Cedar Lane.
What do you know—Ethan was right all along. I was sure he had passed the turn for Cedar, but he hadn’t. It’s right here. Although now that we’re on the tiny narrow road to get to the house, I am concerned the BMW won’t make it. When I look over at my husband’s face, I can tell he is worried about the same thing. The path to the house is barely paved, and now it’s thick with snow.
“We should tell Judy to keep the showing quick,” I say. “We don’t want to get stuck here.”
Ethan bobs his head in agreement. “I have to be honest. I wanted something out of the way, but this is insane. I mean, it’s like we’re in the middle of…”
His voice trails off mid-sentence. I can only imagine he was going to point out that we are in the middle of nowhere. But before he can get out the words, his mouth falls open. Because the house has finally come into view.
And it’s unbelievable.
The listing on Judy’s website mentioned that it’s two stories tall, plus an attic, but that description doesn’t do justice to this sprawling estate. The ceilings must be extremely high, because the steep gable roof seems to scrape against the sky, heavy with snow. The sides of the house are lined with pointed arch windows that give it a look of a cathedral rather than a place where people live. Ethan’s jaw looks like it might unhinge.
“Jesus,” he breathes. “Can you imagine living in a place like that?”
I may have known my husband for only just over a year, but I recognize the look on his face. He’s not asking a rhetorical question. He wants to live in this house. We have dragged poor Judy across half of Westchester and Long Island, because no place we have seen has quite lived up to the picture Ethan has in his head. But now…
“You like it?” I ask.
“Don’t you think it’s great? I mean, look at the place.”
I open my mouth to agree with him. This house is undeniably beautiful. It’s huge and elegant and remote—all the things we have been searching for. It’s a perfect home to fill up with children, which is our eventual goal. I want to tell Ethan that I love the house as much as he does. That when Judy arrives, we should make her an offer on the spot.
But I can’t do that.
Because as I stare out at this sprawling estate, a sick feeling comes over me. So sick that I cover my mouth and take a deep breath to keep from losing my lunch all over the BMW’s expensive upholstery. I have never felt this way before. Not about any of the dozens of empty houses we have toured over the last couple of months. I have never had a feeling this strong.
Something terrible has happened in this house.
“Oh crap,” Ethan says.
I take another shaky breath, pushing away another wave of nausea. That’s when I notice we have stopped moving. The front wheels spin determinedly, but it’s no use. The car is stuck.
“The roads are too slippery,” he says. “We can’t get any traction.”
I hug myself and shiver, even though the heat is blasting. “What should we do?”
“Well…” He reaches out to wipe some condensation off the windshield. “We’re pretty close to the house. We can walk it.”
Easy for him to say. He’s not wearing Manolo Blahnik boots.
“Also, it looks like Judy is already here,” he adds.
“Really? I don’t see her car.”
“Yeah, but the lights are on. She must be parked in the garage.”
I squint through the fogged windshield at the house. Now that I’m looking closer, I can see a single light glowing in one of the upstairs windows. That’s odd. If a real estate agent were showing a house, wouldn’t she turn the lights on downstairs? But the entire first floor of the house is dark. There’s only that one light upstairs.
Once again, I shiver.
“Come on,” Ethan says. “We’re better off inside. It’s not like we can spend the night in the car. We’ll run out of gas and freeze to death.”
Not an appealing thought. I’m starting to regret this entire trip. What was I thinking coming out here? But Ethan loves the house. Maybe this will all work out.
“Fine,” I say. “Let’s walk.”
Purchase Never Lie today!