Read Online The Hitwoman and the Family Jewels by J. B. Lynn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J. B. Lynn
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Mulligan.”
“And I’m Maggie Lee,” I said, not to be left out of the conversation.
“I know who you are, Ms. Lee,” the marshal said, pocketing his identification.
“Then you know that it’s my niece lying in that room.”
“I know, ma’am. That’s why I’m here.”
I leaned against the wall weakly. “She’s in danger?”
The marshal, a tall, thin man, about thirty, watched me carefully. His angular face reminded me of a fox and I got the distinct impression he was as crafty as one. “You tell me, Ms. Lee, do you think Archie Lee would hurt his own granddaughter?”
I stared at him. “My dad?”
He waited.
“Are you crazy?” I asked.
“He was convicted of murder,” Marshal Weller reminded me.
“But he didn’t do it,” I argued.
Weller’s expression turned hard. No doubt he’d heard countless family members of criminals declaring the innocence of their loved ones.
“She isn’t here because of her father,” Patrick interjected. “She was attacked by a police officer earlier. He hasn’t been apprehended and Miss Lee was worried about the safety of her niece.”
"Her niece is safe," Weller said.
That didn't do much to allay my fears. "I want to see her."
"Just let her in," Patrick urged.
The marshal stepped aside, but before I could open the door to Katie's room, Aunt Leslie burst out.
"What's all this commotion?" Leslie asked.
"It's a long story," I started. "Is Katie...?" I trailed off as a woman about my age wearing a red dress so tight it looked as though it had been shrink-wrapped onto her curves, stepped out behind my aunt.
"Leslie?" the woman asked on a sexy whisper.
"Who the hell is she?" I demanded.
"This is Blanche," Leslie said. "My sponsor. Blanche, this is my niece, Margaret."
"It's a pleasure," Blanche practically cooed. "I've heard so much about you."
I gritted my teeth. No doubt Leslie had regaled her Narcotics Anonymous meeting with the story about how I'd told her to hand over the key to my place after she'd passed out against my front door. That had been her 'bottom' that had caused her to seek help for her drug problem.
"Your aunt says you hold a unique place in her life." Blanche said it with a smile, but I was pretty sure I detected disapproval in her tone.
"Funny," I muttered. "She's never mentioned you, Blanche." She didn't look like a Blanche. A Blanche should wear billowing chintz. I knew just looking at her that this woman wouldn't be caught in anything billowing, let alone chintz.
"Margaret!" Leslie exclaimed unhappily.
I didn't care that she thought I was being rude to her sponsor. I had other things to worry about.
"Let me get this straight," I said, addressing the marshal who was eyeing Blanche appreciatively. "You let my aunt's N.A. sponsor in, but you won't let me see my own niece? I'm her legal guardian."
The marshal bristled. "The nurses assured me that Leslie is on the approved family list."
"And I'm not?"
"You are, but with your connection to Archie Lee..."
I stared at him incredulously. "You've got to be kidding me."
"He just thought having Leslie there as a steadying influence would be helpful," Blanche purred.
I glared at her. "Why don't you try following the 'Don't speak unless you're spoken to' rule?"
"Margaret," Leslie gasped. "She's my--"
"She's a complete stranger to me and I won't have her talking about what's best for Katie," I snapped.
"Maybe everyone should just take a breath," Patrick interjected hastily.
I frowned at him.
“This really isn’t helping.” His expression was all but unreadable, but I could see a warning shimmering in his steady stare.
I forced myself to take the suggested breath, knowing he was right. Fighting in the hallway wasn't helping me to get what I wanted.
Pushing past Leslie and Blanche, I got into Katie's room.
She rested in the big bed, against the white sheets, looking so small and helpless. Her eyes were closed and she clutched Dino, her stuffed dinosaur.
My heart squeezed at
“And I’m Maggie Lee,” I said, not to be left out of the conversation.
“I know who you are, Ms. Lee,” the marshal said, pocketing his identification.
“Then you know that it’s my niece lying in that room.”
“I know, ma’am. That’s why I’m here.”
I leaned against the wall weakly. “She’s in danger?”
The marshal, a tall, thin man, about thirty, watched me carefully. His angular face reminded me of a fox and I got the distinct impression he was as crafty as one. “You tell me, Ms. Lee, do you think Archie Lee would hurt his own granddaughter?”
I stared at him. “My dad?”
He waited.
“Are you crazy?” I asked.
“He was convicted of murder,” Marshal Weller reminded me.
“But he didn’t do it,” I argued.
Weller’s expression turned hard. No doubt he’d heard countless family members of criminals declaring the innocence of their loved ones.
“She isn’t here because of her father,” Patrick interjected. “She was attacked by a police officer earlier. He hasn’t been apprehended and Miss Lee was worried about the safety of her niece.”
"Her niece is safe," Weller said.
That didn't do much to allay my fears. "I want to see her."
"Just let her in," Patrick urged.
The marshal stepped aside, but before I could open the door to Katie's room, Aunt Leslie burst out.
"What's all this commotion?" Leslie asked.
"It's a long story," I started. "Is Katie...?" I trailed off as a woman about my age wearing a red dress so tight it looked as though it had been shrink-wrapped onto her curves, stepped out behind my aunt.
"Leslie?" the woman asked on a sexy whisper.
"Who the hell is she?" I demanded.
"This is Blanche," Leslie said. "My sponsor. Blanche, this is my niece, Margaret."
"It's a pleasure," Blanche practically cooed. "I've heard so much about you."
I gritted my teeth. No doubt Leslie had regaled her Narcotics Anonymous meeting with the story about how I'd told her to hand over the key to my place after she'd passed out against my front door. That had been her 'bottom' that had caused her to seek help for her drug problem.
"Your aunt says you hold a unique place in her life." Blanche said it with a smile, but I was pretty sure I detected disapproval in her tone.
"Funny," I muttered. "She's never mentioned you, Blanche." She didn't look like a Blanche. A Blanche should wear billowing chintz. I knew just looking at her that this woman wouldn't be caught in anything billowing, let alone chintz.
"Margaret!" Leslie exclaimed unhappily.
I didn't care that she thought I was being rude to her sponsor. I had other things to worry about.
"Let me get this straight," I said, addressing the marshal who was eyeing Blanche appreciatively. "You let my aunt's N.A. sponsor in, but you won't let me see my own niece? I'm her legal guardian."
The marshal bristled. "The nurses assured me that Leslie is on the approved family list."
"And I'm not?"
"You are, but with your connection to Archie Lee..."
I stared at him incredulously. "You've got to be kidding me."
"He just thought having Leslie there as a steadying influence would be helpful," Blanche purred.
I glared at her. "Why don't you try following the 'Don't speak unless you're spoken to' rule?"
"Margaret," Leslie gasped. "She's my--"
"She's a complete stranger to me and I won't have her talking about what's best for Katie," I snapped.
"Maybe everyone should just take a breath," Patrick interjected hastily.
I frowned at him.
“This really isn’t helping.” His expression was all but unreadable, but I could see a warning shimmering in his steady stare.
I forced myself to take the suggested breath, knowing he was right. Fighting in the hallway wasn't helping me to get what I wanted.
Pushing past Leslie and Blanche, I got into Katie's room.
She rested in the big bed, against the white sheets, looking so small and helpless. Her eyes were closed and she clutched Dino, her stuffed dinosaur.
My heart squeezed at
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