Death on a Deadline

had they known I was here? And had one of them tried to run me off the road?
    Brendan began making those see-you-later noises, and I clutched his arm. I may not be thinking clearly, but there was safety in numbers, and I was better off with both of them than one of them. “Stay here until Mama comes back. I’m sure she would love to see you.”
    “Well, I—” He looked at Amelia and paused.
    I what? I can’t kill you with her here? I’m still mad at you, so I don’t mind if she bumps you off?
    The door opened again before he could finish and I let go of his arm. Marge bustled into the room, Lois in her wake, each with a vase of flowers. My hospital room was obviously the place to be in Lake View this morning. The recurring question was, how did they all know I was here?
    Marge froze when she saw Amelia. The two sisters stared at each other without a word. Emotions flickered across both their faces so quickly I couldn’t begin to name them all. Then Amelia looked at me. “Darling, I must go. Sorry for barging in on you lovebirds. When Byron’s whispering in my ear, I surely don’t want to be interrupted.” She gave an airy wave and swept from the room.
    Lois frowned and plunked her flowers down on the windowsill. “Humph. What was she doing here?”
    “She just dropped by to. . .”—I actually had no idea—“. . .see me. How are you ladies doing today?”
    Marge seemed to snap out of the trance she’d been in ever since she saw Amelia. “We’re doing okay, but what about you?” She sat her floral arrangement beside Lois’s, hurried to my side, and kissed my forehead.
    “I’d better run, Jenna.” Brendan had edged closer to the door without me realizing it.
    “Okay.” I gave him what I hoped was a private meaningful glance. “We’ll talk later.”
    He nodded, yanked the door open, and hurried out.
    “How’d you know I was here?” I directed the question to either of the two women.
    “Lois took me to breakfast at the diner for my birthday. Debbie told us a customer heard it on the scanner.”
    The scanner. Of course. Lake View’s version of the town crier. Maybe I should get one.
    “Happy Birthday.” My reply was instinctive. Sadly enough, Amelia had to have known it was her sister’s birthday, yet she’d not said a word.
    Marge nodded. “Did a deer run out in front of you and cause you to swerve off the road?” Concern laced her voice.
    “That area out there sure is rife with deer this time of year,” Lois offered before I could answer. “Last week, I had a huge buck dart out right in front of me.” She shuddered. “Thought I was going to plow into it, but I was careful not to swerve.”
    “They taught us that in the defensive driving course we took over at the school last year,” Marge said.
    I knew I should have taken that course when they offered it this year.
    “So is that what happened to you?” Marge asked again.
    I had no idea what to say. Thankfully Mama walked in right then with my Caramel Macchiato. Amid all the greetings, the question was apparently forgotten.
    While they chatted, I closed my eyes and listened to the comfortable bedside chitchat. Sarah Hutchins had her baby. Little Joy Fields fell on the monkey bars at school and broke her arm. There was a time before Hank’s murder when those things were the news in Lake View. Would we ever get back there again?

    *****

    Someone was watching me. Intently. I peeked through my eyelashes at Alex’s well-sculptured face.
    “Hey, water girl, you okay?”
    I opened my eyes completely. “I think so. They’re supposed to let me go home this afternoon.” If he’d come to the hospital to cancel our date, he could forget about it. I wasn’t letting him off that easily.
    “I know you probably don’t feel like going out tonight. . . .”
    I couldn’t believe it. He was ditching me in a hospital room. “Is this why you ignored my messages? Because you didn’t want to go out with me?” Might as well find out now.
    “Technically, I didn’t ignore your messages, I just didn’t get them.” A sheepish smile spread across his reddening face. “Here’s the thing. I washed my cell phone.”
    “In the washer?”
    He nodded. “I admit I’m not much at washing clothes or keeping house. But I do have my redeeming qualities.”
    “Like what?” A heart-melting smile?
    “It’s been said that I’m not a bad cook. So, as I was saying. . .” He drew his brows together in mock sternness. “Since you’re