The Dollmaker by Amanda Stevens Read Free Book Online

black patent leather Mary Janes, she was seated at a tiny table decorated with a miniature tea set.
    The doll’s face was so cleverly sculpted and painted that Claire had to stare for several moments before convincing herself that she wasn’t seeing a beautiful child seated at the table.
    A child who looked exactly like Ruby.
    Claire’s heart started to race as she stared at the doll. She tried to tell herself that the sighting of the teenager earlier had triggered her imagination. Ruby was already on her mind.
    But the golden hair. That sweet smile. The little ruffled dress…
    She put a trembling hand to her mouth.
    “Claire, are you all right? You’re as pale as a ghost. What happened? Are you sick? I knew we should have stopped for something to eat—”
    “That doll,” Claire said hoarsely. She couldn’t look away from it.
    Charlotte turned toward the store. “The one at the little table?”
    “Charlotte, it’s her. ”
    “You mean the one you want to get Lucille?”
    Claire grabbed her sister’s arm. “Don’t you see it?”
    Charlotte frowned at Claire’s harsh tone. “For God’s sake, see what?”
    “That doll looks just like Ruby.”
    “Ruby? Oh, honey, no. It’s just the hair. All those blond curls—”
    “It’s not the hair,” Claire whispered. “Look at her face. Her smile. Even the dress. It looks like the one Mama made Ruby for her birthday. She had it on the day she disappeared.”
    Fear flickered in Charlotte’s eyes as she glanced back at the shop window. “It’s just a pink ruffled dress. They all look the same—”
    “No, they don’t!” Claire said desperately. “Mama had that fabric special ordered. It can’t be a coincidence.”
    Charlotte turned slowly toward her sister. “Claire, what are you saying?”
    “I’m saying that doll is the spitting image of my missing daughter. That dress is identical to the one she had on when she disappeared.”
    Charlotte bit her lip. “We both know that’s not possible. It’s just a doll. It’s not Ruby. Claire, wait!”
    But Claire had already dashed into the street. Oblivious to the traffic, she kept her gaze fixed on the shop window. The closer she got, the harder her heart pounded. The doll did look like Ruby. It wasn’t her imagination.
    “Claire!”
    Behind her, she heard Charlotte scream her name at the exact moment she spotted the oncoming car out of the corner of her eye.
    It happened so quickly, Claire didn’t have time to panic. The squeal of brakes barely registered a split second before the impact knocked her off her feet. She landed with a metallic thud on the hood and rolled off, hitting the pavement with such force the breath was knocked from her lungs.
    She lay on her back, so stunned she couldn’t move, as a crowd began to gather around her. Charlotte reached her first and dropped to her knees beside her.
    “Someone call 911!” She grabbed Claire’s hand. “Oh, God, Claire, are you all right?”
    Claire tried to answer, but she couldn’t speak. She could do nothing but stare up at the sky as raindrops splashed against her face.

Four
     
     
    M ignon Bujold had planned to close the shop early so that she could drive out to Jefferson Parish and surprise her little granddaughter with an early birthday present. The big day wasn’t until Sunday, but Mignon would be attending a huge doll show in Baton Rouge all weekend long, and if she didn’t see Piper today, the child would have to wait until Tuesday for her gift. And if past experience was any indication, the exhibition would be so hectic, Mignon might not even get the chance to call. She’d hate for Piper to worry that her grandmaman had forgotten her birthday entirely.
    Thinking about the goodies she’d bought for her youngest granddaughter, Mignon smiled in anticipation. She loved both of Lily’s children dearly, but the oldest, MacKenzie, was such a tomboy that Mignon couldn’t spoil her with all the girlie things she so adored. But four-year-old