The Seance by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

minute later, two more people in his wake. “And his fiancée,” he added, stressing the word.
    Tony went over to Christina, took her shoulders and gave her a peck on the cheek. He’d been a gaunt, geeky boy, but he’d grown into a tall, well-built man. His eyes were gray, his hair sandy-colored, and his nose and ears were no longer too big for his face.
    â€œHey, Tony, thanks for coming,” Christina said.
    â€œNasty fog out there,” he said. “I couldn’t even see your house from mine.”
    â€œSpooky,” Ilona agreed.
    â€œChristina, you remember Ilona, don’t you?” Ana asked.
    â€œWe met at the funeral,” Ilona said, stepping forward to take Christina’s hand. She had a warm grip and sympathetic green eyes. She was slim, with long, straight blond hair and a pleasant way about her.
    â€œYes, of course we met,” Christina said warmly. “Congratulations. I didn’t know the two of you were engaged. When’s the big day?”
    â€œOh, we haven’t planned that far ahead yet,” Ilona said.
    â€œI say we ask the Ouija board,” Ana suggested.
    â€œI say we have a beer and some barbecue,” Mike protested from the doorway.
    â€œOh, all right, but then we do the Ouija board,” Ana insisted.
    â€œWhat about Jed? Should we wait for him before we eat?” Christina asked.
    â€œMy dear cousin will get here in his own good time,” Ana said. “He can eat when he gets here.”
    â€œSounds like a plan,” Christina agreed.
    â€œLet’s eat, then,” Dan said.
    â€œWorked up a real appetite being a fluffy, huh?” Ana teased.
    Dan gave her a fake scowl as they all moved into the kitchen and started eating.
    The conversation was general and pleasant as it moved from topic to topic. It turned out that Ilona had originally come from Ohio, which led to a discussion about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nice, easy stuff.
    So why, Christina kept wondering, was she feeling so on edge?
    Ilona asked Christina about her work, and she explained that writing advertising jingles was more difficult than most people thought, as well as a crucial element in selling the product. “If you can get people to remember a jingle, then they’ll remember the product,” she explained. As she spoke, she could hear Dan, Mike and Tony talking about the murdered woman who had been found beside the highway.
    When everyone seemed to have finished eating, Ana reached over for Christina’s plate. “Done with this?”
    â€œCleanup time?” Dan said, noticing. “Let me help.” He came over with a large garbage bag and they all tossed their paper plates into it. “Gran wasn’t the type to let any of us get away without picking up after ourselves, right, Christie?”
    â€œRight. But,” she added, smiling to take any sting out of the words, “it’s easier when all you have to do is grab a garbage bag.”
    â€œGran made us scour her copper collection every Sunday,” Mike put in, a nostalgic smile curving his lips.
    â€œYeah, and it was a pain in the butt,” Dan said, and grinned at Christina. “You gonna keep all that copper glowing forever?” he asked. His eyes indicated the array of copper pans and molds lining the special racks their grandfather had constructed to hold the collection.
    â€œOf course,” she said.
    â€œBetter you than me,” Dan told her, laughing.
    â€œChristina was always the keeper of the keys,” Tony said, lifting his beer to her.
    â€œThe keys?” Ilona said, puzzled.
    â€œChristie was always the one who loved all the old family stuff,” Tony explained. He sounded slightly impatient.
    â€œOh,” Ilona said in a cool tone.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Tony murmured, pulling her close.
    â€œGet a room,” Dan teased.
    Ilona laughed softly, blushing, and drew away from Tony.
    â€œWhy would they get