Lonestar Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

you mean. I'd gotten such a brief glimpse of her in the delivery room."
    "What reason did they give for her death?"
    "The doctor said her lungs weren't developed properly," she told Allie. Even now, her throat closed and her eyes burned. She often thought about being reunited with her daughter in heaven.
    A frown creased Allie's brow. "Wouldn't that have shown up in the delivery room? You'd think she would have been struggling to breathe from the moment she was born."
    The thought had crossed Shannon's mind more than once. "I couldn't let myself think about it too much. I still had Kylie. She's been the joy of my life."
    "Do you still have that picture?"
    "Yes, just a minute." Shannon stood and went to the stack of boxes against the wall. She found the right one and pulled the tape from the top, then rummaged through Kylie's collection of unicorns until she found the photo album. "Here it is." Returning to the sofa, she flipped it open and showed Allie.
    Allie ran her finger down the page. "Wow, the girls look identical."
    Shannon's thoughts lingered on the little girl she'd seen today. Faith. The last thing she needed was one more problem to deal with, but she couldn't walk away from this. "I have to find out for sure if Faith is my daughter."
    "You'd need some kind of reason to request a blood test. Or you could exhume the body of the little one who died and see if she's yours."
    "How did Blair die?"
    "Freak accident, really. A little over a year ago, she went up in a hot-air balloon that crashed. She'd been doing all kinds of crazy things driving a race car, going bungee jumping. Rumor has it that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and wanted to try everything before she got too sick. Shannon, you okay? You went white."

    "Fine, I'm fine." Shannon ignored the sick churning in her stomach as the full ramifications of what faced her began to sink in. "Let's see if we can find the nurse first and talk to her. Her name was Verna Jeffers."
    "I've heard the name. Can't think in what context though,"Allie said.
    The women hashed through the situation for another hour and a half until the rumble of a vehicle floated through the open window.
    "I think Rick and the girls are here," Shannon said. Car doors slammed, and she stood at the sound of small feet.
    The girls burst into the room. Kylie spoke first. "Mommy, I'm hot. I think my sister is sick."
    Shannon suppressed a smile. Kylie often claimed things about her imaginary sister. Her smile faded when she took in her daughter's flushed face and recalled the events of the day. Shannon had often heard of the connections twins experienced. She touched Kylie's head. No fever. But she looked like she might be feverish. Spots of red stained her cheeks, and her eyes were glazed.
    Call Jack.
    She resisted the impulse. Even if Faith had a fever, Jack wasn't likely to welcome advice from a stranger. Besides, the last thing she wanted to do was talk to him. She pulled Kylie onto her lap. "You're okay, peanut. You and Betsy want some apple slices? Maybe that will make you feel better."
    "My sister is sick," Kylie said, her voice insistent. "You should help her, Mommy. You always make me feel better."
    Shannon bit her lip. What if Faith really was sick? She didn't have Jack's number, but she was tempted to find it. Her glance went to Allie, who interpreted it.

    "I know his number,"Allie said.
    Cornered. With Allie and the girls staring at her, Shannon dug out her cell phone. "What is it?" He could only hang up. A little humiliation was a small price to pay for peace of mind.
    She punched in the number as Allie quoted it. The phone rang on the other end. A woman's voice, heavily accented, answered. "Mr. Jack's house."
    Shannon's words dried up on her tongue. She could handle Jack, but a stranger on the phone would think she was nuts. She wet her lips. "Um, could I speak to Mr. MacGowan?"
    "He no in."
    Maybe this woman was Faith's nanny. At least she might know if the child was all right. "I