Bundle of trouble by Diana Orgain

Author:Diana Orgain [Diana Orgain]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Policier
ISBN: 9780425229248
Published: 2009-08-04T02:52:46+00:00

I pulled into the garage and heard Laurie wailing. I ran up the stairs and saw Mom and George hovering over the bassinet in the living room.

I picked up Laurie and examined her while glaring at George. Mother and George looked at me curiously. How could I explain to them that I had been afraid that George might hurt Laurie?

“She’s hungry,” Mom said.

I evaluated George. He absently rubbed his eye, where a bruise was starting to form.

Laurie wailed at me. George slumped onto the couch looking exhausted. Since he appeared nonthreatening at the moment and Mom seemed unafraid, I decided I’d better feed Laurie.

“Give me a minute,” I said, over my shoulder, as I walked down the hallway.

Mom and George continued their small talk.

I tried to eavesdrop on Mom and George as I breastfed, but I couldn’t hear much. Our house was old San Francisco construction, made with three-by-six wood beams instead of two-by-fours. The result was great sound-proofing.

I finished nursing Laurie, burped her, then set her down in the bassinet to sleep.

When I emerged, Mom said good-bye and left.

George and I sat in silence for a moment.

“You want ice for your face?” I asked.

“Nah, I think I’ll be okay. Where’s Jim?”

“Still at the station. They haven’t released him yet.”

George looked surprised. “I thought if I didn’t press charges, they’d release him right away.”

The weight of leaving Jim alone at the station was starting to get to me. I suddenly felt ridiculously tired and in over my head, but if I wanted answers, now was my opportunity to grill George. “Why did you change your mind about pressing charges?”

He shrugged. “I was so pissed off I wanted to get back at him, but by the time I got to the car—”

“You realized how much you love your brother and decided not to, right?”

George smiled. “Yeah. That’s right.”

I exhaled loudly, letting my impatience show. “Come on, George, be straight with me. You’re avoiding the cops.”

“I’m not avoiding them . . . I . . .” We stared at each other; George closed his eyes in defeat. “I know they’ve been asking around for me.”

“So why not talk to them? Tell them what you know.”

George stood up and shrugged. “I don’t know anything! You got my bags?”

I remained seated. “Yeah. I do.”

He tapped his foot impatiently. “ ’Kay, where are they? You want me to get them? You stay on the couch. You look tired.”

Part of me wanted George to get the bags and leave. The part that was afraid and wanted nothing more to do with any of this. But the other part, the stubborn part of me that can’t ever shut up, said, “Did you break into our cars, trying to get your bags?”

George flinched as if I’d hit him. “What? No. I didn’t even know you had them until today.”

“Someone did. Both our cars were broken into after I picked up your bags from the ME’s office. Once outside Michelle’s house, the other outside El Paraiso.”

George’s eyes darted around the room.

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