Deleted in the District (Rambling RV Cozy Mysteries Book 10) by Patti Benning

Author:Patti Benning [Benning, Patti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summer Prescott Books
Published: 2023-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Let’s go out somewhere,” Tulia’s mother said. They had only been back at the hotel room for a matter of minutes, but the older woman was restless, pacing around the room and making both Tulia and Cicero anxious.

“All right.” Tulia glanced at her bird. “Let’s go for a walk. We can go to a park and take Cicero. It will be good for him to get some fresh air.”

“That sounds nice,” her mother said. “I’m going to go freshen up. You get his harness on him.”

Tulia did as her mother told her, earning a bite to her thumb for the honor of pulling Cicero’s wings through the harness straps. “Don’t look so proud of yourself,” she muttered. “I’m doing this so you can go outside and enjoy the nice day, you know. You like the results. You should at least tolerate the process.”

She fell silent when she heard the sound of raised voices in the hall. She glanced toward the bathroom, but she could hear water running and knew her mother was still busy, so she pulled the door open enough that she could peek out. She poked her head out into the hall to see Robin and RJ standing in front of their room, with a couple that must be RJ’s parents, given their looks and ages.

“…believe you’d rather stay here than stay with your own family at a time like this,” the man was saying.

“I can’t stay with Mom when she’s being like this,” RJ insisted, gesturing at his mother, who was crying quietly into her hands. “Staying at the hotel was our original plan. Your apartment isn’t big enough for all of us.”

“That was before your brother died,” his father snapped. “You and Robin are coming back with us, and that’s final.”

“What about Uncle Victor?” RJ asked.

“Victor is an adult man who can do what he wants. He always has.”

“And I’m not an adult?” RJ said. “I’m twenty-four. I’m hardly a kid. I can make my own choices, and I’ve decided Robin and I are staying here. We discussed this and are more comfortable here than staying at your apartment with you.”

“It’s like you don’t even care,” RJ’s mother cried out. “You don’t even care that your own brother is dead.”

“You were always jealous of him,” RJ’s father snapped. “Tell me, RJ, do you care? Is there some small part of you that actually cares that Alex is dead?”

“Of course I care,” RJ snapped. “But I have to wonder if any of the rest of you would care if the same thing happened to me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” his father snarled.

“I’m not. Alex was always the one you cared about. I bet you wish it was me instead.”

His mother started crying harder. RJ grabbed Robin by the arm and pulled her into their hotel room, slamming the door shut behind them and leaving the older couple standing outside. Tulia pulled back before they could notice her and shut her own door quietly behind her.

“Talk about family drama,” she whispered to Cicero.

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