Blind Trust
Page 32
“This is all my fault.” Kate sunk onto a chair along the wall. “As soon as she told me how dizzy she’d been feeling, I should have told her to rest.”
“You knew she was dizzy?” The urgency in Jarrett’s voice made Kate’s heart race. “Did she suspect what caused it?”
“She said maybe low blood sugar.”
A nurse carrying a clipboard joined them. “Are you Kate? Miss Goodman said you’d be able to tell me the policy number for your work’s medical insurance.”
“Oh, yes.” Kate dug into her purse and produced the card. “The group policy number is on the top. I guess you’ll have to call for her personal number.”
The nurse tapped her pencil in a quickening staccato as she studied the card. “You work at the research station?”
“Yes.”
“Doing the same sort of research as that woman who recently died from drinking her own herbal tea concoction?”
Kate sprang to her feet. “Daisy was poisoned! How—” Tom’s heavy hand on her shoulder stifled the indignant retort she’d been about to blast the nurse with.
“Of course, I’m sorry. I had read in the papers that poisoning was the new theory,” the nurse said apologetically. Kate had to dig her teeth into her bottom lip not to shout, “It’s not a theory!”
“I just thought,” the nurse went on, “that if she drinks different herbals, they might explain the dizziness, since she said she had it before she hit her head.”
“I thought the doctor ordered blood tests,” Jarrett cut in.
The nurse handed Kate back her card. “Yes, but if you can think of anything she might’ve consumed that could explain the dizziness, please let us know.”
As the nurse walked away, Tom pulled up a seat beside Kate. “This scenario sounds too uncomfortably like your friend Daisy’s.”
Kate’s heart pummeled her ribs. “You think someone poisoned Patti?”
“No, I—”
“Daisy had complained of dizziness a few times before . . .” Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh. No.
Tom gently clasped her arms. “It’s okay. Take deep breaths.”
“It’s not. It’s not!” Kate whipped free of his hold. “What if they poisoned Patti to get to me?”
Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense, whose novels include Deadly Devotion and several Love Inspired Suspense titles, including two Canadian Christian Writing Award winners and a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award winner. Sandra has also received a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
In addition to her busy writing schedule, Sandra enjoys speaking at events and teaching writing workshops. She especially enjoys brainstorming suspense plots with fellow writers, which has garnered more than a few odd looks when standing in the grocery checkout debating what poison to use.
Sandra lives with her husband of more than twenty-five years in Ontario, Canada, where their favorite pastime is exploring the world with their young grandchildren. Learn more about Sandra’s books and check out the special bonus features, such as deleted scenes and location pictures, at www.sandraorchard.com. While there, subscribe to her newsletter to receive subscriber-exclusive short stories. You can also connect with Sandra at www.facebook.com/sandraorchard.
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