True Blue K-9 Unit Collection Vol. 1 by Lynette Eason Dana Mentink and Laura Scott

Author:Lynette Eason, Dana Mentink and Laura Scott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Violet was happy to steep herself in the madness of her ticket counter duties again. Puppy care was fun but exhausting and though her father complained about her decision, she’d kissed him and left him muttering over his vat of vegetable beef soup. As usual, her mother did not give voice to her worry, but it was evident in the tensing of her shoulders.

I’ve got to live my life, she wanted to say, to take care of myself. Killers and her burgeoning feelings for Zach aside, she really was okay on her own, and that was the way she would keep it, no matter who tried to strip it away from her.

Bill had greeted her upon her arrival with a quick hug. “Happy to see you back here, young lady. You look rested and raring to go.”

“Put me in, Coach,” she’d said with a smile before she was sucked into the busy whirl of airport duty.

There was nothing unusual transpiring that Violet could detect, just the typical crush of people, some anticipating a vacation trip or reunion, and those more surly, traveling on business or for some other less enjoyable reason. Bill’s wife, Rory, phoned in the afternoon and asked to speak to Violet during her break.

“I am so sorry about what happened,” she said. “It’s horrible. Bill has been so worried about you. He’s hardly sleeping, and I think he’s started smoking again. He tries to hide it, but I can smell it on his clothes.”

“I’ll tell him to stop if I catch him with cigarettes in his pocket. We’ll get him back on track.” Violet pictured Rory the last time she’d seen her, the shadows that smudged Rory’s eyes and her thinning hair, which had once been a thick chestnut brown. “How are you doing with the treatments? I know it’s been tough.”

Rory’s sigh spoke of exhaustion. “Seems like the cure is worse than the disease sometimes. The doctor is optimistic. It’s hard on the boys, though. I’m the one that keeps things on an even keel, normally, because Bill works such long hours. They don’t quite understand how to deal with me being sick.” She coughed and cleared her throat. “He doesn’t, either. He tries, but it’s hard for him to know what to say, how to be, so most of the time he pretends nothing is going on. And the bills, they worry him, too. He doesn’t sleep hardly at all and he’s lost weight.”

“Have you… I mean, he’s been a bit different at work. Something is definitely on his mind. Could there be something besides the treatments weighing on him?”

Rory paused a moment. “No, he’s just stressed is all, and who wouldn’t be?” She offered directions on some schoolwork to one of her children. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for the flowers you sent last week and to be sure you’re okay.”

“Perfectly okay, thanks.”

“Good. You’re like family, Violet, and we’d be crushed if anything happened to you.” Rory bade her goodbye. As Violet disconnected, she eyed Bill smiling at a customer.

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