On the Edge of Dangerous Things (Dangerous Things Trilogy Book 1) by snyder-carroll s. Page B

refuse? My nephew would have been stuck with all those women from Beverly Ann’s side, that’s my niece-in-law’s name, Beverly Ann. Her mother, her three sisters—they’re all single—and her girlfriend Nancy Lynne all pile in on poor Matthew. He’s really always so out…”
    Hester’s head was spinning. I’ve got to get rid of him, was all she could think.
    “And he doesn’t enjoy his football game if I’m not sitting right there next to him.”
    Hester shifted her weight, ran her fingers through her hair, and sighed audibly.
    “Not quite awake, are you, Mrs. Murphy?” He took a sip of his coffee, and Hester thought, thank you, God, he’s going to stop , but he quickly continued, “I’m so glad you and Mr. Murphy will finally get a chance to spend the whole winter down here. It’s just a shame that storm hit. Who would’ve thought we’d get something like that so late in the season? The weather people had it passing south of Key West. It was just a freak of nature. Wasn’t it now? And where is Mr. Murphy anyway?”
    Chet looked over Hester’s head at the sliding door. “Thought I’d like to say a welcome to him, too. See if he needs any help with fixing that mess you’ve got in the back there.”
    Now what am I going to say , thought Hester. She didn’t want to have to explain things. She appreciated his offer, but as she looked at how his eighty-five-year-old head hung down like a turtle’s and how the mug in his hand jiggled so much that coffee splashed out of it when he tried to drink from it, she knew he had no intention of making good on it.
    Hester crossed her arms in front of her chest and sighed again. “Al was injured when the roof collapsed. It was minor, but they admitted him to the hospital anyway, just to be sure.”
    “Oh my, well, that is a shame. When will he be home?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    “Well, if it isn’t serious, then it should be soon. Right?”
    “Yes.”
    “Well, it’s already been almost forty-eight hours since the storm hit, so did the folks at the hospital say if it would be today or not? If it’s not serious, as you say, then he should be home today.”
    Who cares when they send the bastard home! Hester wanted to yell at the old man. Instead, she heard herself saying in a pathetically small voice, “I hope you’re right. It’s so lonely here without him.”
    “I’m right next door, Mrs. Murphy. You don’t have to worry about being lonely. Why don’t I come over tonight? We’ll play some Yahtzee. I could bring some cheese and crackers. I love Yahtzee. Counting up all those black dots on the die has a way of taking your mind off your troubles. Games are good for you, Mrs. Murphy.”
    “Oh, thanks, Mr. Blount, but I don’t feel up to playing.”
    “Please, call me Chet, and we don’t have to play anything. Talking is just fine with me.”
    “After I get back from the hospital…,” Hester lied—she had no intention of going anywhere near the hospital, “…I’ll most likely be exhausted, so maybe some other time, Chet.”
    Hester thought that would settle it.
    “Well, when I see you’re back, I’ll just come over to make sure you’re alright.”
    “Please, I don’t want to bother you.”
    “No bother, it’s the Pleasant Palms way. You’ll see. We are like one big family here. We look out for one another.”
    Great , thought Hester, that’s just great . She shifted her weight from one foot to the other again to buy some time to concoct another excuse while the old man wiped some coffee from his chin and said, “Oh, I almost forgot, where’s your young friend?”
    Hester drew in her breath and held it.
    “I spoke on the phone with Marvin Bridgeford, his wife is Eve—nice-looking woman with short auburn hair.”
    “Yes, I’ve met Eve.”
    “Well, the night before the storm, I talked to him, and he said you had a young visitor staying with you, a former student. Let’s see, her name was…” He held onto his chin as he tilted