Dangerous Inheritance
SHADOWS OF THE PASTThough Macy Douglas remembers nothing from the night of her mother's murder, she's determined to prove her father's innocence in the crime. But she soon finds that returning to her childhood home and digging up her family's past is a sure-fire way to attract enemies—and a killer that's still at large. Now only handsome local cop Nick Baldwin can safeguard her—even if that means disobeying direct orders and risking his job. His boss might not think Macy's in harm's way, but Nick's suspicions are soon confirmed when an assailant breaks into her house. Nick tries to trigger Macy's memories for clues…but someone will do anything to ensure that the past remains forgotten.
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SHADOWS OF THE PAST
Though Macy Douglas remembers nothing from the night of her motherâs murder, sheâs determined to prove her fatherâs innocence in the crime. But she soon finds that returning to her childhood home and digging up her familyâs past is a surefire way to attract enemiesâand a killer thatâs still at large. Now only handsome local cop Nick Baldwin can safeguard herâeven if that means disobeying direct orders and risking his job. His boss might not think Macyâs in harmâs way, but Nickâs suspicions are soon confirmed when an assailant breaks into her house. Nick tries to trigger Macyâs memories for cluesâ¦but someone will do anything to ensure that the past remains forgotten.
âHe said to get out while I couldâ¦if I wanted to live.â
Nick choked, sputtering his soft drink over the table. He grabbed a napkin to clean up the mess heâd made, stunned at what heâd heard. âHe said what?â
Macy repeated the threat, looking lost, while Nick stared at her. What was going on here? Someone threatened to kill her if she stayed in this house. So what was hidden here that someone wanted bad enough to pull something like this? Or was it someone who wanted to get her out of town before she found out something better left secret?
He wanted to reach across the table and take her hand, tell her it would be all right, but sheâd know he was lying. Nothing would be all right until they found out the truth about Megan Douglasâs death and learned for certain who had killed her. Most important, he had to find the jerk harassing Macy before this situation turned deadly.
BARBARA WARREN started making up stories when she was young. When she grew older, she began working on her dream of becoming a real writer. Now writing is an important part of her life and she tries to make time for it almost every day. Barbara lives in the rural Ozarks with her husband. You can learn more about her at her website, barbarawarrenbluemountainedit.com, or on Facebook.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.
âPsalms 138:7
Dedicated to Mary Lowe, Carol Parscale, Randi Perry, Ronica Stramel and Alice Leverich, my critique group, and to my agent, Terry Burns, who works so hard for me. And a special thank-you to Tina James and Emily Krupin at Love Inspired Suspense for being so helpful and so easy to work with. I appreciate you very much.
Contents
A car drove by and turned the corner, but Macy Douglas ignored it. All her attention was centered on her grandmother Lassiterâs houseâthe house where her mother had been brutally murderedâthe house where her father had been arrested as the killer. The house she couldnât remember, even though she had apparently lived here the first seven years of her life. Dark and forbidding, and at least two stories tall, it sat back from the street on a large lot. She hadnât realized the house would be this bigâor this intimidating.
Lightning flared. A gust of wind rattled the branches overhead like dry bones. She shot a glance upward before giving herself a mental shake. Enough of this. She had to stop being such a coward. It was just a house, the house a grandmother she couldnât remember had left to her.
It was hers...and she didnât want it.
Didnât want the secrets hiding behind that innocent-looking facade. Secrets better left dormant behind the barrier her mind had erected, protecting her from the horror of that night.
She stared up at the rounded turret of the old Queen Anne house. What had really happened here? In spite of her resolve to learn the truth, did she really want to know? Would the knowledge destroy all she wanted to believe about her father?
When Grandmother Douglas lay dying she had gasped out âthe box.â When Macy found the metal box with information about her fatherâs death in prison, there had also been a letter telling her not to come here, that it would be dangerous. But she had come because she needed to know the truth about her familyâthe truth about what had happened in this house.
Lightning flashed again, illuminating the wide porch and the front of the house. Thunder grumbled overhead.
Macy climbed the steps and inserted the key her grandmother Lassiterâs lawyer had sent her. The door swung open, silent as a shadow. She caught her breath, listening, but the low growl of thunder and the wind whipping the tree limbs were the only sounds. She fumbled for the light switch.
A chandelier sprang to life and she had a fleeting impression of a mahogany table, the glint of a gold framed mirror, before a jagged spear of lightning split the sky.
Thunder exploded.
The lights went out!
