4 Impression of Bones (16 page)

The rubberneckers had gotten more than they bargained for. Julia’s
body almost crushed a small party from San Jose as she hit the pavers at the
front of the castle. The press had had a field day with the latest tragedy
though they had been asked not to show the most graphic photos until the next
of kin was notified. Juliet suspected that there was no way that the castle
could avoid a reputation of being cursed. And perhaps that was for the best.
After all, it sure seemed to be soaked with blood and unhappiness. Whoever
bought the place needed to know what they were getting
into.

“Have some wine,
bella
. You aren’t driving and I think you could use it.”

“Okay.” She smiled at Esteban. Her face felt tired, pulled
by worry and a low-simmering anger, but the smile was sincere.

Neither of her friends had asked her if she could have
prevented Julia’s suicide or suggested that she should have tried. Their practicality
made Juliet feel less of a freak. Manoogin had seemed to understand, and even
said that she was wise to stay back from the younger and clearly violent woman
balancing on the castle wall, though he clearly would have preferred to have
taken Julia alive and had her stand trial.

“Have you been able to find Cornelia Barton’s hometown?” she
asked Esteban. “Manoogin says they are ready to release her bones.”

“Yes, her family lived—still lives—in Jamestown. It’s about
an hour from Yosemite in the gold country.”

“Good. We won’t have to worry about transporting remains
across state lines.”

“The family also has a plot in the old cemetery where she
can be interred with her parents and a sibling. The family is glad to know what
happened to her and is grateful that she is coming home.”

This made Juliet feel a little better though it was pretty
meager reparation for what had happened to Cornelia and her unborn child.

Romantic love.
Juliet shook her
head at how much suffering it had caused.

“Shall we have a toast?” Raphael asked.

They picked up their glasses and waited.

“Here is to us, the pragmatists—”

“The creators,” Juliet added.

“—and friends,” Esteban finished.

They touched crystal to crystal and then drank the sweet wine.

About
the Author

Melanie Jackson is the author of over 70 novels. If you enjoyed this
story, please visit Melanie’s author web site at
www.melaniejackson.com
.

eBooks
by Melanie Jackson:

The Chloe Boston
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Moving
Violation

The Pumpkin
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Death in a
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Murder on
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Vegas

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Red, White and a Dog Named Blue

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Big Bones

Gone South

Home Fires

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The Wedding

Wild East

The Wendover House Mystery Series

The Secret Staircase

Twelfth Night

On Deadly Tides

Pieces of Hate

Miss Henry Mystery Series

Portrait of a Gossip

Landscape in Scarlet

Requiem at Christmas

Impression of Bones

Death in a High Place

Wildside
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Outsiders

Courier

Still Life

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