Immortal Ever After by Lynsay Sands Page B

sitting area on the right by a long, granite covered island with chair-backed stools around it. Both sides were decorated in wood and earth tones. Like the front of the house, the outer wall here was more glass than anything else with French doors on both sides leading out onto a covered verandah. And Leigh hadn’t been kidding about a nice shady verandah. Vines grew thick and healthy up the posts and along the edges, adding to the charm and providing more shade. The view beyond was as incredible as the view out the front of the house, only here there was also a pool.
    “Come meet Marguerite, Valerie.”
    Tearing herself away from the view, she moved into the kitchen, where Leigh and a second woman were leaning against the counter on either side of a steaming teakettle. Valerie peered at the newcomer curiously as she approached. Marguerite was almost a head taller than Leigh, with a figure most women would kill for. She wore a summery red dress that looked lovely with her pale complexion and long flowing auburn hair, and she had quite the loveliest face Valerie had ever seen. Like Anders, the woman could have been a model. Also like Anders, she looked to be in her mid- to late twenties, but then so did Leigh and Justin.
    “Hello, Valerie,” Marguerite said smiling widely and offering her hand as Valerie came to a halt before the two women. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    “Nice to meet you too,” Valerie said politely, shaking the offered hand.
    “I’m sorry we didn’t find your dog,” Marguerite said apologetically as they finished shaking and released each other’s hands.
    Valerie’s shoulders slumped. It was what she’d expected, but was still disappointing. Forcing a crooked smile, she said, “Thank you for trying.”
    “Actually, I didn’t,” she admitted wryly. “That was Justin. I was packing your clothes while he checked with your neighbors. But not everyone was home. He’s going to go back tonight, so he may yet find her,” Marguerite said encouragingly.
    “Actually, there were more people not home than home,” Justin Bricker said, entering the kitchen through the French doors. “Middle of the afternoon, most people were working. The only people I found home were two houses close to the corner and—”
    “And Mrs. Ribble next door,” Valerie finished for him with a wry smile.
    “No. The house across the street from yours,” Bricker corrected.
    Valerie’s eyebrows rose at this news and she said, “But Mrs. Ribble is at least eighty years old. She’s always home.”
    Bricker’s pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Which next-door neighbor is she? The left or right side?”
    “The right side if you’re facing the house from the street,” Valerie answered.
    “There was no answer there,” Bricker said firmly, and then added thoughtfully, “But a dog barked when I knocked.”
    “She doesn’t have a dog,” Valerie said with a frown.
    “Bricker, I think you may have found Roxy after all,” Anders commented.
    Valerie glanced at him with surprise, but then realized he was probably right. He had to be . . . unless Mrs. Ribble had got herself a dog in the last two weeks, it was probably Roxy that Bricker had heard barking. Straightening, she said, “I have to go see if it’s Roxy.”
    “No. You have to stay here,” Anders said firmly. “Bricker will go back.”
    “She didn’t open the door to him the first time, what makes you think she’ll open it for him if he goes back?” she asked impatiently.
    “What makes you think she’ll answer to you?” Anders asked. “You only moved in next door a week or so before being kidnapped.”
    Valerie scowled. “I wasn’t asking permission to go. I’m not a prisoner here . . . or am I?” she added grimly.
    “No, of course not,” Leigh said at once, moving to her side to add her support. “And I think we should all go see if it’s Roxy.”
    “Oh, no,” Anders said at once. “Lucian would have my hide if I let you out in your