Nancy C. Weeks's Blog, page 2

#FreeRead Friday! Time to Meet Jared and Jennie

My favorite, all-time wonderful couple, Jennie McKenzie and Jared McNeil from In the Shadow of Evil, Book 2 Shadows and Light series are back up on Amazon. You will also meet my large, noisy, but loving McNeil family. This story has it all, intrigue, suspense, action-packed plot, supernatural spirits, and an amazing friends to lovers romance.

But don't take my word for it. Here's what readers have been saying about In the Shadow of Evil.

"This is a story of loss, love and revenge, and will have you caught between wanting to know what happens, and not wanting this story to end. This is a series worth reading, and Nancy C Weeks is always one of my 'must read' authors."

"I absolutely loved In the Shadow of Evil. I read In the Shadow of Greed, but this is my absolute favorite book by Nancy C. Weeks. Everyone, please do yourself a favor and read this captivating, suspenseful book. Jennie and Jared are such wonderful characters and I can’t say enough good things about them."

Check it out for yourself. Buy links, just clink the image. Enjoy Chapter One -Prologue- and Chapter Two. Don't forget to come back next week for Chapter Three if you still need convincing.

In the Shadow of Evil

Book 2

Shadows and Light

By

Nancy C. Weeks

Chapter One

Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Prologue

Damn it, Nick. Stop ignoring me.

Jennie McKenzie loosened her grip on her cell phone and dialed her foster brother again from the passenger seat of the SUV. Pick up. Pick up. God, please pick up.

Nick didn’t know it yet, but they were getting the hell away from Mendoza—today. And if Nick tried to talk her out of it, she would drag him out by his ear.

When the call went directly to voice mail, a gut-wrenching dread cramped her stomach, forcing acid into her throat.

Why wasn’t he answering his damn phone?

Her tension spiked when the vehicle slowed and stopped on the shoulder of the two-lane country road. Jennie tore her eyes away from the silent cell phone and glanced over at the man in the driver’s seat.

Jared McNeil. Not one of Elías Mendoza’s thugs, but a cop, an undercover cop.

Her racing heart settled with a glance. The calming effect Jared had on her was crazy. Jennie didn’t trust anyone except Nick. But somehow, she trusted the man sitting next to her.

A low growl came from the back of Jared’s throat. “Jennie, I need your decision.” His hands fisted on the steering wheel and the tiny muscle in his jaw pulsed. “I have no grounds to remove you from Mendoza’s home. But since you’re a minor, and we arrested the two men with you at the testing center, I can at least place you in protective custody until we contact your caseworker.”

“What about Nick?”

A pair of robins flew in front of the passenger window from the tall oaks lining the road. They momentarily perched on the hood of the SUV then dashed off to the other side of the lane. That simple display of carefree abandonment cut deep into Jennie. As her fingers dug into her palm, she let out a shaky breath and asked, “I can’t leave without him.”

“I tried to talk to him. He blew me off. By placing you in protective custody…”

“No. I won’t go anywhere without Nick.”

Jared’s expression flipped from concern to frigid. It was like a curtain dropped down, cutting off his emotions.

Jennie lowered her head, her gaze on her lap. “Nick isn’t … he doesn’t warm up to people well. But Jared, he’s not Mendoza’s lackey.”

She was wasting her breath. His jaw was clenched and the muscles in his arms and shoulders grew taut. When his gaze met hers, she winced. He couldn’t hide how unhappy he was with her.

“Nick isn’t just my foster brother. He’s my best friend and has had my back since my parents died. I can’t leave him with Mendoza. He’ll turn Nick into a carbon copy of himself.”

“Any replies to your call?”

“It’s going right to voicemail.”

Last month, Nick turned eighteen, and Mendoza’s gift, a job with his organization. Nick was living a dream, and enjoying a glimpse into a lifestyle he would never belong. Her brother replayed Mendoza with his loyalty to the point he was copying his mannerisms, the way Mendoza walked, dressed and even his speech patterns. That fact set Jennie on edge like nothing else.

“Maybe that’s your answer. He wants to stay with Mendoza. You can’t make Nick into something he’s not, Jennie. He’s been in the foster care program his whole life. That changes a person. He isn’t like you.”

“You’re wrong about Nick. And, that’s not what is going on here.” Something was off. If only she could talk to Nick … or Father Michael. Her godfather was on a mission for the Vatican in a remote area of South America, and Jennie hadn’t been able to reach him during the chaos and upheaval of the last four months.

Then a sudden thought struck her like an open-hand slap across the face. Her gaze darted to Jared. “Shit, you can’t . . . damn it, Jared. Not Nick! You can’t use him to get to Mendoza.”

“Jennie—”

“No. Leaving him behind—you would be turning him into what you believe he is.” And that would rip my heart in two.

Jared shook his head and started the SUV. The turn-off to Mendoza’s long driveway was less than a mile away. Once they pulled into the private road, Mendoza’s cameras would pick them up, which left very little time for Jennie to change Jared’s mind. The walls inside the cab closed in on her and she struggled to breathe. Don’t back down.

“You spoke to your caseworker?” His voice was controlled—almost calculated.

“She’s arranging a place for us to stay.”

Jared let out a noisy sigh, reached for the key in the ignition, and turned off the motor. “Mendoza’s obsessively protective of you. Why?”

It took a moment for Jennie’s mind to form an answer. “I saved his life.”

“It’s more than that.”

Jennie could only nod. She didn’t have an answer. All she knew for sure was that her soon-to-be guardian was soulless. He watched her, studied her like a bug under a magnifying glass; he made her skin crawl. It wasn’t sexual. There was something far more sinister than lust in Mendoza’s eyes. His very presence caused her spirit to shrivel.

She couldn’t face Jared. It was too hard to see the disappointment in his eyes. So instead, she faced the front window. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you. I know nothing about Mendoza, never met him before that day in downtown Little Italy.” She closed her eyes and inhaled a cleansing breath. When she opened them, she peeked at Jared who stared at the massive estate that could barely be seen through the trees. She cleared her throat and said, “He was choking and none of the men with him did anything to help. I think they wanted him dead. And I’m not sure I blame them.”

Jennie’s mind began to replay the crazed nightmare. That moment on the sidewalk when Elías Mendoza’s brooding, dark eyes had held hers, the universe shifted. There had been something familiar about him, and for some reason, his presence sucked the life right out of her. Paralyzed and breathless, she had been unable to move.

She watched Mendoza reach for his fork and swallow a bite of pasta. In a split second, his eyes widened and he darted from his chair, grabbing his throat. Nick had tugged at her arm, then jumped the concrete barrier separating the restaurant from the sidewalk and tried the Heimlich maneuver. But for all his efforts, Nick couldn’t dislodge the obstruction. His plea for her help had finally penetrated her dazed state and she joined Nick on the patio. She didn’t have the strength to lift Mendoza, but she did have first aid training. She repositioned Nick’s hands. After several abdominal thrusts, the large bite of shrimp broke free.

“Why didn’t Mendoza just hand us a twenty and have us removed from his sight? We were nothing to him.” Jennie let out a shaky breath. “He manipulated the foster care program so we could live with him. We were in his home that night. The system doesn’t work that fast. None of it makes any sense.”

“Last chance, Jennie,” he murmured. “I turn down Mendoza’s private drive…”

“I’ll never turn my back on Nick.”

She shifted toward the front window. Jared let out a string of obscenities that made Jennie cringe. He turned the key and drove the last quarter of a mile, turning left onto the narrow road. The vehicle’s wheels crunched on the gravel of the circular driveway near the front entrance. Beyond the house, manicured lawns covered three acres extending into woodland.

She gazed out at the helicopter sitting on the heliport behind the pool and tennis court. She faced the man next to her. Jared was working undercover to take down Mendoza and planned to use Nick to help him. If she couldn’t convince him to back off, he was going to get himself, and Nick, killed.

“I’ve known Elías Mendoza for four months. You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

“I know who Mendoza is, Jennie.”

“I’m not some stupid kid. You’re only what? Five years older than me?”

“Seven. So?”

“Mendoza is…I sense what’s inside him, and you’re crazy if you think you can fool someone like him.” Jennie ignored the shiver that wracked her body. “And you want to use Nick—” She gulped in a deep breath and exhaled. “My mom would’ve called Mendoza the Devil.”

“Then let me get you the hell away from here. Once you’re inside, I can’t protect you.” He forced the words through clenched teeth. “Look, Nick knows what he’s providing Mendoza. He’s not innocent, but he’s still a kid, a stupid kid.” Jared rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to turn him, have him work with us. With his hacking skills, he’s our best way into Mendoza’s organization. But I get it, bad idea.” He placed his hand over Jennie’s fisted hands. “We’ll find another avenue. I’ll go in for him. You stay here. Hide on the floorboard.”

“Nick won’t leave with you, but he’ll listen to me. He’ll come just because I ask him to. I have to do this.” Worried Jared would try to stop her, she opened the passenger door, grabbed her backpack at her feet, and raced up the steps of the red brick colonial. The soft fragrance from the begonias, lavender, and sweet peas blooming in the beds near the door assaulted her senses, causing her to slow.

How did such beauty thrive here?

Wrenching her mind away from the familiar scents, she burst through the front door, her heart pounding. The guard in the foyer stepped out of her path as she scurried passed him.

“Miss McKenzie, is there something wrong? Can I help you?” he asked, but Jennie ignored him and jogged up the curved staircase, her sneakers squeaking on the polished hardwood.

“Nick, where are you? Damn it, answer me.”

She hurried into her room and barely glanced at the thick, padded wall covering, lush carpet, or opulent furnishings. Like the rest of the house, it was a pretty shell, and it left her cold. She tugged her backpack off her shoulders. Opening the numerous drawers in the walk-in closet, she yanked out only the items she originally brought into the house. Everything Mendoza purchased was left untouched. She wanted nothing from him.

When she didn’t find Nick in his room, she opened his closet door, and reached into his hiding place for a small box of odds and ends he’d saved over the years. Pulling a couple of his favorite T-shirts and jeans off their hangers, she stuffed everything in her pack.

After a quick check of the second floor, she headed downstairs and ran into Mendoza’s personal assistant.

“Where’s Nick?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Talk to Mendoza.”

Elías Mendoza’s private study was in the wing at the back of the house, so she ran to it. She shoved passed the guard and reached for the doorknob. He yanked her hand away, placing his body in front of the door.

“You have certain privileges on the estate, Miss McKenzie, but no one gets through this door without this.” His hand held a black metal detector. Jennie raised her arms. After the guard ran the security wand along her body, he allowed her to enter.

She stormed into the private domain that few entered.

“Where’s Nick?”

The immaculately dressed man behind the mahogany desk didn’t bother glancing at her. His fingers toyed with a gold pen while he spoke on the phone.

“We will be landing in five hours. I want my orders carried out. No, nos entendemos? Bueno,” he said before laying the handset on the desk. When his dark eyes met Jennie’s, she stepped back. He wasn’t a tall man, but his intense, sadistic personality spewed power.

“Rudeness doesn’t become you, Jennifer Marie. You forget yourself.”

His glare bore into her, his facial features hard as stone. She had seen the look before, but never had it been aimed at her.

“I can’t find Nick.”

Mendoza leaned back in his chair, flipping the pen back and forth between his fingers. “So much concern for that mutt. As you can see, he isn’t here.”

Jennie’s fist tightened. If only Nick could see the contempt in his idol’s eyes right now. “My brother isn’t a mutt.”

“He’s no relation to you. Have you finished your packing? The plane to Mexico City leaves in an hour.”

Jennie cleared her throat and tried not to stutter. “It’s time for Nick and me to leave. I appreciate everything you have done for us, but we don’t belong here.”

“Is that so?”

She swallowed, keeping eye contact as her pulse beat between her ears. She was surprised the sound didn’t echo against the walls. “We appreciate that you want to reward us for helping you, but there’s no need.” She shrugged. “We would have done the same for anyone. You don’t need to saddle yourself with two teenagers when you’re moving back to Mexico.”

Mendoza’s eyes traveled the length of her. “I’m your guardian, Jennifer Marie. Where I go, you go.”

“Not yet. The official papers haven’t been signed.” Jennie glanced everywhere except at him.

“And how do you think you are going to accomplish your dreams of college living on the streets of Baltimore?” He clenched his hands together and rested them on the desk. The silence that followed was deafening. “My people are still trying to locate your godfather. What will he say when he finds out I allowed you to go back to living in an abandoned building like a city rat?”

Heat rose in Jennie’s cheeks. “The building wasn’t abandoned, just old.” She wasn’t a runaway. People loved her, cared for her. Her godfather would move heaven and earth for her. But the man in front of her saw only what he wanted to see.

“We’re not going back to Baltimore. I contacted Mrs. Arnold, my foster care caseworker this morning during one of the SAT breaks.” Jennie fussed with her cotton skirt. “There was a big misunderstanding. Mr. Stephenson is fine. Nick only knocked him out. We thought…well he’s alive and well.”

She forced down the lump in her throat and shuddered at the memory of the last family she had been placed with. She could still feel Mr. Stephenson’s hands on her body, pinching her breast, trying to force his tongue down her throat. The memory made her want to heave her breakfast muffin and coffee. And the way his body dropped to the floor, the horrid sight of blood staining the carpet after Nick slammed the base of a lamp over his head, still gave her nightmares.

“And your plan is to turn your back on all I can offer you for what? To live under the roof of a child molester?”

“No, of course not. Mrs. Arnold will find us another family until we finish high school next year.”

She couldn’t pull her gaze away from his. Contempt and scorn radiated from his pores. Jennie held her breath and stiffened her leg muscles to keep from fidgeting. When Mendoza finally spoke, his voice was laced with something Jennie had never heard before.

Hatred.

“Jennifer Marie, who else did you speak to during your break?” He broke eye contact, his concentration fixed on the computer monitor on his desk.

My God, he hates me. Why am I here?

“No one.”

“I don’t believe you, mi querida.”

Jennie couldn’t breathe. His eyes turned black, cold. The stench of revulsion filled the air.

He knows. God, he knows about Jared.

Mendoza eased back in his chair. “We haven’t spent much time together during your stay. That’s my fault. I thought you understood.” He faced her. “No one betrays me.” He reached for the monitor on his desk and turned it toward Jennie. When she didn’t break eye contact, he nodded to the monitor.

“Your actions have consequences.” His voice was so calm, it chilled her to the bone.

Oh, Nick. Where are you?

Mendoza rose and moved beside her. His hands grabbed the sides of her head and forced her to face the monitor. The security camera overlooked a patch of lawn off the rear patio by the pool. Several of Mendoza’s men circled a man with dark hair grown down below his shoulders. His t-shirt clung to his athletic body. It took only seconds for the horror to slam home.

“Nick? No, make them stop!”

Each man took a turn striking Nick, his face beaten almost beyond recognition. Blood streamed from his eyes, nose, and mouth. His knees buckled and he dropped to the ground. One of the men kicked him in the ribs.

Jennie began to tremble. She yanked out of Mendoza’s hold and dashed to the French doors. Mendoza grabbed a fistful of her hair and heaved her up against him.

“This is what happens when you betray me, mi querida.” He clamped hold of her elbow and dragged her through the French doors. Her feet stumbled on the stone slab of the patio, but he didn’t slow his pace.

When he reached his men, Mendoza yanked her arms behind her and held her against him. Nick’s bloodshot eyes bore into hers. He screamed when another foot landed on his kidney.

“Make them stop. They’ll kill him. God, please make them stop.”

Mendoza took her face in his hands. “It’s time for you to make a choice.”

“What choice?” Jennie sobbed.

Mendoza twisted her in the direction of the pool. “Which man lives?”

Four men dragged another man toward them. It took every man to hold him. He fought like a caged animal. Jared. “What have you done?”

The right side of Jared’s face was turning a dark, blackish-blue color, and blood pooled at the corners of his mouth where his lip had been split open. His left forearm jutted out from his elbow with an unnatural tilt.

Mendoza gripped Jennie’s jaw and forced her to meet his gaze. “Jennifer Marie, which man do you choose?”

“I don’t understand. Let them both go. I’ll do anything.”

A loud crack echoed across the lawn. The eerie sound bounced off the trees and vibrated back at them. The next instant, a bullet pierced Jared in the right upper thigh. A wet stain of blood seeped through his trousers. His leg collapsed from under him and he stumbled. One of the men grabbed hold of his broken arm and heaved him back up. A roar full of pain escaped his lips.

Jennie’s eyes darted toward the location of the shooter. All she saw were trees. She wrenched herself free of Mendoza’s hold and dove in front of Jared, blocking his body with hers.

“You made your choice.” Mendoza headed toward the helicopter.

Men in police uniforms and FBI jackets charged the lawn, guns drawn. Mendoza’s men froze before all hell broke out. A couple of men lifted their guns but were hit in the chest before they got off one shot. The rest dove for cover.

Jennie heard none of it. Her heartbeat drowned out all sound. Everything around her grew silent, still. All her focus was on Elías Mendoza as he stepped into the helicopter. He turned and their gazes held. He was a good thirty yards away, but every word hit her, loud and clear, as if he stood right next to her.

“Mi querida, they live because I allow it. You live because I allow it. Usted pretence a mí. You belong to me. Only me.”

Jennie couldn’t move. For an instant, her nightmares collided with her reality.

You live because I allow it.

Six words—night after night, year after year. The dreams had begun right after the death of her parents six years ago. A faceless man hovered over her and those words echoed in her head until she jolted awake.

Oh God. How is Mendoza connected to her parents?

Jennie’s hands went to her throat. She couldn’t catch her breath. Stop him, don’t let him get away screamed inside her head, but she couldn’t move. The doors slammed shut and the helicopter lifted into the air. The next instant, a bullet grazed her arm. Jared slammed her body to the ground as another shot sliced through the air inches from her head.

She searched for Nick. His eyes met hers. He struggled to his knees and stood.

“Nick, drop,” Jennie screamed, but her warning was too late.

Time slowed.

The third bullet whizzed over Jennie’s head and sliced into Nick’s cotton shirt. In her mind’s eye, she saw the slug tear through his skin, and then bone, until it perforated his heart.

“No!”

A sharp stabbing pain erupted from deep inside her. On her hands and knees, she crawled across the grass to Nick. She lifted his head in her arms and slammed her hand down hard on the hole in his chest. Warm blood pulsed against her palm and seeped through her fingers.

“God, don’t leave me. Nick?” she cried, but nothing came from the eighteen-year-old boy in her arms. His lifeless eyes stared up at her. She dragged his shoulders into her arms and rocked him back and forth as she wiped the sweat, blood, and tears from his face.

“Jennie, he’s gone. Get down. There’s a sniper in the woods,” Jared yelled, shielding her body with his.

“No. He can’t…” The words clogged her throat. “He can’t leave me.”

The childhood pact they had made to each other flashed into her mind. His silly handshakes, his laughter, the warmth in his dark brown eyes when a nightmare tore her out of a deep sleep—it was all gone. Nick was gone.

Jared placed his hand over hers. “Jennie, there’s nothing you can do for him.”

Her eyes met his before she broke contact and cradled Nick’s head in her arms. “Mendoza killed Nick. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he ordered it. Why?”

“I don’t know, but he won’t get away with it.” Jared gaze followed the helicopter as it flew out of sight. “I’ll find him, and he will pay.”

Jennie heard the words but didn’t respond. Nick was gone. For the first time in her life, she was completely alone.

Chapter Two

Pikesville, Maryland

March, Eight years later

Pull it together.

Jennie banged her fist on the steering wheel. This date had been marked in her calendar for months. The debt that had haunted her for eight long years would be paid, and she could move forward with the next chapter of her life. But instead of feeling liberated, her nerves were raw.

Maybe she should’ve put this off a day. A sleepless night of horrific dreams and spending hours in a classroom with twenty-five ten-year-old students drained her.

As Jennie waited for the traffic light to change, her gaze fell on the imposing red brick building in front of her. The light dusting of snow and sleet that covered the sidewalk and grounds contributed to the austerity of the structure. Just reading the sign, Maryland Department of State Police Headquarters, made her palms sweat.

What if he’s not there? God, what if he is? This was the first time in two years she would come face to face with Jared McNeil.

A cashier’s check made out to him for $30,000 was in a white envelope in her purse on the seat next to her. She had scrimped and saved until she could pay back every dime—restitution for a mistake for which she would never forgive herself. The money was her way of releasing Jared, breaking the cord that bound them.

Jared McNeil. Out of my life.

The idea terrified her. She was nothing but a clueless teenager in his eyes when they first met, but hell, his dark brown, wavy hair, cobalt blue eyes, and smoking-hot body did something to her sixteen-year-old heart. That hadn’t changed. In fact, when those amazing eyes smiled at her, warmth pulsed from the tip of her head to her toes—and everywhere in between. But nothing could ever become of those feelings. It was long past time for her to yank the adhesive bandage off a festering wound. It didn’t matter she wanted him in her life as much as she needed air.

Elías Mendoza would never leave Jared alone.

She could still see Jared beaten, his arm hanging to his side all those years ago. The scene never went away, nor did Jared’s words asking her to go into protective custody.

If only I had listened to him.

Mendoza hadn’t stopped there. He waited for Jared to come after him, his sick plan in place. Jennie tried to shake the horrific image of three years ago, but the memories haunted her even during her waking hours—never allowing her any peace.

Jared handcuffed to a chair in one of Mendoza’s hellholes, his body covered in blackish-blue bruises and his chest carved up like a turkey, bleeding to death. He’d gone after Mendoza so she would be free of the sick bastard’s obsession.

The madness stops today. She would pay her debt and take the bastard on. If he wants her so bad, he can have her, but he will never hurt anyone she cares about again.

As soon as the light changed, Jennie drove across the intersection and eased into the parking lot. She zoomed in on the entrance as her heart pounded in her head. You can do this, you have to do this. Sucking in a deep breath, she left the sanctuary of her car.

She stepped inside the entrance and glanced around the glass-enclosed lobby. Everything was exactly as it had been eight years ago: the same blaring florescent lights, the same sterile industrial furnishing, and the same hard plastic chair she sat in waiting to be questioned.

“How can I help you, miss?” a male uniformed officer asked from behind the counter.

Clenching her fists, she stiffened her back and approached him. “Yes, I would like to see Detective McNeil, please.”

“Which one?”

Damn…Of course…walk out the door. Now!

“Miss, I don’t have all day.”

“Ja . . . Jared McNeil,” she stuttered.

“Do you have an appointment with the lieutenant?”

“I didn’t know I would need one.”

“Miss, he’s a busy man. Usually people don’t just walk in off the street to gab with him.”

“Of course not.” Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. Clutching the strap of her handbag, her gaze darted around the room as she tried to come up with a plan B.

“Miss?”

She handed the envelope to the officer. “May I leave this with you?”

He turned it around in his hand. “What is it? There’s no name or anything,” the officer said and handed it back to her.

“Oh, sorry.” She reached in her purse and removed a pen. With clean, precise letters, she wrote out Jared’s full name and title. “Is there anyone I can leave it with?”

“I think Doria is working this shift. She may be able to get it to him. Give me just a minute.” He picked up the desk phone, never taking his eyes off her.

“Doria said you can bring it on up. Just take the stairs to the third floor.”

Nodding her thanks, she headed toward the stairs. Her heart ached. It would be easier if she didn’t see him. But that meant she would walk away without one last smile or the feel of his arms around her…without one final embrace.

Mistakes came with consequences and it was time she faced hers. Elías Mendoza was alive, free to destroy everything he touched. The moment she said good-bye to Jared, one way or another, she was going to stop Mendoza.

On the third floor, Jennie approached the front desk right inside the doorway. A woman who looked to be in her sixties greeted her with a generous smile. “Jackson downstairs said you had something you wanted me to give to the lieutenant.”

“Hi. My name is Jennie McKenzie.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. McKenzie. Everyone around here calls me Doria. I’m sorry, but Lieutenant McNeil is in with his team and can’t be disturbed.”

“I should’ve thought of that. It was rude of me to just drop in like this.” She retrieved the envelope from her purse and handed it to Doria. “Can you give this to Jared when you see him?”

“What do you have there? Can’t be too careful these days,” Doria replied, as she turned the envelope over in her hands.

“It’s personal, but if you need to see it, I can open it for you.”

“I see,” Doria said, studying Jennie. “Have we ever met, Ms. McKenzie? I’ve seen you somewhere before, but I just can’t seem to place you. I never forget a face.”

“I don’t think we’ve ever met.”

Doria snapped her fingers and pointed at Jennie. “I know,” she said with a wide smile. “Aren’t you that young teacher in the Baltimore Sun this morning? I saw a picture of you with all your students. I have it right here.” Doria began to flip through the sections of the Sun lying on top of her desk and pulled out the style section.

“Finalist for Teacher of the Year! What an honor for someone so young.”

Heat rose in Jennie’s cheeks. “Yes, that’s my fifth-grade class. I still don’t know how I was selected.”

“You were chosen because you deserve it. I’m a very good judge of character, Ms. McKenzie, and you’re what I call good people.” Holding the letter out to Jennie, she said, “I think you’re safe enough. Just set it on his desk. It’s the open door on your left.”

A little overwhelmed, Jennie thanked Doria and walked the short distance to the back corner of the large squad room. Squaring her shoulders, she entered Jared’s office and stood still, taking it all in.

The scent of leather and Jared’s musky cologne lingered in the air. No plants or family pictures crowded the bookcase or desk, but his overpowering presence filled the space.

Since the day Jared McNeil had entered her life, she had developed a strange talent of being able to feel him. It was like a sixth sense that let her know he was close, and she was safe. There was no explanation that explain her reaction, especially since she was so incredibly nervous around him.

She eased to the edge of his sofa and took a moment to compose a note.

For once, I’m glad I live halfway across the state from you. I can see your expression: Tight jaw, eyes almost black—you’re not very happy with me. I discovered your secret. There never was a special tuition endowment. You were the endowment. I know you never wanted me to discover what you did, nor did you expect me to pay you back, but I need to, for me.

Tell Noah I didn’t rob a bank. I saved every penny and have the books to prove it. Your brother will never trust me while you seem to have an infallible trust in me, something I’ve never earned or understood. If you tear up the check, I’ll just have another one issued. Besides, you can use it on the next stupid, harebrained teen who finds herself in your path.

What Jennie couldn’t bring herself to write in the note screamed inside her head. You are the first person I think of when I wake up every morning and the last person I pray for before I go to sleep. I will do anything necessary to keep you safe. He will never hurt you again because of me.

She swiped a tear from her cheek, signed the note, and stapled it to the envelope. Taking one last look around, Jennie left the office.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

The cold, deep baritone voice, so much like Jared’s, came from behind. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stood stiff as a statue.

Jennie faced Jared’s identical twin. Of course, it would be Noah, the universe’s cruel joke. Just when she thought she was free—wham! She was sucked right back in.

“I asked you a question, Jennifer McKenzie, and you damn well better answer me.”

“Noah McNeil, I swear if you don’t stop hollering at this young lady, you’re going to have to deal with me,” Doria said, placing herself in between Jennie and Noah. “I gave her permission to put something on Jared’s desk, which is none of your business.”

“It damn well is my business when it concerns my brother and this bitc…”

“Don’t you dare use that kind of language in my presence, young man,” Doria commanded. “I washed your mouth out with soap plenty of times in your life. Don’t think I won’t do it again.”

Jennie stepped back and bumped into a desk. Noah’s hatred was nothing new, but it tore her heart to pieces.

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and stared. Jennie wanted to sink into the crack of the linoleum floor. The scene would be hilarious if she weren’t in the middle of it. Doria had to be at least a foot and half shorter than Noah, but she could hold her own. She was one scary lady. Maybe she gave lessons.

Taking note of Doria’s example, Jennie squared her shoulders. Noah was almost the mirror image of Jared: same height, same dark brown hair that in a certain light appeared black, deep cobalt blue eyes that sparkled with laughter, but darkened to black when angered.

But the similarities ended there. Jared appeared hard on the surface, underneath the persona he presented to the world was one of the kindest men Jennie had ever known. And while Noah appeared approachable, even fun-loving, he was as hard and unforgiving as they come.

“I’m here to leave something for Jared. If you would move your gargantuan, pigheaded self, I’ll leave.” Jennie shifted around him, but he blocked her move.

With his voice barely above a whisper, Noah asked one more time, “What are you doing here? I distinctly remember you gave me your word that you would stay away from him. Does your word mean nothing?”

Nick’s famous saying rang in her head: Never show pain to the enemy. Sadly, that was how she viewed Noah. He would destroy her without a backward glance, but he was the person in Jared’s life who meant the most to him.

“My word is everything. I’ve stayed away since Jared returned from Mexico. No contact.” She swallowed and took in a shaky breath. “I’m not here to make any trouble. Please, just get out of my way so I can leave.”

“You’ve been trouble from the second he laid eyes on you. Haven’t you caused him enough pain?”

“I hate what happened to him, and I know it’s my fault, but I never meant…”

“You’ve done nothing but cause him pain. Do I need to remind you of the scars that bastard carved into my brother, or the condition he was in when we got him back home?” Noah reached over and grasped hold of Jennie’s upper arm.

“Let go.” Jennie instinctively jerked her arm free. Her elbow shot up and whacked Noah’s nose, drawing blood.

“Son of a bitch.” Noah’s hand covered his nose. Blood began to drip down the back of his fingers.

Jennie broke free and stepped back. She met Doria’s gaze. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” She rushed past the older woman and headed toward the stairwell.

She didn’t get far. Noah grabbed her arm and pinned it behind her back. Jennie tried to pull free, but his hold tightened.

“Now, Noah, you don’t want to do that,” Doria said, placing a hand on his arm.

“Yeah, I do.” He removed the handcuffs hooked to the back of his belt loop and began to cuff her.

“Let. Her. Go.”

Jennie faced Jared as he closed in on them. The steel cuff dug into her skin and Noah’s fingers bruised her arm, but she felt nothing. Jared’s presence usually calmed her, but not today. Waves of shame and embarrassment washed over her.

“Like hell I will.” Noah swiped the blood draining from his nose with the corner of his sleeve.

Jared grabbed his twin’s wrist just as he placed the second cuff on Jennie.

“I won’t ask again.”

The brothers’ stormy eyes held each other for a moment before Noah released her arm.

Jared lifted Jennie’s chin so their eyes met. “Are you okay?”

“What the hell, Jared?” Noah interrupted, blood streaming from his nose.

Jared grabbed a box of tissues off Doria’s desk and tossed it at Noah. He removed the cuff, flung it across the desk and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. Addressing the squad room, he said, “The show’s over. Find something to do or I’ll find you something.” Everyone flinched and hurried to look busy.

He faced Jennie, his voice low. “Please, come back to my office.”

“No.” Jennie shrugged his arm from her shoulder. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

Jared moved toward her.

“Please let me go,” she whispered. Her eyes filled with tears and she choked down humiliation as she backed further away from both men.

Without another word, she raced down the stairs.

*

Doria stood quiet during the whole exchange. “I’ll see that she makes it to her car, Jared.” He nodded then his gaze fell on his brother.

“Are you a complete ass?” Jared stiffened his arms to his side. He wanted nothing more than to jab a fist into his twin’s face.

“No, bro, but you sure the hell are.”

Both men moved within inches of each other, eyes narrowed, bodies tense. The room was dead quiet as several members of their team stood by prepared to pull them off each other.

Jared broke the silence. “You’re wrong about Jennie. She’s not one of Mendoza’s moles.”

A low grumble came from Noah’s throat as he glared at his brother. “I have nightmares too, damn it, and Jennie is right in the middle of all of them. The next time you go against Mendoza to protect her, none of us will survive it.”

,Get Your Copy HERE

It's #FreeRead Friday. Greed, Chapter Three

It's Friday, and it's time for #FreeReadFriday!

I hope you enjoyed the first couple of chapters of In the Shadow of Greed, Book 1 of Shadows and Light series. Here is a little more of Jason McNeil and Sarah Tu. If you missed the first two chapters, you can find them HERE.

Chapter Three

October

The elevator door swished open on the third floor and Jason stepped out. The odor of soiled linens from a large laundry cart stored in an open closet next to the elevator hit his nostrils. He usually tried to avoid the elevator, but tonight he was bone tired. He didn’t have the energy to climb three flights of stairs.

As he headed down the corridor toward Hanna’s room, his sister-in-law walked toward him. “Jennie, what are you doing here this time of night?” he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.”

“I brought a couple dinners for Sarah.”

“Is she here? I didn’t see her car in the lot.”

“No, but I stored the containers in the refrigerator in the staff break room and left Sarah a note. I guess you two are still avoiding each other?”

“Not avoiding exactly,” he said with a grin. He searched behind her. “Where is Jared?”

“He and Noah are working out the final details of Noah’s new assignment.”

Most of the time, Jason was thrilled his brothers shared his love of law enforcement. This wasn’t one of those times. Noah, Jared’s twin was about to disappear for a few weeks. Jason lived with the dangers of undercover work. If he could talk Noah out of it, he would.

“So, you came out here to get your mind off Noah leaving? We’ll keep him safe.”

“I have no doubt about that.” Jennie took in a heavy breath and let it out as she scanned the hallway. “I’m here because Hanna is here.”

Jason touched her arm. “How can I ease this pain?”

Jennie never met Hanna, but they shared the same nightmare. Greg Scarvey.

Once Scarvey finished with Hanna, he turned his sick fixation on Jennie by picking up a Baltimore Sun newspaper. Jason still woke in the middle of the night, images of Scarvey’s apartment racing through his mind, one bedroom with Hanna’s college ID covering every inch of wall space, while the second bedroom had Jennie’s face. That was her reward for being named Teacher of the Year.

“Only time will do that, Jason. I’m lucky. Elías Mendoza’s obsession with me saved my life and ended Greg Scarvey’s. But being where Hanna was…that’s why I’m here. As long as she’s here, I’ll be here as much as I can. It tears Jared apart because he can’t fix this, and I hate that, but…”

“You don’t have to explain that ‘but’ to me, dear sister. I get it.” He eased her into his arms.”

“This helps,” Jennie whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“That’s good, damn good.”

She inched away and glanced toward Hanna’s room. “I think Hanna beat this latest infection.”

Jason let out a sigh of relief. “Good. But how much of this can she take?”

“Ask her.”

Damn. How did she do that? “Please don’t go there.”

“I will, as soon as you stop fighting this connection with Hanna.”

“Sometimes I wish I never said anything to you.”

“Well, you did. No take backs. On another topic, Captain Ferguson mentioned your transfer and asked Jared to talk you into staying.”

“No way did Jared send you.”

“He didn’t.”

“Jennie, if I don’t get away from here, I’ll go crazy.”

“Not if you accept what’s happening to you. I’ve seen you with Hanna. You are living a miracle and there’s a reason she’s pulling you to her. You need to figure out what that is, not run away from it.”

“Jennie…”

“This is not about how much I’m going to miss you. There are things we can’t explain because there’s no explanation. Know this, Jason McNeil. Whatever is going on with you and Hanna isn’t going to disappear because you’re halfway across the country.”

Jason pulled her back into an embrace. “We can’t all have angels working on our behalf. I have to let Hanna go and you have to let me go.” He kissed her lightly on her forehead. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car. Remember to text me when you get home.”

“Jared’s home.”

“Text me anyway.”

When Jason entered Hanna’s room a few minutes later, he was hit with a trace of citrus from the artificial air freshener Sarah insisted was Hanna’s favorite. The custom-made floral curtains hung from the large picture window and various photo frames of Sarah and Hanna graced the surfaces. But despite the homey touches Sarah tried to create, it was still a hospital room.

He shrugged off the depressing effect the room always had on him before he slowly approached the bed positioned in the center. The soft overhead light fixture lit the room like a flickering candle. Surrounding the bed were the ever-present machines that kept constant track of Hanna’s vital signs. Jason lowered the side rail, perched on the edge of the mattress, and lifted her thin, frail hand into his.

“Hey, Hanna.”

Jason rolled the knots from his shoulders. “How was your day? Mine was same old, same old. I investigated bad guys, paperwork. Found bad guys, more paperwork. Locked up bad guys, still more paperwork.”

Hanna Tu remained motionless; only a gentle rise and fall of her chest.

Her vitals were stronger today. The latest lung infection took a real toll on her weakened system. Lightly brushing a strand of hair off her forehead, Jason closed his tired eyes as the unrelenting protective instinct permeated his thoughts.

“I can’t relax without knowing you’re safe. What do you need from me?”

No response. Lately, their time together was less frequent, a word or two, a simple phrase―nothing concrete. Maybe that was all she could give.

It took only seconds for him to fall into a one-sided conversation as he flexed the joints of her fingers as her physical therapist taught him to do. Reaching for the hand cream on the bed tray, he squirted some into his palm and began to rub it over the fragile skin. The vanilla scent wafted over him, reminding him of Sarah. With a quick shake of his head, he returned his attention to Hanna.

“Wake up, Hanna.”

He had pleaded the same request so many times he’d lost count. How he wished he could hear her say, I’m trying or I’m almost there. He couldn’t conjure up that response no matter how hard he tried.

Nor could he keep the questions at bay that haunted him more every day. “Could I have prevented this? How much pain did you have to endure before you lost consciousness?”

Jason’s fingers traced one long scar that ran from just above her elbow to her thin wrist. “I should have kept you safe. I should have been a better cop and stopped the bastard after the first attack.”

There she was. Her voice was so soft, sweet. It calmed him instantly. “I can’t.” He wrapped her frail hand in his, his thumb tracing the scars over the back of her hand.

Your guilt clouds what’s important.

“What am I missing, Hanna? Tell me. Why are you holding me here? Scarvey’s dead. He can never hurt you again.”

The door of her room opened, and a night nurse strolled into the room carrying a clipboard in one hand and a mug in the other.

“I made a fresh pot of coffee strong enough to stand a fork in. You look like you could use some.” The nurse handed Jason the cup before she checked the different IV drips.

“Thanks, Rose.” Jason accepted the cup and took a deep sip of the hot brew.

“Hanna had a good day. There’s more coffee where that came from and you know where to find it.” Rose wrote a note in the chart and exited the room as quietly as she’d come in.

He got up from the chair and strolled to the picture window, resting his hands up against the cold glass. Several moments passed before he continued.

“You needed me to keep Sarah safe. Well, she’s safe―you’re safe.” His hands fisted, the anguish rising.

“If there’s someone trying to hurt Sarah, tell me. Help me understand.” He sat back on the edge of the bed and reached for her hand. He had come to say good-bye. Leaving was the only thing he could think of to save his sanity.

He glanced at the monitors, praying for a sign that she heard him. Over the last several months, he had spent so many hours staring at those machines, his breathing and heartbeat began to synchronize with the beats on the screen and the gentle rise and fall of Hanna’s chest.

“This has to stop.” He forced the words out into the quiet room. “I just ran into Jennie and she believes we have a spiritual bond. Well, the universe may have conspired to bring her and Jared together, but that’s a once-in-a-lifetime miracle. Hearing voices isn’t real,” he said, clutching the handrail. “Nothing about this is real.”

He reached into the pocket of his sport coat and pulled out a sheet of paper. “I can’t bring myself to break this craziness on my own, so I put in for a transfer. I’m leaving the team. There’s a position available with the FBI field office in Austin with my brother, Mac. I’m even desperate enough to give up my badge and become a fed,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“The paperwork came in today. This is for the best. Distance is all I need. You don’t need me. I can’t use you as an excuse any longer,” Jason whispered, trying to control the tremble in his voice. “Hanna Tu, you’ve drawn me to you. Wake up and tell me what you need from me because I can’t do this anymore.”

As always, when he needed a response from Hanna, she was silent.

“If I could understand, I would stay and fight. I’ve never quit anything in my life, and leaving feels like I’m giving up on you.” His eyes bore into Hanna’s facial features as his hands clenched the bed rail. “Make me understand or I have to walk away.”

“Then leave, Jason McNeil. My sister doesn’t need you. We don’t need you.”

The words stung like a fist clamped hold of his heart and squeezed.

For a moment, he thought it was Hanna. The soft, alluring voice was so familiar. But this voice came from behind him, solid, real.

He unclenched his hand on the rail, released the breath he didn’t realize he held, and faced Sarah Tu.

“Hello, Sarah. Give me a moment and I’ll get out of your way.” Her expression was hidden in the shadow of the doorway, but her anger hit him square in the gut.

He turned to pick up Hanna’s hand and raised it to his cheek.

So, the silent treatment again. Not one word of advice?

Instead, a hint of the aromatic vanilla musk Sarah always wore assailed his senses and made his heart hammer. He shifted, and from the corner of his eye, he watched Sarah. She remained by the door, her eyes glued to the floor as her hands twisted together in front of her.

“My sister and I got along fine before you came into our lives, and we’ll do fine without you.”

“If you would allow me to explain...”

“No, Detective McNeil, you don’t owe me an explanation. You want to leave, so leave.”

*

Sarah moved around to the opposite side of the bed from Jason and stared down at her sister. I did it again. My foot is lodged so deep inside my mouth; I’ll never get it out.

Why did she always lash out at him? She watched him raise her sister’s hand and rest it on his forehead. Grief swam in his eyes, and she caused that grief―again.

She didn’t mean to eavesdrop. He had such a unique connection to Hanna. It was as if Hanna’s life force was stronger, more vibrant, alive, when he was with her. And his presence somehow brought Sarah closer to Hanna.

Lashing out at Jason came too easily. He didn’t deserve it and to make matters worse, he never shot back, except for a deep sadness that edged into his eyes.

He cared a great deal for her sister, and his concern was genuine. It’s what drew Sarah to him in the first place. But if Jason’s grief was real, how could he desert Hanna now? And by leaving Hanna, he was leaving her as well.

From the moment they met in the trauma unit, he intimidated her like no one else ever had. She understood numbers, and he didn’t fit in any known algorithm. His very size overwhelmed her. It wasn’t his height but his presence that set her on edge. And if she dared shut down around him, he would yank her back so fast, her head spun.

Jason was impossible to ignore. At first, he’d covered his personality with his badge and bombarded her with question after question about her sister’s daily life to the point Sarah wanted to scream.

Had Hanna been seeing someone? Had there been any threatening letters or emails? Who were her friends? Did she have any enemies? Was there anyone new in her life? When was the last time Sarah had spoken to her sister?

Every question put Sarah on the defensive, proving over again how self-absorbed she had become. Hanna needed her, counted on her. And Sarah let her down in the worst possible way.

Scarvey stalked her sister for weeks without either of them being aware of the threat. That too was on Sarah. Little got past her when her head wasn’t buried in her work. No matter how critical it was to national security to disable the dangerous botnet, Qualnto, it wasn’t worth Hanna’s life.

She glanced across the hospital bed at Jason. He leaned down and brushed his lips over Hanna’s forehead. Sarah’s breath caught in her throat.

Maybe the connection between the three of them was formed by the nightmare they’d shared; each one unknowingly drawing strength from the other. What would happen to Hanna when Jason left? How would Sarah get through the day without him?

“I’m sorry, Jason. I didn’t mean―”

“I understand.” Jason’s deep baritone voice washed over her.

“I don’t know why I lashed out at you. That’s not me, I don’t…”

“I know,” Jason replied, touching her elbow.

“You don’t have to leave.”

“Yes, I do, it’s time―way past time. When I’m settled, I’ll call and let you know where I am.”

“Doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of running away?”

“I’m not running away.”

“Yes, you are.”

Jason gently pulled her off the stool, drawing her into his arms. Sarah’s body went stiff on contact. He took her hand and headed toward the door.

“What are you doing?”

“We need to talk. Hanna doesn’t need to be part of it.”

He opened the door and headed down the hallway. He entered the unoccupied guest lounge, closing the door behind him.

She tugged her hand free. “I don’t know why we…”

“Give me a reason to stay.”

Sarah’s breath caught as he reached for her and pulled her into his arms. His next words sent her mind into a spin. “Tell me you want me with you.”

She swallowed a lump in her throat. Please stay.

“Tell me you need me in your life.”

“Hanna needs you…”

“No. Is there a you and me?”

No. She had no right to the life he was offering her, at least not until Hanna woke up. She owed Hanna her everything.

“I… it’s not that easy.” She moved from his hold. “I know what you’re asking, Jason. I don’t want you to go, but I can’t ask you to stay for me.”

Jason’s posture changed and a deep hurt edged into his eyes. She ached to erase the pain she caused. One fact was crystal clear to her. If she let him walk out of her life, he’d never come back.

“You’re going to throw away…?”

“Please understand, Jason. Please.”

“Sorry, Sarah, I don’t understand a damn thing. You fight me at every turn.” He heaved a sigh. “I give up.” His hand caressed her cheek and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He cupped the back of her neck and said, “But I’m not leaving without this.”

His arms circled her waist and he brought his lips inches from hers. She should pull away, but she needed this as much as he did. One last time.

Their bodies melted into each other the moment their lips touched. Sarah had no idea how she was going to survive without him. Giving in for once in her life, she took what she desired.

The more she took, the more Jason demanded, flooding her senses. It was too much. She began to pull back, but Jason caressed her back and held her tighter against him. He wasn’t going to make this easy on her. Hell, she didn’t want him to.

His musky scent and the strength of his arms holding her tight against him flooded her senses. Her hand clutched the front of his shirt for balance. Her grip loosened and she stretched out her fingers so she could feel his heartbeat race against her palm. In that moment, her world evaporated until only Jason existed.

Then the kiss just ended. His lips brushed over her cheeks, her forehead, and he stepped away. Her legs trembled and everything in her wanted to cry out, don’t go.

Neither spoke as he moved toward the door.

How could he hold her like that and walk away? His next words rocked her foundation.

“Good-bye, Sarah.”

She couldn’t raise her eyes and watch him leave. When he disappeared from the doorway, she rushed into the hall. But before she could call out to Jason, Rose and another nurse dashed from behind the nurse’s station straight into Hanna’s room. The sound of a bed knocking against the wall hit her, and her heart dropped to her stomach. She sought Jason. He had just opened the door to the stairwell.

“Something is wrong with Hanna.”

Jason raced down the hallway. They met at Hanna’s doorway.

Hanna’s body was shaking so hard, her petite frame was rocking the bed. Her extremities stiffened and her lips and hands appeared blue.

“What’s happening?”

Two other nurses pushed past Sarah and entered the room. Rose concentrated on clearing Hanna’s airway. A loud, gargling noise came from Hanna’s throat as her body convulsed. One of the nurses placed an oxygen mask over her face while the other tried to keep her arms from banging the bed rail.

Sarah couldn’t catch her breath. Her heartbeat roared between her ears. “God, help her, do something!”

She could feel Jason’s arms come around her, leaning her against him. She began to struggle out of his arms to reach out to Hanna, but he just held her tighter.

“Let me go―Hanna needs me.”

“Let them help her, Sarah.”

As violently as the seizures attacked Hanna’s body one moment, the next instant they stopped, and everything grew still.

“What’s wrong? Is she okay?” Sarah cried out, taking a step forward.

Rose still hadn’t answered her but was checking Hanna’s vitals. After taking what seemed like several minutes to listen to her heart with her stethoscope, she rose. Sarah watched a private message pass between the nurses.

“Would someone please tell me what’s happening?”

Rose faced Sarah. One look on the nurse’s face and it was like an invisible fist reached out and punched her right in the stomach. She doubled over, trying to draw in a breath into her airless lungs. “No! No no no no…”

“Sarah, I’m so sorry.” The nurse’s eyes filled with tears.

Someone shrieked out so loud, the sound pierced through Sarah’s eardrum. Jason’s body trembled behind her. Each time she tried to reach Hanna, his arms hugged her against him. Rose spoke, but only bits and pieces registered through the screaming in her head.

Grand-mal seizure―too late―respiratory failure.

Sarah fought the arms holding her and finally broke free. She pushed past Rose and lifted Hanna’s body into hers. “Come on, Hanna. Breathe for me. You can do it. Breathe.”

“Sarah. Stop.” Jason tried to pull her away from Hanna, but Sarah just tightened her hold.

“No, Jason. Hanna can do this. She’s had seizures before.”

“She’s gone, Sarah. She’s…”

“No! She’s not.”

Back and forth, Sarah rocked Hanna in her arms as long wet tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t be gone―not after everything they had been through. It wasn’t over.

It can’t be.

~~~

That's it for this week. Since I'm exclusive with Amazon--so my books can be part of the Kindle Unlimited program--I can't post any more chapters of In the Shadow of Greed without the Amazon police slapping my hand. You can pick up you own Kindle, Print, or download your free Kindle Unlimited copy ,HERE. Next week, drop by and meet my to-date all time favorite couple, Jason's older brother, Jared McNeil and the love of his life, Jennie McKenzie. You don't want to miss these two.

Stay safe, healthy, and PLEASE wear a mask outside of your home.

Hugs to all!

Nancy C. Weeks

#FreeReadFriday. Time To Meet Jason and Sarah!

Hello Everyone!

Over the last year, I have been crazy busy rewriting my Shadows and Light series after receiving the rights back from Simon and Schuster. This wonderful series is now all mine, and I love revising the stories my way--Frank S's angel is singing in my ear.

So, each Friday will be #FreeReadFriday where my readers will get a chance to meet the amazing characters from this wonderful series I had such a joy writing.

Today, let's meet Jason McNeil and Sarah Tu from In the Shadow of Greed, Book 1. Check out what one reader said about this story.

,,"If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. I CAN’T wait to read book two in this series. Grab your copy and get ready to fall in love with the McNeil brothers and this author’s work."

,This story has a little of everything, a large, noisy, but loving family, a ruthless cybercriminal who will stop at nothing to get what he doesn’t need, a touch of the supernatural, an edge-of-your-seat suspense, and a lasting love that may bring you to tears.

,Hang onto your seat. Greed starts off crazy suspenseful, but I promise you Sarah and Jason will find a love for each other that will last a lifetime. Enjoy the Read...

In the Shadow of Greed

Chapter One

March
Noran Defense Systems, Annapolis Junction, Maryland

This is agony―self-inflicted agony.
Dr. Sarah Tu sat at her terminal and combed through the project’s test results one more time, trying not to yank her hair out. Something was off with the test, but she just couldn’t see it.
She leaned back in her chair and scanned her computer lab. Her team was out celebrating and, with their absence, gone was the constant noise, panic-charged energy, and chaos. There was almost an eerie, pin-drop silence left behind. The only sound came from the constant hum of cooling fans behind each row of servers.
Sarah took a moment and closed her tired eyes. Between the flickering overhead lighting and the glare off her computer monitor, all that registered was a dance of white spots. She rubbed the strain from her temples, shook off the exhaustion, and focused her attention on the screen.
The new computer virus propagated across the test environment’s virtual network. In the test, the command and control servers of the Qualnto botnet were being infected much faster than the live results seemed to suggest.
“Why aren’t the tests the same?” she muttered to herself.
An alarm from her cell phone filled the silent room. She glanced at her wristwatch and cringed.
Shit. I need just a few more minutes.
She refocused her attention on the computer monitor. “It’s not replicating fast enough.” She raked both hands over her face. “But is that the fault of the test environment―or did we mess up?”
“You didn’t mess up, Dr. Tu. You’re just being your obsessive self,” Henry Morcross, the CEO of Noran, said from the doorway.
Sarah rolled away from the terminal and faced the lab’s entrance. She had been so engrossed she missed the whoosh of her lab door open. “Hi, Henry,” she said, trying to smile, but failing. How could she muster a smile when all she wanted to do was hit something?
“Sarah, what are you doing back here? Your team is working their way through my liquor cabinet.” He raised his cell phone. “And your sister is tearing up my phone with texts.”
Heat spread to Sarah’s cheeks. “Sorry, Hanna shouldn’t be bothering you.”
“Hanna and I made a pact.”
“Oh, good grief,” she moaned, her arms crossing her waist. “What kind of pact?”
“We’ve decided that since you seem incapable of having a little fun, we would force fun on you.”
“I know how to have fun.” She lifted her hands and scanned the abandoned lab. “This is fun.”
He strolled further into the room and studied the lines of code on her laptop. “You’re as bad as the mother who follows her kindergartner’s bus to school. You worked months on this project. It’s amazing, brilliant even. All you have to do is step away and let it do its job.”
“But…”
“No buts. Get the hell out of this lab. Celebrate with your team or, better yet, with your sister on the warm sands of Myrtle Beach and drink yourself silly.”
“I just need fifteen minutes to go over the specs again and I’m out of here.”
“Fine. Cross your Ts, but I made your sister a promise. Don’t make me break it.”
This time Sarah did smile. Henry Morcross was her best friend, the greatest mentor anyone could ask for. He had Sean Connery’s physique and Ernest Borgnine’s smile, the perfect grandfather figure, and she adored him.
He moved toward the door and turned. “Sarah, your life is not here. And please, don’t keep Hanna waiting for too long. I hate what that does to you.”
“Fifteen minutes, twenty tops.”
*
I’m going to kill her.
Hanna Tu wiped a nonexistent stain from the kitchen table with a damp towel, glancing at the wall clock for the tenth time in five minutes. The luggage, pillows, and grocery bags filled with various calorie-laden snacks littered the floor of the small foyer. Three angry blasts from a car horn followed by two more honks resounded in the apartment. Hanna peered through the kitchen window. The parking lot a story below was bathed in vibrant rays of red, orange, and yellow sunlight streaking across the evening sky. She and her friends could have been sitting at an outdoor patio table by now, overlooking the ocean and gorging themselves on fabulous, greasy buffalo wings and margaritas.
When another long, piercing blast from the car horn filled the apartment less than a minute later, Hanna faced her best friend and roommate, Calista Martin. “They aren’t going to stop. You need to just leave.”
Calista dropped the beach towel onto the sofa and stormed into the small kitchen, yanking the dish rag out from Hanna’s hand. “This trip was your idea. Please come with us. It won’t be any fun without you.”
“I won’t leave without Sarah.” As angry as she was at her sister, Hanna would never deliberately hurt her. They weren’t just sisters but best friends, each the other’s lifeline.
Calista took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her eyes narrowing on the clock over the oven. “We rescheduled this trip for her. She should have been here an hour ago and she’s ignoring your calls. She has buried herself in another one of her projects, so just leave her and come with us.”
“No. Sarah promised me she would be here.” Hanna shut the dishwasher door hard enough the dishes rattled. “When she makes a promise, she never breaks it.”
Hanna ran her hands through her waist-length black hair, yanked a band off her wrist and pulled it all into an untidy ponytail. It was hard to keep her mind from spiraling into dangerous territory.
What if something happened? She never remembers to charge her damn cell phone.
Panic reared its ugly head.
“You’re not your sister’s keeper. I hate how she ignores you; how she thinks everything she’s involved in is more important than you. She’s just like your dad.”
“She’s nothing like our father. You’re pissed. I get that. But you know Sarah,” Hanna said, and eased her back against the counter. This conversation dug deeper each time they had it. “She’s not self-centered, she’s focused. She may tune out the world when she’s in her lab and lose track of time, but that’s devotion. If I leave without her, it will crush her. Go. We’ll catch up before you can sip your first mimosa at breakfast. She’s likely on her way and hasn’t called because her phone is dead.”
Calista flung her heavy backpack over her shoulder, retrieved the pile of towels and grocery bags. “You have the address to my aunt’s condo?”
Hanna nodded.
“You better show up.”
Calista gave her a tight hug and left the apartment.
Hanna couldn’t turn away from the window as her three friends helped Calista pack the trunk. As they drove out of the parking lot, her chest grew tight and her eyes filled with tears. She lifted a hand to wipe away the moisture and a pungent smell of Aramis cologne hit her nostrils. Tiny needle pricks covered her skin and a shiver crept up her spine. She froze.
Everything in her urged her to unlock the door and run, but instead she turned and came face to face with a man she barely recognized. He stood inches from her. Before she could let out a scream, he shoved her up against the door, her body slamming hard on the metal frame. He jammed his arm over her throat and pressed a damp, sickeningly sweet-smelling cloth over her face. The smell made her gag. Out of pure instinct, she held her breath.
A cold chill stabbed through her body as her heartbeat raced. She couldn’t breathe. But her struggle only made his chokehold tighter and her attacker mad. He released his hold just long enough to hurl her body into the wall, her head striking hard.
An intense pain shot through the back of her head, followed by overwhelming nausea. Before she could catch her breath, he grabbed the front of her blouse and dragged her toward the living room. She stumbled to her knees.
She gasped for a breath as she tried to form the word why. He wrenched her against him and yelled into her face. She could see his lips move, but the words made no sense. His eyes went cold, burning into hers as his nostrils flared. Each word he spit out at her was angrier than the last, but the drumming of her heartbeat drowned out all sound, all reason. Nothing got through. As she slipped into a vortex of pain and darkness, she prayed one last prayer. Please, God, keep Sarah safe.

*
Hanna awoke to the sound of a car door slamming and the sharp click of heels darting across the pavement and up a flight of stairs.
Sarah. She’s here.
Hanna’s thoughts swirled like black clouds, images bleeding one into another until all comprehension was lost.
Her head rested on a soft pillow, and cool sheets caressed her back and legs. She shifted and scanned her surroundings. A piercing, sharp pain shot from the front to the back of her head. She whimpered, but it came out like gurgling.
Shit. Another migraine.
She hadn’t had one in months. The blackness swept in from the corners. It comforted her and eased the pain to a dull ache. She attempted to move, but her limbs didn’t respond. Her body was completely numb. It felt like every muscle, every nerve was shot full of Novocain. But her sense of hearing was strong and clear. She was hearing not only her own heartbeat but also Sarah’s, and it raced.
How am I feeling two heartbeats?
Hanna struggled to open her eyes, but the movement charged another sharp pain to shoot through her head.
My God, what’s wrong with me?
When the pain eased, a crystal-clear image of Sarah flashed before her. Her sister stood on the last step of the breezeway before the second floor of Hanna’s apartment complex. She glanced out over the parking lot.
Every thought that passed through Sarah’s head streamed through Hanna’s mind. What Sarah felt—the guilt and disappointment in herself―were there for Hanna to feel. She tried to shake her sister’s voice from her head, but the excruciating pain returned, easing only when she stopped struggling.
Sarah searched for Hanna’s car. It sat in its assigned slot. A moment of calm settled over her until she couldn’t find Calista’s CR-V.
“She left with Calista.” Sarah’s voice quivered inside Hanna’s head. “I let her down, again.”
I’m here, Sarah.
New images of exactly how Sarah spent the last several hours flooded Hanna’s mind. Her sister didn’t carelessly hide herself in her lab. What kept her away was far more important than a week at the beach.
Hanna couldn’t control the visions swirling through her mind, vivid, real, as if they played out on a live screen. I don’t want this.
But her wish went unanswered as she watched Sarah dart around the collection of empty clay pots by the door. She lifted her hand and knocked. The sound vibrated through Hanna’s head. Sarah waited a few moments and knocked again.
“Please open the door, Hanna. I’m so sorry I’m late.”
When Sarah dug through her purse and pulled out her spare key, Hanna struggled against her invisible bonds. Sarah couldn’t come into her apartment. She had to stop her.
“Come on, Hanna. I’m here now. Please open the door. I cleared my whole week. Henry told the guards at the gate not to allow me anywhere near Noran until next Monday. Just open the door and let me make this up to you.”
No, Sarah. Run!
Horrifying images of the last few hours crashed through her memory. The man… where was he? Was he still here?
Excruciating pain ripped through every cell and she screamed out. Blessed darkness began to seep through her mind, but she had to protect Sarah.
Sarah slid the key in the slot, turned the lock, and opened the door.
“Well, now you’re being petty, little sister. You chained me out?”
Sarah slammed her shoulder against the door.
A sympathetic pain shot up Hanna’s arm.
Run!
Then the smell hit both sisters at once. A coppery metallic stench wafted through the crack in the door. The overpowering scent of vomit and urine followed.
Sarah’s heart began to drum in her chest, the scream she forced from her lips never sounded. Instead, she frantically yanked at the door, then banged her shoulder against it, fighting the simple security chain. She stuck her face in the gap as much as the chain would allow. Dark red spots littered the tile of the foyer.
Don’t look, Sarah. Shut the door.
Sarah followed the blood up the wall to the cracked sheet rock. Terror clamped hold of Sarah’s heart, consuming Hanna. Sarah’s body trembled while her own body remained numb.
Her sister slammed her shoulder against the door repeatedly. Each time her shoulder hit, intense pain shot through Hanna, but the chain held. Sarah alternated kicking and banging the door with her fist until Sarah’s vision blurred and she clasped against the door, screaming Hanna’s name.
Sarah, shut down. Do it, now!
Wishing she could wash the vision from her mind, Hanna lay paralyzed, powerless, as Sarah, stepping away from the door, squeezed her eyes tight and took a deep cleansing breath, easing the strain of Sarah’s jaw.
Good. That’s it.
Her sister’s breathing grew shallow, her heart slowed, and she detached herself completely. Hanna had seen Sarah shut down before, but she’d never felt it.
The emptiness, no, the void of emotion, unbearable.
Sarah reached into the side pocket of her purse and retrieved her cell phone. In an expressionless voice, she gave the 911 operator Hanna’s address requesting police and ambulance assistance.
As she completed the call, the walls around Sarah’s emotions cracked and a flood of despair crashed down on both, smothering them.
Hanna focused her last ounce of energy on her sister. I’m here.
The plea hit a barrier. Sarah?
As her sister dropped against the door, dread sliced through her body, and she slid onto the concrete walkway.
“What have I done? I should have been here. It’s my job to keep you safe. Oh God, please let her be okay.”
Sirens blared.
This wasn’t your fault. Do you hear me, Sarah? The blackness spread through Hanna’s mind, again easing her pain, and sent her back into the void.

*
The trauma center at Doctor’s Hospital was a concert of controlled chaos, and for the time being, it all centered around his victim, Hanna Tu. Doctors, nurses, and lab techs scurried in and out of the first cubicle with one goal in mind, to stop the bleeding and keep her alive.
The pillar in the middle of the trauma unit was a perfect support for Jason McNeil’s six-foot-three-inch frame while he kept an eye on the orderly mayhem. With a coffee cup balanced against his palm, he used his thumb to text an update to his oldest brother, Jared, the lead detective in charge of the violent crime unit of the Maryland State Police.
Jason couldn’t take his eyes off the petite woman lying motionless in the hospital bed. Tension and noise levels were high as one command after another flew from the doctors to the nurses to the orderlies. A nurse frantically swabbed the blood from one of several gashes on Hanna Tu’s arm that continued to ooze. The gauze sucked up the blood like a sponge. When the pad was soaked through, she grabbed another from the stainless-steel tray and repeated the process. With each breath Jason took, the pungent scent of antiseptic, blood, and other ominous odors assaulted his nostrils.
He lifted his cup and gulped down the lukewarm, bitter brew. The coffee churned in the pit of his stomach. The woman’s face was the only area on her body untouched. What drove someone to do something so horrific to another human being? Such brutality rocked Jason’s faith to its core.
His body ached for some sort of action, a long hard run or a grueling weight-lifting session. Strenuous activity was one trick he used to keep the restlessness at bay. But something else held him in that spot. He studied everyone who came anywhere near Hanna Tu, his protective instinct on high alert. She could identify a serial killer, the only victim the monster left alive. The guilt from not stopping the bastard before he attacked again would live with him a long time.
It’s not your fault.
A woman’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He twisted, but the nurse he had seen moments earlier stood before him.
“Excuse me? What did you say?” Jason straightened his frame and took a step forward, his heartbeat hammering between his ears.
The woman backed away from him. “Detective McNeil, I was saying you don’t need to wait. It’s going to be hours before we know anything.”
He scanned the unit for anyone out of place. “Am I in the way here?”
“No.”
“Then I’m staying.”
The nurse shrugged and entered the cubicle. Where in the hell did that voice come from? He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and leaned against the pillar.
He didn’t have to have the coroner’s report in hand for his mind to conjure what happened to Hanna Tu. The four previous victims had more than fifty thin slashes deep enough that each victim bled to death. The same thing probably would have happened to Hanna Tu if her sister hadn’t found her when she did.
How is she still alive?
He thinks I’m dead. Sarah’s coming. Help her!
The voice quivered inside Jason’s head. He pushed away from the pillar and froze. No one was there. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw, biting down so hard, pain shot up his inner ear. The next instant, a petite woman with long, straight, raven hair and the most beautiful, hazel eyes he had ever seen charged through the trauma unit. A security officer followed close behind and grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving any farther into the restricted area.
“Ma’am, you can’t be back here.” The guard tried to ease the woman through the doors into the waiting area.
She yanked free, the expression on her face, intense, unyielding. “Like hell I can’t. My sister is here.”
The charge nurse moved from behind the counter of the nurse’s station and stood next to the security officer. “How can I help you?”
The nurse’s low, gentle voice seemed to have a soothing effect.
“Hanna Tu.” The woman’s voice shuddered.
Jason couldn’t take his eyes off Hanna’s sister. In an instant, she transformed from a stiletto wearing, ice-dragon on the warpath—just the kind of woman he disliked—into a frightened, desperate woman whose vulnerabilities aroused his protective instincts.
As her gaze wildly searched the trauma unit, the nurse reached for Sarah’s arm and guided her toward the exit doors.
“We’re still assessing your sister’s condition. She’s in good hands, I promise you.”
“The police wouldn’t let me into her apartment. No one has told me anything. There was so much blood.” Tears clouded her eyes. “I want her to know I’m here. Please.”
Her eyes narrowed on the cubicle surrounded by a curtain. One of the nurses moved the privacy fabric aside and left the area carrying a tray of vials. Sarah’s gaze fell on her sister. “Oh God! Hanna!”
She took a step toward her sister, but her body began to tremble, and her knees buckled. Jason caught her as she collapsed. With one arm wrapped around her waist, he used his other hand to lift the badge that hung around his neck and flashed it at the nurse. “She’s with me.”
He found an empty chair away from a direct view of the cubicle and lowered Sarah into it. The charge nurse brought over a cup of water and handed it to Jason. He brought it to Sarah’s lips.
“Drink, Sarah, it will help.”
She sipped the water and closed her eyes, taking in several deep breaths. “W-who hurt her? W-why?”
“We don’t know, but we’ll find out. Someone will pay for this.”
Sarah finally glanced up at him and pulled away. “Who are you?”
And the ice-dragon returned. Jason clenched his jaw to keep a smile from spreading across his face. He couldn’t put his finger on the reason, but this woman intrigued him.
“I’m Detective Jason McNeil.”
“Why are you here and not out finding the person who hurt my sister?”
Don’t let her push you away. She needs you; we need you.
Jason was taken aback by the weak, small voice in his head. What the hell was going on?
Finding his own voice, he said, “Someone tried to kill your sister.” He glanced toward Hanna’s cubicle. A crushing anger boiled up from deep within him. “The guy who attacked her has killed at least four other times we know about, and he didn’t mean to leave Hanna alive. I’m not giving him a chance to finish the job.”
Oh God, he’s here… He’s here! Don’t let him near Sarah!
The panicked voice echoed in Jason’s head. He stood and scanned the unit. Everyone around Hanna seemed to belong there. An orderly approached her cubicle. Jason wasn’t sure what set the man apart, but the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stiffened. He took a step toward the cubicle. For an instant, their eyes held. The orderly shoved past a nurse and raced through the double doors.
“Stay with her. Don’t leave her for any reason,” Jason shouted to the charge nurse as he rushed toward the exit.
He dashed from the trauma unit, but the corridor was empty. He moved around the corner. It was deserted. He raced in the opposite direction into the crowded waiting room and approached the nurse at the desk.
“Did someone just come through these doors?”
“Just you.”
Jason took a quick glance around the waiting room before returning to Sarah’s side.
“Detective, what’s wrong?” Sarah asked.
“He was here.”
“Who?”
“The man who attacked Hanna.”
Sarah stood, her eyes skimming the trauma unit. “Do you know who he is?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know he was here?”
He looked over at Hanna. Your sister told me. And I’m losing my freaking mind.


Chapter Two
August

Jason unlatched his helmet and pulled it off his head. As he scanned the parking lot of the rehabilitation center, he eased his leg over his Harley and set the kickstand. He rested his helmet on the seat and listened to the symphony of cicadas and crickets in the bushes and trees that lined the lot. The soft rhythmic hum rose to a loud pulse then settled back to a soft hum. It was a familiar summer sound that usually had a calming effect, but not tonight.
He parked in the slot next to Sarah Tu’s white Ford Focus. As he stepped away from the shelter of trees, heat rolled off the asphalt and he pulled his sweat soaked t-shirt away from his back. The miles of open road should have cooled him off, but it was just damn hot. The relentless high temperatures that settled over the area made the air heavy with the scent of tar and roses that flanked the entrance of the building.
Jason couldn’t relax. He should be out celebrating with his brothers and the team for closing another brutal child abduction case. But for some reason, the idea of having fun was lost on him.
He leaned against the trunk of Sarah’s Ford, and crossing his arms around his middle, studied the corner room on the north side of the third floor. Hanna Tu’s room.
If he could be honest with himself, he would admit exactly why he was here night after night, month after month. He hadn’t stopped the serial killer, Greg Scarvey, before he attacked Hanna. Instead, he had to accept the fact a man as evil as Scarvey put a bullet between Scarvey’s eyes five months ago. The image of Scarvey roasting in hell should give him some satisfaction. But Hanna never came out of the coma.
He should get back on his bike and head back the way he came. He didn’t need to be near Hanna for her to speak to him. Her voice sounded in his head on her timetable, not his.
How did a young comatose woman he never met live in his head?
And then there was Sarah, Hanna’s sister. No woman had ever worked her way under his skin quite like Dr. Sarah Tu. And it began the instant he caught her from nose-diving onto the ER floor. The moment their eyes held, he met Sarah and all her layers.
Jason could set his clock by Sarah’s routine. Friday night for the last five months, she arrived around seven and spent the weekend with Hanna.
His normal routine, show up when Sarah wasn’t there. She avoided him, too. They had been playing a stupid dodge game with each other for months. She sure wouldn’t welcome a visit from him tonight.
The attraction between them was potent, and there was no way it was one-sided. Just thinking about Sarah so close sent a raw pulse of desire through him. He wanted her, but it was a different magnetic force that drew him toward the entrance that had nothing to do with Sarah and the blessed air conditioning only yards away. With a heavy sigh, he squared his shoulders and strolled through the automatic doors of the rehabilitation facility.
It was past visiting hours at the Maryland Spinal and Brain Injury Center, but no one stopped him. The guard, whose eyes never left his game of solitaire, handed him a name tag with his name scribbled with a bold marker. Jason shoved it into his pocket and made his way toward the stairwell.
On the third floor, he approached the nurse’s station. With a quick wave of acknowledgment to the four women, he entered the room directly across from them and came to an abrupt stop.
Hanna lay like an angel, motionless in the center of the room. It was Sarah who caused his pulse to drum through his veins. She sat in the corner lounge chair with her laptop open on her lap, fast asleep. Her legs were stretched out, resting on the foot of Hanna’s bed as her arms hugged her waist.
He had never seen her so relaxed and at peace. The serene expression on her face touched something deep within him. He moved toward her slowly, his footsteps silent across the tile floor. He gently removed her laptop, setting it on the over-bed table against the wall, taking care not to disrupt whatever complicated math problem was scrolling on the screen.
He knelt, resting his arms on his knees, and brushed Sarah’s bangs away from her face. He had to touch her. His movement caused the air to shift and her rich, vanilla citrus scent surrounded him.
Damn, she confused the hell out of him. From the moment they met in the shock-trauma unit, he had an overpowering need to protect her, shield her from anyone who tried to hurt her. The only other person in his life for whom his protective instinct triggered into fight mode was his twin sister, Emma. That connection made complete sense to him. There was no one he loved more. But he couldn’t explain the hold Sarah had on him any more than he could explain the bizarre connection he had with Hanna.
On the outside, Sarah appeared to be the most detached person he’d ever met, completely unapproachable to the point of being disconnected from everyone around her. But there was so much more to her than the persona she presented to the world. For reasons he was only beginning to understand, she manipulated her incredible intellect to mask the real Sarah.
The mask was gone now, replaced by a perfect model of a sensual woman who made his pulse quicken and every muscle in his body harden.
One of the machines connected to Hanna let out a beep, jolting him from his fantasy. He stood and stepped away, his eyes roaming over Hanna’s still form. He checked the machine. What the hell was he doing? How could he fantasize about Sarah while Hanna lay prisoner in the bed inches away?
“Jason, what are you doing here?” Sarah whispered, her voice hoarse from sleep. She tilted her head, staring with an intensity as if she was examining his soul. Her eyes subconsciously roamed over his body. As soon as she became aware she was checking him out, a soft pink glow appeared in her cheeks. The perfect blush.
Sarah removed her legs from the bed and set her feet on the floor. Her walls formed over her emotions, but this time, the brilliant Dr. Sarah couldn’t close him out completely. The way she fiddled with her hands as if she didn’t know what to do with them was a surefire giveaway.
Clearing her throat, she said, “I thought you were in the middle of a kidnapping case.”
“I was,” he said, and took a step toward her. “Don’t get up. I’m sorry I woke you.” He paused for an instant and the words just spilled out. “You are beautiful when you sleep, Sarah.”
She pulled her hair into a quick ponytail. “No one is beautiful when they sleep.”
She glanced at Hanna and then the machines, everywhere except at Jason.
“So, did you find the missing kids and get them back to their mother?”
“Yes.”
A sincere smile crossed her face and she exhaled a noisy sigh. “Oh, good. That’s good. And the father?”
“He’s not so good.”
“I’m sorry, Jason.”
“I don’t… can’t talk about it.”
“Of course.” She glanced at Hanna. “She looks good tonight, don’t you think?”
Hanna was so still, only the thin blanket that covered her chest rose and lowered. The machines surrounding her bed kept up with her heart rate, pulse, and temperature, but they were only numbers to Jason. Not real. It tore him up seeing her just lie there, motionless, hour after hour, day after day.
He was losing hope. Five months was a long time, and with every passing day, her chances of waking with any cognitive function were reduced.
Sarah’s life was numbers. The truth, blatant, never leaving either one of them, was all they had. If she wouldn’t accept anything else from him, he could give her hope.
“Yes. Hanna’s color is up, her vitals are strong. She does look good tonight.” He shoved both fists into his pockets. “Why don’t you and I get out of here for an hour or so? I have my bike. I know this great little diner that’s open until eleven. Has the best apple cobbler…”
“I can’t, Jason,” Sarah replied, moving back around the other side of the bed.
“You can.”
He kept his tone normal, but her I can’t didn’t set right tonight. She didn’t even give it a thought. He tried again. “It’s a beautiful night. Maybe a little hot, but…”
“I really should stay with Hanna and…”
“And what?” This time he couldn’t keep the harshness in his tone from slipping through.
“I’m working.” She nodded at her laptop.
Jason moved to stand next to her. “It looks to me like your laptop is doing all the work. One hour.”
Several emotions crossed her face―doubt, need, then guilt.
The guilt he understood. He lived with his own demons. It was the should-haves that ate at him.
Sarah couldn’t enjoy life while her little sister lay in a coma. Hanna told him this wasn’t the life she wanted for Sarah. It sure the hell wasn’t what he wanted.
Her shoulders stiffened and that empty look appeared in her eyes.
“Stop it, Sarah. Shit. Don’t pull that crap with me.” He reached for her hand and held it gently in his. “I’m not angry at you, just disappointed.”
“Don’t cuss at me, Jason McNeil.” She yanked her hand free.
“How about this. I won’t cuss in front of you as long as you don’t shut down on me. Deal?”
“I just can’t leave her. I’ve been at work all day. This is the only time I have with Hanna.”
“Do you really think this is what Hanna wants for you? Wouldn’t she be the first one to push you to accept my offer?”
This time her eyes weren’t dull. It was a good thing that looks couldn’t kill.
“How do you know what my sister would say? You don’t even know Hanna.”
Everything in Jason wanted to charge back―Her voice lives in my head. And she doesn’t want this life for you. “Deductive reasoning. It’s what I do, Sarah. And damn it, all I was saying was…”
Jason, patience.
Hanna’s gentle voice came out clear, insistent, the electric charge slicing through his veins, stinging. Be patient? How in the hell was he supposed to do that?
But Jason couldn’t respond to Hanna with Sarah in the room. He told no one. It was crazy―stark raving mad crazy.
“What’s wrong?” Sarah took a step toward him and reached out her hand.
“Nothing… nothing is wrong.”
“You stopped talking mid-sentence.”
“I do that.” The lie came too easy.
“No, you don’t do that. What just made you so angry? What did I do?”
“I’m not angry.”
“Yes, you are. I don’t understand…”
“Then this is going to confuse the hell out of you.”
He took her into his arms and cupped her face. He brought his lips down close to hers and waited an instant for her to pull away. When she didn’t, he covered her lips with his. She eased in even closer, deepening the kiss as he wove his fingers into her hair. He took what he needed, giving all of himself back in return. Her hands came up his chest and latched onto his shoulder, her fingernails digging into his skin.
An announcement over the PA system sounded. Jason had no idea what the person said, but it brought him crashing back to earth. He broke the kiss and stepped back. Sarah didn’t move as her eyes slowly opened. Her face was flush, her lips moist.
“This isn’t anger,” he said, taking another step away from her. “This pull… you feel it, I feel it.” For an instant, he glanced at Hanna.
Patience isn’t my thing.
Then he faced Sarah. “We’ve been dodging each other for months. Whatever is between us isn’t going to go away.” He headed for the door.
“Jason?” Sarah’s voice came out in a hoarse whisper.
He faced her. He should apologize. He shouldn’t have just pushed himself on her. But hell, someone had to make a move. “Please, Sarah, just stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Ignoring me―ignoring us.” With that, he left the room.

~~~

That's it for this week. Watch for Chapter Three next Friday, 08/03/2020. If you can't wait, grab your own Kindle or Print copy on

Enjoy your weekend. I hope you can find a few moments to sit back and enjoy a good book. Be safe and healthy!

Hugs to all,

Nancy C. Weeks

In the Shadow of Evil is BACK!

I just love book release time! My favorite, all-time wonderful couple, Jennie McKenzie and Jared McNeil from

But don't take my word for it. Here's what readers have been saying about

"This is a story of loss, love and revenge, and will have you caught between wanting to know what happens, and not wanting this story to end. This is a series worth reading, and Nancy C Weeks is always one of my 'must read' authors."


"I absolutely loved In the Shadow of Evil. I read In the Shadow of Greed, but this is my absolute favorite book by Nancy C. Weeks. Everyone, please do yourself a favor and read this captivating, suspenseful book. Jennie and Jared are such wonderful characters and I can’t say enough good things about them."

Why is this my all-time-favorite story? Well, it's simple. I began my writing career with this story. I was a hard-working, stay-at-home mother of two in 2010. My youngest daughter was in her senior year of high school, and I just could not imagine what my life would look like once she was off to college the next fall.

At the same time, my sweet sister Mary was going through her own life change. We both spent years caring for our wonderful mother who passed away with COPD. Mary called me up one day and announced she was going to stop smoking. I had to do something to help her. My sisters are my best friends.

Mary gave me a challenge. If I began that novel I always dreamed of writing – I never wrote a word before that day- and email her pages of the first chapter, she wouldn't smoke that day.

I took that challenge. Mary met my Jared and Jennie that day. I finished the first draft of In the Shadow of Evil, and Mary was smoke-free for a year.

I'm working on my tenth novel. Mary has been spoke free for ten years. I'm the first to admit that Jennie McKenzie and Jared McNeil changed my life. I truly hope you enjoy this story. Through the suspense, intrigue, and even violence, there's an underlying message that you will find in all my books, something I believe to my soul. Love conquers all.

Hugs to all,

Nancy C. Weeks

In the Shadow of Greed is LIVE! Get Your Copy NOW!

This is an exciting day. It's my seventh year anniversary as a published author, a life-long-dream-come-true, and I'm re-releasing my debut novel that's been off the market far too long. In the Shadow of Greed, Book 1 of the Shadows and Light series is LIVE on AMAZON. The first reviews are coming in. Thank you Penny L for your amazingly kind review. "If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. I CAN’T wait to read book two in this series. Grab your copy and get ready to fall in love with the McNeil brothers and this author’s work." This story has a little of everything, a large, noisy, but loving family, a ruthless cybercriminal who will stop at nothing to get what he doesn’t need, a touch of the supernatural, an edge-of-your-seat suspense, and a lasting love that may bring you to tears. If you still need convincing, I have a safe, free download of the first three chapters on Book Funnel. Just clink HERE, down load the free excerpt and start reading. This link will come down at the end of this week. That's it for today. Stay safe, stay healthy, and be kind to everyone. OH…and happy reading. Super Cyber Hugs Nancy C. Weeks

Welcome Lea Nolan, Author of Want Me Always!

I want to give a warm welcome to author, Lea Nolan. Today is Release Day for her latest novel, Want Me Always. The reviews for Want Me Always are wonderful. Check out what amazing authors' Laura Kaye and Christi Barth have to say about Lea's new release. "A heartfelt story that will make you laugh and swoon! The perfect feel-good read!" --Laura Kaye, NYT Bestselling Author "A seaside reunion story that will have you believing that love heals heartbreak and truly transcends time." ~ Christi Barth, USA Today bestselling author Blurb for Want Me Always Her mind says no…

Wren Donovan’s done with love. Betrayed and humiliated by her ex-fiancé, she retreats to her family’s beach house on Heron Harbor Island to lick her wounds and gorge herself on ice cream, spray cheese, and a box of glazed donuts. Wren vows to devote herself to her law career and swears off men forever, but she isn’t prepared for what being reunited with her oldest friend makes her feel…

His heart says yes, please…

Smith Connors can’t believe his eyes when Wren walks into his restaurant. He’s loved her since they were kids, when summertime found them inseparable best friends. As a boy, he’d never felt good enough for Wren. But now he’s a rising-star chef with a thriving business who knows what he wants—which means he’s not letting beautiful, brilliant Wren get away again.

Smith determines to show Wren how good they could be together, and soon neither of them can resist the heat growing between them. He’d do anything to earn her faith—and her heart, if only she could learn to trust again. Excerpt Enjoy! "How did you know about me wanting to make partner?" Wren asked as they climbed the porch steps of her family’s beach house.
Smith laughed. "You're not the only Donovan sister to eat at my restaurant. Raven keeps me up to date on you, too."
"I'm surprised she mentions me."
"Only when I ask. I like hearing about what you're up to."
Wren's head tilted. "Really? After all this time?"
He met her gaze. "Always."
After blooming into a slow smile, she said. "That's nice."
"It's the truth. You stopped coming to the island but I didn't stop caring about you. We were good friends...once." Smith reached for one of her hands.
She nodded. "We were. Friends." Wren looked like she might say something else, but then looked down at their entwined fingers. "I didn't know what to expect when I went to the restaurant tonight." She lifted her lashes to gaze at him again. "But somehow I knew you'd make everything okay." His heart thrummed. "I'm glad. I'd do anything to put a smile on your face."
Her lids tightened just slightly as she peered at him as if with new eyes. "You're the same but different. In a good way. Is that weird to say?"
He grinned as he shook his head. "No. So are you."
Wren looked surprised. "How so?"
Drawing closer, his voice softened. "I always knew you were smart and would be a huge success. And you were always the prettiest girl on the island in summer. But now, damn woman, you're more beautiful than I ever imagined."
Wren’s cheeks flushed pink and her gaze turned down to the floorboards. "You're just saying that."
Gently, Smith cupped her jaw and bored into her dazzling green eyes. "I never say anything I don't mean."
She nodded, her pupils dilating. "Oh-kay."
"The fact that you don't know how gorgeous you are tells me you've never been with a man who truly appreciates you. And that's a damn shame." Smith's fingers slid to the back of her neck and threaded through her hair. "A smart man would understand your value and worship you. Have you ever been worshiped, Wren?"
Wren swallowed hard. "No."
"Would you like to know how it feels?"
"Yes," she whispered.
Without another word his mouth closed on hers. He kissed her softly at first, savoring the exquisite taste and feel of her flesh. His tongue darted across her lower lip, then dipped into her mouth. A tiny whimper escaped her throat and she answered by stroking his tongue with hers. Turning her head slightly, she opened her mouth to grant him better access. Accepting her invitation, he plunged deeper, nibbling on her bottom lip then sucking it into his mouth. Wren's knees wobbled. She wrapped her arms around his firm torso, pulling herself against him. Fierce need swelled in him, sending heat straight to his groin as a low growl rumbled in his chest. They kissed for what seemed like hours, discovering each other as raindrops spattered the porch roof. Finally, breathless and filled with so much want he could scream,
Smith pulled away.
"Wow," she said as her chest heaved.
"Yeah. Wow." I have my copy. Want Me Aways by @LeaNolanAuthor is out today! Grab this swoony, sexy, friends-to-lovers contemporary romance! KINDLE BARNES AND NOBLE APPLE BOOKS KOBO Lea Nolan is a USA Today bestselling author who writes smart, witty contemporary stories filled with head-swooning, heart-throbbing, sweep-you-off your feet romance. She also pens books for young adults featuring bright heroines, crazy-hot heroes, diabolical plot twists, plus a dose of magic, a draft of romance, and a sprinkle of history.

Born and raised on Long Island, New York, she loves the water far too much to live inland. With her heroically supportive husband and three clever children, she resides in Maryland where she cracks crabs and bakes ugly birthday cakes. USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary Romance and YA www.LeaNolan.com@Lea_Nolan That's it for today. I hope you can find a few minutes in your day to relax and read a great book. That is a simple pleasure we all need right now. Stay safe and healthy, Hugs to all! Nancy C. Weeks

Happy Spring From My Neighborhood

Spring has arrived! Like most of you, I went into self-isolation a couple weeks ago - to protect myself, and to do my part to keep the coronavirus [COVID 19] from spreading further in or out of my backyard. But I don’t intend to miss this beautiful time of year. My sweet hubby and I took a drive into Washington D.C. yesterday evening just before sunset. Rather than taking a long walk around the tidal basin or stopping somewhere for dinner, we practiced social distancing and drove. We snapped pictures from the car window of the beautiful cherry trees, and talked about anything but the virus. It was a cloudy evening, but it was still lovely. My Take Away When the cherry trees are in full bloom, the tidal basin along the Potomac is crowded with people from around the world. I love the beautiful blooms, and I’m always amazed at how kind and considerate everyone is to each other. Some stop and wait while a family takes a treasured snapshot of a future memory, while someone else steps in to help. It’s a magical time, the soft pinkish white blooms give us a glance into how much we are alike. There weren’t as many visitors this year, but those who were there, kept several feet away from each other, and seemed to have loved being there as much as I did. Even with the current social constraints, we greeted each other realizing each of us could still share the beauty around us. The silver lining for me is that for once, we're fighting the same enemy, and it’s evident that we are all doing our part. And when we defeat it, and we will, maybe we'll see each other in the same light I experienced once a year while the cherry blossoms bloom on the Potomac. We will get through this together. There is no way we'll be the same once we’re on the other side. It’s my hope the positive change will present itself in a more compassionate people, a more accepting people, and a more loving people. At least that's my prayer. Huge hugs to you and your family. Stay Healthy! Nancy C. Weeks

My First FREE Book, and There's a Reason Why That's So Special

I'm thrilled to announce that The Eyewitness, Book 1 of The D'Azzo Family series is Free on Amazon from March 5th to March 9th worldwide. If you haven't had a chance to disappear into this "thrilling suspense, complex mystery, and hot romance" story, get over to the Amazon of your choice now. Why am I thrilled, or for that matter, why would any author want to give away thousands of free copies of a book that took months, even years, creating? We want our books in the hands of readers. But that's only part of the story.  Well, at least that's only part of my reasoning. The Eyewitness played a key role in my life. It's time to share why I want this book into as many hands as I can get it. I was in the very beginning stages of writing The Eyewitness when I became very ill with a constant fever and flu symptoms without any visible cause. I began to lose weight, which, for me, is not a bad thing, but my energy level became nonexistent. I was actually becoming angry with myself. I just had to shake myself out of this...whatever this was, and move. The worst part, I couldn't write. I can't be alone in my feelings I'm letting my readers down in some way if I can't get a new book in their hands in at least six months. My sweet hubby’s advice, "Just write what you can. It's going to be okay.” The diagnosis was discovered, osteomyelitis with other spices to make things super complicated. I didn't even know osteomyelitis was a thing. It took months for a whole team of compassionate and knowledgeable medical personnel at the Anne Arundel Medical Center to figure out that a tiny scratch I received during a routine procedure came with a nasty bacteria. There was no evidence of MRSA on the small wound. Instead, it made itself a nice little home in my sacrum bone, and I guess, was slowly killing me. The treatment for osteomyelitis was evasive, and as a paraplegic, recovery, crazy complicated. When the team told me the only way to heal was to stay completely off the area for six weeks, I thought, stay positive. This is a great excuse to binge watch all those shows I missed while writing. But weeks turned into months, every step forward, I took five backwards. This isn’t just my story, but my husband’s. He fought just as hard as I did for one thing, our love. I know, that sounds so romance-y, but that's it in a nutshell. We had to beat this thing, together, and I’ll be the first to admit he saved my life on so many levels. And again, he would just hold my hand and say, "Just write what you can. It's going to be okay." I needed to write. I gain such joy from the characters who live in my head, and I had become attached to Emersyn D'Azzo and Alec Pearce from The Eyewitness. At the time, it felt as if my sweet, amazingly strong hubby held one hand as the entire D'Azzo family held the other. When I would become overwhelmed with what was ahead of me, I would open my laptop and disappear into their world even if all I got down was four hundred words. And honestly, I could control that world. I slowly began to heal and I found Emersyn and Alec a very lasting happily-ever-after. I was months behind my deadline, but I can't express what that moment was like. There were a couple other wonderful moments I never saw coming. The Eyewitness was nominated for a RONE Award [Award for Novel Excellence], and because of my wonderful readers, it became a finalist. Flying at the time would have been impossible. We loaded the car and drove toward Burbank, California. If I developed a fever, we would turn around. I took a few photos of our trip. You can see a quick view HERE. Oh…and The Eyewitness won, Best Suspense/Thriller 2018. I feel so much better these days. Nothing is ever really over, but I can live very contently with my new baseline. You will have to be the judge, but I think my D'Azzo family will be just fine, too. I hope you enjoy each book in the series as much as I love writing them.. It was so hard letting them go, but it's time to move on. But why am I giving away free copies of The Eyewitness? I'm here today because I'm loved. And that love gave me the strength to fight. I promised myself I would share as often as I can this message: The power of love is real, unbeatable, and if you nurture it, fight for the right to be loved and share your love, everything else will fall into it's rightful place. Everyday life can be so hard. It is my wish that my love stories give you a small escape from the stresses of your life. From my heart to yours, please believe in love's power. Happy Reading! Hugs to All, Nancy C. Weeks Don't forget to join my Facebook Fan Page, Nancy's Corner and follow me on BookBub. For my past blog post, please Click Here.

The Protector, Book 3 The D'Azzo Family is LIVE! #Giveaway!

The Protector, Book 3 is live today on AMAZON. Check out this explosive conclusion to The D'Azzo Family sago. Detective Nathan D’Azzo’s last conversation with his father lasted long enough for the cracking sound of a sniper’s bullet to hit its target while his sister’s screams filled the night. He hunts the killer to the doorstep of a renown federal judge with a spit-shine life on the bench, but only until his robe comes off. Timothy Jarrett is the brains behind a massive gang alliance, his enforcer, Marcus Jacko. And between them, Olivia Weaver, a woman with a deep devotion for those she loves but a web of secrets miles long. Nathan will bring them to their knees. Olivia Bennett wants two things, the cancer eating her mother alive eradicated and a place they both can disappear. But that can’t happen. When a seemingly innocent man tries to save her life, she breaks her number one rule, never get involved. She should have left Nathan, AKA Drew Parker, D’Azzo to the wolves. He’s one of them. When Nathan unravels small pieces of Olivia’s life, his protective instincts jolt to the surface. A darkness pulls them further apart. Can they forgive each other long enough to save one another? The Protector is going to be a page-turning, heart-gripping story just like the first two books, The Eyewitness and The Analyst. The best thing about The Protector, it's the perfect combination of suspense with a wonderful, romantic, happily-ever-after to end a remarkable series. I have been waiting since I began The Eyewitness for my readers to have this story in their hands. I hope you fall in love with the series as much as I loved writing it for you. If you still need convincing, I'm gifting the first 2 chapters. Enjoy the Free Read! FIRST 2 CHAPTERS FREE DOWNLOAD, THE PROTECTOR, BOOK 3 THE D'AZZO FAMILY Tomorrow, 02/19, I'm the guest author on Just Romance Suspense. I would love to see you there, and I'm giving away a $15 Amazon Gift Card. The contest ends at midnight. Heads up! The Eyewitness will be FREE for a very short time: March 4th through March 9th. You don't want to miss that steal. I'll send out another post to remind everyone. FEBRUARY CONTEST I'm also hosting a February Contest to celebrate this moment. The contest begins today, February 18, 2020 and will run until March 15, 2020. I will be giving away the completed 3 book The D'Azzo Family series to 2 readers: [Mobi Gifted From Amazon Only]. Winner's names will be drawn March 15th from a randomized list of all readers who enter the contest. I will announce the winners here on my blog and in my newsletter. To claim your prize, you must email me at: nancy@nancycweeks.com. Best of luck to all my readers. Hugs to all, Nancy C. Weeks Don't forget to join my Facebook Fan Page, Nancy's Corner and follow me on BookBub. For my past blog post, please Click Here.

What's for Valentine's Day?

I have had the absolute pleasure of sharing February 14th, Valentine's Day with my sweet hubby for thirty-nine years. The whole fancy restaurant with cloth napkins, tablecloths and candles is a thing of the past. I've discovered what makes my hubby happiest is his favorite meal, meatloaf and mash potatoes. [I make the best mash potatoes. If you want my simple recipe, let me know in comments.] With dinner, my gift this year will be my hubby's favorite sweet, Heaven in a Cookie. Homemade cookies take so little time to put together and bake, and they are so wonderful. If you don't want to eat a whole recipe, drop scoops of dough onto a cookie sheet and set in the freezer. Once they are frozen, place them into a freezer storage bag and freeze up to six months. Yeah, they'll never last that long, but this method also works for muffins, sweet breads and even cake batter. I hope you're give this recipe a chance. Here's what you need to know: I start with a basic cookie recipe, but adapt the ingredients.

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened--let sit out on the counter for 30 minutes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar--packed just means smash the sugar down flat.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2-3 cups Nestle Toll House White Chocolate Morsels. [I like this brand because the morsels are so creamy]
1 cup coconut  [I love Baker's brand because it's so moist]
2 cup chopped pecans  [He's a Texas Man]
1 cup dried cranberries [The sky is the limit: red hots, sprinkles, mini candies like M&Ms--anything that you've ever seen in a cookie]

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in remaining ingredients, but don't over beat. I use a cookie scoop to drop rounded tablespoon onto an parchment-lined baking sheet. [I love the pre-cut parchment paper.]

BAKE for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Every oven is different. I would like to say I wrap them in a sweet box like the one in the image above, but I married the Cookie Monster.  He'll eat half a tray before they even cool. That's okay. I love the guy. So what do I want for the special day? Books, books and more books. And if my sweet hubby has a magic wand that will alter time so I can read them, that would be awesome! Happy, happy, happy Valentine's Day! Hugs to all, Nancy C. Weeks FREE CHAPTER DOWNLOAD, THE PROTECTOR, BOOK 3 THE D'AZZO FAMILY Watch for Chapter Two next week. Don't forget to join my Facebook Fan Page, Nancy's Corner and follow me on BookBub. For my past blog post, please Click Here.