EMP Catastrophe , Hamilton, Grace [crime books to read txt] 📗

refrigerator went out this morning. Only a couple years old. I tried calling the manufacturer, but my phone wouldn’t work. Tried calling my husband on our landline and barely got through to him before our call cut out. So, after that, I started going through everything I had.”

“To preserve it,” Kathleen said.

“Yeah.” Rhonda’s brown eyes stared Kathleen down, as if daring her to say anything negative.

Kathleen swallowed another gulp of water, remembering similar prepper lessons that had gathered dust on the shelves of her memories. Of how Rhonda would give her advice by telling Kathleen what she was doing, hoping to impart some kind of knowledge even if Kathleen didn’t show a direct interest in prepping or survivalism. Kathleen wished she’d paid attention back then and retained even a sliver of what Rhonda knew. Now, that skillset was invaluable.

“Rhonda, I am so sorry for what happened.” Kathleen leaned forward, feeling the apology of years and years finally having room to breathe. “For treating you the way I did. Matthew said some terrible things because he thought he was right, and I should’ve stood up to him. At the time, it was just easier to let our friendship fizzle out.”

“It’s okay.” Rhonda offered a soft smile, and reached forward, clasping Kathleen’s hand. “I forgive you. I could’ve been more open with Matthew, not egging him on like I did.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“I certainly do. That blonde boy was so…arrogant. Thought he knew everything. I wanted to take him down a peg. Make sure he was worthy of you.”

Kathleen blinked back tears. “Thanks, Rhonda. I…do you think we could try again? Be friends? Not because of whatever is happening now, but because it would be nice to have an old friend again.”

“Of course, honey.” Rhonda patted Kathleen’s hand. “If old friends didn’t have fights and boy-problems are they really even friends?” She winked and Kathleen snorted a laugh. “Now tell me about your family. Your daughter is Matthew’s clone, that’s for certain.”

“But with more smarts.” Allison tapped her forehead.

“Oh, good lord,” Kathleen said.

Rhonda laughed. “Like I said. Matthew’s clone.”

The tight knot in Kathleen’s stomach slowly relaxed as she began to tell Rhonda about her family, the conversation coming easily. “I have a younger son, Patton. He’s becoming quite the studious tween with a love of old cinema, especially horror or apocalyptic. Right now, he’s with my mother-in-law, Ruth. Matthew and I bought a mountain hotel near Galena and they’re up there, getting it ready.”

“Oh, wow,” Rhonda said. “That’s wonderful. Quite different from the city-slickers you used to be.”

“Tell me about it.” Kathleen shot Allison a quick glance, on the lookout for teenage angst at the mention of their move, but Allison maintained a look of composure, as if she was used to it by now. “My father-in-law, David, had a heart attack, which put things into perspective for us. We started thinking about our future and what we wanted out of life. We were both so overworked, rushing from place to place, and we nurtured this back-pocket dream of owning a place in the mountains. It seemed like the right time.”

“I bet,” Rhonda said, even as her eyebrows furrowed. “So your whole family is up at your hotel?”

Kathleen shook her head and pushed her frizzy braid off her shoulder. “David and Matthew went to Madison for the day. Patton and Ruth are up at the hotel. I’m in Chicago wrapping up some loose ends.” She didn’t want to have to explain Max, go through that whole backstory and hear the weighted silence as Rhonda contemplated what Kathleen’s brother had become. She didn’t want to either justify her brother or call him out as a bad man.

“Your family is scattered,” Rhonda said with concern as she picked at the herbs on the cutting board, sending the scent of rosemary into the air. She rubbed one of the angular leaves and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply.

“Not too far,” Allison jutted in. “Madison is about a couple hours from Galena.”

“By car,” Rhonda corrected. “But they could be stranded like you two. In fact, I bet they are.”

“Do you know what’s happening, then?” Kathleen asked. “Do you know why nothing seems to be working? My SUV just died out of nowhere.”

Rhonda shifted as if suddenly uncomfortable. “I have an inkling. I don’t want to scare you, though.”

Allison sat up straighter. “What is it?”

“The lack of power—no electricity, cars dead, phones not working—and especially because of the time frame, the whole event feels orchestrated. Since everything has ground to a standstill, I personally advocate that it’s an EMP attack.”

Allison leaned forward, her blonde hair falling over her shoulder. “Like a solar EMP?”

Kathleen stared at her daughter in open shock. “Excuse me?”

“An EMP,” Allison explained, looking exasperated yet pleased at Kathleen, in the way kids do when they know more than their parents. “An electromagnetic pulse. We did an astronomy lesson focused on the sun. I learned about coronal mass ejections—these great bursts of energy that are emitted from the sun and can have devastating effects on the nearby planets. Some of these solar flares are so strong they can reach Earth and they can mess with the electricity.”

“I’m impressed,” Kathleen said. “I’ve never learned about those in my whole life. And I’m a teacher, even!”

“Well, I’m not sure astronomy would be part of your curriculum, Mom. Solar EMPs will mess with the electricity, but they don’t usually knock everything out like this. If all of this is a solar EMP, I doubt Madison or even Galena were affected. Dad and Grandpa are probably back at the hotel, wondering where we are,” Allison said, putting a piece of mint leaf in her mouth.

Rhonda reached over and pushed a bowl of raspberries in Allison’s direction. “Eat. Those will go bad if you don’t. I was going to make freezer jam, but feel free to have some.” She rubbed her forehead as if considering how to proceed. “You’re right about solar EMPs, Allison. That’s why I think this