Read Online The Girl On Legare Street by Karen White - Free Book Online

this. But I have no doubt that whatever it is will make it very clear to us eventually. Which means Melanie and I need to stay together. To fight it. Two against one is always better odds.”
    I stood, looking down at my mother, my fear giving strength to thirty years of loss. “Or you could just leave again. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t come back.”
    She stood, too, facing me, and I realized that we were the exact same height. “It’s too late.”
    I didn’t like the sound of her voice. Her tone was ominous, holding something back—something that pricked at the back of my brain like an itch that couldn’t be scratched.
    She continued. “Whatever it is, it’s connected to my great-grandfather’s sailboat. And if they raise it, which they will, it’s going to be bad for us.”
    I stared into the face that I’d lain awake at night as a child trying to remember so I wouldn’t forget it. And now I felt no relief that I hadn’t left out a single curve or the exact shade of her eyes. She was a deliberate stranger—someone who chose to be absent from every birthday past my seventh year—and had spent every milestone of my life so far as the ghost whose presence was always visible as the blank spot next to me in photos.
    “There’s no ‘us,’ Mother. If I need to exorcise a spirit, I’ll get Jack’s help. We’ve done it before. But it will be a cold day in hell if I ever ask for your help.”
    She raised her eyebrow, but showed no emotion other than surprise. Jack stepped closer to me and put his arm around my shoulders. “Mrs. Prioleau, Ginnette, I don’t see things the way that you and Mellie do, but I’ve seen enough to understand that when either of you senses trouble, I listen. Which is why I agree with you that Mellie shouldn’t be alone until we figure this out.”
    I was about to argue, but he squeezed my shoulders, silencing me. “I think I should move in again, so you won’t have to deal with it alone.” He grinned the grin that always did funny things to my stomach. “Just like old times.”
    I frowned at him but was thankful for the escape he was offering, regardless of how conniving his suggestion was. I allowed his arm to rest on my shoulders and turned to my mother. “That’s right. Jack and I have experience with this sort of thing, so don’t worry about me on that account. We won’t be needing your help.”
    “Ah,” she said, her gaze traveling from me to Jack and then back again. “I see.” She reached down and picked up her purse from the floor by her chair. “I guess you’ve got it all under control, so I’ll just leave then.” She began walking toward the foyer but stopped and turned around. “Don’t forget our appointment tomorrow at nine o’clock. I’ll meet you in front of the Legare Street house.”
    The relief I felt at her departure dissipated and was quickly replaced by dread. “You still want to buy that house? Don’t you have a career in New York you need to get back to?”
    She smiled a half smile and for the first time I saw my resemblance to her and it saddened me. “I’m retiring, Mellie. It’s better to retire when you’re at the top of your game so you won’t be remembered as a has-been with a failing voice.” She glanced around at her surroundings as if finally noticing them. “I love what you’ve done with the place,” she said, her gaze taking in the mismatched furniture and the empty windows.
    Annoyed, I said, “I’m in the middle of the restoration. We’ve moved most of the furniture out until we refinish the floors and repair all of the plaster. Otherwise, it might get ruined.”
    Her eyebrow arched again as she regarded us. “Good. So you know a lot about renovation and restoration. Just the person I need to help me after I buy my house.”
    Before I could say anything, she’d turned on her heel. “See you at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”
    I listened as the door latch turned, followed by the soft click