Fallen Elements Read Online Free PDF Page A

narrowing. “Are you family?”
    Ryan nodded. “Her daughter.”
    Leah gasped, and then quickly covered her
mouth as she took a step back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she had a
daughter.”
    Ryan tried not to be hurt by the fact one of
her mother’s friends didn’t even know she existed. “We had a
falling out, so we hadn’t spoken in years.”
    Leah had managed to regain her composure, and
nodded. “I hadn’t seen her in years either.” The blonde looked
toward the gravesite, her eyes filling with tears. “Nearly thirty
years.”
    Ryan’s eyes widened. “Oh. That’s a long
time.” She had never been a fan of math, but even she knew those
numbers didn’t add up. Her mother was forty five when she died, and
Leah couldn’t be a day over thirty five.
    “Leah Brewer.” Lucy’s voice was curt and
biting as she walked up to Ryan and Leah.
    “Hello, Lucy.” Leah’s politeness was forced.
It was clear to Ryan from the icy stares the two women hated each
other. “You’re looking well.”
    Lucy linked her arm through Ryan’s as she
looked Leah up and down. “Time has been good to you, Leah.”
    Ryan wasn’t sure what was going on. She had
never heard of Leah before. But given the daggers her aunt was now
shooting at the beautiful blonde, Ryan wondered what the history
between these two was. “Ah, how do you know each other?”
    Lucy huffed. “Leah and your mother were best
friends. Ages ago.”
    Leah frowned as she looked at Ryan. “I’m
sorry about your mother. Take care.” She looked suspiciously at
Lucy. “Nice to see you again, Lucy.”
    “Likewise.” Lucy pulled a confused Ryan back
toward the gravesite.
    “Wait.” Ryan slipped her arm free of her
aunt, and followed after Leah. “Leah, please.”
    The blonde stopped, her shoulders slouched as
she turned to face Ryan. “I really should be going.”
    Ryan instinctively reached for the woman’s
hand. The chill of the day evaporated as a surge of heat rolled up
her arm. Both women looked down at where their hands were joined.
“Can’t we talk for a minute?”
    Before Leah could answer, Lucy was standing
next to Ryan. “Ryan, the car is waiting and so are our guests.”
    Ryan sighed. “Give me five minutes,
please.”
    Lucy reached for Ryan’s hand, and stepped
between Leah and her. “I have indulged you enough, what with your
mother’s death, but I will not let you embarrass the family by
delaying us further.”
    Ryan’s annoyance with her aunt’s interference
was rapidly morphing into anger when she watched a small trickle of
blood come from Lucy’s right nostril. “Jesus, Aunt Lucy, your
nose.”
    Reaching up with her gloved hand, Lucy dabbed
at the blood, and then quickly brought her silk handkerchief up to
her nose. “I’ll see you at the car.” Without looking back at Leah,
the woman briskly walked away.
    “I am sorry about your mother, Ryan.” Leah
had released Ryan’s hand, and was stepping back. “Please take care
of yourself.”
    “I’ll walk you to your car.” Ryan had never
considered herself a pushy person, but she was having difficulty
letting Leah leave.
    “I’m just walking over to Broadway to catch a
cab.” Leah put her hands in her coat pockets as she walked away
from Ryan.
    Taking a few long strides, Ryan fell into
step with Leah. “I’ll walk with you.”
    Shaking her head, Leah stopped. “Look, I
don’t want to be rude -”
    Ryan grinned. “Then don’t be. I can’t imagine
it suits you.”
    Leah’s cheeks flushed, and she chewed
nervously on the inside of her lower lip. “You can walk me to the
street, and that’s it, right?”
    Ryan crossed her heart with her index finger.
“Promise.”
    “Well, come on then.” Leah began to quickly
walk toward the wrought iron gate at the eastern side of the
cemetery.
    “So you and my mom were friends?” Ryan
managed to sound casual, even though a thousand questions were
shooting through her head.
    “Yes.” Leah pulled her coat collar