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For Her Eyes Only Part 2
Sharon Sala
36 Hours SerialAs a devastating summer storm hits Grand Springs, Colorado, the next thirty-six hours will change the town and its residents forever….For Her Eyes Only Part 2Ever since she blacked out at Squaw Creek Lodge the night of the storm, Jessica's been having visions. What does it mean? If only she could have a vision about where things are going between her and Stone–but that's still a mystery. And since her last vision of Stone in danger, she has even more to worry about.Stone's glad to have Jessica back in his life. And since he found out the truth about the mayor's death, he's taking her visions seriously. But if Olivia's death wasn't an accident, there's a killer out there, and Jessica might be in danger….The story concludes in For Her Eyes Only Part 3.
36 Hours Serial
As a devastating summer storm hits Grand Springs, Colorado, the next thirty-six hours will change the town and its residents forever….
For Her Eyes Only Part 2
Ever since she blacked out at Squaw Creek Lodge the night of the storm, Jessica’s been having visions. What does it mean? If only she could have a vision about where things are going between her and Stone—but that’s still a mystery. And since her last vision of Stone in danger, she has even more to worry about.
Stone’s glad to have Jessica back in his life. And since he found out the truth about the mayor’s death, he’s taking her visions seriously. But if Olivia’s death wasn’t an accident, there’s a killer out there, and Jessica might be in danger….
The story concludes in For Her Eyes Only Part 3.
Dear Reader,
In the town of Grand Springs, Colorado, a devastating summer storm sets off a string of events that changes the lives of the residents forever….
Welcome to Mills & Boon exciting new digital serial, 36 Hours! In this thirty-six part serial share the stories of the residents of Grand Springs, Colorado, in the wake of a deadly storm.
With the power knocked out and mudslides washing over the roads, the town is plunged into darkness and the residents are forced to face their biggest fears—and find love against all odds.
Each week features a new story written by a variety of bestselling authors like Susan Mallery and Sharon Sala. The stories are published in three segments, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the first segment of every three-part book is free, so you can get caught up in the mystery and drama of Grand Springs. And you can get to know a new set of characters every week. You can read just one, but as the lives and stories of each intertwine in surprising ways, you’ll want to read them all!
Join Mills & Boon E every week as we bring you excitement, mystery, fun and romance in 36 Hours!
Happy reading,
About the Author
Sharon Sala is a native of Oklahoma and a member of Romance Writers of America. She is a New York Times,USA TODAY, Publisher's Weekly and Waldenbooks mass-market bestselling author of eighty-five-plus books written as Sharon Sala and Dinah McCall. She's a seven-time RITA® Award finalist, Janet Dailey Award winner, five-time National Reader's Choice Award winner, four-time Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews winner and a four-time winner of the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence.
For Her Eyes Only Part 2
Sharon Sala
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Contents
Chapter Five (#ue4a84acf-b52b-5811-b99b-9c153429f2a8)
Chapter Six (#uec243485-a03e-5492-baf1-f1d4541cb5c4)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Ever since hitting her head during the blackout, Jessica didn’t understand what was happening. All of a sudden she was having visions: her friend’s kitchen was on fire, her sister’s keys were in the car, her neighbor was going to get hit by a car.… And then there was the main picture in her mind: Olivia Stuart didn’t have a heart attack. She was murdered by a tall woman who smelled like gardenias. But no one believed her, not even Stone, the love of her life. Everyone was already thinking she was a freak. Would Stone be next on that list? She just got him back. Would this send him packing? And what if the woman who killed Olivia came after Jessica, since Jessica was the only “witness” to the crime?
Chapter Five
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
There was little else Dr. Noah Howell could think to say about the small dark bruise he found on the back of Olivia Stuart’s leg.
Det. Stone Richardson forced himself to focus on the tiny portion of bruised flesh, and not on what was left of the woman she’d been.
“So, Doc, without an autopsy, give me a best-guess scenario. What do you think could have caused that bruise?”
Noah looked up at Stone in disbelief. He still couldn’t believe what he was seeing, then he looked back down, staring intently at the small purple spot. Even through his surgical gloves, he could feel the cold morbidity of Olivia’s flesh. He shook his head and pulled the sheet back over her body.
“Without actual proof, it would be hard to—”
“Damn it, Doc, I asked for a guess, not a thesis.”
Noah looked up. “I’d probably guess it was a needle mark.”
Stone had been expecting him to say it, and yet when it came, he reeled backward in shock.
“Son of a bitch.”
Noah pushed the body back into the drawer, then shut the door. He shivered. “I’ll inform the coroner’s office and order an autopsy immediately.”
Stone stared at the wall of drawers. Olivia Stuart awaited her disbursement into the earth behind door seventeen. Knowing her as he had, he was certain her spirit was already in a better place, but what was left of her body deserved more than it was about to receive.
Did someone really kill the mayor just before she could attend her son’s wedding? Why else would she have a needle mark on the back of her leg? Damn.
“And I’ll handle it from my end,” he said, then turned toward the door without waiting to see if Noah followed. “Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”
Only after they were in the elevator on their way up to ground level, did Stone speak again.
“I need a copy of the autopsy report on my desk within twenty-four hours.”
Noah shook his head. “No way. We’re so behind now that—”
Stone put a hand on the doctor’s shoulder. “Listen, Doc, if what we suspect is true, someone already thinks they’ve gotten away with murder. I don’t want to wait a minute longer than necessary to start an investigation. Understand?”
Noah nodded, his shoulders slumping. “I’ll do what it takes to get the job done, even if I have to do it myself.”
The elevator doors opened and Stone stepped out. “Coming?”
Noah shook his head, pointing to the floors above. “I’m late for surgery as it is.”
Stone paused in the door of the elevator, bracing his hands against the doors to keep them from closing.
“Doc, I need you to do me one more favor.”
A wry grin spread across Noah Howell’s face. “Why am I not surprised.”
Stone’s expression darkened. “Keep this quiet. I don’t want speculation to supercede facts.”
“Of course.”
Stone stepped back and the doors closed immediately, taking Noah to the floors above.
A few minutes later, Stone slid into the seat of his car and then stared blindly out the window in disbelief. How had Jessica known this? She hit her head during the powerful storm that had crippled Grand Springs and now she’s having visions. And because she had, another, more serious problem dawned. In a way, she was witness to a murder. If word got out, she could be in danger herself. And with that thought came still another. Thinking of Jessie in danger made him sick with fear. He wiped a shaky hand across his face and closed his eyes, trying to remind himself that he had no claims on her other than the fact that she was just another innocent citizen he’d sworn to protect. But he kept remembering the way she laughed and the way she made love. As he broke out in a cold sweat, he groaned.
“Damn it,” he muttered, “I don’t need this,” then he started the car and headed back to the station.
He’d already decided he wasn’t saying anything to anyone but Sanderson until the autopsy report was in his hands. And he could just imagine how the chief was going to take the news. How does one tell the chief of police that some woman had a psychic vision and Stone had decided to act upon it? He shook his head. It sounded crazy, even to him.
* * *
Jessica was a morning person. Usually, she got up with a buoyant attitude that stayed with her through the rest of the day. But today, as she stepped out of the shower and glanced at herself in the mirror, she frowned.
In spite of doctor’s orders, she had removed her bandage and washed her hair. Shoving back her ragged bangs, she turned her head, first one way, then another, looking intently at her wound before reaching for a towel. The way she looked at it, it was a toss-up as to which was worse—her homegrown haircut, or the bald spot that was sprouting new growth.
“I don’t care,” she told herself as she dried. “I don’t have to go to work. Who’s going to see?”
And then the phone rang. She dropped the towel and bolted, flopping across her bed as she reached for the phone beside her pillow.
“Hello.”
Stone’s voice rolled over her senses like warm honey on hot bread.
“Jessie, it’s me.”
In spite of the fact that she was safe from prying eyes, she instinctively reached for a sheet, then realized he wouldn’t know she was naked. An odd little smile came and went as she dropped the sheet and moved the phone a little closer to her mouth. It was a decadent feeling to be talking to this man without wearing a stitch.
“I called to see how you were feeling,” Stone said.
She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. The air from an overhead fan was blow-drying the lingering moisture from her skin and she imagined that it was Stone’s breath instead. She was so into her fantasy that her nipples suddenly peaked and hardened as her body tightened with longing.
She sighed. “I’m feeling fine. Just fine.”
Stone frowned. She sounded strange, almost drugged.
“Did I wake you?” he asked.
She answered before she thought. “Oh, no. I’ve been up for ages. I just got out of the shower.”
Stone gripped the receiver until his knuckles whitened, and he tried, without much success, to concentrate on something besides the thought of Jessica, wet and nude.
“Uh—” Realizing that he’d totally lost focus as to why he’d called, he gave himself a mental kick in the butt and shifted the receiver to his other ear.
Jessica was woman enough to hear Stone’s confusion. And just when she could have taken heart from the fact that he could be remembering their past, she edited her thought. Yes, a naked woman might do wonders in getting some attention from Stone, but what about one with a bald spot and stitches? Aware of the dampness beneath her head, she abandoned her fantasies and sat up.
“Stone, hang on a minute, will you?” Without waiting for his answer, she dropped the phone and rolled off the bed to get a towel for her wet hair. It was dripping all over the bed.
Moments later, she was back. “Thanks,” she said. “I was getting everything wet.”
He groaned and covered his face with his hand.
“Stone?”
He jerked. At last. A reason to focus. “What?”
“Was there a particular reason you called?”
His mind was a blank, and then he remembered the autopsy in progress, and that he had wanted to warn her about talking to anyone other than him.
“Oh! Yeah! Uh, you know yesterday, when we talked about what you saw?”
She tensed and sat up.
“Yes, what about it?”
“You might have been right.”
She’d known it, and yet hearing it said aloud gave her chills.
“About Olivia and the needle?”
“Yes, well—maybe yes about Olivia, maybe no—but you were right about my lost check. It was where you said it would be. And, I think you should know that they are performing an autopsy on Olivia Stuart. We’ll know more soon.”
“Oh, Lord.”
Stone heard her panic. And the fact that she’d been unable to come up with one of her colorful comments was proof of how rattled she must be.
“Jessie, I need you to do something for me.”
She felt sick to her stomach, and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.
“Like what?” she asked.
“Don’t talk about this to anyone else. At least, not until I tell you it’s all right.”
“Why?”
He had to tell her. Her life could be on the line.
“Because, if you’re right, then that means Olivia was murdered. And if she was, then that means there’s a murderer who will be very unhappy to learn there was a witness…of sorts.”
There were aspects of this mess that kept going from bad to worse. She started to shake.
