Silenced (41 page)
He steered her toward his car and grandly opened the passenger door for her. She slid into the leather seat and closed her eyes.
A week of paperwork followed by four days alone with Sean. She finally admitted to herself that she needed the time away.
Sean got into the driver’s seat and Lucy asked, “Where do you want to go on our vacation?”
“I hesitate to call it that, considering how our last vacation turned out.” He turned the ignition. “How about a cottage up in Cape Cod?”
“Massachusetts? That’s kind of far.”
“Not by plane. I got word this morning that my Cessna is ready. I’m picking her up on Monday. While you’ll be neck deep in paperwork, I’ll be flying over the Adirondacks.”
“You know what? After being shot down in that plane, I’ll take the paperwork instead.”
Stories are created in the author’s head, but many people help with the details. A very special thanks to Tossable Digits, for help in understanding virtual phone numbers; Crime Scene Writers, an amazing group of generous law enforcement professionals who always help me get things right; DC Metro’s PIO who was kind enough to answer some bizarre questions; Steve Dupre with the FBI who has always answered even my most mundane questions; Brian Jones, FBI-SWAT leader who invites me to role play—I have never had so much fun! And the exercises really help with scene staging. Fellow author Dr. D.P. Lyle always helps me get the medical details right. And this time around, my husband Dan with his background working for the state and federal legislature was instrumental in helping me with the campaign and legislative details. Thank you all!
Friends and family keep me sane, especially fellow writer and conference roommate Toni McGee Causey, the gang at Murder She Writes, my mom Claudia, and of course, my kids who keep me on my toes. I also want to send a shout-out to the American Cancer Society and their patron, Cathy Hummel, who won her name in this book. We’ve all lost someone to cancer; they do great work. And Sara Edmonds, who also won her name at a readers convention, Readers & Ritas. Thanks, Cathy and Sara!
And of course, extra special thanks to the people behind the book: my agent Dan Conaway, my editor Kelley Ragland, and the entire team at Writers House and St. Martin’s Press. Thank you for your support, and your faith.
Also by Allison Brennan
If I Should Die
Kiss Me, Kill Me
Love Me to Death
Carnal Sin
Original Sin
Cutting Edge
Fatal Secrets
Sudden Death
Playing Dead
Tempting Evil
Killing Fear
Fear No Evil
See No Evil
Speak No Evil
The Kill
The Hunt
The Prey
Critical Acclaim for Allison Brennan’s
If I Should Die
“Brennan’s Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan books are not only excellent procedural thrillers, but also chart the evolution of an intriguing relationship. The peeks into the mind of this heinous killer are all too chilling, making the threat level palpable and the story riveting. Brennan is on a major roll!”
—RT Book Reviews
“[A] spine-tingling chiller that will wrap you up in its mystery and take you on a heart-pounding race to the breathtaking finale!”
—Joyfully Reviewed
, Recommended Read
Kiss Me, Kill Me
“[A] riveting new series … Lucy continues to be a fascinating and enticing character, and her ongoing development adds depth to an already rich brew of murder and mystery. Brennan rocks!”
—RT Book Reviews
“Ms. Brennan ratchets up the suspense on page one and keeps it going until the last page.”
—Fresh Fiction
Love Me to Death
“A world-class nail-biter … Brennan is in the groove with this one.”
—New York Times
bestselling author Lee Child
“Grabbing the reader by the throat from almost the first page, this pulse-ratcheting romantic suspense from Brennan delivers intense action, multifaceted characters, and a truly creepy bad guy.… [A] fast-paced, engrossing read.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fan of Allison’s for many years, you always know what you are getting … a great story with love ’em or hate ’em characters and perfectly placed plot twists in every book.”
— Shannon Raab for
Suspense Magazine
Original Sin
“Brennan shows a deft command of all things both normal and otherworldly in crafting one of the best tales of its kind since Dean Koontz and Stephen King were still writing about monsters. There’s no shortage of those here and the result is a new genre classic.”
—Providence Sunday Journal
“Allison Brennan pens a chilling tale in
Original Sin
, the first in her Seven Deadly Sins series. [It] will keep you up all night—whether it be from the horror or because it’s such a page-turner.”
—Sacramento Book Reviews
Cutting Edge
“Both the nature and nurture sides of the ‘what makes a psychopath’ argument are on display in Brennan’s chiller.… Leave it to Brennan to deliver the creepy and deadly. This is definitely the stuff of nightmares.”
—RT Book Reviews
Fatal Secrets
“In this chilling thriller, Brennan explores the consequenc-es of sliding from fierce commitment into obsession.… A master of suspense, Brennan does another outstanding job uniting horrifying action, procedural drama, and the birth of a romance—a prime example of why she’s tops in the genre.”
—RT Book Reviews
(Top Pick!)
Sudden Death
“Fast, fierce fun. Brennan knows how to deliver.”
—New York Times
bestselling author Lisa Gardner
Playing Dead
“The mystery is tightly plotted with the final reveal not happening until the very end of the book.…
Playing Dead
is an adrenaline rush of thrills and chills that is sure to win Brennan several new readers.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Crafty Brennan wraps up her Prison Break trilogy with the intricate tale of a nearly perfect frame-up.… Brennan does an outstanding job keeping the players distinct and slowly revealing how the plot threads all intersect. It’s wonderfully complex and terrifying at the same time.”
—RT Book Reviews
Tempting Evil
“An excellent thriller that would surely make an easy transition to the small or big screen. Overall,
Tempting Evil
is an exciting read from start to finish and I devoured it in an extremely short space of time.”
—Reviewing the Evidence
Killing Fear
“Fast becoming a master at delivering complex, layered plots and characters that erupt from the page, Brennan has created a roller-coaster ride of chills!”
—RT Book Reviews
(Top Pick!)
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
SILENCED
Copyright © 2012 by Allison Brennan.
All rights reserved.
For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
eISBN: 9781429954143
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / May 2012
St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
