Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

when I cal ed her Barbie dol . Are you certain she’s okay, Sarah?”
    Sarah paused for a moment, seeking inside herself, reaching out to her sister. “She’s exhausted, Jonas, and needs sleep. We’l have to find a way to get some food into her soon.”
    Jonas rol ed his eyes. “We can’t have Miss Anorexic gaining an ounce. She’s probably worried the camera won’t love her, and she won’t be able to parade around half-naked on the cover of a magazine for the entire world to see.”
    Kate tossed her napkin at Jonas. “Go away, you’re annoying me. We have to have clear heads to decide how to handle this, and you just stir everyone up.”
    Jonas shrugged, in no way perturbed. “I have to go back to work anyway. But I want to hear about these freaks of yours, Joley. You haven’t been getting any nut-cases stalking you, have you?”
    Joley took a sip of tea and looked up at Jonas. “I don’t know. I hired a couple of bodyguards, bouncers real y, just to protect the stage. Each concert hal has a security force, of course, but I thought if these two traveled with us, we’d have a little extra protection. Stalkers come with the territory, you know that. The more famous you get, the more crazies you attract.”
    Matt sat down beside Kate. “Do writers have that kind of problem?”
    Before Kate had a chance to deny it, Jonas answered. “Of course they do. Anyone in the public eye does, Matt. Writers, musicians, politicians, and—” he glanced toward the stairs—“supermodels.”
    Joley laughed. “You worry so much, Jonas, you ought to go into law enforcement. It’s right up your al ey.”
    “Ha-ha, very funny. I’l cal you later to see if anything new has happened.” Jonas glanced out the window. “I never thought I’d dread nightfal .”
    Matthew looked out the window to the pounding sea. “Is El e expected tonight?”
    “She said around midnight. She’s flying into San Francisco and renting a car to drive here. I offered to pick her up,” Abbey said, “but she didn’t want any of us on the road with the fog. She promised she’d check the weather station before she came into Sea Haven.”
    Jonas scooped up his hat. “I’l keep an eye out for her. You al rest and stay out of trouble.” He left, banging the door behind him.

    At Sarah’s urging, Damon nodded toward the kitchen and Matt obliged.
    Abbey waited until the men were out of the room. “I didn’t mean to chal enge Jackson like that.” She pressed her hand to her mouth, her eyes enormous. “That’s twice now. And the house should have protected me. How could that happen in our home?”
    “You were relaxed,” Sarah said. “You let your guard down.”
    Abbey shook her head. “I haven’t let my guard down since I caused such a problem during the committee meeting. Poor Inez cal ed me this afternoon and told me no one realized it was me, but Sylvia knew.”
    “She went to school with us,” Joley pointed out.
    Hannah walked back into the room. Tal and blond and beautiful, she looked so fragile she could have been made of porcelain. “Don’t worry about Sylvia. I’m certain she’s very sorry she hit Abbey.”
    Joley held out her arms. “Come here, baby, sit by me. You look done in. You were very bad teasing poor Jonas that way and making him think you were sleeping.” Joley kissed Hannah. “You real y should be in bed.”
    “I couldn’t sleep,” Hannah admitted. “I needed to be with al of you.”
    Joley stroked back her hair. “You didn’t do anything awful to Sylvia, did you?”
    Hannah’s eyes widened in a semblance of innocence. “You al think I’m so bent on revenge al the time.”
    Sarah paused in the doorway to the kitchen. “That’s not an answer, you bloodthirsty little witch. Exactly what did you do to Sylvia?”
    Hannah leaned against Joley. “I’m glad you’re home. You don’t give me that stern face like Sarah does.”
    “Hannah Drake, what did you do to Sylvia?”
    Hannah shrugged. “I heard from a reliable source…”
    “Inez at the grocery store,” Abbey supplied.
    “Wel , she’s reliable,” Hannah pointed out. “I heard Sylvia developed a bright red rash on the left side of her face. It appears to be in the shape of a hand. I couldn’t help but think it was fitting.”
    Sarah rubbed her hand over her face, trying to stare down her younger sister without smiling. “You know very wel you can’t use our gifts for anything other than good, Hannah. You’re risking