease, and fell, whacking her elbow on the floor.”
     
    “Are you okay?”
    Sam didn’t answer.  She bit her top lip, trying to keep herself in check. “What can I do for you, Theresa?”
    “I wanted to see how you were doing.  Not so good as I can see.”
    “I’m doing fine.”
    “Mom was afraid this would happen.”
    “Oh, really?  She was afraid I’d pull on this drawer and spray this shit all over myself?”
    “There’s no need for that kind of language.” Theresa put her hands on her hips and stood there as if she were about to send Sam to a time out.
    “I’m not one of your kids, Theresa.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    Sam grabbed the countertop and hoisted herself up.  “It means I have a brain.”
    “Are you calling my children stupid?  How dare you?”
    “What?  No, no I wasn’t calling your children stupid.  Don’t be ridiculous.”
    “I’m not going to come here and be insulted.  You know I didn’t have to drop by.  I was just trying to be nice to you.  Mom said this would happen.  I should have listened to her.”
    Sam tried not to let her sister’s words hurt, tried not to picture Mother trying to talk Theresa out of coming over here, but it sounded exactly like something Mother would have said.  Sam was certainly no expert at child rearing, but she couldn’t understand why a mother wouldn’t want her siblings to be close.  It was as if Mother liked the fact that Theresa and Sam were distant.  Mother had always been that way and Sam had never understood why.  She sighed as Theresa turned and left.
    Not two minutes had passed when Ian Woods was standing in the kitchen.
    “What happened to you?”
    “What’s it look like?” she snapped.  “I’m sorry.  I’m having a bad day.”
    Sam regretted her words before they left her mouth.  She had never remembered being this irritated in New York.  Sure she’d had her bad days, but they hadn’t been this bad.  At least they hadn’t seemed like they’d been this bad.
                  “What are you doing here?” she asked, suddenly very aware of her appearance.  And his presence.  She was totally alone with him. An ex-convict. While Burt wouldn’t say what Ian had done, but hadn’t denied Mother’s accusations that he’d killed someone.
    It didn’t make any sense. Burt was sensible…somewhat sensible anyway. He may be a bit eccentric at times, but he wasn’t outright stupid. If Ian was dangerous Burt wouldn’t have anything to do with him. Ian was never a threat to anyone in school that Sam recalled. None of it made any sense.
    Ian said something about a contract, but Sam wasn’t paying attention.  Contract?  “Oh, right.  I did look it over.”