"Sheriff Jeff King spent his time between trying to console Amy and taking the time to look out the window every few minutes. He was relieved when he saw the lights of a car pulling into the driveway. The woman who stepped out was tall and thin. Jeff answered the front door before the first knock was completed. “Lydia Mason?” The woman nodded and pulled off her hat to reveal a head full of gray curls. “Yes, I’m Lydia. Thanks for calling. I got here as fast as I could.” Looking past the Sheriff, Lydia saw Amy and rushed over to the couch where she was sitting. Pulling Amy into a hug, Lydia then smoothed down the dark hair. “Amy, I’m so sorry. I brought my bag. It’s out in the car. I’m staying here tonight and for as long as you need me.” At the sound of Lydia’s voice, Amy’s sobs jerked her body. “She’s gone Lydia, mom’s gone. Why, this just can’t be right, why?” Watching the two women, Jeff felt out of place. He cleared his throat. “Miss Mason, if you are going to be staying, I really should be going.” Turning to look at him, Lydia kept an arm around Amy’s shoulder. “Of course Sheriff, thank you for staying with Amy. I know you have work to do. The two of us will be just fine. I’ll take care of everything here. Amy and I will make the arrangements for Christine. Can I call your office if I need anything?” Jeff nodded. “Please do.” He cleared his throat again. “I’m afraid the coroner will have the body, probably until morning. We are positive it was an accident, but we still have to follow procedure. I can have their office call you when the body is released to the funeral home.” With a nod, Lydia gave Jeff a half smile. “Thank you, can you see yourself out?” Jeff nodded. “No problem, and thanks for coming.” Jeff hurried out of the house. He always felt inadequate at times like this, particularly when the grieving person was a woman. As soon as Jeff had gone, Lydia pulled back from the embrace and stared into Amy’s eyes. “I’m going to grab my bag from the car. I want you to wait here. I’ll just be a minute. Can you do that?” Tears rolling down her face, Amy nodded. Right now, she couldn’t imagine standing up. She felt weak just sitting on the couch. Her whole world had just been turned upside down and she had no idea what to do. Patting Amy’s shoulder, Lydia stood and then hurried out to her car and grabbed her suitcase, which contained not only a few clothes, but medication for her patient. Stepping back in the house, Lydia headed straight for Amy and sat down, placing her bag next to her. Reaching in, she pulled out a pill bottle. “Amy, I want you to take this, it’s just a sleeping pill. It will help you get some rest. You’ll need to be strong for tomorrow. We’ll have a lot to do. Would you rather sleep here on the couch or go up to your room?” The blue eyes opened wide in fear and anxiety. “I don’t know what to do. Without mom here, the house is so empty.” With an understanding nod, Lydia held out her hand with the pills in her palm. “Take these and I’ll get you a glass of water, then we can head upstairs. I think you will be more comfortable in your room.” Going to the kitchen, Lydia found a bottle of water in the refrigerator. She’d been in the house numerous times, but had only been in the living room and the kitchen the times she had met with Amy and talked with her mother. Before heading back to the living room she locked the back door and closed the blinds. In the living room, Lydia gave Amy the water and watched her swallow the pills before she also locked up the front room. With that finished, Lydia grabbed her bag and then taking Amy’s arm, walked with the young woman she considered not only a patient, but a friend, up the stairs. At the top of the stairway the two stood in the hall a moment, with Lydia frowning. “I wondered if you could tell me which room I could stay in?” Again, the scared look came over Amy’s face. The statement had her realizing again that her mom wasn’t here, and never would be again. Christine was always such a good hostess. She would have put new sheets on the bed and maybe fresh flowers in one of the guest rooms by now. Shaking her head, Amy sighed. “I’m sorry Lydia. We have two, you can use the room next to mine.”" "Sheriff Jeff King spent his time between trying to console Amy and taking the time to look out the window every few minutes. He was relieved when he saw the lights of a car pulling into the driveway. The woman who stepped out was tall and thin. Jeff answered the front door before the first knock was completed. “Lydia Mason?” The woman nodded and pulled off her hat to reveal a head full of gray curls. “Yes, I’m Lydia. Thanks for calling. I got here as fast as I could.”
Sharing the work and world of my fellow authors!
Friday, February 17, 2017
AN EXCERPT FROM DEADLY AFFLICTIONS BY PS WINN
"Sheriff Jeff King spent his time between trying to console Amy and taking the time to look out the window every few minutes. He was relieved when he saw the lights of a car pulling into the driveway. The woman who stepped out was tall and thin. Jeff answered the front door before the first knock was completed. “Lydia Mason?” The woman nodded and pulled off her hat to reveal a head full of gray curls. “Yes, I’m Lydia. Thanks for calling. I got here as fast as I could.” Looking past the Sheriff, Lydia saw Amy and rushed over to the couch where she was sitting. Pulling Amy into a hug, Lydia then smoothed down the dark hair. “Amy, I’m so sorry. I brought my bag. It’s out in the car. I’m staying here tonight and for as long as you need me.” At the sound of Lydia’s voice, Amy’s sobs jerked her body. “She’s gone Lydia, mom’s gone. Why, this just can’t be right, why?” Watching the two women, Jeff felt out of place. He cleared his throat. “Miss Mason, if you are going to be staying, I really should be going.” Turning to look at him, Lydia kept an arm around Amy’s shoulder. “Of course Sheriff, thank you for staying with Amy. I know you have work to do. The two of us will be just fine. I’ll take care of everything here. Amy and I will make the arrangements for Christine. Can I call your office if I need anything?” Jeff nodded. “Please do.” He cleared his throat again. “I’m afraid the coroner will have the body, probably until morning. We are positive it was an accident, but we still have to follow procedure. I can have their office call you when the body is released to the funeral home.” With a nod, Lydia gave Jeff a half smile. “Thank you, can you see yourself out?” Jeff nodded. “No problem, and thanks for coming.” Jeff hurried out of the house. He always felt inadequate at times like this, particularly when the grieving person was a woman. As soon as Jeff had gone, Lydia pulled back from the embrace and stared into Amy’s eyes. “I’m going to grab my bag from the car. I want you to wait here. I’ll just be a minute. Can you do that?” Tears rolling down her face, Amy nodded. Right now, she couldn’t imagine standing up. She felt weak just sitting on the couch. Her whole world had just been turned upside down and she had no idea what to do. Patting Amy’s shoulder, Lydia stood and then hurried out to her car and grabbed her suitcase, which contained not only a few clothes, but medication for her patient. Stepping back in the house, Lydia headed straight for Amy and sat down, placing her bag next to her. Reaching in, she pulled out a pill bottle. “Amy, I want you to take this, it’s just a sleeping pill. It will help you get some rest. You’ll need to be strong for tomorrow. We’ll have a lot to do. Would you rather sleep here on the couch or go up to your room?” The blue eyes opened wide in fear and anxiety. “I don’t know what to do. Without mom here, the house is so empty.” With an understanding nod, Lydia held out her hand with the pills in her palm. “Take these and I’ll get you a glass of water, then we can head upstairs. I think you will be more comfortable in your room.” Going to the kitchen, Lydia found a bottle of water in the refrigerator. She’d been in the house numerous times, but had only been in the living room and the kitchen the times she had met with Amy and talked with her mother. Before heading back to the living room she locked the back door and closed the blinds. In the living room, Lydia gave Amy the water and watched her swallow the pills before she also locked up the front room. With that finished, Lydia grabbed her bag and then taking Amy’s arm, walked with the young woman she considered not only a patient, but a friend, up the stairs. At the top of the stairway the two stood in the hall a moment, with Lydia frowning. “I wondered if you could tell me which room I could stay in?” Again, the scared look came over Amy’s face. The statement had her realizing again that her mom wasn’t here, and never would be again. Christine was always such a good hostess. She would have put new sheets on the bed and maybe fresh flowers in one of the guest rooms by now. Shaking her head, Amy sighed. “I’m sorry Lydia. We have two, you can use the room next to mine.”" "Sheriff Jeff King spent his time between trying to console Amy and taking the time to look out the window every few minutes. He was relieved when he saw the lights of a car pulling into the driveway. The woman who stepped out was tall and thin. Jeff answered the front door before the first knock was completed. “Lydia Mason?” The woman nodded and pulled off her hat to reveal a head full of gray curls. “Yes, I’m Lydia. Thanks for calling. I got here as fast as I could.”
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