Sail With Me Read Free Page B

and slabs of real butter.   They spent their days walking the cobblestone roads and taking gondola rides.   Delaney was in awe of her father, how fluently he could change his personality to fit in with other cultures and customs.   He could so seamlessly transition from English, to Italian, and then German without missing a beat and she wanted to be just like him.  
     
    Delaney pranced down the stairs, feeling refreshed from her shower.   She grabbed a water bottle and salad from the refrigerator and sat out back on her patio.   It was so peaceful out here, secluded from neighbors and the noise that comes with them; she enjoyed her privacy and the sounds of nature.   A large natural pond was off to the side and filled with koi of varying sizes and bull frogs.   The frogs were her favorite.   She could listen to their croaking forever.   Large plantings of red salvia and Jacob’s Ladder attracted hummingbirds and butterflies.   An old brick path leading to nowhere had black-eyed Susans and honeysuckle bushes growing wildly along it, attracting every bee in the state.   The faint humming of nature always relaxed her and gave her an appreciation for all God’s creatures.   After losing herself in thought several times, she picked up her cell and pressed the speed dial button for Matthew.   As much as she loved the sounds of nature, she loved her brother’s voice even more.
     

 
     
     
     
Chapter Five
     
    Caroline had spent the day at her son’s grave.   She often did.   Wally watched from a distance as the grieving mother ran her fingertips along the cold smooth marble headstone and traced every letter in his name, before singing Happy Birthday, with tears streaming down her face.  
     
Andrew Thomas O’Sullivan
     
July 21, 2005
     
Sunrise to Sunset
     
Until we meet again, love mommy
     
***********
     
    The weatherman had lied.   Four days had passed and it was still hotter than hell.   The police station was busier than usual, fielding calls for medical assistance due to heat casualties and calls for neighbors fist fighting in front lawns.   The intense heat brought a drought, and water restrictions were now in place.   It had been seven weeks since the last rainfall and watering regulations were in full force.   The city ordinance only allowed for watering of lawns on Wednesday mornings, beginning at 5:00 a.m. and ending at 5:30 a.m. sharp, no matter what the size of the property.   Those with livestock were required to have privately drilled wells just for these situations.   The town couldn’t have horses and other farm animals dropping over from dehydration.
     
    Delaney sat behind her desk, assisting with phone calls from irrational people demanding to know when it would rain and end the heat wave.   How was she supposed to know?   It seemed as if the entire world had gone mad.      Even with central air conditioning the police department was still uncomfortable. She repositioned her portable fan directly onto her face and drank a Diet Coke.   She reached down to her left and pulled out the stacks of files on Caroline O’Sullivan.  
     
    Over four million babies were born in the United States during 2005.   Andrew Thomas O’Sullivan was one of those babies.Delaney was familiar with Caroline.   Her brother Matthew had gone to school with her and had even taken her to their senior prom.   He never had anything bad to say about her, nobody did.   She earned high grades, ran track, and was well liked by her teachers and peers.   After graduation she attended college in the northeast and came home during long weekends and summer vacations.   As the years passed her visits became less frequent and she lost touch with her high school pals.   It wasn’t unusual, just the natural course of growing up, making new friends, and moving on.
     
    Caroline was naturally pretty, not knock-out gorgeous like Delaney, but pretty nonetheless.   Her dirty blonde hair hung in loose curls