Deadly Echoes Read Online Free PDF

me.
    â€œI . . . I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you,” he said, staring at me. “I . . . I just wanted to tell you . . . I mean, I’m sorry about your sister. My mother is bringing a casserole by later.”
    Jonathon greeted Jeremiah and then said good-bye to both of us. I waited until he’d walked down the steps before addressing Jeremiah.
    â€œThat’s so considerate of your mother,” I said. “Please tell her how much I appreciate it.” I pointed toward the living room. “Would you like to come in?”
    He shook his head. “No. Mama said not to keep you. We were over at the post office, and Mr. Bakker said you had mail. He let me bring it to you so you wouldn’t have to go over and pick it up.”
    He handed me the stack of mail in his hand, and I thanked him. Before I could say anything else, he turned and almost ran down the steps.
    I closed the door and leaned against it, praying that no one else would visit today. I needed some time to myself. For some reason my legs felt like rubber.
    Janet came into the room and saw me. “Sarah, you’re exhausted. Come here and sit down on the couch. I’ll make you another cup of tea.”
    â€œThank you.” I managed a small smile. “You’d better start clearing out space in the refrigerator and freezer. I understand the women of Sanctuary have taken to their stoves.”
    â€œOh, for land’s sake,” Janet said. “We’re going to be drowning in fried chicken and strudel.”
    As she hurried off to prepare her kitchen for the onslaught, I plopped down on the couch. Immediately Murphy jumped up next to me. I stroked the golden retriever’s soft fur and then began to riffle through the mail. When I read the return address on one of the envelopes, disbelief flooded my body like an electric shock, and I cried out for Janet. She came running in from the kitchen, her eyes round with alarm.
    â€œWhat in the world?” she said when she saw me. “You’re as white as a ghost.”
    I held out the envelope. “It . . . it’s a letter. From Hannah.”
    â€œWhat?” Janet took the envelope from me and stared at the postmark. “It was sent Priority Mail yesterday. Oh my goodness.” She started to hand it back to me, but I waved it away.
    â€œNo. Will you read it? Please? I . . . I can’t—” A sob cut off the rest of my sentence.
    Janet sat down and slowly opened the envelope. Then she pulled out the folded paper inside. “Honey, are you sure you want me to read this?” she asked.
    I could only nod.
    She put the envelope down on the coffee table and opened the letter. Then she took a deep breath and began to read:
    â€œDearest Sarah,
    This past year has been the best year of my life. Finding you again was the fulfillment of a long-held dream. Reuniting with my sister is one of the greatest blessings I’ve ever had. No matter what happens in the future, I want you to know that I always loved you. And I always believed God would bring us together again.
    I had to make sure you knew this because of what I’m preparing to do. Cicely and I are going away. Right now I’m not sure if I’ll ever see you again. I’ll try to contact you, but if I don’t, it’s only because I don’t want to put you in harm’s way. Please don’t worry about us. I’m taking us someplace safe. Someplace where no one will find us.
    Our past has always haunted me, Sarah. Knowing that the people who killed our parents got away with it has never left me. I know you don’t really want to hear this,but I have to explain so you won’t think my leaving means I don’t love you. My search for the truth made me stick my nose in places I shouldn’t have. And now it’s blown up in my face. Random thieves didn’t murder Mom and Dad, Sarah. It was something