Claire Gulliver #06 - Carnage Goes Coastal Read Online Free

California near the end of February. He apparently had a new girlfriend. He said he was spending some time with her. They were going to Mexico on vacation for a couple of weeks, and then he mentioned he might come to New York to visit her.
    She was delighted to hear from him. She always worried when she didn’t hear from him for a while; he had such a dangerous job. And she was surprised at his admission of a girlfriend. That was very unusual for him. After her first moment of panic over his plan to visit, she decided not to be too worried, because chances were he would be off on a new assignment before he got here. So she didn’t even bother to mention her condition.
    Her mother wasn’t a problem, as they continued to correspond via the Internet. Her mother announced they intended to visit Buena Aires on their vacation instead of returning to the States. Karen didn’t mention her pregnancy to her mother either, knowing she’d be on the first plane home if she knew. Then Karen would have to deal with her mother as well as everything else she was coping with.

CHAPTER 3
    A vicious series of kicks in the stomach reminded Karen she had been sitting for a long time on the stone wall, gazing over a field while reminiscing. That child within her was reminding her it needed food. She wandered back to the road and passed the bed and breakfast where she was staying. It would soon be time for the other guests to be gathering in the parlor for sherry, but she wasn’t interested in joining them. She wasn’t drinking these days and she really didn’t want to chitchat with strangers. She headed down into the little town, toward the cafe she had noticed this morning when she took a walk after breakfast. The menu had looked interesting and now she thought an early dinner would be good, that way a snack before bed would probably do her for the day. She had eaten far too much breakfast to even consider lunch, so now she was hungry.
    She was strolling along, gazing in the windows of the shops when a display of baby things made her pause. The adorable tiny sweater and bonnet sets and frothy crocheted shawls reminded her she hadn’t as yet, bought one thing for this baby. And despite her reluctance to think about it, her baby was arriving in less than three months. She went in and sorted through the stock. Soon she had accumulated a little pile, two tiny, tiny nightgowns with elastic around the bottom to keep the baby’s feet snug and a delicate cream colored sweater set with a matching shawl. And finally, unable to resist it, she added a small beanbag cocker spaniel with a happy expression on its face and long curly ears. The price was shocking, but the package they made was small and would easily fit into the wheelie bag. She justified the expenditure by reminding herself she needed to start making preparations as she couldn’t be carrying this child around naked.
    Actually she was pleased with her purchases and after selecting a table near the window and ordering today’s special of roast chicken and trimmings, she took a notebook out of her purse and started listing all the things she would need to buy before the baby’s arrival. She had been to enough baby showers since settling in New York to be aware of the basics and the list soon filled a couple pages. When she finished what she could eat of the generous plate of dinner, she left the restaurant feeling satisfied. She felt she was finally taking responsibility for managing her life and although the list was only a small step, it was an important first step.
    Karen woke up Sunday morning late, and in a rotten mood. She had to hustle to get down for breakfast before they stopped serving. There were only three women still at the table. They each smiled and nodded, apparently having a glorious morning. The older woman, who was especially chirpy, said, “Did you see that darling baby boutique in the village? They had just the most precious things.” She smiled as if she expected