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Contents (63)
  1. ALSO BY CAROL HIGGINS CLARK
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. ZAPPED
  4. July 14th, 9 P.M.
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. July 15th, 9 P.M.
  62. 57
  63. Contents

“Who’s there?” a man called out.

“Jack Reilly from the NYPD. Please open up.”

The door was opened a crack, but the chain was on. “Show me your badge.”

Quickly Jack complied.

The man closed the door, unlatched the chain, and opened it again. “What’s going on?” he asked, alarm in his voice.

Regan immediately noticed his blond hair. An attractive woman was standing a few feet behind him. Several candles had been lit in the apartment. The lights of New Jersey were visible through the living room window.

“We’re sorry to disturb you, but this is important,” Jack explained. “Are you Huck Darling?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know a Georgina Mathieson in college?”

“What?” the woman asked, stepping closer. “A Georgina who?”

“Yes, but not for long,” Darling answered nervously, ignoring his wife.

“Did she tell you exactly where the accident that took her grandmother’s life occurred?”

“I believe she did,” he said slowly.

“You believe she did or she did?” Regan asked, already sure that she’d never like this guy. There was just something about him.

“She did tell me.”

“Where was it?” Regan asked, her voice clipped.

He pointed out their living room window. “Right out there. On the West Side Highway just north of Seventy-second Street.”

“Right there?” Regan asked, unable to hide the astonishment in her voice.

“Yes, I went to check it out once. That’s what drew my attention to this building. I understand it was a terrible accident. I felt very sorry for Georgina, but I want you to know that Georgina was more than a little off—” he started to explain.

It was too late. Regan and Jack were gone. What a shameless jerk, Regan thought as she and Jack raced down the steps to the lobby.

50

G eorgina was heating up the branding iron with her lighter. The black metal was getting hotter and hotter. I’d have made a great little girl scout, she thought, glancing at the words on the brand—I AM A SNAKE.

She started to get nervous and excited. She was breathing fast and her thoughts were racing. Being here at the spot where her grandmother died was making her even more agitated than she usually felt at this point.

Georgina positioned herself next to Chip’s right arm. Wait a minute, she thought. He’s a lefty. I noticed that tonight. It’s much worse to have my brand on the arm you use most often. Just above the wrist, with the letters facing out for all the world to see.

She stood up and walked around the motionless body. “My first lefty,” she whispered to him. “But certainly not my last.”

51

“T he accident happened on the West Side Highway right behind here!” Regan shouted to Kit, Melanie, and Billy, as she and Jack hurried out the front door of the Schwab House.

“Behind here?” Kit cried in disbelief. “And Georgina’s ex lives in this building?”

“His apartment even has a view of the accident site,” Regan said with disgust as she and Jack starting running to the corner, followed by Melanie.