Chapter One
The house on Lookout Mountain Road was set far in from the street and nestled
against the steep canyon embankment to the rear. This afforded it a long and flat
green lawn running from the wide front porch to the white picket fence that ran along
the street line. It was unusual in Laurel Canyon to have such an immense lawn, front
or back, and one so flat as well. It was that lawn that would be the key selling
point of the property.
The open house had been advertised in the real estate section of the Times as
starting at two p.m. and lasting until five. Cassie Black pulled to the curb ten
minutes before the starting time and saw no cars in the driveway and no indication of
any activity in the house. The white Volvo station wagon she knew belonged to the
owners that was usually parked outside was gone. She couldn't tell about the other
car, the black BMW, because the little single-car garage at the side of the house was
closed. But she took the missing Volvo to mean that the owners of the home were out
for the day and would not be present during the showing. This was fine. Cassie
preferred they not be home. She wasn't sure how she would act if the family was right
there in the house as she walked through it.
C ... read full excerpt from: Void Moon ebook
