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Back Strangers She Knows Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. BPA
  61. Author Bio

Kellen spoke up. “Yes, family is a blessing, and lately we have been very blessed.”

“I hear you.” Juan headed for the helicopter. “I grew up with five brothers. That’s how I learned to dance—waiting for the bathroom.”

19

Kellen started her half hour of piano practice. Her musical ability hadn’t improved, but the way her hands responded to her command was better, especially her right hand. Really, measurably better.

Yet Luna didn’t seem to notice any improvement. Ten minutes into the practice, the dog began to moan, and then to howl. She was obviously in pain with the awfulness of Kellen’s music, and she wanted the world to know.

Kellen paused. “I’m doing my best!”

Rae jumped up. “Mom! I’m going to ride my bike. I’ll take Luna.”

Luna hopped up, too, and wagged her tail.

Kellen’s hands stilled on the piano keys. She looked at her daughter, fresh-faced and excited—and taller. Visibly taller. The scabs on her face hadn’t healed yet, and she had a pimple on her nose and one on her forehead. She was growing up too fast—yet she was still a child, all unknowing of the dangers out there lying in wait. Of Mara.

This morning Juan, with his awed and horrified narration of Mara’s heinous crimes, had brought Kellen’s fears surging back. “Where are you going?”

Rae looked startled. “I dunno. Just riding.”

“I don’t think you should ride by yourself.”

“I’m not. I’m going with Luna. Anyway, what difference does it make?” She got a petulant tone in her voice. “There’s no place to go.”

“You could get hurt.”

“How?”

“You could fall again.”

“Big deal. I’ve fallen before.”

“And it was a big deal!” Maybe Kellen was a little too sharp.

Because Rae was sharp back. “Dad made me promise not to perform jumps unless he’s there.”

“There are cliffs.” Kellen was groping now, fighting panic and the desire to say, There’s a maniac killer out there.

“Do you mean I’m so dumb I’m going to ride my bike off a cliff? Come on.” Rae’s eyes flashed with hurt and anger. “Give me some credit!”

Luna lay back down, put her head on her paws, and watched as if she was following a particularly tense tennis game.

“I don’t mean that. I just mean…” Kellen couldn’t say what she meant. She couldn’t say she was afraid Mara Philippi would come to get Rae. Kellen couldn’t say she felt incompetent, so lousy at piano the dog had to howl, and carrying a load of guilt that her daughter was stuck on this island without friends or family.

What was it that Max had told Juan? Mara’s mostly after my wife. In a twisted, terrible way, this exile was her fault.