Chapter 1

The faint ring of the telephone marred the stillness for the third time in 15 minutes. Emma shrugged away the annoyance. After a hard week, she planned to do absolutely nothing this Sunday morning. She leaned back in her chair and basked in the morning sun. 

She’d just opened the latest copy of Vogue when she heard her husband’s voice through the screen door.

“Emma, where are you?” 

“The porch.” She stood and jerked up her magazine, mug, and half-eaten bagel, splashing coffee on her crisp white nightie. "I’m coming, I’m coming."

When Joe stepped outside, she wrinkled her nose at the sheen of sweat in his dark hair and the massive rings under his arms. 

"Why are you home so soon? Didn’t you finish your workout?" 

"Where were you?" He dropped his gym bag on the slate tiles. "Your mom called my cell when she couldn’t reach you."

“I was eating breakfast. I would have called her back.” She turned her back to him and pushed in her wrought iron chair with a clatter.  “So what was so important that Mom had to call you at the gym?” 

He didn’t answer.

She turned to face him. "Well?" 

He took her elbow and tried to lead her inside. "Let’s sit down." 

She planted her feet, heart thumping, and searched his face. "No, tell me now. Is she sick?"

He took her hand between both of his. "It’s... your sister. She was killed in a car wreck last night."

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