Riding the River Read Online Free PDF Page A

Pete’s sake. That guy is a cartoon
character. What’s the matter with him anyway?”
    Sarah looked at her and then turned away. “I
know what’s wrong with him.”
    “You do?”
    “Yes…”
    “… Please tell me. This I’ve got to hear.”
Abby sat back in her chair.
    “One day last year, I went up to his office
and started to knock on the door. I noticed it was slightly ajar
and I heard him talking on the phone.”
    “Who to?”
    “I gathered it was his wife…”
    “Okay…”
    “So it got embarrassing.”
    “What did?” Abby leaned forward now.
    “He was pleading with her. I could see him in
his chair with tears rolling down his face.”
    “You’re kidding… Joe the Tyrant?”
    “Yes, apparently she was leaving him and he
was distraught.”
    “Then what happened?”
    “He hung up the phone, wiped his face off and
saw me at the door.”
    “What did he do?”
    “He told me to come in. When I did, he asked
me never to speak to anyone about what I’d just seen and
heard.”
    “What did you say?”
    “I told him that I hadn’t seen or heard
anything much. From that day, he was better for a while.”
    “Better? After what he did last week and then
today?”
    “Right… He’s slowly gotten worse again.”
    They both thought about that for a
minute.
    “So what happened after he threw things up in
the air? He was being a cartoon character…”
    “Totally, but I stuck to my guns and
insisted. I reminded him that I haven’t had a vacation in two years
and that a few more people quit yesterday.”
    “… Interesting… The rats are leaving the
ship.”
    “Definitely and he can’t afford to lose me.
Even Marcia said she has resumes out…”
    “So he gave in?”
    “No, he continued to bully me and all of a
sudden, while looking at him, I felt light-headed. Something must
have shown on my face because he yelled for Marcia to come into his
office… She got me in a chair before I nearly passed out.”
    “… No…”
    “So he ordered Marcia to get me home and told
me I could have a week’s vacation. Marcia took me to the ER
instead…”
    “So you had to practically die in front of
him to get time off…”
    “… Something like that.”
    Sarah stopped and took a long swallow of
water. Abby continued to look at her and started shaking her
head.
    “Sarah, you’re going to have a nervous
breakdown. You know that, right?”
    “Yes…”
    “So… what are you going to do?”
    She lay down on the couch and put another
pillow under her head. Taking a deep breath, she said with
resolution, “I’m making a reservation at that guest ranch in
Nevada.”
    “Good for you…” Abby thought a minute. “What
about your family? Won’t they be upset?”
    “They’re going to have to get along without
me for a week.”
    “Talk about striking a blow for freedom. Good
for you, girl…” Sarah began to yawn and Abby got the message.
    “Do you want me to spend the night, Sarah? Or
are you all right alone?”
    “… I’m okay. Thanks for picking me up.”
    “I’ll get you to your car tomorrow. When does
your vacation start?”
    “Now… Monday to Monday is what Joe said he’d
give me.”
    “When do will you leave for Nevada?”
    “Tomorrow, if at all possible.”
    Abby’s face shone. She stood up and clapped
her hands.
    “Yay! Go have a blast in the Wild West…”
    “Thanks,” smiled Sarah. “I think I will…”
     
     

 
    CHAPTER SIX
     
    She’d brought a book to read on the plane,
but couldn’t seem to concentrate on it… Even though it was a
darling story about a young, female deputy sheriff in a small town
in Nevada who kept butting into everyone’s business. Sarah finally
put it away and closed her eyes, thinking about all the turmoil she
had left behind in Baltimore.
    Her father and grandfather had found out
about the panic attack somehow, and called Ben first. He didn’t
know anything about it either, so then everyone called her – one at
a time… Sarah wished she could