Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

“She loved me. We dated. I knew what went on in her house and even told her that we should...you know.”

“Run away?” Peter offered.

“No, dimwit. Kill her parents. It was my idea. Make her dad look like an accident and then mom like a suicide. I thought that once they were dead, then we’d be together.”

“And that didn’t happen?”

“No way. She started living with Larry Walker, a real loser. They moved to Las Vegas and then came back a few years ago. I was married by then, so we never spoke. Until...”

“Until when?”

“Damn, you are persistent.”

White lights danced in Peter’s vision and his hand was numb. Blood dripped from his fingertips and landed on the arid ground. The bullet wound must’ve reopened. He was losing blood again. How much longer could he stay conscious...or even alive?

“She called me from the bunker, I guess. She needed help and I helped her. And after she was arrested, I couldn’t sleep. She started talking to me.”

“Calling you from jail.”

Robert tapped the barrel of the gun on his temple. “In here.” He tapped his chest. “And here. We’re connected, don’t you see? I was the one who helped her get free of her father, but she came to me and wanted me to continue her work.”

“What will you do next? Your plan’s been ruined.” Peter’s tongue was thick, and his words were slurred. He was hallucinating, seeing things that weren’t possible. Like an image of Julia McCloud running across the lawn.

“Sheriff?” A moment too late, he realized that he hadn’t been confused. Moreover, he had just ruined his best chance at escaping.

* * *

Julia’s plan was simple. She was going to sneak up on Robert Carpenter and take him down. Just as she launched herself from the ground, Peter Knowles focused on her. “Sheriff?” he said.

Robert turned an instant before she wrapped her arms around his middle. Stepping aside, he missed her tackle. She still hit his wrist, knocking the gun lose. Drawing back, she lunged again. This time, Julia hit him on the knee.

Crying in pain, Robert crumpled to the ground. The wig slipped from his head.

She scrambled to her feet and brought up the toe of her shoe, catching him on the jaw. His head snapped back as blood spewed from his mouth. Twisting in the dirt, he reached for his gun.

She knew it was time to leave. But there was too much open ground between Julia and her truck. She’d never make it without getting shot, especially since she was bringing the newspaper’s editor along.

It left her one option...and she hated to take it.

Grabbing Peter by the collar, she pulled him into the woods.

* * *

Luis drove his SUV, while Wyatt sat in the passenger seat.

During the drive, the two operatives had consulted with the team from RMJ. A plan had been made and as far as Luis was concerned, it was awful. Luis and Wyatt were to approach the residence and see if Julia was conducting surveillance on the subject, Robert Carpenter.

Beyond that, they were ordered to stand down and wait for the rest of the team, which was on the way.

They approached their destination, and Luis slowed. Julia’s truck was partly hidden in a ravine. He pulled to a stop. From where he sat, he could clearly see the truck’s interior. It was empty.

“She’s not in here,” said Luis. “You think she’s in the house?”

“I hope not,” said Wyatt. “There’s a car in the drive.”

Which meant that if Julia was inside, then she was trapped with the killer.

“I’m not waiting around for intel or firepower,” Luis said. “You can wait for the rest of them if you want.”

“No way,” said Wyatt. “Your fight is my fight.”

“How do we play this, then?”

Wyatt said, “We circle around the property by staying in the trees and come in through the back. It worked for us last time, when we got Sophie from Darcy. No reason it won’t work now.”

It made sense to Luis and he nodded. They got out of the vehicle, and he pulled his firearm from the holster at his waist. Wyatt was also armed.

“Let’s do this,” said Luis.

Traversing the woods, they exited the trees at the back of the property, then Luis pulled up short. The thin lawn had been chewed up by a scuffle. Drops of blood led into the forest.

Wyatt kneeled next to the footprints in the dirt. “There are three tracks. By the size and weight of the impressions, I’d say two men and one woman.”

“Julia,” said Luis.

“Probably. Someone is bleeding.” Wyatt stood. “Where do these woods go?”

“They stretch out for a mile or two and end at Darcy’s house.”

“I’ll go through the woods. You take the SUV and drive to the property,” said Wyatt. “One way or another we’ll find them.”

Luis ran back to his vehicle, not bothering to conceal his movements. Gunning the engine, he rocketed from the ditch. His tires kicked up a rooster tail of dust. He called his boss, Marcus Jones. “We have a situation,” he said.

“Go ahead.”

The cellular service was spotty, at best. Yet, Luis drove and told Jones about the footprints and the blood. “I think we have all three of them in the woods and they’re going to Darcy’s old house.”

“We’re still a few minutes out. Stand down until we get there.”

No way was Luis going to follow that order. He ended the call.

The driveway leading to Darcy’s house came into view and, since help still hadn’t arrived, it meant one thing. He had to go in alone.

* * *

Julia ran through the woods. She dodged branches and jumped over fallen logs. Her stomach burned, and she knew that there’d be hell to pay later—that was if she survived. All the while, she held on to Peter Knowles. She knew she could get farther, go a little faster, without him. But he was still alive, and she refused to leave him behind.

Peter was nearly comatose from blood loss. Walking dead is what they would’ve called him