Night of Shadows Read Free Page A

life seemed to Joan like she was in
exile. She rebelled by making Aunt Polly's life as miserable as possible, which
resulted in continual punishment that kept her even more restricted to the
house. Joan often called with pleas for Melinda's help.
    Melinda again could hear Joannie's
pleading voice as she begged her older sister to move out of the dormitory and
rent an apartment where she could move in and they could be together.
    Melinda's reasons for refusing
sounded noble at the time. She convinced Joan that she needed Aunt Polly's
maturity and wisdom for guidance. But the truth was, Melinda feared a little
sister's presence might interfere with her studies as well as her social life. At
the memory, remorse stabbed at Melinda's heart.
    Well, maybe she had let Joannie down
then. But she wasn't about to do it again.
    She settled back in the seat, and
reviewed her plans. After the plane reached its destination, she would rent a
car. Then she would use Joan's map to find the McClure ranch. Even if the
brothers sent her away — which would be unspeakably rude — she still planned to
stay in the area. If necessary, she would rent a motel room in Ruidoso to
explore Joan's old haunts.
    Secretly, Melinda hoped this
nonsense was the result of nothing more than a spat between husband and wife. She
tried to imagine Joan's triumphant return amid the commotion her sister
sometimes enjoyed creating. Melinda would be angry — oh yes. She would be as
angry as she had been the day Joan told her she had quit college.
    Melinda had been so delighted the
year Joan graduated from high school and moved to Atlanta to attend the
university. Melinda had looked forward to re-establishing the old, close bond
she and her sister once shared. She also hoped that at last Joannie would have
a direction, something in which to invest her wayward energies.
    But after only one semester, and
bad grades (Melinda suspected from too many parties), Joannie made her dramatic
announcement. She and two friends had concocted a grand scheme. They would
travel around the country and take on odd jobs to support themselves. Melinda
pictured Joannie as she had been the day of that confrontation, with her
anxious blue eyes, soft blonde hair and a defiant look that replaced her usual
eagerness to please her sister.
    Melinda's word always had been law,
up until that moment. She just knew she could convince Joan that their parents
had wanted so much more for her. That's why they had established a trust fund
to provide enough money for college. But Melinda's indignation did no good. Joannie
then was 18, ready to assert her independence.
    And when, only months later,
Joannie announced that she had married a man named Preston in some forsaken
area of New Mexico, Melinda was heartbroken. It had been too soon. She knew
that Joannie could not have matured so quickly.
    The plane dropped into a fast
descent and jerked Melinda back to the present. She spotted the long runway
below as it rushed up to meet them, and caught her breath when the plane bumped
once, then vibrated from end to end. A high-pitched rumble indicated the brakes
had been applied.
    When the small turboprop at last
taxied to a halt, Melinda stood and staggered through the narrow aisle. As she
made her way down the portable steps outside, she was greeted with a blast of
heat from a searing sun. She jerked her hand from the hot metal railing, then
walked into the small air terminal building. There, she gratefully breathed in
the refrigerated air and stood for a moment looking around at the scattered
seats and ticket booths.
    Melinda was uncertain about her
next move. It still was not too late to notify Preston that she was here. She
could insist that he drive to Roswell and pick her up. She paused, eyeing the
public telephone wistfully. Then, remembering the warning in Joan's strange
letter, she turned away and instead strode over to a small booth to make
arrangements for a rental car.
    She plunked down her credit card