The Grudge Read Online Free Page B

carrying her bags up the wide staircase.
    The floors were all polished wood with thick green and brown rugs. Every exterior wall was framed with large picture windows and green and brown drapes. There was a huge stone fireplace in the living area that towered two floors high and boasted a real log mantel that was decorated with candles, greenery, and antiques.
    The bedroom to which Devon showed Ali and Mac had two double beds covered with heavy down comforters, a large pine armoire, twin night tables with pine lamps, and two overstuffed chairs beside a small rock fireplace. The floor was carpeted with plush forest carpeting and the walls were paneled with natural pine.
    “The bathroom is right through this door,” Devon indicated. “Go ahead and get changed and unpacked, then meet us downstairs in the living room. I’ll start a fire. I think we could all use a hot drink to thaw out.”
    Mac kissed Eli as he set down her bags. “Thanks. I’m glad we’re finally here. I‘ve missed you. I hope we’ll get to spend some time together, just the two of us.”
    “Me too.” Eli kissed her back. Tucking a strand of her long red hair behind her ear, he smiled at her and kissed her again. “Me too.”
    “Check out this tub,” Alyson called as Mac closed the door behind Eli’s departing form. “It’s even got Jacuzzi jets.”
    “Perfect for all your little sore parts at the end of the day. Eli mentioned that there’s an outdoor hot tub on the back deck. Sounds very romantic. Of course it never occurred to me to bring a bathing suit on a ski trip, but he says there’s a shop in town that sells them. I thought we could check it out tomorrow.”
    “Let’s unpack and get downstairs. The thought of curling up by the fire with something hot to drink, watching the snow, and having pleasant conversation with the people I love most sounds like heaven on earth.”
    “Pleasant conversation?” Mac snorted. “You know the guys are going to want to strategize. Give them a good mystery to solve and they become single-minded.”
    “For tonight, we’ll put a ban on shop talk. We’ve done what we could tonight. Tomorrow’s soon enough to jump into research mode. For tonight I’m thinking soft music, a warm fire, and pleasant conversation.”
    “Sounds good to me.”
    After they unpacked, Mac and Alyson joined the guys by the fire in the great room. When Alyson had pictured this setting during the previous week, snow had been falling gently outside and the biggest concern she had was which ski run to start off with the following day. The reality was a storm that continued to blow angrily, completely obstructing the view outside the large floor-to-ceiling windows and a boyfriend who had already started making notes for the next day’s investigation. She took the notepad away from Devon and pulled him toward the large rock fireplace, where a fire danced merrily in tune to the soft jazz someone had put on the expensive stereo system.
    She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as she swayed to the music. “Mac and I have declared a moratorium on death and frozen corpses for tonight,” she whispered against his lips.
    “Sounds good,” Devon groaned.
    “I’m going to show Mac the rest of the house.” Eli grabbed her hand and started walking toward the hallway leading to the kitchen and dining area.
    “There’s a rest of the house?” Trevor asked as they disappeared down the hall.
    “Not really. Just the kitchen.”
    “I think he wanted for them to be alone,” Alyson guessed.
    “Yeah, Eli’s been all nervous about the gift he got for her: a birthstone necklace. Sapphire.”
    “But Mac’s birthday is in January. January is garnet,” Alyson pointed out
    “Sapphire is for September. He said that because he met her in September, he considers that the birth of their relationship.”
    “Oh, that’s so sweet.” Alyson handed Devon the gift she had brought for him. “Tasteful, but not nearly as touching as