Read Dark Memories (The Phantom Diaries, #2) for Free Online Page B

festive side of her and she began singing.   “ C’est Noel, C’est Noel …”
    “Well, I’m certainly happy to supply it, dear, but if you don’t stop rolling that poor dough, it’ll be too thin to do much with it.”
    “Oh, sorry. I’ll start again.” She resumed her song and gathered her thinly rolled out dough to pack it back into a tight ball.
    “Annette,” I said, cutting into her fun.   “I’m happy to see you’re enjoying yourself, but I was hoping you’d come outside with me. It’s a beautiful evening.”
    “Go ahead,” Michelle was quick to offer. “I’ll take it from here.”
    “But I wanted…”
    I reached for her hand and led her outside.
    “Eric! What are you doing? For once in a hundred years I was having fun and you have to come in and drag me out here?”
    “I think this wasn’t a good idea after all.”
    “Of course it was a good idea. I’m bonding with Maman . I think we get along fabulously.”   She smiled sweetly, but mischief played in her eyes.
    “Don’t get too cozy. After dinner we’re leaving.”
    “What? We just got here. That’s ridiculous.”
    “I don’t like the way things are going.   Besides, I heard you singing in there and I fear the lack of practice is beginning to show already.   Your voice is getting lazy.”
    “It’s not lazy. It’s on holiday. I wasn’t really singing.   I was just… it’s silly kitchen singing.   For crying out loud, I’m not going to belt out a little Christmas song with my operatic voice.”
    “That’s no excuse. Don’t underestimate how high Annette has set the bar. Her public expects little less than pure perfection. We need to return to New York and get back to work.”
    “You're exaggerating and you're being paranoid. My voice is fine and it will be fine when I return to New York.”
    “Look, I’m just trying to help.   You're the one who’s going to look the fool when you get on that stage and can’t hit the notes as Annette has always done.”
    Kristine kicked at the ground in frustration and turned her angry eyes to me.   “Fine,” she shouted. “Fine.   I can’t believe that I’m here with you all these years later and you're still ruining my fun.   Do you just enjoy breaking my plans and seeing me miserable?”
    I grabbed her by the elbow and guided her back inside. Judging by the relieved expression on their faces, Joana had had a chance to tell the Binoches of our earlier discussion. With their suspicions confirmed, they looked to me to remedy the situation.   Michelle smiled, her eyes silently thanking me. Luis’ gaze held heavier skepticism and I couldn’t really blame him.
    To see his daughter in this state and have to trust me to bring her back couldn’t be easy for a man so accustomed to controlling each situation.
    “I rolled out the dough, Annette,” Michelle said, doing a convincing job of treating Kristine as she had moments earlier. “All you have to do now is pour in the cherry filling.
    Kristine clapped her hands and skipped into the kitchen leaving Michelle to gaze at me with an additional plea to help her daughter.
    I nodded then sat facing Luis to bide my time until dinner was ready.
    It was tense as we all sat at the table and I feared Kristine would come to realize the difference in the way Annette’s parents were treating her.
    “I can’t remember the last time I ate such a sumptuous feast,” Kristine mumbled as she took a firm hold of a turkey drumstick and ripped a surprisingly large chunk from it.
    “I’m pleased to see you enjoy it.   I imagine New York doesn’t offer home cooked meals like you're used to here.”
    She seemed to be a bottomless pit of hunger and as she reached for another helping of mashed potatoes and gravy, I thought the night would never end.
    “We’re going to try to catch a flight back tonight,” I finally announced.
    Kristine glared at me and for a moment she appeared ready to flick her fork load of mashed potatoes at