Read Online ChasingShadows by Erin Richards - Free Book Online

on to climb through the window. Telltale honeysuckle vines crept along
the back fence.
    She retraced his footsteps in her mind as she paced from the
window to the side of the bed. Juliana examined a small blue stain in the mauve
carpet next to the penguin.
    “There’s something missing here.” She pointed at the floor
between the window and bed. “He stepped over a small obstacle to reach the bed,
shoving it aside with his foot after he sat down.”
    “Her doll box.” Andrea advanced into the room. “Lisette’s
supposed to put her toys away each night, but sometimes she leaves things out.”
    Juliana strained to recall the details, but nothing new
emerged. “Can I see the box?”
    Andrea brushed past Alex, opened the closet and pointed to a
shoebox-sized plastic container.
    Alex turned to Andrea with a stern expression. “When did you
put it away?”
    Andrea wrung her hands. “I don’t remember. I—”
    “Before forensics arrived?” Alex’s harsh tone caused her to
shrink away from him.
    “I don’t know.” Tears flowed down Andrea’s face.
    Alex pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay.” He stroked her
auburn hair. “I’m sorry,” he murmured in a softer voice.
    Juliana whirled away from the inconsolable siblings, her
heart clogging her throat. She lifted the small container off the closet shelf.
Hesitantly, she examined the lidless plastic box without touching the contents.
Nothing.
    “I’m not picking up anything.” She gave them an apologetic
shrug.
    Alex released Andrea and coaxed her to sit on the bed. He
turned toward Juliana. “Take your time.”
    She nodded. “Being here gives me the jitters.” Juliana
massaged her temple with one hand. “My headache’s worsened since I’ve been in
this room.”
    “We can do this later.” Alex’s eyes questioned her.
    “No.” She gave a half shrug. “I need to do it now. I can’t
put my finger on something. About the doll box.”
    Andrea patted the bed beside her. “Sit, try to relax. It’ll
come to you.”
    Andrea’s conviction endeared her, and Juliana followed her
lead. The moment she sat down, a knife-like pain twisted in her brain. She
clenched her head between her palms. That part of the bed blazed alive with the
kidnapper’s touch.
    In a blur, Alex crouched before her, his hands cupped around
her face.
    Her teeth clenched. “As soon as I sat—”
    The vision resurfaced with lightning-bolt speed. She started
to rise, but the room reeled and a black hole raced to suck her down.
    * * * * *
    Juliana fell into Alex’s arms, and he lifted her as if she
were a bundle of feathers. Cradling her close, he carried her into the living room
and laid her on the couch.
    “Let me look at her.” He moved aside as Andrea knelt beside
the couch. Andrea was a registered nurse, and he couldn’t have asked for anyone
better to take care of Juliana.
    She checked Juliana’s pulse, her breathing. “She fainted.” Andrea
jumped up. “I’ll get a cold compress.” Darting away, she disappeared down the
hall.
    Juliana’s braid threatened to pull apart. Alex smoothed the
silken locks away from her face, then held her frigid hands in a loose clasp. Her
face was ashen, and her icy velvet skin frightened him.
    His hungry gaze traveled over her body. “Jewel,” he
whispered, caressing her cheek. He could fight his resurrected feelings to the
death, but it thrilled him to have her back in his life.
    Her old nickname had resurfaced without hesitation the day
before, as if no time had elapsed. He had called her Jewel from the first
moment they met, when the sunlight had caught her eyes and brilliant emeralds
pierced his soul.
    Andrea returned and pushed his hand away, placing a wet
cloth on Juliana’s forehead.
    Juliana flinched and cried out, uttering a few
incomprehensible words. Narrowing his gaze, he strained to decipher them.
    “She’s dreaming.” His pulse accelerated.
    “Do you think she’s dreaming about Lisette?” The hopeful
look in