School's Out for Murder (Schooled in Murder Book 2) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Tracy D. Comstock
moment to say, "I'm sorry you had to be the one to find the victim. Again." And then he was lost in the crowd of uniformed officers doing whatever needed doing at such a horrific scene.
Emily hadn't realized she was standing motionless, just staring off into space, her mind filled with thoughts of the mayor, Maclaine, and Tad, until she felt Gabby wrap an arm around her shoulders and nudge her forward. "You've done all you can here tonight," she said. "Let's get you home. Do you have your car?"
It took Emily several seconds to even process Gabby's question. Her car. Her beloved PT Cruiser had been totaled in the accident last fall. She now drove a peacock-colored Nissan Versa Note, which she loved almost as much as her PT, but not quite. Had she driven her car? "No," she finally answered Gabby. "No, I told Tad I would catch a ride with you when he left with…" She was appalled at the tears that filled her eyes. Surely she wasn't crying over Tad helping a colleague in distress? No, it had to be the events of the whole evening and her own exhaustion.
"I'll drive you," Gabby said firmly and steered her in the direction of her own minivan.
"What about Greg and the girls?" Emily asked dazedly, following along behind Gabby like a lost puppy.
"He came straight here from work. They took his truck home. Come on, in you go." Gabby was using that crooning voice she used when the twins were especially tired. Emily vaguely wondered why she found it so soothing when she was twenty-seven, not three. And then she quit thinking at all, simply watching the streetlights as Gabby drove toward her duplex. When she no longer recognized the way home, she roused herself enough to ask, "Where are we going?"
"Where else?" Gabby asked, pulling into their favorite late-night ice cream place.
"I love you. Have I told you that lately?" Emily perked up.
"Nope. But you can tell me by paying," Gabby joked. And just like that, Emily found a small bit of her faith in humanity restored. Murders might happen, people might hate one another enough to commit such violence, but there was good in the world as well. Emily was blessed with a wonderful family and an exceptional best friend. What better way to celebrate that than with huge caramel sundaes?
By the time they had licked the last drop from their red plastic spoons, Emily was ready to talk. She began with, "Thanks."
Gabby smiled and gave her a shoulder nudge. "Anytime. You'd do the same for me." And she would. Thus, the reason for their friendship lasting through the years. "What are you thinking?" Gabby asked her.
Emily winced. She hated to admit what was really troubling her. "I know I should be worrying about Mayor McBain and what happened to her, or about all the students and parents I will have to console and deal with tomorrow, but my mind keeps going back to Maclaine. Of course I feel bad for her. I know Janice McBain was more like her mother than an aunt, but I have to wonder—why turn to Tad? I mean, they have a lot in common, and he has been helping her get settled in at Ellington High, but is there something more that I've been missing?"
Gabby gave her the "mom stare" and Emily felt herself shrink under its force. "What?" she asked defensively.
"Emily Grace Taylor," Gabby said. "I'm disappointed in you. You know darn well that Tad worships the ground you walk on. He has never done anything to make you doubt his trustworthiness. So what gives?"
Emily wadded up her napkin and tossed her plastic ice cream container in the trash. "Insecurity, I guess. I mean, look at Maclaine! She's gorgeous and skinny, and they have that whole math thing going on, and I'm just, well…me."
"And 'you' is perfect," Gabby told her.
Emily rolled her eyes. Gabby could not possibly understand the insecurity of knowing you had a few pounds to lose. She was svelte and gorgeous, what with her huge brown eyes and luxuriant dark curls, and she was the mother of twins, for Pete's sake! Sometimes life just wasn't
Emily hadn't realized she was standing motionless, just staring off into space, her mind filled with thoughts of the mayor, Maclaine, and Tad, until she felt Gabby wrap an arm around her shoulders and nudge her forward. "You've done all you can here tonight," she said. "Let's get you home. Do you have your car?"
It took Emily several seconds to even process Gabby's question. Her car. Her beloved PT Cruiser had been totaled in the accident last fall. She now drove a peacock-colored Nissan Versa Note, which she loved almost as much as her PT, but not quite. Had she driven her car? "No," she finally answered Gabby. "No, I told Tad I would catch a ride with you when he left with…" She was appalled at the tears that filled her eyes. Surely she wasn't crying over Tad helping a colleague in distress? No, it had to be the events of the whole evening and her own exhaustion.
"I'll drive you," Gabby said firmly and steered her in the direction of her own minivan.
"What about Greg and the girls?" Emily asked dazedly, following along behind Gabby like a lost puppy.
"He came straight here from work. They took his truck home. Come on, in you go." Gabby was using that crooning voice she used when the twins were especially tired. Emily vaguely wondered why she found it so soothing when she was twenty-seven, not three. And then she quit thinking at all, simply watching the streetlights as Gabby drove toward her duplex. When she no longer recognized the way home, she roused herself enough to ask, "Where are we going?"
"Where else?" Gabby asked, pulling into their favorite late-night ice cream place.
"I love you. Have I told you that lately?" Emily perked up.
"Nope. But you can tell me by paying," Gabby joked. And just like that, Emily found a small bit of her faith in humanity restored. Murders might happen, people might hate one another enough to commit such violence, but there was good in the world as well. Emily was blessed with a wonderful family and an exceptional best friend. What better way to celebrate that than with huge caramel sundaes?
By the time they had licked the last drop from their red plastic spoons, Emily was ready to talk. She began with, "Thanks."
Gabby smiled and gave her a shoulder nudge. "Anytime. You'd do the same for me." And she would. Thus, the reason for their friendship lasting through the years. "What are you thinking?" Gabby asked her.
Emily winced. She hated to admit what was really troubling her. "I know I should be worrying about Mayor McBain and what happened to her, or about all the students and parents I will have to console and deal with tomorrow, but my mind keeps going back to Maclaine. Of course I feel bad for her. I know Janice McBain was more like her mother than an aunt, but I have to wonder—why turn to Tad? I mean, they have a lot in common, and he has been helping her get settled in at Ellington High, but is there something more that I've been missing?"
Gabby gave her the "mom stare" and Emily felt herself shrink under its force. "What?" she asked defensively.
"Emily Grace Taylor," Gabby said. "I'm disappointed in you. You know darn well that Tad worships the ground you walk on. He has never done anything to make you doubt his trustworthiness. So what gives?"
Emily wadded up her napkin and tossed her plastic ice cream container in the trash. "Insecurity, I guess. I mean, look at Maclaine! She's gorgeous and skinny, and they have that whole math thing going on, and I'm just, well…me."
"And 'you' is perfect," Gabby told her.
Emily rolled her eyes. Gabby could not possibly understand the insecurity of knowing you had a few pounds to lose. She was svelte and gorgeous, what with her huge brown eyes and luxuriant dark curls, and she was the mother of twins, for Pete's sake! Sometimes life just wasn't
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