Read Chain Lightning for Free Online Page B

bringing color back into her face, telling herself that there was nothing to be upset about.
    It’s just a day like any other. Just a day. If there were a grave to visit you ‘d go and stand and think about it all over again. But there isn’t a grave, so you’ll sit at home and think about it over and over until you’re numb and then you ‘11 sleep and get up and it will be another day like any other day, one more day, another day farther from yesterday. And someday it will be far enough.
    But not today. Today it’s too close.
    Abruptly Mandy stood up and began pacing around the large office, touching desks and chairs at random, wanting…
    Out.
    She stood utterly still, surprised by the fierceness of her desire to be outside, in the open, free. It had been a long time since she had felt so trapped.
    Same day, different year. I shouldn’t have tried a deep bath this morning. Too deep. The water triggered too many memories.
    A shudder ripped through Mandy’s body. Suddenly she looked around, knowing that she had to have something to do or she would go crazy. She strode into Anthea’s office to demand work. Anthea, Jessi and Steve were bent over the folders, which had been spread across a large library table. Apparently the premier’s secretary had had his question answered, for Anthea was no longer holding a phone.
    Anthea glanced at her utilitarian watch. “You’re a few minutes early, but I suppose it’s best. Airport traffic can be so unpredictable.“
    “What?“ Mandy asked.
    “Airport traffic,“ Anthea said briskly.
    “Why do you care about – “
    “The flight leaves in two hours.“
    “The flight?“
    “To Sydney.“
    “Where?“
    “Australia.“
    “What?“ Mandy demanded, knowing how Alice had felt during the free-fall down the rabbit hole.
    “Isn’t this where I got on?“ Anthea smiled serenely. “Get your purse, Mandy. This is where you get off.“
    “Anthea, what are you talking about?“
    “The flight,“ said Steve, barely suppressing a wide smile.
    “The flight?“ Jessi said instantly, laughing.
    “To Sydney,“ Steve said.
    “Where?“ Jessi asked, deadpan.
    “Australia,“ Steve said.
    “What?“ Jessi asked, right on cue.
    Mandy smiled despite herself. “I sounded that bad, huh?“
    “Nothing that my vacation won’t cure,“ Anthea said, crossing the room.
    Just as Mandy opened her mouth to ask, “What?“ she caught herself, disappointing Steve and Jessi. Anthea pulled a brilliant pink-and-black-striped backpack from her executive closet and plopped the bag softly on the desk. Mandy eyed the backpack dubiously.
    “I didn’t know zebras came in pink,“ Mandy murmured.
    “They don’t,“ Anthea said calmly. “This is a tiger stripe.“
    “Oh. Well, that explains it.“
    Anthea smiled and patted Mandy’s hand. “That’s what I like about you, dear. You understand me.“
    “I do?“
    “You certainly do.“
    “That’s frightening. When did you say your flight left?“
    “I didn’t, so we’d better hurry.“
    Mandy snapped her mouth shut, knowing she was in a losing battle. When Anthea was in high spirits, even Mandy’s quick tongue had to take a back seat.
    “Okay. Purse. Airport. Plane. Sydney,“ Mandy said. “I’ll carry the tiger.“
    “Hold my calls,“ Anthea said over her shoulder.
    For three weeks?
    But the thought went no further than Mandy’s smiling lips as she followed Anthea. She didn’t want to puncture Anthea’s high-flying mood; the prospect of a three-week vacation in Australia would be enough to make anyone slightly giddy. If it weren’t for Sutter’s presence at the other end – and the plane flight itself – Mandy would have envied her boss. Even with the flight and Sutter’s uncertain company waiting at the other end, the thought of Australia was still enough to make Mandy dream. It had been so long since her horizons had been bounded by anything but office and apartment walls, memories and fear.
    “This way, dear.