Free Treasure Uncovered (Bellingwood #3) by Diane Greenwood Muir Page A

support. Knew I could count on you. Is Deena alright?"
    "She's fine. She’s a little worried about you, but now she has great stories to tell her friends. It isn't every girl who has to rescue her unconscious teacher."
    "I'm gonna hurt like hell, aren't I?"
    "I think you are. But, you're going to live and that's all we care about today, right?"
    "Whatever,” Beryl sneered, then she smiled. “I didn't want to be another one of Polly's bodies."
    "My bodies!" Polly exclaimed. "Stop it!"
    "I don't want to be a statistic."
    "Oh, you are a crazy woman!"
    Beryl laughed, "They told me that my water heater chose today to destroy my livelihood. Did you know appliances were so cruel? Will you kick it for me?"
    "We're on it. Anything you want."
    Beryl lifted her head. "Anything I want? This is a good time for me to suck you people dry, isn't it? I'm pathetic and can get away with murder."
    Polly watched Andy as her shoulders began to shake again. She must have allowed a few quiet sobs to escape because Beryl said, "No you don't. Get over here and hold my hand, but no crying. You don't get to cry. If I was more than half alert, I should be the one in tears."
    Lydia backed up and pulled a chair in close to Beryl. Andy sat down and placed her hand on the bed beside Beryl, so Beryl could lay hers on top.
    "I'm sorry, Beryl. I'm so sorry."
    "Why are you sorry? Did you do something bad?"
    "I can't get the image of you lying on the ground out of my head."
    "Well, I can't get the image of you and Len Specek snogging in front of his house last week out of my head, but you don't see me crying,” Beryl said.
    "What's snogging?" Lydia whispered to Polly.
    "Kissing and making out," Polly whispered back.
    "You were making out with Len Specek?" Beryl asked Andy. "When were you doing that?"
    Polly looked sideways at Lydia, who shrugged her shoulders. Beryl’s drug-induced haze wasn’t helping her stay in the moment. Either that or she was teasing Andy and no one else was following her train of thought.
    "Stop it," Andy giggled. "It's not like that."
    "Oh, it's exactly like that. You were lucky I didn't pull in behind you and start honking the horn."
    "I'm worried about you," Andy responded.
    "Well, so am I. When they start taking me off this happy juice, my life is going to suck."
    "Do you remember what happened?" Lydia asked.
    "Sleep now," Beryl said and shut her eyes. In a split second, she was breathing deeply.
    "Well, that was rude," Lydia giggled.
    Polly sat down in the window sill, attempting to avoid the air vents. Lydia sat in the other chair in the room and there was silence.
    "You people should talk so I can sleep," Beryl mumbled and began breathing deeply again.
    "None of you are going to let me get away with feeling sorry for myself about this, are you?" Andy asked. She turned her chair around so she could see everyone and slipped her other hand under Beryl's.
    "No, we're not letting you get away with that and, oh, by the way, we're not letting you get away with avoiding the question on Len Specek any longer." Lydia announced.
    "Yeah. Are you ashamed of us?" Polly asked. "Is that why we don't get to know about him or why you won't let us be around you two?"
    "No, that's not it at all," Andy said. "We've been spending time together for a little while. It's nothing very serious yet."
    "Snogging," Lydia turned to Polly and said, "Is that right?" Polly nodded and Lydia went on. "Snogging in his driveway isn't hanging out a little. How have you managed to keep this hidden in a town the size of Bellingwood?"
    "Well, it's not like we're trying to keep it hidden. Apparently, you have been too busy to pay attention," Andy huffed.
    Lydia looked perplexed. "Too busy for you? I'm sorry if you felt that way. Honey, I'm never too busy for you."
    "I know," Andy sighed. "I shouldn't be like this. I probably have been hiding it from you and I suppose I might feel a little guilty about that. I haven't told the kids anything either."
    "Is it that