Hillside Chapter 8 intro

Nate was once again standing in the Atrium before the portrait of Anna. She was truly a beautiful young woman. Shaking his head, he held up the wedding ring looking back and forth between it and the painting. “What significance does this have? Am I going crazy?”

He moved closer to study her expression. “I read about you, Anna. I know that you lost both of your parents at the same time and you disappeared. What happened to you? Where did you go? And why do I get such a strong sense of your presence here?”

He put the ring back in his pocket. A strong breeze blew inside the Atrium. He looked around in confusion; there were no doors or windows open. Then he sensed the faintest breath of lilac surrounding his face in a loving caress.

“If I didn’t know better, I would think you did that, Anna,” he said in amazement as he left the room. He didn’t see or hear the other person already there.

Someone else had walked into the Atrium just moments before and when he heard Nate come through the door, had hid. He had been privy to the conversation Nate just had with the painting. He smiled wickedly. He was getting closer to his goal.

After Nate left, he stepped before the portrait. “Are you there Anna?” he asked. “Is this where you hide?” He studied her face and the pendant around her neck. He would just tag along with Nate for awhile to see if he could discover the answers he needed.