Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark Read Free Book Online Page B

her shoulders.
    Phoebe Sprague pulled away from him. “Listen to me,” she shrieked. “I keep telling you there’s a woman living in my house and you won’t believe me. Here, you.” She grabbed Scott’s arm and pointed to the mirror over the foyer table. The three of them were reflected in it. “See that woman.” She reached over and touched her own image. “She’s living in my house and he won’t believe me.”
    Somewhat troubled by Phoebe Sprague’s ramblings, Scott went home, deep in thought. He had planned to steam one of the remaining lobsters for himself, but he found he had no taste for food. He made a drink and checked the answering machine. There were two messages: Elaine Atkins had phoned. Did he want to leave the house on the market? She had a prospective buyer. The other was from Vivian’s father. He and his wife had an urgent matter to discuss. They would stop by around six-thirty. It would take only a few minutes.
    What’s that about? Scott wondered. He checked his watch; it was ten after six already. He set down the drink and hurried in for a quick shower. He dressed in a dark blue knit shirt, chinos and Docksiders. He was just combing his hair when the bell rang.
    It was the first time Anne Carpenter had been in her daughter’s home since the body was found. Not knowing what she was looking for, she searched the living room with her eyes. In the three years Vivian had owned the house, Anne had only been in it a few times, and it looked about the same as she remembered.Vivian had replaced the bedroom furniture but left this room pretty much as she had found it. On her first visit Anne had suggested that her daughter get rid of the loveseat and some of the cheap prints, but Vivian had flared up at her, despite the fact that she had asked for suggestions.
    Scott insisted they have a drink. “I just made one. Please join me. I haven’t wanted people around, but it’s awfully good to see you.”
    Reluctantly, Anne admitted to herself that his demeanor seemed genuinely sad. He was so strikingly good looking with his blond hair and tanned skin and hazel eyes, it was easy to see how Vivian had fallen in love with him. But what did he see in her except her money? Anne asked herself, then recoiled at her own question. What a horrible thought for a mother, she scolded herself.
    â€œWhat are your plans, Scott?” Graham Carpenter asked.
    â€œI don’t have any. I still have the feeling that this is all a bad dream. I don’t think I’ve come to grips with reality yet. You know Viv and I had been looking for a bigger house. The upstairs bedrooms are really small, and when we had a baby we’d have wanted a place where live-in help wouldn’t be under our feet all the time. We even had names picked out. Graham for a boy, Anne for a girl. She told me that she always felt she was a big disappointment to the two of you and she wanted to make it up to you. She felt it was her fault, not yours.”
    Anne felt a lump in her throat. She watched the convulsive tightening of her husband’s mouth. “We always seemed to be at cross-purposes,” she said quietly. “Sometimes it happens like that, and as a parent you hope it will change. I’m glad if Vivy truly wanted it to change. We certainly did.”
    The phone rang. Scott jumped up. “Whoever it is, I’ll call back.” He hurried into the kitchen.
    A moment later Anne watched with curiosity as her husband picked up his drink and walked down the hall to the bathroom. He returned just as Scott came back.
    â€œI just wanted to put a dash more water in the scotch,” Graham explained.
    â€œYou should have gotten some ice water from the kitchen. There was nothing private about the phone conversation. That was the real estate agent wanting to know if it was all right to bring a prospective buyer around tomorrow,” Scott said. “I told her