Page 17 (1/2)

Bob glanced over his shoulder as if her question had startled him "No Whatabout everything this afternoon Doesn't it seehty convenient that Dan Sherman killed himself when he did?"

Her husband didn't answer

"I can't help wondering about that"

The lights flickered again, and this time went out The rooround noise of the TV and the hue

"Bob?"

"I' her elbow

There was a pounding in the distance "What's that?" Peggy asked, jolted by the unexpectedness of it

"I don't hear anything"

"I do"

Her husband switched on the flashlight and led the way back into the kitchen The pounding was unmistakable now Someone was at their front door

"I hear it," Bob said in a husky whisper

Panic swelled in Peggy's throat This was like history repeating itself "Don't answer it," she whispered fearfully

Bob ignored her With the flashlight guiding higy wanted to cry out, to reht like this when Maxwell Russell had come to their door Their lives hadn't been the same since

"Bob! No!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Peggy"

Sheas he released the dead bolt Her breath sees as he opened the door and flashed the light on their unforeseen guest

Hannah Russell stood drenched and shivering on the other side of the screen door

"Hannah," Peggy cried and stepped around her husband to open the screen and let the woot lost," she whispered "I thought I could find your place again ondown so hard and I was sure I was going to drive off the road"

Peggy couldn't ied Bob took Hannah's coat and hung it on the hall tree to dry

It was all Peggy could do to hide her distress when she sa thin and pale the young wo Hannah's ar to eat?"

"This --I think I haven't had hts flickered and cahed with relief

Bob clicked off the flashlight

"I shouldn't have come," Hannah mumbled "I told o"

"Youin her suitcase I'll put on soet out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold"

"I can stay?"

"Of course you can stay with us"

Tears spilled fro woman's eyes "Thank you Thank you so y said, escorting Hannah to the bathroom down the hall, where there were plenty of thick, fresh towels

When she returned it was to find her husband studying her He didn't look nearly as certain about this as Peggy did

"We'll settle everything in the ," she promised

Bob's eyes burned into hers "That's what you said the night Max Russell arrived"

Seventeen

Rachel Pendergast checked her afternoon appointht Watchers frozen entree Jolene Peyton was down for a haircut Rachel reirl from previous appointments She recalled Jolene's father, too, and his uneasiness about being in an establishment frequented by fele fathers

Jolene was a er to have her father remarry Bruce Peyton's wife had been killed in a car accident two years ago while driving to pick up Jolene froarten class From what Rachel had heard, several hours had passed before anyone rely, the seven-year-old was terrified of being left behind

Despite Jolene's effort to push Rachel and her father together, Bruce Peyton amused Rachel more than he attracted her While she enjoyed the child's co involved with a man so obviously in love with his dead wife had virtually no chance of developing into a healthy relationship

Just after four, Jolene skipped into the salon, as relaxed in Get Nailed as her own bedroo

The child rade this year; to Rachel, she see "Are you ready to get your hair cut?" she asked, taking out a miniature version of the plastic cape

Bruce followed his daughter into the salon but didn't show any of her enthusiaslanced nervously around as if he suspected soround and dye his hair blue

"Here you go," Rachel said, turning the chair for Jolene to climb into She adjusted the cape and secured the clasp

With practiced ease Jolene flipped her pigtails over her shoulder "I want you to cut it just like you did before"

"Ah, a woman who knows her ownJolene's hair and carefully ran a brush through it To her surprise Bruce didn't take a seat or wander into the mall the way he had on previous visits Instead he stood about two feet behind Rachel, watching every move