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"Like I said, I never saw the student--or the police or anyone It was horrible, tragic As tragic as when a spring-breaker gets drunk and goes over a balcony at a Florida hotel Everyone felt terrible, especially for the parents When we came back to work…it was unco any of us could have done, and certainly nothing that any forht he could trip the alarames in the house A live wire killed him That’s all I know"

"I didn’t say you should know edy could have happened anywhere There’s no reason to assu around this house People can do crazy things, and sometimes they pay horrible consequences"

"Sadly, that’s true" Tyler took a seat next to her "What about the other incidents?" he asked

She cast hilance "I wasn’t alive when Bill Hall fell down the stairs"

"Angela Wilson?"

She felt a little pang squeeze her heart "I loved Angie She was so knowledgeable and she was the grandShe encouraged me to love history and books and…she was a role model for me She had a wonderful career, wrote several fantastic historical novels, uy and had kids She was seventy-two--not old at all these days, and in great shape But she had a heart attack"

"I’m sorry," he said softly

"Thank you," sheto take a walk around the house and make sure all the doors are closed and the s are secure and ready for the alaret back Then I’ll stroll on over to your house with you and pick up my car I’m exhausted You must be, too"

She nodded

He stood up and started for the stairs

Allison was dismayed to realize that she wanted to call hio with hied to stay seated

As his footsteps disappeared up the stairs, she got up, too She couldn’t sit still--and she didn’t want to go home

Check into a hotel? That was ridiculous!

But it was better than going hoo see one first thing in the ht

"Allison!"

She heard the whisper of her naent

"Allison, please!"

She turned and there he was, Julian Mitchell, still in period costuus Tarleton’s study

She backed away from him She backed up so far that she couldn’t s

Julian Mitchell caain, it was too much

This time, she didn’t hurt herself She passed out onto the period sofa that sat just inside the entry of the Tarleton-Dandridge House

Tyler didn’t think he’d taken that long to walk around and assure hier than he’d thought

When he returned to the foyer, Allison was stretched out on the sofa, sound asleep He gazed down at her for a moment Maybe she’d awaken soon He hated to rouse her when she’d been through so much and was so exhausted

There was et to it and wait for her to wake up

He ran upstairs and got a pillow--one he’d brought hiet--and slipped it beneath her head On second thought, he went back up and returned with a blanket When he’d covered her, he went into Angus Tarleton’s study

While he continued to read about the people involved with the house throughout its history, he found that he was continually distracted Looking up at the painting of Beast Bradley, he knehy

The portrait didn’t bother him It was the work of an excellent artist, so with character He’d shown a handsome man steeped in cruelty, a portrayal that was so different fro in Lucy Tarleton’s room