The Shadows Trilogy (Box Set: Edge of Shadows, Shadows Deep, Veiled Shadows) Read Free Page B

gloves and slipped them into her clutch, and then wound her arm through his. “Let’s take a look at the rest of it, shall we?”
    All thoughts of the house flew right out of Joe’s head as soon as she touched him. He found himself gazing down at her and nodding at everything she said with a huge grin on his face. She was beautiful and fascinating. He hadn’t felt so thoroughly charmed by a woman since he’d met his wife. He wasn’t sure he had even felt it then.
    As they made their way around the first two floors, Mrs. Jordan kept up a constant dialogue about her charity work and her husband’s investment business that gave them their fabulous lifestyle. Her stories were witty, and Joe's roars of laughter echoed off the walls of the huge empty rooms. Time seemed to stand still.
    Joe thought that Mr. Jordan was a lucky man. Mrs. Jordan’s voice was mesmerizing, and he could smell her light perfume. He had to stop himself from leaning down and inhaling the scent of her hair. He felt lightheaded and drunk.
    It was only after they reached the third floor, and she unwound her arm from his, that his mind started to clear. They were standing in front of two bay windows that took in an impressive view of the lake. Joe could see houses across the lake lighting up as dusk closed in. It was breathtaking. If he didn’t know the history of the Bradford mansion, at that moment he’d have mortgaged his soul to buy it. There was nowhere else he wanted to be except here in the twilight with this beautiful woman.
    Mrs. Jordan sat down on the window seat and moved close to the glass. She traced her finger along an ornate design etched in the pane’s center. Then she slid closer still and looked out into the gathering darkness. The glass fogged up from her breath. She looked up at Joe with a sly smile on her face and patted the seat next to her. He sat down automatically.
    “You’ve been too kind, Mr. Klein, coming out here on such short notice to show me this lovely house and listen to me prattle on and on.” Her voice was low. Now she slid her fingertip up his tie to the top of his collar.
    He gulped as he felt the slightest prick of the point of her fingernail against his Adam’s apple. “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Jordan.” He felt lightheaded again, and he thought for sure his heart was going to burst right out of his chest.
    “Please. Call me Linda,” she said as she inched closer to him.
    Joe thought that it was possible she was going to kiss him. He was married, but he couldn’t even think of his wife’s name at that moment. He also knew he wouldn’t stop her. All he could think of was drowning himself in her blue eyes, and then her lips were crossing the small span between them.
    Just as her lips brushed his, he heard a heavy, loud thump from somewhere at the back of the house. Joe jumped to his feet. Whatever spell had come over him was immediately broken, and reality came crashing back. He was inside the haunted Bradford mansion.
    “What was that?” he said.
    Mrs. Jordan remained seated. The expression on her face was unreadable. She sighed, and Joe thought he sensed frustration in it.
    “I’m sure it was nothing. It’s an old house, right? Bumps and creaky boards are to be expected,” she said, sounding bored now.
    Suddenly, Joe felt like he was suffocating. He grabbed at the collar of his shirt and peered at the back of the hall where he thought the noise had come from. The house was silent.
    He didn’t know what to think. Nothing like this had ever happened to him. Being inside the house seemed like the only explanation for losing his sense of reality. The sooner he got this showing over the better so he switched back to salesman mode.
    “I believe the Bradfords kept their master bedroom on this floor, and then the guest suite was on the other side. These are the largest bedrooms and each has its own bathroom. It was quite luxurious back in the day as I’m sure you can imagine.” Joe had no desire to