Page 57 of Promise Me This Christmas
Shelley gave a soft gasp.“Did she hurt anything else?”
“Some bruises for sure.Hopefully nothing more than that.We’ll find out more when she gets back from the medical clinic.Chet rushed her there right away.”He turned to the guests.“Which means you’ll have to put up with me and Larkin this morning.Can I get anyone a latte or an Americano?”
“Marjorie and I would like lattes, please,” Peter said.
“Gosh I hope Amy’s okay,” Marjorie said, giving her husband an annoyed glance.“And we don’t need anything fancy.We can drink plain coffee.”
“It’s not a problem to make lattes,” Carson assured her.“How about you, Gibson?Would you like your usual Americano?”
“If possible.”
“I don’t understand why Amy fell,” Kris said.“The stairs weren’t icy when I came home from the Graff last night.”
He had a good point.“I went out for a walk last night around nine,” Larkin said.“They weren’t icy then either.”She turned to look at Shelley, but the other woman had gone back to the kitchen.
Chapter Sixteen
Breakfast went offwithout a hitch, and Larkin and Carson exchanged a fist bump in the kitchen.
“We did it,” he said.
She was glad he didn’t add anything about them making a good team.Even though it was true.They had always worked well together, whether it was on a school project, or playing sports, or making breakfast for a tableful of paying guests.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Jo said.
“We have to thank Robin too,” Larkin said.“He was good at keeping himself entertained while we worked.”
“If only he was as good at putting away things as he is at pulling them out,” Jo said ruefully.But it had been her idea to open the pantry door and let Robin amuse himself with the tinned and boxed goods that were stored there.He’d removed pretty much everything from the bottom two shelves, stacking them helpfully in front of the washer and dryer in the adjoining room.
Realizing they were talking about him, Robin grinned proudly from behind a stack of canned tomato tins.
“It’s usually about now that Amy goes out and asks people what their plans are for the day,” Jo said.“Shelley, do you think you could do that?”
Shelley had been unusually quiet all morning and had barely smiled at Robin’s antics.Now she gave a short nod.“I suppose.”
“Maybe we should all go out there and thank the guests for putting up with us.”Carson picked up Robin and settled him on his shoulders.“Your work is done here, little man.”
All the guests, except Kris, who had excused himself to start his morning shift at the Graff, were still lingering over their coffees.But before Shelley, or anyone else, had a chance to speak to them, the front door opened and closed.They heard voices, then Chet and Amy appeared.Amy had her wrist in a compression bandage, but not a cast, which Larkin hoped was a good sign.
Amy gave them a tired smile.“How was breakfast, everyone?”
“Carson and Larkin saved the day,” Jo said, coming out of her kitchen.“But tell us what the doctor said.How is your wrist?”
“Only sprained, thank goodness.And I’m going to have some pretty spectacular bruises on my shoulder and hip, but no broken bones.”
“Still, you need to rest,” Chet said, helping his wife into the vacant chair next to Ethel.“I’ll get an ice pack for your wrist.”
“You must be starved,” Carson asked.“Grab a muffin and I’ll bring you a cup of coffee.”
As everyone fussed over Amy, Larkin noticed Shelley slowly moving back toward the kitchen.
That sealed it for Larkin.She’d suspected Shelley was behind the so-called mishaps at Bramble House for some time, but she’d been hesitant to say anything until she was certain.She still didn’t have proof.But she hoped Shelley’s own conscience would make that unnecessary.
“Shelley,” she called out in a voice meant to be heard across the room, “do you have any idea why the top porch step was so icy this morning?”
Everyone stopped talking.Most people turned to Larkin, as if to ask why she was being so rude.But Carson turned to Shelley.And so did Amy.
“Why would I know?”Shelley challenged.
