Chill Factor Read Online Free PDF

eyes. "As if I'd
get close enough to some creep that he could grab me and carry me off."
    "I'm sure they're very concerned," Marilee said. "They should
be."
    "My daddy gave me a pistol to keep in my car," the other girl
said.
"Told me not to hesitate to shoot anybody who tried to mess with me."
    Marilee murmured, "It's become a frightening situation."
Gauging
their impatience to get on with their evening, she told them to enjoy
the snow day, if indeed they had one, then turned back to the counter
just as Linda was serving her cocoa.
    "Careful, hon, it's hot." Looking after the girls, Linda said,
"People have gone plumb nuts."
    "Hmm." Marilee took a tentative sip of the hot chocolate. "I'm
not
sure which is more disconcerting. Five missing women or fathers arming
their teenage daughters with pistols."
    Everyone in Cleary was nervous about the disappearances.
People were
locking doors that previously had gone unlatched. Women of all ages
were warned to be aware of their surroundings when they were out alone
and to avoid dark and isolated places. They were advised to trust no
one they didn't know well. Since Millicent's disappearance, it had been
suggested that husbands and boyfriends meet their partners at their
workplaces at the end of the day to escort them home.
    "I can't rightly blame them though," Linda said, lowering her
voice.
"You mark my words, Marilee. That Gunn girl is as good as dead if she
ain't already."
    It was pessimistic to think that way, but Marilee was prone to
agree. "When are you leaving for home, Linda?"
    "Whenever that slave-driving brother of yours says I can go."
    "Maybe I can influence him to let you off early."
    "Ain't likely. We been doin' a land-office business all
afternoon.
People figurin' it'll be days before they can get out again."
    A drugstore had occupied the corner of Main and Hemlock
streets for
as long as Marilee could remember. When she was a little girl and the
family had come into town, she'd always looked forward to stopping here.
    William must have had fond memories of it too, because as soon
as he
graduated from pharmaceutical school, he'd returned to Cleary and
started working here. When his employer decided to retire, William
bought the business from him, then immediately borrowed money from the
bank for expansion.
    He bought the vacant building next door and incorporated it
into the
existing store, enlarging Linda's work space and adding booths to
increase the soda fountain's capacity. He'd also had the foresight to
set aside room for video rentals. In addition to the pharmacy, he had
the most extensive stock of paperback books and magazines in town . Women shopped here for their cosmetics and greeting cards. Men bought
tobacco products. Everyone came to catch up on local gossip. If Cleary
had an epicenter, it was Ritt's Drug Store.
    Along with prescriptions, William dispensed advice,
compliments,
congratulations, or condolences, whatever his customers' situations
called for. Although Marilee thought the white lab coat he wore in the
store was a bit pretentious, his customers seemed not to mind.
    Of course there were those who speculated on why both he and
Marilee
had remained single and continued to share a home. People thought that
much togetherness between brother and sister was strange. Or worse. She
tried not to let people who entertained dirty thoughts like that bother
her .
    The bell above the entrance jangled again. She didn't turn
this time
but looked into the mirrored wall behind Linda's workstation and saw
Wes Hamer come in with his son, Scott.
    Linda called out to them. "Hey, Wes, Scott, how're y'all?"
    Wes returned her greeting, but it was Marilee with whom he was
making eye contact in the mirror. He sauntered over, leaned close over
her shoulder, and took a whiff of the cocoa. "Damn, that smells good.
I'll take one of those, too, Linda. It's a hot cocoa kind of day."
    "Hello, Wes. Scott," Marilee said.
    Scott acknowledged her with a mumbled "Miss Ritt."
    Wes sat down