Suspicion Read Online Free PDF

bed and sulk as she often did, Kate headed for the door. "Dinner is in forty minutes."
      "Well, I don’t like it," Alison said, following Kate down the stairs. "In fact, I hate it here. This house is too small. And it’s miles away from my friends."
      "Maybe it’s time you made new friends."
      "I tried. They all hate me because I’m rich."
      Kate held back a sigh. "Alison, how many times have I told you that you’re not rich. Your grandparents are rich. Maybe if you stopped acting like such a spoiled brat, you wouldn’t have so much trouble making friends."
      The moment the words were out of her mouth, Kate
      regretted them. Harsh criticism was hardly the way to improve the relationship between her and Alison. What Kate needed was patience and understanding, both of which Alison kept pushing to the limit.
      "I’m sorry, baby," Kate said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs and turning to face her daughter. "I didn’t mean that."
      "Oh, you meant it all right," Alison spit. "I heard you talk to Grandma on the phone the other day. I heard you tell her how much I had changed."
      "You have."
      "You’ve changed, too. First you divorced Daddy for no reason at all. Then you forced me to leave Grandpa’s house where I’ve lived all my life. You never once asked me what I wanted to do, who I wanted to live with. That’s not how it used to be. We always had family conferences where everyone had a chance to express their opinion."
      "This was different. The decision that you should live with me was one your father and I made together." Her voice softened. "I’m sorry if you felt left out, baby. We didn’t think it was fair to ask you to choose between your father and your mother."
      "So you chose for me."
      "It was in your best interest. I know you don’t agree with me right now, but someday you will."
      "No, I won’t."
      Rather than pursue an argument she couldn’t possibly win, Kate took a deep, calming breath and walked into the kitchen. With its blue tile countertops, oak cabinets and pleasant smells, the room never failed to cheer her up. But tonight the magic wasn’t working.
      Aware that Alison had followed her, Kate opened the refrigerator, pulled out the meat loaf she had prepared before going to court that morning and slid it into the
      oven. "Look, sweetie," she said, hoping that the sight of her daughter’s favorite dish would turn the girl around. "What do you say we call a truce for a couple of hours and try to have a nice, peaceful dinner. I’ve had a bad day."
      Alison’s transformation was immediate. For a moment, she was once again the sweet, compassionate young girl Kate knew and loved. "Oh, my God, I totally forgot. The verdict came in, didn’t it?" She searched her mother’s face, saw the grim expression and let her shoulders sag. Tears filled her eyes. "They found Tony guilty."
      Kate nodded.
      "Oh, no." Leaning against the island, Alison lowered her head in her hands and wept hopelessly.
      In two short strides, Kate was by her side, enveloping her in her arms. Six years older than Alison, Tony had spent a lot of time at the Fairchilds’ house when he was growing up, and the two had formed a strong friendship.
      Kate continued to hold her daughter tightly, stroking her hair. "I’m not going to abandon him, Alison. I’ll be working very hard on his appeal."
      Suddenly, Alison pulled away from her mother’s embrace. "This is all Detective Calhoon’s fault," she said in a voice full of hatred. "If he hadn’t brought up Tony’s association with that street gang years ago, the jury would have had a different opinion of him."
      "Detective Calhoon was just doing his job, darling."
      "Well, his job stinks."
      Kate smiled. "If it’s any consolation, I agree with you."
      Alison wiped her tear-streaked face with the back of her hand. "When is the sentencing?"
      "January second."
      "Why so late? Tony will go