LETHAL OBSESSION Read Online Free PDF Page A

against her face remembering
how thrilled Mark was over this Christmas gift. Rolling up the shirt, she put
it in her jacket pocket.                                                             
          When
Ellen reached what looked like the cockpit, she put her hand on the charred metal
where the Anderson Enterprises insignia was still visible. Something glittered
inside the dark cavity catching what little light there was.  Ellen put her
hand in.  A sharp pain made her wince.  The enclosure was like a booby trap of
razor sharp, twisted steel.  Reaching the object might inflict some nasty cuts
but Ellen felt compelled to retrieve the shiny object.  She moved her arm
carefully, bending, twisting and reaching.   The metal was scraping and cutting
but she kept going.  Finally her hand closed around a ring. Ellen knew without
checking the engraving that it was Mark's wedding band. Pulling her closed fist
back was like going against a gauntlet of knives.  She took the blue shirt out
of her pocket to rap around her bleeding arm and hand.  Clutching the gold band
to her chest Ellen sat on the charred ground leaning back against the body of
the plane.  The tears began as a trickle and soon became a torrent.  She was
sobbing into the blue shirt now saturated with blood.
          When
Gene's whistle sounded Ellen startled and looked around, momentarily confused. Then
she heard the whistle again and leaped to her feet hoping she could find her
way back to the patrol car.  She placed the ring on her finger securing it in
place with her own wedding rings. Following the small round glow of the
flashlight, she picked her way back through the tall weeds.  
          Gene
met her half way.  When he saw the blood he grabbed her hand. "What did
you do to yourself?" Gene unwrapped the homemade bandage on Ellen's arm. "Jesus,
how did you manage to cut yourself like that?" 
          "I
found this."  She held up her ring finger.  "And that shirt you took
off my hand was a Christmas present I got for Mark."
          "Well,"
he handed the shirt back to her.  "I hope the blood stains come
out."  Gene took her left hand and looked at the larger ring. "I
guess this was a prize worth going after. I'm glad you found it, Ellen."  Gene
pulled out a large first aid kit from the squad car and began cleaning Ellen's injuries. 
          "You
need stitches for some of these cuts but the steri-strips should work.  I can
take you to the Emergency Room if you want but they will ask questions."
          "This
is fine, Gene."    
          "Okay,
let's get out of here and go pick up your car."   
         
          Somewhere
between the time they left the site and Ellen's car, she had a major meltdown. 
Her grief was so overwhelming she couldn't control it. It was mortally
embarrassing.  Gene kept patting her hand while he drove, but Ellen could not
make herself stop sobbing.                   
          She
was still crying when they reached her car.  Gene looked at her tear stained
face and sighed. 
    "Look,
I don't think you're in any shape to drive.  Why don't I just take you home.  I
can call one of my deputies to pick up your car."
          "Won't
they ask questions?"
          "Yeah,
probably."
          "I
can drive.  You can follow if it will make you feel any better."
          "It
will."
         
          By
the time they got back to the Anderson chalet, Ellen was shaking so hard, she
could hardly walk. The finality of Mark being gone had hit home and Ellen was
being blind-sided by emotions so deep they threatened to consume her.  She had managed
to hold back the tears while maneuvering hairpin mountain roads in the pitch
black night, but now that she was home safe, the damn really broke.
    Now
Ellen was sobbing again as Gene got her settled on the couch and held her until
the heart wrenching grief