Moonlight Masquerade by Jude Deveraux Read Free Book Online Page A

wake until after seven the next morning, and she was pleased to see that the fridge was full of food. She made herself a big breakfast, raided Kim’s ample closet, then set out to find Dr. Reede’s office. It wouldn’t do to be late on the first day.
    But when she opened the front door, she was startled to see a young woman sitting on the porch, waiting for her. “Hi,” she said. “I’m Heather Davis, I work for Dr. Reede, and I’ve come to drive you to the office.”
    â€œOh,” Sophie said, “I didn’t expect this.”
    The woman was looking Sophie up and down, as though she were judging her. “Anything to help our beloved doctor. The poor man is so lonely, so needy, that our hearts cry out for him. We’ve been searching for someone to come along and rescue him.”
    For a moment Sophie could only blink at her. “Rescue?” she managed to say.
    â€œWell, you know what I mean. Not literally, of course, because he’s a hero in his own right, but then you must know that. If you were Kim’s roommate, you’ve probably seen a thousand photos of him.”
    â€œNot really,” Sophie said. “Kim was more interested in trying to find—” She cut off, not wanting to betray a confidence. “But no, I’ve never met Kim’s brother. I’m sure I’ve seen photos of him, but that was a long time ago.”
    â€œGreat!” Heather said, then caught herself. “I mean it’s good that you’ve had some acquaintance with him. So to speak.” She waited until Sophie got in, then took the driver’s seat.
    â€œI need to get my own car,” Sophie said. “Do you know what’s happened to it?”
    â€œJunked,” Heather said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œEarly this morning Mr. Frazier sent a tow truck out to get your car and he said it wasn’t worth fixing.I’ll have to drive you everywhere and make sure you see only the right people.”
    Sophie looked at the young woman, who seemed to be talking very fast and with a great deal of nervousness. “I’ll need my car to—”
    â€œYou’ll get one. Russell and Clarissa took care of everything last night.”
    â€œClarissa?”
    â€œRussell’s wife. She was married before and she has a little boy named Jamie. They’ve been married a very short time and when Ellen—that’s Kim’s mom but I guess you know that—asked our old pastor—not old in age but he’d been here a while—if he wanted to leave, he said yes and Russell was one of the candidates. He gives good sermons, but then we all say we just go there to look at him and that he could say anything and we wouldn’t care. It was announced yesterday that he and his wife will be taking over the church. Gum?”
    Sophie wondered if the woman always talked this fast or if she was just nervous. “What?”
    â€œChewing gum. Would you like some? We’re here.” Heather pulled into a six-car lot in the back of some brick buildings and they got out.
    Sophie smoothed her hair and her skirt, hoping she was presentable to meet Kim’s heroic brother.
    Heather was watching her. “The doc’s not here. He left early this morning, something to do with tourist problems.” She started walking quickly toward the back of a building.
    Sophie hurried after her. “What does that mean? What are tourist problems?”
    â€œOh, you know. They burn down forests, breakbody parts, run their cars into the lake, fall out of trees, all the usual things.”
    â€œMy goodness,” Sophie said as she followed the young woman into the building. They’d entered at the back of a doctor’s suite, and she hurried past three exam rooms. In the outer office two women were standing and looking at Sophie as though she needed to pass inspection. The three of them stared at her in silence.
    â€œI don’t really