Cause for Alarm by Erica Spindler

Author:Erica Spindler [Spindler, Erica]
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Suspense, thriller, Romance, Crime & Thriller, General & Literary Fiction, Modern fiction, Contemporary, Adventure, Non-Classifiable, Romance - General, Fiction - Romance, Romance - Contemporary
ISBN: 9781551664972
Publisher: Mira
Published: 1999-03-30T23:00:00+00:00

the lead, and Kate experienced the oddest sensation that

she was being given a tour of her own home. The sensation

made her skin crawl.

''And this is Richard's study,'' Julianna murmured. She

moved into the room, and closing her eyes, breathed

deeply through her nose. ''It smells like him.''

The hairs on the back of Kate's neck stood up. ''Excuse

me?''

''He's a wonderful man,'' Julianna said, looking at

Kate. ''You've been very lucky.''

''You make that sound like my luck's about to change,''

Kate murmured, forcing lightness into her tone.

''Did I? Sorry.'' Julianna moved her gaze over the

room, then fixed it on Kate once more. ''I'd love to see

the nursery. It's just down the hall, I'll bet.''

''It is. But I'm sure there's nothing of interest--''

''Don't be silly, Kate. I have to see precious Emma's

room.''

258

Erica Spindler

She smiled at the infant, and Kate shifted her daughter

to her opposite shoulder, the one farthest from Julianna.

''All right, then. It's this way.''

Kate led her down the hall to the nursery. When they

reached it, Julianna rushed into the room, making a sound

of pleasure. ''It's a little girl's dream room,'' she said.

''All pink and pretty.''

She crossed to the dresser and the framed photographs

that decorated the top. She inspected each, unabashedly

curious. After a moment, she looked over her shoulder at

Kate. ''There are none of Emma and her daddy.''

Kate stared at her, a chill moving up her spine. ''We

had one,'' she murmured, her mouth dry. ''It was stolen.''

''Stolen?'' Julianna repeated, bringing a hand to her

chest, looking horrified. ''You mean someone broke into

your home? How awful.''

Kate laughed a bit self-consciously. ''I should say,

maybe stolen. Maybe misplaced. Suddenly, it was just

gone.''

''That happens to me all the time. I just hate it.'' Ju

lianna shook her head. ''I'm sure it'll show up.''

Kate said she hoped it did, then having finished the tour

of the upper floor, which served as the main residence, led

the other woman downstairs to her studio. Julianna wan

dered through, touching this and that.

Kate let her wander, using the moments to study her.

Richard had said that Julianna reminded him of her. At

first, she hadn't seen it. But now she did. Gazing at Ju

lianna was like gazing at a distorted image of herself in a

fun house mirror. Julianna wore her hair the way she did;

her dress, though made of different fabric and in different

Cause for Alarm

259

colors, was the same style as hers; Julianna's smile, laugh,

the way she gestured, all reminded Kate of herself.

Kate swallowed hard, unsettled. It was almost as if the

woman had crept into her bedroom in the middle of the

night and borrowed her identity.

She wondered what else of hers the young woman might

want.

She glanced at her watch. ''I'll bet the steaks are almost

done. Why don't we go check on Richard?''

Julianna acted as if she hadn't heard her. ''I wanted to

be an artist,'' she confided. ''But I...'' She let her words

trail off and picked up Kate's autographed copy of Dead

Drop. ''I just read this. Have you?''

''Not yet, no.''

She opened the book and read the inscription. Again

Kate had the urge to snatch something of hers out of the

girl's hands.

''You and Richard know the author?''

''Yes.

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