Before She Dies (Slaughter Creek) Read Online Free Page A

her. When she’d first moved to Slaughter Creek, she’d envisioned a perfect life with Ben in this small town.
    And Sadie was thriving, talking and laughing.
    But Amelia was doing none of those things.
    The nurse, a plump woman named Myrna, stepped from the back. “Miss Nettleton, the doctor will see you now.”
    Norma shifted Amelia in her arms, but Amelia shook her head violently. “No, no, no…Bessie no go.”
    Norma patted her back. “It’s okay, honey. You’re not getting a shot today.”
    “Bessie no go, no go!” Amelia hit her with her fists.
    The nurse scowled at Amelia and led her into an exam room.
    One of the doctors who volunteered at the clinic entered the room, a stuffed toy attached to his stethoscope. “Hello there, Norma.” He leaned toward Amelia, but Amelia ducked her head into Norma’s shoulder and clawed her arm.
“How is our precious little Amelia today?” Dr. Sanderson asked.
    “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Norma said.
    “Is she sick? Running a fever?”
    Norma shook her head. “No, it’s the night terrors, the screaming. Her …behavior. I’d like for you to run some tests.”
    He narrowed his eyes. “She’s two, Norma. Two-year-olds have temper fits.
We discussed this before -- children develop at different rates.”
    “I know that,” Norma said. But her motherly instinct warned her there was more. “But I’ve been reading about autism, about genetic disorders that cause developmental delays, about psychological problems that start at an early age. Maybe she has a chemical imbalance.”
    “Those tests are expensive and not covered by your insurance,” he said with a condescending smile. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting, maybe being paranoid?”
Sometimes, yes. But she didn’t want to risk her daughter’s health.
    “Maybe I am just a worrying mother. And if my insurance doesn’t cover it, I’ll find a way to pay. But I still want you to recommend a specialist who can run a battery of tests.”
    Dr. Sanderson released an irritated sigh. “All right, let me make some phone calls.”
She nodded, the nurse stepped in and whispered something low in his ear. A frown marred his face when he looked back up at her. “Excuse me just a moment.”
He followed the nurse out of the room, and Amelia lifted her head slightly. “Bessie home.”
    Norma rubbed Amelia’s back. Bessie was Amelia’s imaginary friend. But sometimes Amelia talked as if she was Bessie.
    Amelia’s chart was lying on the table by the wall, and Norma inched over and opened the file. There were notations about Amelia’s vaccines, a patient number three, which she didn’t quite understand, then another section where the doctor had scribbled notes about Amelia’s development.
    So he had noticed something abnormal.
    “Potty,” Amelia said, kicking her legs. “Bessie potty.”
    Norma headed to the door knowing timing was crucial.
    But still she wanted to study Amelia’s file.
    “Potty, potty, potty, potty!” Amelia wailed.
    Norma opened the door. The bathroom was on the other side of the office space, but as she stepped into the hallway, she saw the doctor talking on the phone in a hushed voice, his back to her.
    “Listen to me,” he said, “Norma Nettleton is asking questions about one of the twins. We have to do something before she finds out what’s we’re doing at the clinic.”
    Norma’s chest clenched. What was he talking about?
    “Yes, but her daughter Amelia is exhibiting adverse signs.” His voice grew lower, almost ominous. “All right, just take care of it. My reputation is on the line.”
    The doctor pivoted, and Norma darted back into the exam room and closed the door.
    Amelia had always balked at coming to the clinic, but she’d assumed it was typical childhood fears.
    The image of Grace Granger and Joe Swoony in the waiting room taunted her. They had been treated by the same doctors, and all three of them obviously had developmental problems.
    Amelia