Dana Mentink - Finny's Nose 03 - Treasure Under Finny's Nose by Dana Mentink

Author:Dana Mentink [Mentink, Dana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery: Cozy - Humor - California
ISBN: 1602601631
Publisher: Heartsong Presents
Published: 2009-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Monk went to find Ruth a drink of water while she pulled her clothes on with shaking fingers. She made it to the hallway and slid into a chair, chin on hands, and let the cool air bathe her heated face.

Her insides felt like the tiny seeds of a dandelion, blown in all directions by a careless wind.

“Hello, Ruth.”

She looked up to find Roxie, emerging from a room a few doors down.

“Hi, Roxie.” Her voice trembled only a little.

Roxie pulled on her knit cap and looked at Ruth for a minute, before sinking into a chair next to her. “Looks like you’re having a bad day.”

“I—” Ruth clamped her mouth shut to avoid bursting into tears.

Roxie sighed. “I’ve been there.”

Ruth noticed a square of white tape on the woman’s arm. She swallowed hard. “Are you okay?”

“Sure, sure. I get regular blood tests because my kidney is failing.”

Ruth was temporarily jerked from her malaise. “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to the idea. Normally I go to a hospital in San Francisco. They’ve got a specialist there who is determined to keep me alive, in spite of all the given facts.” She fingered the tape. “I had an appointment in the city yesterday. Saw Dr. Soloski there. I don’t know what his problem is, but our paths cross a lot at that hospital.”

Ruth pressed the balled-up tissue to her nose again.

Roxie gave her a sidelong look. “Say, if you’d rather be alone…”

“No, no. I–I’ve just had a shock, is all. It’s—it’s… twins.” Saying the words aloud almost sent her into a shower of tears again.

“Twins?” Roxie smiled. “Oh, boy. Double blessing, huh?”

“I know that’s what I should be feeling. Twins are a miracle, an amazing special gift times two. I should be on my knees thanking God, but all I can think of is, how will I cope?”

The words gathered momentum and flew out in a steady stream. “I’m going to be forty-nine, and I didn’t do a good job the first time I had a child. I spoiled him, sheltered him from disappointments so he never learned how to deal with them. And now—” She swallowed a tide of rising panic.

“Not me,” Roxie said. “I was a perfect mother. I was patient, but firm. I had rules and plenty of structure with time left over for fun. As both the mother and dad I was great, even if I do say so.” She handed Ruth another tissue. “You know what? My son turned out to be a screw-up, and eventually his choices got the better of him and they are getting the better of me an inch at a time. He couldn’t keep away from trouble and it killed him, just like it killed Reggie.”

Ruth straightened, wondering at the connection between Roxie’s son and the dead cameraman.

Roxie gazed at the worn tiles on the floor. “It killed me, too, really, only my death is taking awhile longer.” She shook her head. “Anyway, the thing

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