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paint plus green trim gave the rest of the house a fresh-faced look, but D.J. could feel the character within. |
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She adored it. She, who had never lived in anything larger than an apartment in her life, lusted after this monstrous house with all her heart. The place was huge, impractical, probably hell to heat, but she could hardly keep herself from running up the steps to burst through the door and discover what lay on the other side. |
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"D.J.?" McCall stood at the door, looking back on her with a smile. "You wanted to come here; let's go in." |
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"Oh, yeah. Sure." D.J. tore her gaze away from the house and tried to hide her eagerness to view the rest. This was McCall's house; his family home, he'd said. There was no way on earth she would ever be able to live here. |
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McCall unlocked the door and stepped back to allow D.J. to enter first. "The place looks a lot better without all my belongings strewn around," he said. "But that's what you're here to see, I guess." |
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D.J. nodded and stepped over the threshold. Her breath caught in shock. |
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The hardwood floors gleamed with fresh wax. The windows sparkled in the autumn sun. Not a chair or book stood out of place. |
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A giggle like the ringing of Christmas bells sounded from the second floor. D.J. looked up in time to see the flash of a purple flowered T-shirt just before it disappeared. |
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"Josie," D.J. whispered. "If she wasn't already dead, I'd kill her." |
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