The Second Heart Read Online Free PDF

still had no leads.
    When they reached the kitchen, Amelia was
just setting the bubbling lasagna on the stovetop.
    “Good, you’re all here,” she said, looking up
from the lasagna dish. “Rob, you get everyone water to drink.
Meredith, placemats and napkins. Vi, silverware.”
    They all set about their appointed tasks and
were soon dishing themselves up buffet-style from the kitchen.
    Sitting down at the table, Rob smelled his
plate of food appreciatively. “This looks great! And my girls back
home, too. This day is shaping up to be just fine.”
    Amelia patted him gently on the shoulder as
she moved past him to sit at her place facing the window. “It is
nice to have you girls here tonight.”
    “Cut it out, I’m getting misty eyed.”
Meredith fluttered her hand by her face in a show of mock
emotion.
    Vi joined in on the joke. “Oh stop it, Mere.
If you cry, then I’ll cry… Oh, now you’ve done it! My mascara’s
running.” She let out an anguished sob and flopped down into the
chair across from Amelia. Then she sat up straight, smiled broadly,
and took a large bite of lasagna. The grin stayed frozen on her
face while her eyes filled with real tears.
    “Lasagna a little hot?” Meredith asked
mirthfully.
    Vi nodded painfully and grabbed her water
glass, chugging down several mouthfuls of the soothing liquid. They
all laughed and tucked into the food, blowing on their forkfuls of
lasagna to avoid repeating Vi’s mistake.
    They all ate companionably in silence for a
few minutes. Then, Amelia said, “So who wants to speculate about
what the hell’s going on?” She gestured toward the window, and they
all turned to look.
    The sun had set, casting the city in
darkness. From their vantage point on the hill, they could see
three separate fires burning in different parts of the valley. They
cast up an orange glow that mingled with the halo of light from the
buildings and street lamps.
    “I read earlier today that they thought it
might be terrorism,” Meredith suggested. She glanced over at Vi,
who met her gaze. They were both thinking about the conversation
they’d had earlier, when Vi had told Meredith about the
candles.
    “Terrorism would make sense, I suppose,” Rob
contributed. “Isn’t the point of terrorism to get people where they
feel safe, like in their homes? That would explain why it’s been so
random, as opposed to high profile targets.”
    Amelia nodded thoughtfully, digesting what
Rob had said. “But to what end?” she asked.
    “Do we ever know the answer to that question
when this sort of thing happens?” Rob responded. “Hatred is its own
reason.”
    “I wonder when the firefighters will ever get
to sleep again,” Meredith commented.
    “I hope they all get raises. You girls were
so lucky. What if you’d been asleep?” Amelia reached across the
table and squeezed Meredith’s hand.
    Vi turned and looked at Meredith quizzically.
“Why were you up so early today? Usually it takes a marching band
going through your bedroom to get you up before nine.”
    “I don’t know,” Meredith answered honestly.
“I was just awake. I really don’t know why.”
    They cleared the table and talked about
inconsequential things while Meredith and Vi washed the dishes. Rob
settled in front of the TV with a bowl of ice cream, and Amelia
transferred their freshly washed clothes into the dryer. Once the
chores were complete, they joined Rob in front of the television
and watched the news for a while.
    “It’s amazing how long they can talk for how
little they actually know,” Rob remarked.
    “It’s like my students!” Amelia joked. Before
retiring, Amelia had been a high school English teacher.
    Meredith stood up and stretched. “I’m gonna
go to bed, guys. I’m beat.”
    “I’m right there with you.” Vi stood as well,
and they said goodnight.
    Meredith went into the laundry room and
pulled their clean clothes out of the dryer, carrying them down the
hall and dumping them into a heap on