Written in Stone Read Online Free PDF Page A

Rawlings.
    “Excuse me, sir.” The toddler’s mother tapped Rawlings on the arm. “I think I know
     how this accident happened. You see, my daughter’s arm was burned when the woman in
     the Corvette threw her cigarette toward the sidewalk.” She was deliberately sticking
     to the facts. “Catherine, my little girl, is okay. It’s just a tiny surface burn,
     but when it happened she screamed really loud. She’s not even two and the pain took
     her by surprise,” she added apologetically. “Anyway, I think this lady saw the cigarette
     butt hit my daughter and got distracted.” She smiled at Olivia. “Sorry, but I didn’t
     catch your name before.”
    “I’m Olivia Limoges. And this is Chief Rawlings.”
    Rawlings was studying the woman with concern. “Are you certain your daughter is all
     right, Mrs. . . . ?”
    “Cimino. Lori Cimino. Yes, Cat’s fine. But I wanted you to know that I don’t think
     this would have happened if that woman hadn’t tossed her cigarette butt into the street.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. Cimino. Would you be willing to fill out a report on the incident?
     I believe this individual needs to be taught a lesson about littering.”
    The woman nodded, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Olivia understood
     exactly how she felt and examined her nails before Rawlings could see how satisfied
     she was over how things were turning out. But he was shrewder than she thought.
    After asking Mrs. Cimino to wait in the shade until he interviewed the Corvette’s
     passenger, Rawlings pointed a stern finger at Olivia. “I cannot condone your behavior,
     Olivia. I suspect you saw the child get injured and, acting impetuously and without
     consideration for anyone’s safety, used your vehicle as a battering ram.” His eyes
     flicked over the front of her Range Rover and he seemed amazed by the lack of damage,
     but his look of disapproval quickly reappeared. “I’m going to have to write you a
     citation.”
    “Fair enough,” Olivia said and lowered her voice to a soft, husky whisper. “Is that
     all you’ll do to punish me?”
    If Rawlings was taken aback by the question, he didn’t show it. “Next time I come
     over, I’m bringing my shackles.” He winked, slid his sunglasses back on, and headed
     over to speak with the doctor and his mistress.
    Olivia returned to the sidewalk and exchanged small talk with the Cimino family. They
     were just discussing the best way to enjoy a filet of flounder when the doctor marched
     around the front of his car and slapped the blonde across the face. The sound reverberated
     and the crowd held a collective breath, stunned.
    The blonde covered her cheek with her palm and began to sob. Rawlings rushed to her
     side with the alacrity of a much younger man. He had the physician on the ground and
     his wrists cuffed before the other cops moved a muscle. Kneeling on the asphalt, Rawlings
     murmured to the doctor until the man became docile and still. Passing him off to one
     of his officers, the chief approached the blonde and offered her his hand. She grasped
     it, sagging against his wide chest.
    Olivia’s previous aversion toward the woman vanished, and she pitied the doctor’s
     mistress. She’d changed her body, her face, her hair, and her style of dress to please
     her companion. He’d rewarded her with a weekend trip to a seaside hotel, a string
     of belittling remarks, and at least one slap in the face.
    “Poor thing,” Lori Cimino echoed Olivia’s thoughts. “Jerks like that are everywhere.
     I almost ended up with a guy like that. You get trapped into thinking you can’t do
     better, that you aren’t worthy of respect. Or happiness. It takes a strong woman to
     just walk away, to believe that you can make it on your own.” She glanced at her husband,
     who was holding their daughter in his arms and planting loud, smacking wet kisses
     on her neck and shoulders while she giggled in delight. “By the time I met Tony,