Dead Woman Crossing J.R. Adler (early reader chapter books txt) 📖

times for interviews and then, after she was hired, just to chat about expectations of the job. He seemed genuine on the phone, like he was happy and proud to have an NYPD detective join his force—at least that’s how it sounded. Kimberley had never met him in person, but she would later in the afternoon. She would find out more about him then, when she could look him in the eye while they spoke, study his body language, size him up.

“Sheriff Walker is a wonderful man. He works hard for this community and hasn’t let any of his”—Emily looked around searching for the right word—“circumstances hold him back.”

“Circum—”

“We’re ready!” Nicole announced, walking up the side of the porch with Jessica in tow. Jessica was wearing a floral summer dress that Kimberley had never seen, and it kind of matched Nicole’s dress, which hung on her like a potato sack thanks to her small frame.

“Ma… ma,” Jessica said as soon as she laid eyes on her mother. Kimberley’s heart flipped at the sound of her daughter’s voice and the sight of grandmother and granddaughter bonding so well, just as they should.

Kimberley set the empty glass down on the table beside her and rose from her seat, happy to see her daughter but disappointed to not learn more about the circumstances surrounding Sheriff Walker. She made a mental note to ask Emily about it later. It seemed to her that they were getting along well enough. Kimberley wasn’t a “let’s sit on the porch, gossip, and drink fresh-squeezed lemonade” type, but she could learn to be.

“Emily and her boys are going to come with us,” Kimberley said as she jogged down the porch steps toward her mother and daughter.

“Oh, wonderful.” Nicole beamed. “I knew you two would get along swimmingly. Emily’s too sweet not to love.”

Kimberley raised an eyebrow. Swimmingly? She must have picked that lingo up around here.

“Hi, sweetie. You look so beautiful in your new dress.” Kimberley ran her hand through her daughter’s hair. Jessica’s eyes were laser focused on the silver watch on Kimberley’ wrist. She opened her mouth and sunk her gummy smile into it.

“Ah-ah.” A string of sticky saliva dribbled as she pulled her hand out of reach from Jessica.

Kimberley wiped her daughter’s mouth with her fingers and wiped away some of the drool that landed on her dress. “You’re ruining your new dress, sweetie.”

Turning her attention to her mom, she mouthed, “Thank you.”

Nicole nodded. “I’ve got lots more for you. Can’t have my sweet granddaughter dressed in black, gray, and white all the time.”

She nuzzled Jessica before setting her down. “You’re not a New Yorker anymore. You’re an Oklahoman.”

Kimberley rolled her eyes. “She was stylish in New York,” she whispered.

“They’d think she was a goth or a punk round here,” Nicole whispered back.

As soon as her feet were firmly planted, Jessica started walking, albeit a little wobbly, but well enough. She reached down and picked up blades of grass, pulling them from the ground and throwing them in the air. Jessica had seen grass before, but rarely as trips to the park were few and far between thanks to Kimberley’s demanding work schedule and the fact they didn’t live all that close to a park.

“Look at her go. She’s adorable!” Emily said.

Kimberley noticed Emily rub her belly, and she wondered if Emily was pregnant or just daydreaming about a little girl of her own.

“BOYS! TIME TO GO!” Emily dropped her hand from her stomach and yelled out toward the field. “Children sure are a blessing,” she said back to Kimberley with a smirk.

Kimberley leaned down, picking up Jessica, and just as she hoisted her up, Jessica rocked forward quickly smacking her forehead into her mom’s mouth. Kimberley closed her eyes for a moment until the sharp pain faded. “They sure are.”

5

Emily sat in the back with Jack on her lap, Tom strapped in beside her on one side of her and Jessica in her car seat on the other. Kimberley had suggested taking two cars, but Nicole and Emily said it was fine as it was a short ride to the daycare center. Nicole drove, while Kimberley sat in the front seat, keeping a close eye on Jessica in the rearview mirror.

“Mom, I want to go back to Happy Trails,” Tom whined.

“We are.”

“No, for good, like we used to. I miss my friends.”

“Me too,” Jack added, pushing out his bottom lip.

“You two are grown now. You don’t need daycare. I thought you were my big, strong boys?” Emily said.

“I am a big, strong boy,” Jack said, holding up his tiny arm to flex it.

“Wow! I had no idea how strong you had gotten. You definitely don’t need to go to daycare,” Emily said, pretending to admire her boy’s muscles.

“Mom, look at mine. I’m even stronger, so I don’t need to go to daycare even more than Jack,” Tom said, flexing his arm.

“You’re both right. So proud of my strong boys.” Emily wrapped her arms around both of them, pulling them in for a quick embrace.

Jack looked over at Jessica who was sucking on the trunk of her stuffed elephant, completely content in her car seat. “Jessica, you gotta get stronger,” he said.

“And she will.” Emily nodded as they pulled into a parking place.

The door slammed behind her as Kimberley hoisted Jessica onto her hip. Nicole grabbed the diaper bag, while Emily took off after her two boys, who were already sprinting toward the front door of the daycare center.

Tom stopped before pushing open the door and flexed both of his arms. “I think I might be too strong to enter, Mom.”

“Oh get in there, you goober.” Emily laughed, tousling his hair and pushing open the door for her sons to enter.

Kimberley stopped on the sidewalk, taking in the daycare center, which was clearly someone’s house that had been transformed for business purposes. The windows were decorated with kids’ artwork and colorful window clings. The bushes lining the house were well maintained, appearing to have been