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Prologue
Last Request
December Nineteen: Eighty-nine year old Kevin Donovan lay on the hospital bed, his frail fingers clutching the sheets as he grappled with the last vestiges of life. His voice, although thin and whispery, was clear enough for his lawyer, Bruce, and Father Colin to discern. "You take your fees, Bruce, everything left goes to the church, with the exception of Juliana's portrait, that must be..." His speech trailed off as he began to cough violently. "It mu--" His words faded as he gasped for breath.
"Must be what?" Bruce prompted.
"He's in no state to answer," Father Colin said.
"I'm trying to do my job, why don't you do yours? Hmm?"
"His welfare is my concern."
A nursing sister pushed the two men aside and gave the laboring man a hit of oxygen. "He needs some rest," she said, holding the oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. "I suggest you both come back in the morning."
"N-no!" Kevin Donovan protested. "I-I don't have enough time." He looked at the nurse. "Help me up." She propped him up against the pillows.
The nurse looked the priest and lawyer over and then said, "You have twenty minutes and then he must rest. Father Colin, you're welcome to stay for spiritual guidance afterward, of course. Buzz if he needs me." She turned and walked away.
"Listen carefully, I'm not babbling." Kevin paused for breath. "The portrait must be destroyed."
"You have so many portraits of women, Mr. Donovan, how are we to know the correct one?" the lawyer said.
"The portrait's in my study. There's an inscription penned on the back, Juliana's portrait by David Grey, 1968."
"Why not sell itat auction and make more money for our cause?" Father Colin suggested.
"I thought she was alive and well, but I've seen her lately, she's--"
"Who?" Bruce asked.
"Juliana..."
"The woman in the painting?"
Kevin nodded. "Juliana is caught between this world and the next and she will stop at nothing to be free ... End the suffering, destroy the painting and it will be over."
Father Colin frowned. "Your paintings are quite valuable and--"
"The church will receive adequate funds, Father Colin. The painting was of personal significance and is of no monetary value. Destroy it, do what you will with the others."
"Are you certain? We--"
"Positive! This is my last wish." The old man choked for breath. "Plea-please carry it out." The lawyer and priest shared a look of understanding. Impending death did strange things to one's mind and this instance was no different.
"Save your breath now," said the priest. "I will pray for you while you rest."
"My soul, father."
"Yes, of course."
"But before you do, I want to tell you a little about Juliana..."
LendMe™
Overview
True love knows no boundaries? Duncan buys a portrait of an enchanting young woman at an estate auction. Juliana, an artist's model and dancer, disappeared not long after she sat for the portrait in May 1968. Instead of storing the painting with the others in his collection, Duncan hangs it on his bedroom wall. From then on, he begins to have vividly erotic and tormenting dreams about the woman in the portrait. In the dreams, she materializes from the painting and seduces him almost nightly ... Juliana tells Duncan she was murdered and that if he finds her remains and exposes her killer he'll set her free, and then they can be together forever? Utterly obsessed, Duncan goes to extraordinary lengths to find information