Home for the Holidays Read Online Free Page B

Stone was.  “ Who is Diane Stone?” she hissed as she leaned forward. 
    “This is hearsay,” Andrea attempted to calm Gloria, whose face was a mask of fury.  Her poor friend had had to endure every kind emotion.  Joy, heartbreak, pain, fury…all in the same day.
    Gloria reached for her phone.  “Maybe it’s time to find out.”
    Andrea reached across the table and put her hand on Gloria’s arm.  “I know you’re angry and hurt.  Paul may be completely innocent.  It sounds like he turned this woman down,” she pointed out.
    Gloria let her cell phone drop back inside her purse.  “True. It did sound that way.”
    Andrea pressed on.  “You have had a long day.  He has had a long day.  Why don’t you sleep on this before you call him up and give him the third degree?”
    Andrea’s voice of reason won out. Gloria nodded.  “Okay,” she relented.
    Their food arrived minutes later.  The girls bowed their heads in prayer and Andrea prayed for peace and a quick solving of the mystery before she finished with “Amen.”
    Gloria lifted her napkin, placed it in her lap and reached for the shaker of salt.  The smell of fried bacon wafted in the air and Gloria’s mouth watered.  She was starving.
    Andrea kept to the safe subject of the upcoming visit from Gloria’s sons, whom Andrea had never met but felt as if she already knew.  “What time are the boys and family coming in?”
    Gloria paused, her fork mid-air.  Her brow formed a “v” and her mind drew a blank.  “I-I don’t remember.” She shook her head to clear the fog.  “Early afternoon…I think.”
    The officers behind Andrea slid out of the booth, dropped some bills on the table and headed toward the exit. 
    Andrea glanced around.  The diner was almost empty. 
    The waitress returned with a fresh pot of coffee.  “More coffee?”
    Gloria covered her cup and shook her head.  “No thanks.”  Coffee kept her awake, if she drank too much, although she knew she wouldn’t get a wink of sleep tonight, anyway.  She glanced at the nametag, Ashley .   “Have you worked here long?”
    Ashley nodded.  “Yeah. Almost a year now.” She balanced the pot of coffee on the edge of the table.  “I’m working my way through college.” She shrugged.  “The tips are good, especially from the cops.  They like to hang out and they drink a ton of coffee.”
    Andrea nodded.  “I bet they do.  You probably know quite a few of them.”
    “Yep.  Most of ‘em are good guys.  There are a couple stinkers, though.” Ashley wrinkled her nose.
    Gloria was curious.  “Stinkers as in stingy with their tips?” That would be her guess.
    Ashley waved a hand.  “No.  More like rude.  Like snappy.  Maybe they’re tired of the night shift, like me.”
    That could be true.  Gloria knew she got cranky when she didn’t get a good night’s rest.  “Do you have a favorite?”
    “Yep.  Officer Kennedy.”
    Gloria’s heart leapt in her chest. 
    Ashley shook her head.  “Such a shame he got into trouble.  Not that I believe it.  He was always full of kind words, encouraging me to hang in there and finish college.”
    She went on.  “The other cops, they don’t believe it either.  Except for Jason Endres.  He was in here talking smack earlier.  Said he was sure Officer Kennedy was guilty as all get out.”
    Ashley placed her hand on her hip.  “He’s such a creep…always bragging about single-handedly taking down thugs.  He patrolled with Officer Kennedy.  Officer Kennedy must have the patience of a saint.”
    Gloria knew most of the time Paul patrolled alone, but there were times the officers patrolled in pairs.  It depended on whether it was a holiday or special event where they needed more hands on deck. 
    After Ashley left, Gloria fumbled in her purse for her wallet.  She left enough money to pay for both of their meals, over Andrea’s protests.  She also left an extra ten because kids could always use extra