The Perils of Peaches (Scents of Murder Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

office.”
    “You’re right.” Barkha rubbed between her eyebrows where a worry line had started to bloom.
    “What’s wrong with him? Do you think someone hurt him during the break-in?”
    She paused, as if she considered her words carefully. “I don’t think so, at this point. He had no obvious signs of trauma—no wounds, no contusions that I could see, or any lumps on the head. His breathing was shallow, and he was unresponsive. His BP was low. EMS arrived before I could really do more of an assessment.”
    “So, you weren’t at home and got a call about the break-in?” Her farmhouse was a mile or so out of town, but our house was even farther away.
    “No, I wasn’t.” Barkha’s gaze flicked to the front door. Jerry had just exited and was heading in our direction. “I’d gone for a drive to clear my head.”
    “Why? What happened??”
    She shook her head. “I wrote up my resignation from Bradley Medical, then threw it away.”
    “What?” Resignation? She was leaving?
    “I know. I didn’t want to tell you or your family just yet. But I’ve been thinking of moving back to Atlanta. I feel like I’ve been running for so long.” She frowned. “Except . . .”
    “Except?”
    “I love Greenburg, and I love caring for its people. I love my church, and my adopted families, the Clarks and the Hartleys . . .” She stopped when Jerry reached us.
    “Then why—”
    Barkha’s look made me stop talking. Was it Jerry? Why else would she leave? Tushar had gotten to her. That had to be the explanation.
    “Did you talk to Dr. Gupta?”
    “I . . . I can’t talk about it right now.” She crossed her arms in front of her.
    Okay. Fair enough. “You found him unconscious, then called EMS?”
    Barkha nodded. “Like I said, I saw a light on. Usually we don’t work this late, so I assumed someone left a light on. It happens.”
    “So, we’re back around again to where we are right now.” I stifled a yawn. “I wonder if anyone else saw anything? Did you anyone driving away or on foot?”
    Jerry glanced from me to Barkha, then to me again. “I need to talk to Dr. Mukherjee here.”
    “Take care.” I touched Barkha’s shoulder, and she squeezed my arm. “Call me if you need anything.”
    “Thanks,” she whispered. “I’ll see you at church.”
     
     
    The day’s events followed me home as I drove along the moonlit road. Tushar showing up at Barkha’s house. The strained lunch between Barkha and Dr. Bradley. Dr. Bradley’s barbs that still stung where they’d pricked. Ben falling asleep on me. Me trying to type. And then the phone call. Dr. Bradley on a stretcher.
    I prayed about the situation, although I wasn’t sure exactly what to pray for besides Dr. Bradley’s health. When I turned into our driveway and saw the lights of home waiting, my heart swelled in thanks.
    Once inside the silent kitchen, I hung my keys on the rack. The only sound was wisps of wind coming through the open window over the sink. I might as well finish Barkha’s dictation before turning in. Sleep would be a stranger tonight, and I didn’t want my tossing and turning to wake Ben. If it were any other evening, I’d be tempted to wake him right away and share the news. But I heard his snore filtering down the hallway.
    Of course, I had to pause at the nursery to check on my sleeping beauty. The light from the hallway made a faint yellow glow that fell over her crib. Hannah stirred, sucking on one of her fists. Then I saw the familiar grimace, frown, and furrowed brow. The intake of breath and red face.
    She started to wail before I picked her up. Teething. She had to be, as much as she’d drooled on the mattress pad. “Sweet pea, do your gums hurt?” I ran my finger over her budding gums. Sure enough. “Let’s get you something to chew on.”
    I carried Hannah to the kitchen to find her chewy-bunny in the freezer. Her wails echoed in the room. A few minutes later, I had her settled in her crib, her gums coated with