Look Again - Lisa Scottoline [130]
“It wasn’t like that.” Bennie sipped her wine, but it didn’t help. “All she said was that they like you. They have you doing office administration, payroll, and personnel, in addition to the paralegal work.”
“Not anymore. I quit.”
“What?” Bennie said, blind-sided. “You quit PLG? When?”
“The other day. It wasn’t for me, and the money sucked.”
“But you have to start somewhere.” Bennie couldn’t hide her dismay. She’d stuck her neck out for Alice and now her friends at PLG would be left in the lurch. “They would have promoted you, in time.”
“When, ten years?” Alice rolled her eyes. “The work was boring, and the people were so freaking annoying. I’d rather work with you, at Rosato & Associates.”
Bennie’s mouth went dry. She couldn’t imagine Alice at her firm. “I don’t need a paralegal.”
“I can answer phones.”
“I already have a receptionist.”
“So fire her ass.”
Bennie felt cranky. Maybe it was the headache, which was a doozy. “I like her. I would never do that to her.”
“Not even for me? We’re the only family we have.”
“No.” Bennie tried to keep a civil tongue. Being her sister’s keeper was getting old. “I can’t fire her. I won’t.”
“Okay, fine, then think outside the box. You need somebody to run the office, don’t you?”
“I run the office.”
Alice snorted. “If you ask me, you could use a hand with personnel. Those girls who work for you need a life lesson, especially the little one, Mary DiNunzio. Time for girlfriend to grow up.”
“That’s not true.” Bennie wished she hadn’t come. Her stomach felt queasy. Her appetite had vanished. She set down her fork. “DiNunzio’s a good lawyer. She should make partner next month.”
“Whatever, then I’ll be your assistant. I’ll take ninety grand, to start.”
“Listen, I can’t always be the solution to your problems.” Bennie’s head thundered. “I got you a job, and you quit it. If you want another job, go out and find one.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Alice smiled sourly. “The economy’s in the toilet, if you haven’t noticed.”
“You should have thought of that before, and you’ll find something, if you try. You went to college, and you have lots of…abilities and, oh, my head….” Suddenly the kitchen whirled like spin art, and Bennie collapsed onto the table. Her face landed on the edge of her dirty plate, and her hand upset her water glass.
“Aww, got a headache?” Alice chuckled. “Too bad.”
Bennie didn’t know what was happening. She felt impossibly drunk. Her eyes wouldn’t stay open.
“You’re such a fool. You think I’d really want to work for you?”
Bennie tried to lift her head up, but couldn’t. All her strength had left her body. Sound and colors swirled together.
“Give it up. It’s over.”
Bennie watched, helpless, as darkness descended.
Save Me is Available in
Bookstores Everywhere April 12, 2011
From the New York Times bestselling author of Think Twice and Look Again comes an emotionally powerful novel about a split-second choice, agonizing consequences, and the need for justice
Rose McKenna volunteers as a lunch mom in her daughter Melly’s school in order to keep an eye on Amanda, a mean girl who’s been bullying her daughter. Her fears come true when the bullying begins, sending Melly to the bathroom in tears. Just as Rose is about to follow after her daughter, a massive explosion goes off in the kitchen, sending the room into chaos. Rose finds herself faced with the horrifying decision of whether or not to run to the bathroom to rescue her daughter or usher Amanda to safety. She believes she has accomplished both, only to discover that Amanda, for an unknown reason, ran back into the school once out of Rose’s sight. In an instance, Rose goes from hero to villain as the small community blames Amanda’s injuries on her. In the days that follow, Rose’s life starts to fall to pieces, Amanda’s mother decides to sue, her marriage is put to the test, and worse, when her daughter returns to school, the bullying only intensifies. Rose must take matters into her own hands and get down to the truth of what really happened that fateful day in order to