The Last Witness 2 NEW YORK Carla Lane didn't know it, but that day would begin with life and end with death. Nor did she know if some fleeting premonition had passed a shadow across her dreams in the weeks leading up to that afternoon, warning her of the terrible event that was about to happen. Perhaps it had. But all she knew for certain that day was that she was excited as she came out of the doctor's office, and that she had never felt happier. She spotted Jan waiting for her, sitting on a park bench across the street, reading a newspaper. He looked up when he saw her. He flashed his usual lopsided smile, his fringe blowing in the wind, but then he looked more serious as he folded away his newspaper and came to meet her. "Well? How did it go?" She didn't speak. "Come on, Carla, don't do this to me, honey." "Do what?" "Keep me in suspense. Is it good news or bad?" "Let's put it this way. I'm going to be eating for two from now on." His face beamed, and she knew at once why she'd married this man. "Carla, that's terrific news." He kissed her, slid his hand around her waist, and patted her stomach. "Can they tell yet?" "Jan, I'm only six weeks pregnant." "How long before they can tell?" "Four, five months, maybe. In all the excitement I forgot to ask. It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, does it?" "Not a bit. How about lunch at Barney's to celebrate? I've got a rehearsal at two, so I'm out of handcuffs until then." A shadow flickered across Carla's face. There was something else she had to tell Jan. Something troubling her. "What's wrong? You look distracted." "Nothing. It'll keep until after lunch." "We'll have a drink to celebrate. You think the doctor would mind?" She slipped her arm through his. "Nothing stronger than a glass of sparkling water for me. From now on, Momma's strictly on the wagon." Jan smiled, and whistled to hail a cab. Excerpted from The Last Witness: A Thriller by Glenn Meade All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
