Blood Bond Read Online Free PDF

was too much of it to be from Tom. And it was cold.”
    â€œThey think Tom was lying in animal blood? But how—”
    â€œLike if someone brought it with them. In a container or something.” Her eyelashes fluttered and she blew out a short breath. “Marva, I think it was those ELF guys again. Bryce swore they wouldn’t come back, but . . .”
    â€œOh. Wow, you really think so? I don’t know . . .” Marva had managed to miss the drama with the protestors because she’d been out of town at a quilt show, and it had been nice, for once, not to have to deal with Gail’s anxiety. The Earth Liberation Front had never taken credit for any of the vandalism on Bryce’s project, but when the protestors had come to Gail’s house—what was it, back in June? July?—Bryce had blamed them, embellishing the story every time he told it. Marva had gotten the impression Bryce thought that earning the ire of a handful of disorganized slackers reflected poorly on him, that he preferred to pretend he was the target of a powerful international organization. “I thought that project was dead, Gail.”
    She winced at her word choice, but Gail didn’t seem to notice. “Well, it got delayed, sure, but Bryce still thinks it’ll go through. It’s just more environmental studies, and you know how long those take.”
    â€œBut Gail, even if it was them, why would they want to hurt Tom? He doesn’t have anything to do with the project.”
    â€œI don’t know, maybe that part was an accident.”
    Marva thought of something else. “How did you happen to hear all this?” she demanded. “About the blood?”
    â€œI said I had to check on the kids. I opened the window in the guest room over the driveway. I could hear everything they were saying.”
    â€œYou eavesdropped on the cops ?”
    â€œCome on. You would have done the same thing.”
    Marva stared at her sister, then shook her head once. No: she wouldn’t have, and they both knew it.
    She picked up the wineglass and drained it, then got to her feet, her back sore from napping on the couch, and picked up the bottle. Set it on the counter, a hint for Gail that it was time to go.
    She knew her sister was upset, but she was just so tired. And tomorrow was going to be a long day. She was teaching at a shop in Walnut Creek, an advanced class on machine quilting techniques. Plus the commission piece was due at the end of the week. She needed to try to get some sleep before she was due at the police station.
    She wished she hadn’t gone to the dinner tonight. But she couldn’t skip it; it was the one day of the year she had to be extra vigilant with Gail. This year she thought she might actually be able to get through the whole day without either of them acknowledging it, and everything that had happened that evening had almost made her forget once or twice. But watching her sister fumble while picking up her car keys from the glass table, her fingers trembling, she knew she had to at least mention it.
    â€œSo . . . we never talked about what day it is,” she said gently.
    Gail’s expression twitched so slightly that most people wouldn’t notice. She backed toward the door, clutching her purse to her chest. “Not after all this, okay? I just can’t. Maybe tomorrow. Definitely tomorrow. Thanks for the wine.” And she was gone.
    Exhausted as she was, Marva stared at the door long after Gail left, wondering whether her sister meant to keep even half of the promises she made.
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CHAPTER FOUR
    BERTRISE LOOKED UP FROM her tidy desk, sliding her mug a fraction of an inch to the right. Fragrant steam rose from her tea—jasmine, orange blossom, something herbal anyway.
    â€œMrs. Bergman’s in Two. She seems pretty out of it. The Englers are in reception.” She cleared her throat. “Mrs. Engler is making quite