VEIL OF DECEPTION - romantic suspense novel

8/14/2019 VEIL OF DECEPTION - romantic suspense novel

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/veil-of-deception-romantic-suspense-novel 1/5

Veil of Deception

Sometimes the truth cuts deeper than a lie.

(Buy locations available at Davisstories.com)

Reviews

- “a story full of hidden nuances and twists that keep you going OH MY GOD!” Love Romance & More

- “The tension escalates until ... O! story of rede"ption and a testa"ent of the ne#er-ending

struggle of good and e#il .” Long and Sort Revie!s

"ter boo# revie!s$ a!ards and videos available at Davisstories.com

BLURB%eres someting sus'icious going on at S'enser La#e. eo'le are disa''earing and teir bodies neveround. %e ear and uncertainty o !o !ill be ne*t is aecting every resident o te tran+uil community$

but es'ecially ,urt a!#ins. %!o years ater is !ie goes missing$ tere are no clues$ only te

nigtmares o !at a''ened in er last moments. %e constant guilt tat someo! e !as res'onsible 'recludes any tougt o a normal lie until e meets Danielle illette$ a reclusive autor !it a rater

large s#eleton in er o!n closet. /en te mystery beind te disa''earances is revealed$ along !it te

secrets teyve !iteld rom eac oter$ tey discover tat so"eti"es the truth cuts deeper than a lie.

EXCERPT 1

e !al#ed 'ast te lat macine to te o'en door!ay and scanned te em'ty all!ay beyond.

Muled sounds$ li#e distorted voices$ emanated rom te end o te corridor. e inced along te !all$

'ausing at eac ste'$ until e recogni0ed te noise as a television blaring in te distant room. is soulder brused a ramed 'oem on te !all. 1t 2arred loose and lea't or te solid oa# loor$ but is s#illul ingers

darted out and interce'ted te unintended alarm beore it could signal is a''roac. e e*amined te

cross-stitced !riting$ To "y $elo#ed ife% &rystal $ and grinned. e 'laced te rame on te loor againstte !all and continued is 2ourney +uietly$ deliberately$ to!ard is ob2ective ten eet a!ay. 3inally$ e

'eered cautiously troug te crac# 'rovided by te 'artially o'ened door$ but +uic#ly 'ulled bac# !en

e sa! a sa'ely emale tying te relective laces on a 'air o 'in# tennis soes. e !atced er 'ulllong$ sil#y$ blonde air bac# into a 'onytail$ ten start a series o stretcing e*ercises !ile se 'aid

'artial attention to te local ne!s re'ort on te !ide screen television.

The "ysterious disappearance of twenty-one-year-old "'er &a"p'ell fro" the $randon

&ollege ca"pus four "onths ago still 'affles the (ied"ont &ounty )heriff*s Depart"ent. Yesterday% +inter#iewed )heriff ,undgren regarding leads as to the wherea'outs of Ms. &a"p'ell.

“)heriff% is there anything you can share a'out this case with our #iewers

“/othing su'stanti#e. e*#e in#estigated do0ens of phone calls and potential sightings% 'ut they



all resulted in dead ends.

“&an you speculate on the cause of her disappearance or gi#e us so"e idea as to what "ight

ha#e happened“/othing solid. +t*s possi'le Ms. &a"p'ell was suffering fro" so"e e"otional stress% perhaps the

tension of her hea#y course load% a fight with her 'oyfriend 1 who knows. e*#e seen it 'efore where a

young girl runs offs and reappears "onths later in so"e other state.

“+s that what you think happened2 that she ran away“e 3ust don*t know at this ti"e.

“hat a'out her 'oyfriend% is he a suspect

“e*re not ruling anything out at the "o"ent.“/o leads% only dead ends4 3ust "ore sad words for the waiting parents of a 'eautiful young girl

with a pro"ising future. This is 5a"ie Da#is% local reporter for )DY% channel 67.

is eyes loc#ed on te s!aying motion o er rear taunting im to reac out and stro#e toseeminine curves. %en someting 'enetrated is nose. 4ven rom tis distance$ e sensed a s!eet

ragrance5 a aint blend o tangerine and lime6 er sam'oo.

%e lure o er tiny !aist and irm buttoc#s contorting !it eac bending motion !or#ed teirmagic. e could no longer deny is tougts$ or is antasies. Se !ould resist at irst$ !restle against is

su'erior strengt. 3inally se !ould acce't is oering and tey !ould merge as one. %e vision o ersmoot$ saved legs entangled around is !aist looded is brain along !it te sensation o er muscles

tigtening !ile se s+uee0ed and surged in rytm !it eac trust$ urter$ dee'er. %e tougt o it!as too muc.

e !anted er. 7o$ e needed er. Beneat im. e needed to ta#e er com'letely and resolve te

urge racing troug is loins. %e bu00ing in is ears and te blood trobbing in is tem'les drummedout all reason.

/itout a sound$ e edged or!ard. 8s se started to turn$ e reaced out and loc#ed er tigtly

around te !aist rom beind$ is massive arms gri''ing li#e a vise. Se gas'ed and tried to esca'e$ but it!as useless. is !arm and slid do!n inside te elastic band o er 2ogging sorts$ and te sensation o

er cool$ smoot les drove more blood straigt into is groin.

EXCERPT 2

,urt roc#ed restlessly in te !ite !ic#er cair on te bottom dec# o is t!o-story cedar cabin.1ts location at te entry to 9attail 9ove o te mout o ills 9ree# aorded an e*'ansive vie! o te

la#e. %e cairs tin$ lo!er-'atterned cusion oered little comort to is large rame. e glanced at is

!atc or te ourt time in nearly as many minutes and soo# is ead. + told &rystal we needed thicker cushions.

/ow where the hell is she

8t te edge o is vision$ e caugt movement to te rigt to!ard te main cannel. 8 'air o

mated mallards led teir brood o ive$ u00y little bro!n duc#lings in a tigt ormation into te cove : alle*ce't or one straggler t!o eet bac#.

Must 'e the weakling. There*s always one in e#ery 'rood .%e 'lo' o a lure being coa*ed across te sallo! end o te cove to is let diverted is

attention. e !atced a crimson bass boat !it metallic stri'es along te side ease 2ust outside te

bedding area o s'a!ning largemout bass. %e iserman tried to agitate te male bass rom teir beds$

but tey !erent ta#ing te bait. ,urt #ne! te male bass !ould ta#e a deensive 'osture to !arn o bluegills !aiting 2ust out o reac or te o''ortunity to dine on te maturing eggs laid by is mate only

days earlier.

;

;



S'las<

,urt turned bac# to!ard te line o duc#s$ but !ere tere !ere ive beore$ no! only our

!addled along. %e !ea#$ trailing ne!born !as gone. %e 'arents o te little critter ad 2ust 'aid aterrible toll or s!imming in a la#e occu'ied by large 'redator is li#e mus#ies and stri'ers. /ile tey

!ould never #no! te trut about !at ad a''ened to diminis teir amily$ ,urt #ne!. 1n te

sado!s beneat te ri''les o small 'addling eet$ a massive beast !it serrated teet !aited or an

o''ortunity to stri#e. %e innocence o te unsus'ecting morsel !as irrelevant5 te loss to te 'arents ono conse+uence. %e ans!ers tey !ould never ind meant noting to te soulless devil. "nly unger and

greed mattered. %ere !as no guilt$ no remorse or its actions5 it !as driven by 'ure$ sel-centered

instinct.,urt rubbed te ti' o is tumb and oreinger slo!ly$ deliberately$ as e considered te irony o

!at e ad 2ust !itnessed. "n te surace$ S'enser La#e conveyed a 'ortrait o natural beauty$ but te

'eaceul surroundings !ere dece'tive. %e struggle or lie and deat 'layed out eac and every day$ yette la#e residents cose to ignore te brutal elements tat e*isted in te serene vistas 2ust outside teir

'icture !indo!s.

e com'ared tis scene to te sad reality o te ine't society in !ic e lived : an e*istence !ere 'eo'le !ere unable to 'rotect teir o!n and !ere evil lur#ed in te sado!s$ at te edges$ !aiting or a

cance to consume te unsus'ecting.e actually sivered at te image o te 'arents o te young girl missing rom Brandon 9ollege

and te slee'less nigts tey !ould sare$ illed not !it ans!ers$ but !it tears. %ey$ too$ !ould never#no! te trut about teir os'ring : te beautiul young girl ull o lie !it a uture unlimited by its

'otential. Did se still e*ist= /ere er last moments too orriying to consider= er 'arents must eel

el'less to reac out$ 'ull er bac#$ and save er rom tings tat consumed !itout a conscience or asoul.

,urt returned to te conused 'air o mallards as tey searced bac# and ort or te duc#ling

tey !ould never ind. e combed is ingers troug is tic# blac# air$ ten sto''ed and studied teands on te dial o is gold-toned !atc again. “Sit.” %e rytm o is tumb and oreinger

increased$ te 'ressure o s#in-on-s#in contact made a sallo! 'o''ing noise. “Damn it$ 9rystal. /ere

te ell are you=”e reaced or is cell 'one on te narro! 'lastic table at is side and 'ressed a s'eed dial

button. 8ter te si*t ring$ a canned message began. 1n an aggravated tone$ ,urt demanded into te

mout'iece$ “8ns!er your 'one$ 9rystal< Sto' 'laying around.”

/en te call bac# recording came on$ e slammed te 'one sut and smased te maylyresting on te small drin# tray !it is ist. %e im'act sent is al-ull beer bottle into te air. %e

amber container made a somersault beore bouncing on te !ooden loor. %e contents s'rayed across

te resly stained dec#$ orming a trail o cream-colored oamy li+uid oo0ing rom te mout. ,urt sattransi*ed$ li#e a statue$ ignoring is surroundings. %e bottle rolled over te edge o te 'orc$ gyrated

do!n te stee' ill and 'lo''ed into te la#e. 1t bobbed u' and do!n$ resisting te inevitable$ until it

released a gurgling sound as it disa''eared beneat te dar# !aters o ills 9ree#.

,urt 'ic#ed u' is 'one or a second time and dialed 9rystals riend. “>enny$ its a!#. /endid you get bac# rom your run tis morning= By ersel= ?ou let er go by er : 7o$ ses not bac#. 1

dont #no!$ damn it. %ats !y 1 called you. 7o$ 1m leaving rigt no!.”

,urt stued te 'one in is 'oc#et$ lea'ed u'$ and raced or is truc#. e !as angry tat se adignored im and gone aead by ersel ater sed 'romised never to do so again. But !orse$ e !as

rigtened : araid o te 'ossibilities$ !at migt ave a''ened to te only !oman e loved$ and ad

loved$ or te 'ast seventeen years. /ile e searced along Sady ollo! Road$ images lased in ismind o someone$ someting$ arming is !ie.

is searc became more rantic as e neared te end o er 2ogging route. Se !ouldnt ave gone

o te road. 7ot even 9rystal !ould be tat cra0y ater te neigbors dog !as ound mauled 2ust days

@

@



earlier$ 'ossibly by a cougar tat ad strayed do!n rom 8lders Mountain. Se must ave turned rigt on

Ridge Lane. Se !ould be tere$ se ad to be$ and !en e ound er e !ould read er te riot act.

“9rystal$ 1m going to literally #ic# your 'retty little ass tis time.”But te !ords !ere a gru aAade iding is real emotions5 te a''reension tat is !orst ears

!ere about to come true.

,urts truc# s+uealed in reverse do!n te dirt road to!ard te 'ublic boat ram' beore e 2er#ed

te gearsit into drive. %e tires 'eeled onto te as'alt in te o''osite direction$ tis time trailing a!a#e o bello!ing dust as e 'assed a 'ile o tras neatly stac#ed beside te road and eaded o to

scream at is !ie or scaring te sit out o im again.

EXCERPT 3

Danielle illette raised er ace to te beginning o a late summer day. 8 crescent o sun

struggled to 'ee# over te ori0on and burn o te remnants o early morning mist. S'ecters in te va'or

cloud ti'toed 2ust above te surace o te !ater as te og retreated u' against te eastern soreline andtried to esca'e te cleansing rays o sunligt. /itin moments$ te last gray gosts iding in te dar#

recesses o eac cove vanised into te orest cano'y. %e insects and birds o ills 9ree# began teirmorning serenade !ile te raucous cry o a blue 2ay rang out across te la#e in !arning to is ello!eatered riends.

%e damsellies !ere out early tis morning. al a do0en darted randomly bac# and ort 2ust

above te bac# end o 9attail 9ove. "ne dove to!ard a s!arm o !aterdogs sus'ended by surace tension

above te la#e$ interru'ting te ballet o !ater insects dancing erratically along te surace. %e relectiono te diving$ our-!inged marauder trying to single out one small bug among undreds scattered te

s!arm in all directions. %is time tey all esca'ed to un#er do!n amidst te s!am' grass until it !as

sae to venture out and begin teir ballet again.Danielle smiled sligtly. Se !as te intruder on natures deadly game$ not te oter !ay around.

Se soo# er ead$ clearing out te cob!ebs$ as se too# one inal amstring stretc !it te el' o te

'orc railing and ten set out on er morning ritual : a 2og along te scenic 'at ollo!ing te la#e.1t didnt ta#e long or er eet to ind teir rytm. Danielle ad2usted te ear buds o er iod

briely$ umming subconsciously to te %oby ,eit tune 'laying$ + in*t s Good s + Once as. Se

ollo!ed te inlets and outlets o te la#e$ glancing every no! and ten at te 'rousion o ouses : all

graced !it e*'ansive 'orces acing te !ater and most o tem ostentatiously large. Se never couldigure out !y ol#s !ere so eager to build te biggest structures 'ossible5 all tose em'ty rooms let

unoccu'ied most o te year !en te summer vacationers returned ome to te city$ all tat unused

solitary s'ace tat ad to be cleaned.Beore se reali0ed it$ se !as lus !it te bac# 'orc o er best riends ouse. Marina !as

sitting in a silvered !ooden dec# cair5 a cu' o coee in one and and a cigarette in te oter. Se

s'otted Danielle and !aved troug er last 'u o smo#e !ile se too# a si' rom er avorite$ old$

crac#ed mug.Danielle !asnt ready to conclude er 2og$ but se could ardly 2ust run on 'ast as i se adnt

seen er riend. Se ran in 'lace or a e! ste's beore accessing te 'orc via a set o stairs ascendingrom te la#e 'at!ay u' to te 'orc. Danielle dre! a cair u' ne*t to Marina and 'lo''ed do!n$

!i'ing a and across er de!y oreead and 'ulling te buds o er ears.

“9oees rigt tere on te table$ on$ el' yoursel. ?ou #no! te routine.”

Danielle 'ulled te termal container closer and 'oured some o te steaming coee into anem'ty mug identical to te one cuddled in Marinas ands. 1t !as tic# and o-!ite$ devoid o

decoration$ but s'orting an intricate net!or# o stained micro crac#s distributed across te surace. %e



airline crac#s in te 'orcelain gla0e conveyed a 'attern similar to te !rin#les and crevices in Marinas

ace$ te eect o years o cain smo#ing. 4ven !it all its crac#s and stains$ its !orn and im'erect

e*terior$ te old cu' !as still strong and de'endable: muc li#e Marina ersel.Marinas eyebro!s rose over te rim o er mug. Se 'ut do!n er cu' and emitted a lo! !istle.

“Do you see !at 1 see= ubba$ ubba.”

Danielles eyes ollo!ed er riends ga0e to!ards te la#e. 8 male s!immer !as coming u' out

o te !ater to sit on te edge o Marinas boat doc# 2ust a e! yards do!n rom te 'orc. “Mari<?oure married$ remember= ?oure not su''osed to be loo#ing at men li#e you !ant to devour tem.”

%e man lic#ed !ater rom is longis$ dar# air and dro'lets s'rayed out into te morning air$

briely s'ar#ling against te rising sun beore alling bac# into te la#e. is arms !ere braced straigtagainst te 'ier and Danielle could see te clearly deined muscles$ long and irm. is bac# and soulders

!ere incredibly broad and narro!ed do!n to a lab-less !aist !ic disa''eared into a 'air o s!im

trun#s not muc bigger tan te tiny 'ieces o Lycra !orn by 'roessional divers. /ile is arms !eredar#ly 'igmented$ is bac# and bice's !ere a bit ligter$ !it a line cleanly delineating te t!o sades6 a

ty'ical armers tan.

8t tis angle$ te s!immers strong 'roile !as canted out rom te cree# to!ard te main la#e$ but !at Danielle could see !as rater alluring and strangely amiliar. e turned sligtly to!ard a green

eron s+uea#ing as it lumbered into te air rom across te cove and se suddenly recogni0ed tat aceand 'ysi+ue.

1t !as hi". %e man se ad seen around to!n$ u' at Ruts 'lace$ but usually 'lanted in telounge cair on is dec# staring o in te distance and searcing or someting tat !asnt tere. %e

eatures o tis man se ad seen troug er binoculars rom er o!n 'orc countless times in te 'ast

year revealed strengt and a s'irit o conidence$ yet tere !as sorro! relected in is dar# eyes. Daniellead to admit tat in er riends ty'ical cavalier asion$ Marina ad assessed correctly. e !as one ell

o a s'ecimen.

C

C

VEIL OF DECEPTION - romantic suspense novel

Documents

Transcript of VEIL OF DECEPTION - romantic suspense novel