The Portal Series Box Set by Maggie Shayne

Author:Maggie Shayne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA Books
Published: 2019-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Ryan headed upstairs. The house was quiet, and he was glad. It had been such a full day, he hadn’t even had time to unpack. But he wasn’t in any hurry to do that just yet. He peeked into Selma’s room. Lena was sitting in a chair at the bedside, leaning over to one side. She’d fallen asleep holding her mother’s hand. A single tear glittered on her cheek.

For just an instant he stopped right there and experienced the sensation of a hot knife sinking through his butter-sculpture heart. The pain was that of an eleven-year-old boy who’d lost his mother. He’d loved his mom just like Lena so clearly loved hers. Just that much. But he hadn’t let himself grieve.

He had to look away fast. As much as he wanted to go to Lena and comfort her, he couldn’t. Not just then. He needed to give it a few minutes. He started to back away from the door.

Then she whispered his name. “Ryan?”

Closing his eyes, out of sight, he said, “Yeah?”

“Did the sheriff go home?”

“Yeah, he’s gone.” The burning sensation was gone from his eyes, so he stepped into her line of sight once more. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” She sat up a little straighter in the chair, easing her hand away from her mother’s. “Do you think we’re doing the right thing? Not taking her to a hospital?”

He sighed. “I don’t know. I really don’t. I could make some calls, have the best doctors money can buy checking her out in no time.”

She thinned her lips. “Money can’t fix this. I was asking what you feel. In your gut.”

His gut was churning. “I think it wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion. But I don’t think we’ll be able to do much about that until morning.”

She nodded, sighing. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“You should go to bed, Lena. Get some sleep yourself.”

“I know. I will. Just a few more minutes.” She sighed, then blinked and looked up at him. “Did you find anything out there?”

“Oh, right.” He pulled the cell phone from his pocket and handed it to her. “It’s a little dirty, but…is it hers?”

“Yes!” She brushed some of the dirt off it. “Needs a charge.”

“Plug it in before you go to bed. We can check it out tomorrow.”

“For…?”

He shrugged. “Damned if I know.”

She sighed, set the phone down and turned her attention back to her mother. He watched her for a moment, feeling helpless. “I guess I’ll get the rest of my things out of the truck, then. I never even unpacked.”

“Okay. I’ll just sit with her until you’re done, and then I’ll go to bed. Promise.”

“Okay.”

He left her there, pretending he didn’t see her crying for her mother, and headed out to the truck to grab his duffel from the back. He looked off toward the guesthouse but saw no movement, just a small light glowing inside.

He opened his duffel and pawed around inside until he found the box, then he pulled it out and sat down on the edge of the truck bed, holding it in his lap.

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