Read Online Inherit the Dead by Jonathan Santlofer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jonathan Santlofer
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the adulation of men.
And needed it. Any little slip in her hold on her perfection would be painful, and in comparison to a young woman just at the first flush of legal adulthood . . .
She spun around again. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive me. Julia Drusilla has donated large sums of money to many charities I’m associated with over the years.”
“So you do know her.”
“Like I said, we have, at times, moved in similar circles, but know her, not really.” Lilith forced a smile. “She provided for Angel—all the right things. The right clothing, the right schools . . . so much right that she never saw the person her daughter was becoming. She wanted to make a Mini Me out of Angel, and that’s just not Angel.”
“Tell me about her?” Perry asked quietly.
Lilith set her glass on the table and moved—sailed—across the floor to a bank of wall electronics. “Tell me, Perry—do you dance?”
The strains of something Latin came on the air.
“I move my feet to music,” he said. “I’m not so sure about what you’re playing.”
She smiled. “Ah, Perry, it’s just a rumba. Back, side, forward, side, back. The dance, of course, is all in the foot and hip movements. So many people hear Latin music and want to sway their shoulders all over. It’s a sensual dance . . . all about the subtlety of music. You’re not very subtle are you, Perry?”
“I try to be straightforward.”
“Come dance with me.”
He stood, feeling a little awkward. His illustrator mother had taught him a great deal about art, though she hadn’t been a dancer.
“Come to me, Perry, please, come to me.”
She stretched out her hands to him, closing her eyes. She began to move to the music herself. Her shoulders did not move, but her hips swayed evocatively with each step.
She could be, he was convinced, his path to Angel.
He stepped forward.
“Now, take me in your arms, Perry. A man always leads in such a dance, but you’re learning, so I will back lead you. You don’t grip a woman as if she were a fence, Perry. You are firm in your hold; gentle and yet forceful as you move so that a woman understands just what it is you want her to do.”
He tried not to step on her feet. The basic step was easy; he got it quickly enough. She was extremely correct in her stance but didn’t seem to care that her partner was not so majestic.
“Will you help me?” he asked, her perfume in his nose. “Please. I won’t let any harm come to Angel; I just need to speak with her myself.”
She’d held her head away from him at an angle—as was proper with the dance, he was certain. A slight smile curled the marble beauty of her face.
“Did you think I was hiding her here somewhere, Perry?”
“No, but I think you could tell me where to find her. I’m afraid for her, Lilith. She’s missing, and no one seems to know where—”
“Lift your arm just so on the back step, and I can turn . . . ” Lilith said.
“Please,” he said.
“Angel is, as you said, young and beautiful,” she told him.
“Did you hear me? I’m afraid she may be a victim, that she may be in trouble, that . . . ”
She paused for a minute, drawing back. A look of real concern tugged at her features.
“Dead?” she whispered.
“I don’t know and won’t—not until I’ve searched everywhere.” Perry tried not to think it. He tightened his grip on Lilith’s thin waist.
“Young and beautiful means men,” Lilith told him.
“A particular man?” he asked.
Spinning in his arms, Lilith came to a dramatic pause with her back against him. His chin rested on her head. She inhaled, waiting for the next count of music, and when it came seemed to move again with regret.
“She could have her pick of men,” Lilith said.
“But was there one special man?” he asked. To his amazement, he was getting the hang of it. They weren’t going to be calling from Dancing with the Stars anytime too soon, but he could at least move as she wanted and
And needed it. Any little slip in her hold on her perfection would be painful, and in comparison to a young woman just at the first flush of legal adulthood . . .
She spun around again. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive me. Julia Drusilla has donated large sums of money to many charities I’m associated with over the years.”
“So you do know her.”
“Like I said, we have, at times, moved in similar circles, but know her, not really.” Lilith forced a smile. “She provided for Angel—all the right things. The right clothing, the right schools . . . so much right that she never saw the person her daughter was becoming. She wanted to make a Mini Me out of Angel, and that’s just not Angel.”
“Tell me about her?” Perry asked quietly.
Lilith set her glass on the table and moved—sailed—across the floor to a bank of wall electronics. “Tell me, Perry—do you dance?”
The strains of something Latin came on the air.
“I move my feet to music,” he said. “I’m not so sure about what you’re playing.”
She smiled. “Ah, Perry, it’s just a rumba. Back, side, forward, side, back. The dance, of course, is all in the foot and hip movements. So many people hear Latin music and want to sway their shoulders all over. It’s a sensual dance . . . all about the subtlety of music. You’re not very subtle are you, Perry?”
“I try to be straightforward.”
“Come dance with me.”
He stood, feeling a little awkward. His illustrator mother had taught him a great deal about art, though she hadn’t been a dancer.
“Come to me, Perry, please, come to me.”
She stretched out her hands to him, closing her eyes. She began to move to the music herself. Her shoulders did not move, but her hips swayed evocatively with each step.
She could be, he was convinced, his path to Angel.
He stepped forward.
“Now, take me in your arms, Perry. A man always leads in such a dance, but you’re learning, so I will back lead you. You don’t grip a woman as if she were a fence, Perry. You are firm in your hold; gentle and yet forceful as you move so that a woman understands just what it is you want her to do.”
He tried not to step on her feet. The basic step was easy; he got it quickly enough. She was extremely correct in her stance but didn’t seem to care that her partner was not so majestic.
“Will you help me?” he asked, her perfume in his nose. “Please. I won’t let any harm come to Angel; I just need to speak with her myself.”
She’d held her head away from him at an angle—as was proper with the dance, he was certain. A slight smile curled the marble beauty of her face.
“Did you think I was hiding her here somewhere, Perry?”
“No, but I think you could tell me where to find her. I’m afraid for her, Lilith. She’s missing, and no one seems to know where—”
“Lift your arm just so on the back step, and I can turn . . . ” Lilith said.
“Please,” he said.
“Angel is, as you said, young and beautiful,” she told him.
“Did you hear me? I’m afraid she may be a victim, that she may be in trouble, that . . . ”
She paused for a minute, drawing back. A look of real concern tugged at her features.
“Dead?” she whispered.
“I don’t know and won’t—not until I’ve searched everywhere.” Perry tried not to think it. He tightened his grip on Lilith’s thin waist.
“Young and beautiful means men,” Lilith told him.
“A particular man?” he asked.
Spinning in his arms, Lilith came to a dramatic pause with her back against him. His chin rested on her head. She inhaled, waiting for the next count of music, and when it came seemed to move again with regret.
“She could have her pick of men,” Lilith said.
“But was there one special man?” he asked. To his amazement, he was getting the hang of it. They weren’t going to be calling from Dancing with the Stars anytime too soon, but he could at least move as she wanted and
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