Positively Morbid by Cara Johns

Author:Cara Johns [Johns, Cara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery; Suspense; Amateur sleuth; Oregon Coast; Missing Child; Murder; Meditation
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2023-01-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Mrs. Laine’s mouth worked as she reached for something to say, but Parker hurried down the steps and onto the sidewalk, putting as much space as possible between herself and whatever had just happened. When she slowed two blocks later, readjusting the box and the wine bag to less painful positions, her heart was still pounding as if she’d run from a bear. Unless she got a handle on her mental state, she would not be good company.

The sidewalk was deserted. Parker set everything down and pulled out her phone, then hesitated. Did she still want to visit Eric and his wife? Not really. She wanted to run, fast and far, until she couldn’t hear Catherine’s furious accusations or feel the wheelchair hitting Parker’s legs. If running didn’t work, she had the whole bottle of wine. That would calm her down. And visiting Dad at the hospital, drunk or hungover, that would be lovely.

With some extended exhales, she slowed her pulse. Catherine Ryden had always been a bitch. She’d been testing Parker, trying to see which button would get the most reaction. Time after time, Catherine had tried the same strategy on Britt, offering different poisonous interpretations of events until she found leverage to drive a wedge between Britt and all of her friends. But Britt grew a thick skin and an excellent bullshit detector, and Parker liked to think she had too.

Parker would be leaving tomorrow. There wouldn’t be another chance to see Eric, and Catherine shouldn’t be allowed to take that away.

Parker looked at the innocuous box on the sidewalk, which now felt like a time-bomb. Catherine’s final words made Parker even more certain the chest held an important piece of the past. She’d have to bring it with her to Eric’s house. What if Eric was curious and asked to look inside?

Parker snorted, realizing she’d entered the realm of ridiculous paranoia. Eric wouldn’t know Britt’s wooden chest was there unless she told him, and of all their friends, he’d probably care the least. No, Parker would say she’d picked up some stuff from her dad’s house and leave it at that, despite the temptation to vent about Catherine. That little story could be saved for Krista. And Jess? Maybe an edited version. Or, however random and ridiculous it had been, should Parker ask him about Catherine’s accusation?

She would think about that later.

Parker was about to let Eric know she was running late, but her phone buzzed and a notification popped up. Calli again.

—Sorry 2 bug u. coming home soon?—

Parker swiped the notification away. Calli must be bored, but Parker didn’t have time to chat. She called Eric.

“Hey, I’m running late. Just leaving my dad’s now. I’m gonna call an Uber.”

“I’ll come get you,” he said.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Not a problem. It’s still your same house? That’s not far. Shoot, I could walk there in fifteen minutes.”

“I’ve got a big box of stuff I picked up from my dad’s. Don’t worry about it. I can get a ride.

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