The Glass Flame by Phyllis A. Whitney

Author:Phyllis A. Whitney
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781504043878
Publisher: Open Road Media Romance
Published: 2017-04-06T04:00:00+00:00

Eight

The next morning a tentative friendship began between Chris and me. Or if “friendship” was too strong a word, there was at least something of an alliance. My own feelings were more strongly involved than before, and perhaps he sensed that. Also there was the knowledge of the secret we shared concerning a pencil. That I would miss Trevor when I went away did not bear thinking about, but now I knew how much I would also miss Chris. Oddly enough, it was Lori who brought about the closer relationship between Chris and me.

All of us except Chris met at the breakfast table in the big kitchen at about the same time that morning. The disasters of the previous night had taken their toll and I think we all looked weary and discouraged.

Trevor had gone up on the roof early and had found a hammer from the tool box in the garage. It had been left near the skylight, and was obviously the instrument used to break the heavy glass before the block of wood was dropped through. Anyone could have picked up that hammer.

Our talk was mostly desultory. Thoughts of the new fire, as well as the smashing of the skylight, hung over us, dampening the atmosphere thoroughly. At least for Nona, Trevor and me.

Chris appeared when we were nearly through eating, and I noted with relief that he looked much better than he had last night. The touching courage that seemed characteristic had returned.

Nona said, “I’ll fix you something, Chris. Would you like bacon and eggs?”

He shook his head. “No, thanks. Just milk and some toast. I’ll get what I want.”

Lori watched him until he had pulled up a chair next to Trevor, and when she spoke there was that sly note in her voice that I disliked. “Maybe before you eat anything, Chris, you’d better tell us about your escapade last night.”

He blinked at her, not understanding.

“Go easy, Lori,” Nona began. “We don’t know—”

Trevor was watching with a question in his eyes, but he said nothing, and Lori ran on.

“You needn’t pretend to be so innocent! We all know you dropped that block of wood through Karen’s skylight last night. Now suppose you tell us why.”

I’d had enough of Lori in a good many ways, and I burst in with more indignation than I’d meant to show. “How can he possibly tell you why when he doesn’t know what you’re talking about? I looked in on Chris immediately after it happened and he was sound asleep. He certainly wasn’t up on the roof. What are you trying to do, Lori?”

Chris gave me a look of surprise, as though for the first time he had really noticed me as a person. Then he scowled at his mother.

“I don’t know what anybody is talking about. What do you mean—somebody broke the skylight?”

Lori started to speak, but this time Trevor cut in. “That’s enough. Karen’s right and Chris couldn’t possibly have been up on the roof last night. So don’t torment him.

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