Mary Higgins Clark - 1989 - While My Pretty One Sleeps by Mary Higgins Clark

Author:Mary Higgins Clark [Clark, Mary Higgins]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Hello.”

The voice at the other end was slurred and guttural. “I have to talk to Ethel Lambston.”

“She isn’t here. I’m her nephew. Do you want to leave a message?”

“You bet I do. Tell Ethel her ex owes a lot of money to the wrong people and can’t pay it while he’s paying her. If she don’t let Seamus off the hook, they’re going to teach her a lesson. Tell her she might have a hard time typing with broken fingers.”

There was a click and the line went dead.

Doug dropped the receiver onto the cradle and sank onto the couch. He could feel the perspiration on his forehead, in his armpits. He folded his hands to keep them from trembling.

What should he do? Was the call a real threat or a trick? He couldn’t ignore it. He didn’t want to call the police. They might start asking questions.

Neeve Kearny.

She was the one who was worried about Ethel. He’d tell her about the call. He’d be the scared, concerned relative asking for advice. That way, no matter whether it was a trick or for real, he’d have covered himself.

…

Eugenia was locking the cases with the fine costume jewelry when the phone rang in the shop. She picked up the receiver. “It’s for you, Neeve. Someone sounds terribly upset.”

Myles! Another heart attack? Neeve rushed to the phone. “Yes.”

But it was Douglas Brown, Ethel Lambston’s nephew. There was none of the usual sarcastic insolence in his voice. “Miss Kearny, have you any idea where I can try to reach my aunt? I just got back to her place and the phone was ringing. Some guy told me to warn her that Seamus, that’s her ex-husband, owes a lot of money and can’t pay it while he’s paying her. If she doesn’t let Seamus off the hook they’re going to teach her a lesson. She might have a hard time typing with broken fingers, the guy said.”

Douglas Brown sounded almost tearful. “Miss Kearny, we have to warn Ethel.”

When Doug hung up, he knew he had made the right decision. At the advice of the ex–Police Commissioner’s daughter, he would now phone the police and report the threat. In the eyes of the cops, he’d be viewed as a friend of the Kearny family.

He was reaching for the phone when it rang again. This time he picked it up without hesitation.

The police were calling him.

…

Myles Kearny believed in getting out of the way on Friday whenever it was possible. Lupe, their longtime cleaning woman, was there all day, washing and polishing, vacuuming and scrubbing.

When Lupe arrived, the morning mail in her hand, Myles retreated to the den. There was another letter from Washington, urging him to accept the post as head of the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Myles felt the old adrenaline flowing through his veins. Sixty-eight. It wasn’t that old. And to get his teeth into a job that needed doing. Neeve. I fed her too much of love at first sight, he told himself. For most people it just doesn’t work like that.

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