The Night Sister

He moved toward them, slowly at first, but then, when they turned and trotted off, he began to jog.

He drew his gun and followed them into the woods, up behind the pool, across the long-overgrown path that he had taken a thousand times as a boy, running from his house to the motel.

He was running now, clumsily stumbling over tree roots, dodging pine trees. The animals were too quick for him, moving with the grace and dexterity of wild things.

At last, the animals paused, and turned back to look at him once more. He raised his gun, took aim at the panther.

The big cat caught Jason’s gaze and held it, with strange but somehow familiar blue eyes. Blue eyes?

He blinked in disbelief.

“Lou?” he called out hesitantly, lowering the gun.

The dog nudged at the panther, then sprang into the brushy woods. The panther stayed a moment longer, eyes still locked on Jason. At last, it turned away slowly and followed the dog deep into the shadows, until the two beasts were nothing more than shadows themselves.





Mr. Alfred Hitchcock Universal Studios Hollywood, California April 14, 1961

Dear Mr. Hitchcock, Sometimes I can see it so clearly: my future in Hollywood. My mother shakes her head, laughs, asks why I would want such a thing. But still, I picture myself there, under the Hollywood sign, my own name in lights and on the front of every industry paper: Sylvia Slater, star of the big screen.

I will be bright and shining.

I will be larger than life.

I will live forever.

Who wouldn’t want a thing like that?

Sincerely Yours,

Miss Sylvia A. Slater The Tower Motel





328 Route 6


London, Vermont





Acknowledgments


Some books come more easily than others. This one had a great many challenges in store for me, and I have a lot of people to thank for helping me find my way through it.

Dan Lazar, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I couldn’t ask for a better agent, and I really couldn’t have pulled this off without you. A thousand thanks.

Andrea Robinson, who said at one point that this book was like a puzzle, for diligently (and oh so cleverly!) working to help me figure out which way the pieces might fit together.

Anne Messitte, for all her editorial insight, guidance, and tremendous support in all things book-related.

The whole team at Doubleday, for each and every thing you do, whether it’s correcting a spelling error, putting together a brilliant cover, or getting me home from an event when I’m stranded in a snowstorm.

Karen Lane and all the folks at the wonderful Aldrich Public Library in Barre, Vermont, for helping me with the microfilm machine (which I was pretty sure I broke until Karen fixed it!) so I could research Alfred Hitchcock’s visit to Barre.

Paul Heller, for his tremendous help with painting the picture of the evening Alfred Hitchcock and Shirley MacLaine came to Barre.

(It is true that The Trouble with Harry was filmed in Craftsbury, Vermont, and the world premiere was held at the Paramount Theater in Barre. Being a novelist, I took some pieces of that truth and wove them into my story. If any of the facts are not historically accurate, it’s due to my choices, and not the information I received from Paul or any of my other sources.)

Sara Baker, for giving me the lowdown on what it was like to grow up in a family-run motel in Vermont, and for all the wonderful feedback on an early draft (and for the delicious iced coffee!). I couldn’t have created the Tower Motel without you.

My father, Donald McMahon, for his unfailing support, and for helping me learn all sorts of facts about the aircraft of World War II, which unfortunately never made their way into the book.