Whisper's Edge Read Online Free PDF Page B

his wife’s desertion, had a falling-out with Maggie, who ended up leaving town.
    Kate thought for another minute and then frowned when she remembered that a battle with breast cancer is what had brought Maggie home one summer when Tristan was just a kid. Other than that, Kate remained clueless. Kate knew that Tristan’s return would surely stir up local gossip, so if she kept her ear to the ground perhaps she would come up with some answers. She only hoped that his intentions were good.
    Kate inhaled a deep breath and willed her thoughts not to go down that path. Worry had been her middle name since Max McMillan started letting the conditions of the grounds slide. She’d heard that the old sourpuss had made some poor investments in Florida and teetered on the verge of bankruptcy. While the riverfront property had gone up in value with the revitalization of Cricket Creek, Kate had also heard it through the local grapevine that Max was so far upside-down financially that it didn’t make a lick of difference. The bank had been waiting in the wings to swoop down and seize the property, but although Tristan had kept mum on details, he did divulge that there was a legal clause allowing him to purchase it from his grandfather before the bank stepped in.
    Kate sighed as she looked over at the stack of unpaid bills piled high on her desk. As the property manager she’d learned to pinch pennies and call in favors but the past year had been stressful. Savannah Perry, bless her heart, hadn’t had a raise in who knows when and never complained, even though she worked her little tail off. Kate dropped her pen and rubbed her temples. Not everyone was so gracious. Over the past six months she had gone through three maintenance men, and the current one had just given his notice a week ago. Kate massaged her temples. She was becoming desperate. Duct tape could only go so far.
    Although Kate could put an ad in the paper it might be weeks before finding another replacement. The baseball stadium complex and new strip mall were doing well and Cricket Creek continued to flourish. Competition foremployees was fierce and she simply couldn’t match the salaries offered to skilled workers that other businesses were giving. Kate could sweeten the pot by offering living accommodations but not everyone wanted to reside in a retirement community. Kate sighed. She could only hope that Tristan would soon change all that.
    With that thought she looked down at his cell phone, which kept making all kinds of weird blinks, dings and beeps. Either he’d left the phone by mistake or he simply wanted to get away from the constant noises and vibrations. “Where did he go for this long?” she murmured, and bent the blinds down to see if his snazzy car was still parked in front of the office. “Still there,” she said and leaned back in her weathered swivel chair.
    Kate rested her head against the cool leather and closed her eyes in an effort to remain calm. Insomnia had been a constant companion for the past few months and she thought she would just rest her weary eyes for a moment or two. The low hum of the air conditioner soothed her nerves and after a minute Kate drifted off to sleep…
    Ding,
ding!
    The sudden sound cut through Kate’s peaceful slumber and jarred her awake so fast that she grabbed the arms of her chair and spun in a half circle. With a little yelp she stopped the spin by slamming her feet to the floor. Breathing hard, she glared at Tristan’s fancy phone and considered tossing it out the window. Kate shook her head, thinking that she couldn’t fall asleep in the comfort of her bed but could doze off in an instant in a fully lit office while sitting straight up in a chair. Go figure…
    “Oh dear lord,” Kate grumbled when beads of sweat suddenly popped out on her forehead. She stood up and went over to the thermostat to check the temperature. “Just what I thought. It’s me.” Kate picked up a magazine and started fanning her