Back Say Goodbye Save as PDF
Contents ( 39)
  1. Titles by Karen Rose
  2. CONTENTS
  3. PROLOGUE
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. EPILOGUE
  37. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  38. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  39. What’s next on your reading list?

“It’s a convalescence and rehabilitation center,” Liza said, hedging on the name.

“Which one?” Karl asked, buttering his toast.

To hedge further would be more suspicious at this point. “Sunnyside Oaks.”

Irina frowned. So did Karl. “I . . . have heard of this place,” Irina said slowly.

“So have I,” Karl said, “but I can’t remember where.”

“Me too.” Zoya was busily typing into her phone. She grimaced. “One of their nurses was murdered last night. Penny Gaynor.”

Karl snapped his fingers. “That’s where I heard it, too. It sounds dangerous.”

Irina was still frowning. “I don’t know if it’s dangerous or not, but I knew a few nurses who took jobs there. None of them were women I’d call friends.”

Well, they are caring for Pastor, Liza thought. “Were they bad people, the nurses?”

“No, but they weren’t nice, either. The only one I remember being suspicious was a woman named Innes.” She tapped the rim of her cup, thinking. “She was accused of stealing narcotics by a patient’s family. There was never any proof, but no one had any trouble believing it was true. The woman had a hardened quality that made her difficult to warm up to.”

Good to know. Avoid Nurse Innes. “I see.”

Irina’s eyes narrowed. “Zoya, you’re going to be late for school.”

Zoya crossed her arms with a scowl. “I’m staying home. Dad told me to, remember? It’s why Abigail isn’t here. Amos kept her home, too. Does DJ Belmont ring a bell?”

“Zoya,” Irina warned. “Watch your tone.”

Zoya slumped in her chair. “Mom, if you want me to leave, just tell me to leave.”

“Leave,” Irina ordered.

Karl coughed to cover a laugh. “Come on, Zoya. We’ll find something to do.”

Keeping her gaze on Liza’s face, Irina grabbed a handful of Karl’s jacket. “Stay, please.”

“Oh, for the love of—,” Zoya grumbled. “I never get to hear the good stuff.” She stomped from the room, muttering under her breath.

“You know she’s waiting in the hall, eavesdropping,” Karl said.

“I know. Zoya!” Irina said no more until she heard Zoya’s footsteps above them. “We have a minute before she sneaks back down. You’re hiding something from us, Liza. Spill it.”

Liza blinked. Innocently, she thought.

Karl just chuckled. “We’ve raised eight children, Liza. Just tell her. She won’t give it up.”

Liza sighed, wishing she’d retreated with Zoya. She was torn. On one hand, she wasn’t supposed to speak of it per Molina and Raeburn, but on the other hand she trusted Irina and Karl. And having Irina’s take on the nurses she’d known who now worked for Sunnyside could be valuable. “I can’t tell you a lot, except that this place is important.”

Irina’s eyes narrowed. “To whom?”

Liza hesitated, then came as clean as she could. “To Mercy.”

Karl sucked in a shocked breath. “Then this place is dangerous.”

“Did Tom put you up to this?” Irina demanded.

“No. This was my decision. He knows, as do his superiors. He was not pleased.”