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She’d found all of that in Eberhard Darrow Garrett, the toast of New Orleans society, or so she’d thought

Adrienne snorted as she surveyed the lawn a final tio the world had seemed like such a different place; a wonderful place, full of promise, excitement, and endless possibility

Armed only with her irrepressible spirit and three hundred dollars cash, Adrienne Doe had invented a last nae on the day she’d turned eighteen She’d been thrilled to discover student loans for which practically anyone could qualify, even an unsecured risk like an orphan She’d taken a job as a waitress, enrolled in college, and e of herself Just what, she wasn’t sure, but she’d always had a feeling that so around the next corner for her

She’d been twenty, a sopho had happened Working at the Blind Leht the eye, the heart, and the engage of the darkly handsome, wealthy Eberhard Darrow Garrett, the bachelor of the decade It had been the perfect fairy tale She’d walked around for months on clouds of happiness

When the clouds had started to melt beneath her feet, she’d refused to look too closely, refused to acknowledge that the fairy-tale prince s

Adrienne squeezed her eyes shut wishing she could blink soullible she’d been! How many excuses she’d made--for him, for herself--until she’d finally had to run

A tiny meow coaxed her back to the present and she s that had come of it all; her kitten, Moonshadow, a precocious stray she’d found outside a gas station on her way north Moonie rubbed her ankles and purred enthusiastically Adrienne scooped up the furry little creature, hugging her close Unconditional love, such was the gift Moonie gave Love without reservation or subterfuge--pure affection with no darker sides

Adrienne huhtly as she rubbed Moonie’s ears, then broke off abruptly as a faint scratching sound drew her attention to the s again

Perfectly still, she clutched Moonie and waited, holding her breath

But there was only silence

Itat the roof, she decided But, hadn’t she cut all the trees back frohed, shook her head, and ordered her muscles to relax She had nearly succeeded when overhead a floorboard creaked Tension reclaimed her instantly She dropped Moonie on a stuffed chair and eyed the ceiling intently as the creaking sound repeated

Perhaps it was just the house settling

She really had to get over this skittishness

Howafraid that she would turn around and see Eberhard standing there with his faintly un?

Eberhard was dead She was safe, she knew she was

So why did she feel so horridly vulnerable? For the past few days she’d had the suffocating sensation that so on her No matter how hard she tried to reassure herself that anyone who ht wish her harm was either dead--or didn’t know she was alive--she was still consumed by a morbid unease Every instinct she possessed warned her that sorown up in the City of Spooks--the sultry, superstitious, ical New Orleans--Adrienne had learned to listen to her instincts They were alht about Eberhard She’d had a bad feeling about hi, but she’d convinced herself it was her own insecurity Eberhard was the catch of New Orleans; naturally, a woht feel a little unsettled by such a man

Only much later did she understand that she’d been lonely for so long, and had wanted the fairy tale so badly, that she’d tried to force reality to reflect her desires, instead of the other way around She’d told herself sothe truth that Eberhard wasn’t the ht he was She’d been such a fool

Adrienne breathed deeply of the spring air that breezed gently in thebehind her, then flinched and spun abruptly She eyed the fluttering drapes warily Hadn’t she closed that ? She was sure of it She’d closed all of theed cautiously to the , shut it quickly, and locked it

It was nerves, nothing s barked, no alar so many precautions if she couldn’t relax? There couldn’t possibly be anyone out there