Speak of the Devil Read Online Free PDF Page A

ya.”
    “No frogs!”
    The line clicked.
    Jack stuck his head out of the bathroom door. “You dealing with a plague?”
    “Yeah, the plague of my sister’s ex-boyfriend.” Anna sighed and used the towel to dry her hair. She wondered how she could convince Jody to believe in herself enough to stop hooking up with cheating, lying Brent—without coming across as the obnoxious big sister who thought she had the world all figured out.
    For now, Anna just had to figure out how to dress for the day. She went to Jack’s closet, where a few of her clothes still hung, a remnant of their prebreakup era. She pulled some pieces out, trying to create an outfit from the wardrobe scraps. She’d have to stop by her apartment and get more clothes and her cat tonight.
    She dressed in a black pantsuit and sensible pumps—the uniform of female prosecutors—and a lacy ivory camisole that felt fittingly bridal. As Jack buttoned up his shirt, she opened the window shade and gazed out. It was wonderful to be back here, looking at the mature trees and historic homes. She knew this place better than she knew her own apartment in the city. The neighbors, the mail carrier, even the gardeners setting up to mow Jack’s yard were familiar.
    When she turned around, Jack was knotting a red tie. She smiled at how handsome her future husband looked in a suit.
    “Ready?” he asked her.
    She might never feel ready to face Olivia. But she nodded.
    He held her hand, and they walked down the wooden steps of his old Victorian. Anna noticed, as she always did, the picture hanging in the hall by Olivia’s room. It was a studio portrait of Jack and his late wife, holding an infant Olivia between them. Nina Flores had been a beautiful police officer, killed in the line of duty four years ago. Jack rarely spoke about it. But Nina’s presence was everywhere in the house. Nina was the one who’d painted Jack’s bedroom walls red, who’d hung the lacy curtains in Olivia’s room, who’d planted the peach tree in the front yard. Anna was very aware that she was stepping into a household that another woman had created. She supposed she would make her own mark eventually. She would try to do it while respecting the woman who’d come before.
    They followed the voices to the sunny kitchen at the back of the house. Olivia was sitting at the counter, eating scrambled eggs and toast. She wore a pink T-shirt, and her wavy black hair was in two low ponytails. The little girl had creamy caramel skin and her father’s luminous green eyes. They were leveled on her nanny with the intensity of an expert negotiator sizing up her opponent. Luisa stood at the counter, packing lunch into a Princess and the Frog lunch box.
    “Please, Luisa, can I just have a jelly sandwich? There’s enough protein in the cheese stick and yogurt.”
    “No, cosita , we need to get some meat on your bones. Jelly is not enough. How about a turkey sandwich?”
    “How about half a turkey and half a jelly?”
    Luisa put her hands on her wide hips and frowned at the little girl. “Do you promise to eat both?”
    “Of course!” The little girl flashed a winning smile.
    “Okay, okay,” Luisa grumbled cheerfully. Olivia grinned in triumph. As Luisa pulled the jam from the fridge, she caught sight of them in the doorway.
    “Well hello, Miss Anna!” said the nanny. “How nice to see you back here!”
    Olivia’s eyes lasered to the doorway. They widened when she saw Anna. Anna braced herself for rejection. But the little girl surprised her.
    “Anna!” she screeched as she clambered down from the stool. Olivia ran full throttle into Anna’s arms. “I missed you!”
    Olivia hugged her so tightly, Anna could barely breathe. “I missed you, too.” Anna put her arms around the little girl, tentatively at first, then with more confidence. It was the first real hug Olivia had ever allowed her. It felt wonderful. She kissed the girl’s soft cheek, and noticed that she was wearing the Princess