âIâll bet you never breakthe rules.â
âI try not to,â she said.
âYou use the turn signal even when there arenât other cars behind you.â
âYes. And I tip twenty percent, even if the waitress is surly. I donât cheat on my taxes. Donât jaywalk. I follow the recipes exactly when I cook,â she admitted.
âNo risks. No adventures.â
âI like order.â She took a step towards him. Her voice softened to a whisper that made those solid values resonate with a purely sensual undertone. âIâm not a risk-taker. Sorry if that disappoints you.â
His arm slipped around her slender waist and pulled her snug against him. âWho says Iâm disappointed?â
He nuzzled her ear and felt her body respond with a quiver. At this moment, he wanted to give her all the stability her heart desired.
She kissed him with a passion that seemed at odds with her need for order. Messy and wild. And he enjoyed every minute of it. He wanted more.
Breaking away from her, he said, âWe should get back to the manor.â
To his bed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For Cassie Miles, the best part about writing a story set in Eagle County near the Vail ski area is the ready-made excuse to head into the mountains for research. Though the winter snows are great for skiing, her favourite season is autumn when the aspens turn gold.
The rest of the time, Cassie lives in Denver where she takes urban hikes around Cheesman Park, reads a ton and critiques often. Her current plans include a Vespa and a road trip, despite eye- rolling objections from her adult children.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Blake Monroe â This world-famous architect has been hired to oversee the renovations of Beacon Manor and the lighthouse. A widower, he still mourns the death of his wife, Kathleen.
Madeline Douglas â A proper schoolteacher from Boston, sheâs hired to be the live-in tutor for Blakeâs son. She comes to Ravenâs Cliff with secrets of her own.
Duncan Monroe â Blakeâs six-year-old son has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism.
Alma Eisen â The Beacon Manor housekeeper was once a foster mother for Madeline.
Dr Teddy Fisher â The Beacon Manor owner whose scientific experiments might have caused an epidemic.
Helen Fisher â A librarian, this old maid resents the wealth of her brother, Teddy.
Perry Wells â Mayor of Ravenâs Cliff who lost his daughter on her wedding day.
Beatrice Wells â The Mayorâs wife.
Grant Bridges â The ambitious Assistant District Attorney also coaches the local T-ball team.
Detective Andrei Lagios â Homicide investigator.
Sofia Lagios â Sister of Andrei, recently murdered by the Seaside Strangler.
Detective Joe Curtis â Newly transferred from the LAPD, he works with Lagios.
Alex Gibson â A local fisherman.
Marty Todd â Madelineâs neâer-do-well brother.
To Lee Carr, the worldâs greatest gothic writer.
And, as always, to Rick.
Chapter One
âOne, two, threeâ¦â Duncan Monroe counted the steps as he climbed the stairs, not touching the banister or the wall. ââ¦four, five, six.â
That was how old he was. Six years old.
âSeven, eight, nine.â
Here was where the staircase made a corner, and he could see to the top. Daddy had turned on the light in his bedroom, but there were shadows. Dark, scary shadows. Outside the rain came down and rattled against the windows.
Duncan shivered. Even though this was the middle of summertime, he felt cold on the inside. So cold it made his tummy hurt. Sometimes, when he touched people or things, he got creepy feelings like spider legs running up and down his arms. And he saw stuff. Bad stuff.
But he wasnât touching anything. His feet were in sneakers. He had on jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. He shouldnât be scared.
âDuncan.â His dad called to him. âAre you getting ready for bed?â
âNo.â He hadnât meant to yell. His voice was too loud. He covered his open mouth with both hands. His fingers pushed hard, holding back an even louder yell. His skin tasted like salt. Usually he wore gloves to keep from feeling things.
âDuncan, are you all right?â
His dad hated when Duncan was inappropriate. Thatâs what his teacher used to call it. Inappropriate behavior. The doctors had other words for him. Trauma. Autism. Hyper-something. They all meant the same thing. He was a freak.
He yanked his hands down to his sides. âIâm okay.â
âGet into your pajamas, buddy. Iâll be there in a minute.â
The shadow at the top of the stairs was as big as a T-Rex with giant, pointy teeth. Duncan wasnât going there. He turned around on the stairs and quietly counted backward. âNine, eight, sevenâ¦â
He was at the front door of the big house they had just moved into. Though he didnât like touching doorknobs, he grabbed it and pulled.
Outside, the rain wasnât too bad. Big, fat drops splashed on the flat stones leading up to the front door. He stuck out his hand to catch them.
He walked out into it. Five steps. Then ten.
The light by the front door didnât reach very far into the dark. The thunder went boom. He heard the ocean smashing on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff.