Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
“Nora! I want that mirror taken down! I’ve told you twice now!” she barked.
She turned towards the window and winced. Too much light was shining through the curtains, but her caretaker kept it bright anyway, ignoring her complaints. She regarded her phone and let it slip from her stiff fingers onto her lap. The caretaker assigned to her was humming in the kitchen while clanking around pots and pans. She made far too much noise for so little cooking.
Chasity checked the time on the big old wall clock and sighed. The day was still painfully young. The machines were marching and gurgling, as did the fish tank across the room. Every little noise was louder than usual it seemed, and her nerves were a wreck. It’s the medicine… No, it’s not. It’s me. My intuition.
“Nora!” she called out then snatched a tissue from the nearby box to cough phlegm into. “Nor-raaaa!” Her voice rattled.
“Yes, Chasity?” Nora appeared, looking slightly miffed that she’d been interrupted from tearing up the galley to create one of her strange culinary concoctions.
“Something is wrong with Honey.” She picked up her phone and showed it to her.
Nora took the phone from her hand and read the messages, then offered it back.
“What do you mean? Seems fine to me.”
“Look how short her answers are. I mean, she’s never really long-winded in text messages, but I don’t know… Something is off.”
“Nothing looks strange to me. You asked her how she was doing and she answered. What makes you think something is wrong with her?”
“Because I… I know her.” She coughed and continued. “I know when something is inexplicable when it comes to her. I told you that Honey and I have been friends since I met her at the news station. We instantly clicked. She’s been there for me all through my sickness. My own fucking family doesn’t care now that they can’t use me anymore, and I’m… I’m trying…” she paused to take a much-needed sip of water, “I’m trying… to figure this out.”
“Chasity, I want you to calm down. You’re working yourself up again.” They both looked at her blood pressure rising on the machine. “You worry too much. I told Dr. Pearlstein that since you’ve been off the anxiety medication due to the interactions with those heart pills, you’ve been more paranoid lately.”
“It’s not paranoia.”
Nora crossed her arms and looked at her as if she were some pitiful little thing.
“Yes, these messages sound like something she’d write, but I don’t know… it’s just a feeling. Ever since they shipped her off to do those shit assignments in Denver, she’s been miserable. She’s been gone for weeks now, and we’ve only spoken twice on the phone. That’s not like her, Nora. Usually we talk at least a couple of times a week.”
“Well, maybe she’s busy or she doesn’t want to upset you, Chasity. She might be going through her own depression. I imagine she’s under a lot of pressure right now. It’s got to be embarrassing, you know? A fall from grace like that.” Nora’s voice softened as she stroked her shirt collar. “She went from being one of the most sought-after photojournalists in California to being fired from one of the most prestigious papers in the city. She’s probably blackballed, too.”
“No, she is not! She also was not fired. They’re mediating and discussing the matter. She’s on probation. She also has an attorney. Things will be fine.” Chasity quickly admitted to herself she felt rather defensive of her friend. Nora sometimes ran off at the mouth, and it grated her nerves.
“Well, whatever it is, her career has taken a nosedive. Now, sit up and stop stressing. Lunch is almost ready.”
Her head lulled on the pillow, and she took a deep breath. Moments later, she was sitting up in the bed, doing her arm exercises while ‘General Hospital’ played on the television. Some actress with blond hair that looked much like hers had been was locked in a room by a handsome lunatic guy dressed in black leather…
CHAPTER TWELVE
Honey scanned the restaurant, her camera in hand, then focused on two cute little girls with bouncy pigtails who were holding ice cream sundaes. Snap. Snap. The children were the daughters of one of the carpenters, and were being used for some promotional brochures and flyers for the eatery. When approached minutes beforehand, she’d graciously accepted the side offer to take those pictures, and delve into her work.
She took a few more photos, then glanced over her shoulder. Unlike Billy, Archer wasn’t so close to her that she couldn’t breathe. In fact, he stood several feet away. Work. Exhale.
Although she couldn’t see his gun, it was there. When she turned in his direction, he was looking right at her. Not in an unnerving sort of way—merely observant, studious. Maybe a bird’s eye view was the best vantage point from his perspective.