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She studied the ically

Yes, she could see why she’d had the momentary vision

The lean features were similar to Steven’s The eyes had been painted hazel; the hair was his color as well The size was about right

A surge of sorroept through her A year wasn’t such a long time

He had come suddenly into her life, and she had found herself suddenly responding He had been charent, impressivenoble

He shouldn’t have been a cop, she thought He had been too trusting He had hated violence, but had come on the force in homicide?a ainst the death penalty, and was deter suspects alive had cost him his own life

She had knohat had happened when she heard the sirens in the night, when she looked out her door and saw the cop car, and the officer co down her walk She had knohat he did; she shouldn’t have been shocked That hadn’t stopped her froes of grief: denial, anger, pain But she had ree of acceptance She hadn’t lost her reason or her mind in any way

Maybe she had, shehis face in the features of a store- duone She still felt the sorrow, but she was living her life He had died under cruel circuet that horrible things did happen

A breeze whispered Soft, cool, beautiful She forced the past to the back of herto let the contessa ruin that si She was not to blame in this If it had all been a charade, it had been a deplorable one Jared had no right to be so callous, and she had every right to be furious

Beyond the Square, she cah theof a restaurant specializing in fish, she noted that ular pleasure of eating They all looked so normal A chubby little businessman had his cape thrown over his shoulder while his dottore e plumed hat lay on the table by the side of his coh that rang all the way to the streets A this fantasy

Looking into the restaurant hadback at the wo creep up her spine

Stop! she co persisted

And it had nothing to do withat a plue sensation began a trek along her spine

She felt again that she was being watched

Whispers seemed to sweep by her, snatches spoken in the wind, there and then gone Whispers, swift, staccato, like an evil, raspy breeze, just touching her ears, her nape For a lass of the restaurant , darkness seeht

The wo The darkness disappeared as swiftly as if it had floay on wings of light And still

That feeling

Soht beside her A cold, fetid, whisper of ers of sheer ice touched upon her shoulder