Blind Alley Read Free Page A

those winged brows and high cheekbones but Joe couldn't see it. He said Jane was an original and if she looked like anyone it was Eve. The same red-brown hair color, the same well-shaped mouth, the strong chin. "It's a great photo, Jane."
    "Yeah, I look like I might have a modicum of intelligence. You finished with Ruth yet?" "Getting close."
    "That's good." She looked away from Eve as she bent down and patted Toby. "Then don't worry about stopping to have dinner. I'll bring you a sandwich. We'll celebrate some other time."
    Another delay after Jane had waited a year because it hadn't been "convenient" for Eve and Joe? "No, we won't." She handed the license back to Jane. "This is an important occasion. Ruth can wait.
    "Really?" Jane glanced up and a brilliant smile illuminated her face. "You sure? It's not as if it was a pretty easy test."
    "I'm sure. I wouldn't miss it. I'm very proud of you." Eve turned away. "But I'll have to work until supper is ready. Okay?"
    "Okay." She turned away. "But if you change your mind, I'll understand." She ran down the steps. "Come on, Toby. Let's go for a run by the lake." She glanced over her shoulder. "Call me if you need help, Joe."
    "I think I can manage." Joe opened the screen door. "You and Toby need to get rid of some of that energy. You may not have been nervous, but you're charged. Don't come back until you're more mellow."
    Jane laughed but didn't answer as she streaked down the lake path with Toby at her heels.
    "She's happy." Eve was smiling as she followed Joe into the cottage. "It's good to see her like that."
    "That's not new. It's not as if she stumbles around with a gloomy puss all the time. She's usually pretty happy. She lives every minute to the hilt."
    "I know. But this is different. Do you think we should buy her a car?"
    "No, she wouldn't take it. She's already talking about getting a part-time job so that she could earn the money to buy one herself."
    "It will take forever. Can we give her one for her birthday?"
    Joe gave her a glance. "What do you think?"
    Eve sighed. "That she'd see right through it."
    "Right." He started unloading the groceries onto the kitchen counter. "So the best we can do is try to find her the best-paying part-time job in the area and find ways to get her transport." He unwrapped the steaks. "Now you'd better get back to work. How close are you?"
    "I might be able to finish up tonight. I'll start the final phase as soon as Jane goes to her room."
    "Good idea." He picked up the bag of charcoal and carried it out the front door.
    No protests about her overworking. No suggestion that she put off the completion of the job until the next day.
    A tiny frown creased her forehead as she moved across the living room to her studio area. Ruth's features were blank, waiting for the final smoothing and forming to bring them to life.
    Life.
    She glanced out the window at Joe lighting the charcoal in the stone barbecue pit at the side of the cottage. So many small acts made up life. So many hours, so many experiences. Jane had gone through one of those experiences today....
    But Ruth had been cut off before she'd had a chance to experience more than the beginnings of womanhood. Early twenties, Joe had told her the forensic report was guessing. So young.
    "I'm getting close," she whispered. "Just a little more measuring and we'll go for it. I'll bring you home, Ruth."
    The woman was damn heavy.
    His chest was laboring as he carried the tarp-wrapped body up the hill.
    She was too heavy. Too voluptuous. He had known it wasn't Cira, but she was similar enough that she had to be eliminated.
    He couldn't take any chances.
    Not with Cira. Never with Cira.
    He grunted as he reached the top of the hill. He dropped the body on the ground and looked down at the sloping bank that dropped into Lake Lanier. The water was deep here and he'd weighted the tarp. She might not be discovered for weeks.
    And if she was found earlier, then it was too bad. It changed nothing but