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Back Nightingale House
Chapters (44)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Also by Steve Frech
  4. Praise for Steve Frech
  5. Nightingale House
  6. Dedication
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 1
  40. 2
  41. Acknowledgments
  42. Dear Reader …
  43. Keep Reading …
  44. About the Publisher

I keep my gaze on the mirror for a beat longer and then look at her. She’s more confused than scared.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry. Daddy’s hand slipped. It’s okay.”

She slowly turns back to the window.

That’s it. I have to sleep tonight. Something like that can’t happen again.

9

I may have overdone it on dinner.

A fully stocked kitchen after a few days of relying on pizza and Chinese food has filled me with zeal and I’ve gone all out—salads, steaks, and baked potatoes. Afterwards, Caitlyn and I hover just above a food coma as we play card games and talk about her first day of school tomorrow. I don’t want to let on, but I’m worried about how it will go. Caitlyn, however, is taking it in her stride.

By the time I get her tucked into bed, I’m an absolute zombie. I kiss her goodnight, switch on her night-light, close the door, and head for my bedroom to brush my teeth and change. Stepping out of the bathroom, I stop and stare at the bed.

It looks inviting. So, why doesn’t it feel inviting? Why am I dreading laying my head on the pillow? Why can’t I feel comfortable in this room? The answer is that I’m letting my grief over Nicole play tricks on me. This afternoon was proof of that. It’s just a bed. It’s just a room. I’m going to have to get used to it, eventually … but not tonight, because I need sleep, and tomorrow is a huge day.

In addition to Caitlyn’s first day of school, I’ve decided that it’s time to get to work on the novel. It’s time to try to get things as back-to-normal as possible. I couldn’t get any sleep in this room the past two nights, and look what almost happened today on the road. So, tonight, I’m heading straight to the couch, which is where I would probably end up anyway.

I gather my pillow and a blanket from the bed and head off down the hall.

I set up shop on the couch, making my own little bed and turn on the television.

That same movie channel is having another classic horror movie marathon. On the screen, Lon Chaney is wrestling with a wolf that’s biting him on the chest. Perfect. I’ve seen this film dozens of times and I’ll be asleep in no time …

*

… or so I thought.