Carolina Reckoning
By Lisa Carter
3/5
()
About this ebook
Lisa Carter
Lisa Carter and her family make their home in beautiful North Carolina. A lifelong educator, when she isn't writing, Lisa enjoys traveling to romantic locales and researching her next exotic adventure or teaching writing workshops. She has strong opinions about barbeque and ACC basketball. Also a romantic suspense author and intense Indiana Jones fan, she loves to hear from readers. You can connect with Lisa online at www.lisacarterauthor.com.
Read more from Lisa Carter
Hometown Reunion Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Under A Turquoise Sky Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Coast Guard Sweetheart Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5His Secret Daughter: A Fresh-Start Family Romance Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5A Mother's Homecoming Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Twin Bargain: A Fresh-Start Family Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Deputy's Perfect Match Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Safe Place for Christmas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bachelor's Unexpected Family Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVines of Entanglement Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Aloha Rose Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beneath a Navajo Moon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Christmas Baby: A Fresh-Start Family Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Falling for the Single Dad: A Single Dad Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Chance for the Newcomer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCoast Guard Courtship: A Fresh-Start Family Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Christmas Bargain Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStranded for the Holidays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Stronghold Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Carolina Reckoning
Related ebooks
Annie's Hope: The Village of Hope Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Fireman's Homecoming Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHer Mistletoe Protector Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Storm Warning Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSisters by Choice: A Romantic Suspense Anthology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Weddings and Wasabi Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHometown Courtship Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPuzzle House Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Following the Sparrows Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWelcome to Last Chance (A Place to Call Home Book #1): A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Undercurrent Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNorth of the Killing Hand Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Undercover Cowboy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlways Watching Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Everywhere to Hide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Man of Honor Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Targeted for Revenge Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRV There Yet?: A Women of Faith Fiction Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Small-Town Girl Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Cherish Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCommack Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Midnight on the Mississippi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Healing Heart Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lead Me Home Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Two Roads Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Pinch Runner: Wing and a Prayer Mysteries, #3 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Deadly Silence Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lost Legacy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Neighbors: A Christian Christmas Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Suffer the Little Children Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Christian Fiction For You
The Screwtape Letters: Annotated Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5That Hideous Strength: (Space Trilogy, Book Three) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Warrior of the Light: A Manual Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The End of the Affair Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Present Darkness: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Nefarious Plot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Someone Like You: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stranger in the Lifeboat Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jane Austen MEGAPACK ™: All Her Classic Works Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Pale Blue Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Piercing the Darkness: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perelandra: (Space Trilogy, Book Two) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The First Phone Call From Heaven: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Tower: And Other Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Illusion: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Lineage of Grace Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pilgrim’s Progress: Updated, Modern English. More than 100 Illustrations. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Three Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Mysteries Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Safely Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Beast as Dark as Night: The Winter Souls Series, #4 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pilgrim’s Progress (Parts 1 & 2): Updated, Modern English. More than 100 Illustrations. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Girl behind the Red Rope Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Next Person You Meet in Heaven: The Sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Oracle: The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bridge to Haven Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Carolina Reckoning
5 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After reading Lisa Carter’s latest novel, A Vast And Gracious Tide, I knew that I had to find more books by this new-to-me author. Her debut, Carolina Reckoning, is available on Audible, so I grabbed it and settled in for some great listening while taking my morning walks. I found the novel to be well-plotted romantic suspense with all the twists and turns I crave. Recommended.Carolina Reckoning begins with the murder of Alison Monaghan’s philandering pilot husband. While Alison had been prepared to confront her husband with his infidelities, she was not ready for the losses she has to face. The novel centers around her quest to find the killer of a husband she finds she really didn’t know at all. The plot progresses with assaults on Alison and her family — break-ins, shootings, etc. Her constant support comes from best friend Val and the detective who is investigating the case, Mike Barefoot. The interactions between Alison and Mike explore a burgeoning relationship that starts with suspicion and ends with something much deeper. The mystery certainly kept me guessing with the many suspects and their motives for murder, and while I had my suspicions on just whodunit, I was surprised by the reveal. The faith thread is a constant in the novel, and more than one character embarks on a journey of discovery of the love and power of God.Carolina Reckoning was a great accompaniment for my morning exercise. This romantic suspense was an engaging listen. Now to find more books by Carter.Recommended.Audience: adults.(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I've got mixed feelings about this book. We're introduced to an array of characters which makes it a bit difficult to keep all of them straight. The main characters were certainly not perfect and the detective falling in love with the newly widowed Allison wasn't a surprise and he's a bit of an oddball. It was an interesting murder mystery but there is no suspense, several times I felt parts were unbelievable and downright preposterous. I did like the twist at the end and the things Allison discovered about her dead husband, he wasn't the man she thought he was. I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/52 different friends and one beloved sister told me to just give up on this book, after much ranting. One wise friend went on to say "Life is too short to be wasting on books you can't stand". Therefore, to say that I did not like this book is a severe understatement. Between the "B.W.W.C."s (that's Before the World Went Crazy, a phrase used frequently in this book.), cheesy romances (apparently, when you become a widow, the men just come crawling out of the woodwork), a terrible love triangle (that is too immature for even juvenile fiction), stereotyping of characters (the classic creepy kid who does dirty work just to get approval from his psycho mom), cheap jabs at overweight people (dubbing characters as "hefty", for example), this book was a particular struggle for me. I hated the misconception of her daughter, Claire. She was called the "ice princess" by one of Allison's love interests, among other references to her severe personality that was not displayed in the book. Instead, she comes across as a matchmaker (by the way, what teenager is eager for their newly widowed mother to date?), problem solver, and a great chef (who is apparently responsible for all of the meal preparations). Claire's bullying severely irritated me because it was so extreme that it was unrealistic. I have never heard of (nor have my dear friends or sister that I ranted to) high school kids mocking a fellow student because their dad was shot! These characters taunt Claire by stalking her in a car and mimicking being shot in the head and dying! I understand the need to make these old friends of hers "B.W.W.C." undesirable, but that was too far. There are other characters who are villainous that mock Allison because of her former husband's wandering eye. Who DOES that? Furthermore, the obsession with coffee (Kona to be exact, the main character is a coffee connoisseur), flip-flops, double French doors, and plants was heavily present. Although I appreciate the wisdom of my friends and sister to give up on the book, I just couldn't. Something inside of me really wanted to give it a fair chance and finish. I was so excited when I received this book through Goodreads FirstReads and I did not want to be disappointed. Unfortunately, 90% of the book did disappoint me. However, for you optimists reading this, there was one redeeming factor. I did not expect who the killer turned out to be, the climax of that part was a relief. All things considered, I just really feel that if the author had taken out the overused phrases and obsessions, a lot of the details and mental chatter, and shortened it into a novella, it would have been quite an improvement. It seemed, to me anyway, to have too many concepts thrown into one book: Mystery, Romance, Civil War History, Christianity, High School Drama, Horticulture, Kona, Flip-Flops, and Stereotypes. Please note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5When I first read the synopsis for this book I was eager to read it. It sounded like an interesting story line full of twists and turns, but I found myself having a hard time getting into the story or the characters. I don't think it was necessarily the story, but due more to my personal tastes.I was provided a copy of this book through a giveaway. All opinions are my own.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Alison has had suspicions for a while that her husband Frank is cheating on her when she finds a picture of him with his arm wrapped around another woman. Unfortunately the picture does not show the woman's face and Alison is left to wonder under Frank arrives home later that night.Allison is never able to confront Frank because Frank is found murdered only a few miles away from his house. Allison soon joins forces with the lead detective of the case trying to find the murderer.I liked the characters and enjoyed seeing them evolve on their spiritual journey.I was reading through all the clues constantly second guessing myself on who I felt the real murderer was. I liked the ending and didn't feel like the romance took away from the mystery involving the murder.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Carolina Reckoning is a bit light. It's not an emotional rollercoaster and won't reach down and touch you somewhere deep in your heart - but the salvation message is there and watching both Alison and Mike learn to lean on God and trust that he truly is there for us was really nice to watch. I loved the ending - not for the romance but for the conclusion to the mystery that sorta surprised me. It wasn't the "who dun it" I thought it would be but the mystery itself and the reasons behind it were interesting. It's a perfect book for a cold blizzardy or rainy day and would make a great gift for someone who enjoys reading late at night.
Book preview
Carolina Reckoning - Lisa Carter
Carolina Reckoning
Other books by Lisa Carter
Aloha Rose (Quilts of Love series)
Carolina Reckoning
Lisa Carter
image003.jpgCarolina Reckoning
Copyright © 2013 by Lisa Carter
ISBN-13: 978-1-68299-861-8
Published by Abingdon Press, P.O. Box 801, Nashville, TN 37202
www.abingdonpress.com
Published in association with the Steve Laube Agency
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form,stored in any retrieval system, posted on any website,or transmitted in any form or by any means—digital,electronic, scanning, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations in printed reviews and articles.
The persons and events portrayed in this work of fiction are the creations of the author, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible.Copyright © 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission. www.CommonEnglishBible.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Carter, Lisa, 1964-
Carolina Reckoning / Lisa Carter.
1 online resource.
Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.
ISBN 978-1-4267-7633-5 (epub)—ISBN 978-1-4267-5797-6 (adhesive; binding; pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Self-realization in women—Fiction. 2. North Carolina—Fiction. 3. Christian fiction. I. Title.
PS3603.A77757
813'.6—dc23
2013026318
Printed in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 / 18 17 16 15 14 13
Dedication
To my mother, Carolyn Rasberry Fulghum, my strongest supporter and encourager. Her own fictional stories of adventure involving my brother and me as the main heroes carried us through many a long family trip as children and fueled the writer within me. Her life story—of courage, independence, and faith—inspired Carolina Reckoning and is a testament that God is, indeed, sufficient for every need.
To those who’ve felt abandoned and betrayed by a spouse, friend, or family member. You know who you are and so does God.
Acknowledgments
David—Thanks for being convinced, even when I wasn’t, that I was a real writer. Thanks, too, for all your technical expertise.
Corinne and Kathryn—Y’all have made mothering fun. God is writing your life story—a work in progress—and I’m loving every minute. I can’t wait to see what comes next. It’s going to be glorious.
Hope Dougherty—Thanks for being my friend and critique partner. Without you, this journey wouldn’t have been half as much fun.
And thanks to Charity Tinnin and Erynn Newman for your insight into the early drafts of Carolina Reckoning.
Tamela Hancock Murray—Thanks for your unfailing support through this process. And thanks for believing in me and never giving up on Carolina Reckoning.
Ramona Richards—Thanks for taking a chance on me and for making dreams come true. You are someone whose integrity of character and deep faith I so admire. I’m blessed to know you.
Cat Hoort, the Abingdon sales and marketing teams, Anderson Design Group (I love the cover)—Thanks for all you’ve done to make Carolina Reckoning the best that it can be.
Lynette Eason—You were the first real
author I ever knew. You were also the first to tell me Carolina Reckoning had a future. Thanks for all your advice and encouragement.
Deborah Raney and DiAnn Mills—You read my first draft and encouraged me to place Carolina Reckoning on the path to publication. Knowing you believed in me made such a difference. I want to be both of you when I grow up.
The Blue Ridge Mountain and ACFW writing communities—Because of you, I’ve learned so much, and Carolina Reckoning became possible.
Thanks to my Precepts class for your prayers and support on my writing journey. You all mean the world to me.
Readers—It is my prayer that Carolina Reckoning will glorify and inspire you to draw nearer to God, especially if your world has fallen apart. May you find God, who is ever faithful and true.
Jesus—You make all things new. Thank you for placing the dream inside my heart and bringing the dream to fruition. Thank you for second chances. Thank you for your mercy and grace. You know how badly I need them. I love you.
I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.
— Romans 8:38-39
1
October
Part of her wasn’t surprised by what she discovered in her husband’s coat pocket. In some ways, Alison felt relieved to know the truth.
Her hand tightened on the photo. She took a deep breath, the pain of betrayal stabbing at her lungs. Her chest ached with the hurt searing her heart, the effort not to fall apart overwhelming her.
But in spite of the conflicting thoughts racing through her mind, Alison relaxed her fist, smoothing the crumpled photograph of her husband, his arm around a woman in a black, old-fashioned cloche hat. She squinted in the early afternoon light, trying to make out the details. But the woman had averted her face, burying her head into Frank’s chest.
Alison didn’t think she knew this woman although it was hard to tell anything about her as she had both of her arms clasped around Frank’s waist, pinning him as effectively as a bug on the page of an insect collection.
Make that a worm collection.
She suspected this woman was one in a long line of dalliances in which Frank had indulged, carried on in cities all over the United States, thanks to his job as a pilot with North American Air, based at the Raleigh-Durham airport.
Noting a sign in the photograph, Bay Town Suites, she stalked out of the bedroom to Frank’s office. Touching the computer screen, she did a quick Internet search for the location. She wasn’t the total idiot Frank liked to believe.
Fifteen minutes later, she had her answer. The hotel was located in a seedy section of San Francisco, away from the more touristy and frequented areas Frank’s colleagues might be apt to visit.
Settling into the black leather desk chair, she tried to remember when Frank last made a run to San Francisco. A month ago, he would’ve needed the raincoat in the photo for the cool, dampness of San Fran.
How could Frank have done this to her? To their children, Claire and Justin? Anger rolled like hot, crashing waves just below the surface. She’d known something was up with Frank. He’d been less cocky, his mind preoccupied, unwilling to make eye contact, his acerbic tongue quiet for a change.
Unable to bear looking at the photo again, she tucked it into the pocket of her trousers. Restless, she made her way to the kitchen. The children would be home from school soon. Taking carrots out of the refrigerator for their snack, she caught sight of the family picture—stuck to the front of the fridge—made last summer on a Caribbean cruise.
Frank, in his favorite blue polo and khaki shorts, leaned against the ship’s rail with his arm securely around her like a big cat toying with his captured prey. She’d resisted, trying to pull out of his stronghold. Sunlight glinted off the red tints in Frank’s auburn hair. His Arctic blue eyes gazed at the camera intense and as confident as a flag on the Fourth of July. She never allowed herself to vent her anger, but the desire to strike back and punish terrified and electrified her, the violent turbulence stretching her nerves taut. She took a few deep, cleansing breaths and then a few more.
She couldn’t fall apart. She had to think. Frank wasn’t going to get away with it this time, so help her God.
If only she could believe in God at a time like this.
A key turned in the lock at the front door. Voices called.
Claire and Justin erupted into the kitchen, grappling for snacks at the counter.
As fourteen-year-old Justin stuffed a handful of baby carrots into his mouth, he came around the counter to give his mother a bone-crushing hug. She closed her eyes, smelling the lingering aromas of school, gym socks, and to her surprise, a faint trace of aftershave.
He took a seat at the kitchen island with carrots and dip beside his Algebra II book, his scuffed and worn book bag on the hardwood floor at his feet. What’s for dinner, Mom?
She rinsed her hands, wiping them with the small hand towel she kept next to the soap. Probably chicken.
She pulled out her wooden chopping block.
Claire groaned, her head falling forward on her arms. It’s always chicken.
Her hair hung long, its color the same auburn hue as Frank’s. She’d also inherited that beautiful rose complexion the Irish—or, in Frank’s case, the Boston Irish—were prone to.
Chicken is healthy.
She’d reminded Claire so many times, her response felt automatic.
Claire rolled her big blue eyes with great dramatic effect and made gagging noises.
Alison eyed her daughter. Maybe if you want more variety you should start doing some of the cooking yourself.
Claire frowned, narrowing her eyes. When’s Dad going to be home?
His flight gets in at six.
Claire flipped her hair behind her back. He’s probably tired of chicken, too.
Hitting too close for comfort, Alison turned her back on her daughter, chopping the fresh herbs she would put into the chicken recipe. Frank had been tired of a lot of things for a long time.
Better to keep the anger intact for Frank instead of unloading it on her teenage daughter. For the first time since marrying Frank, Alison questioned what she wanted to happen next. Could she summon the courage to demand her rights for once and divorce him? Should she?
Divorce was a scary word. Or, was it the thought of being alone? She’d married so young, she’d never been alone.
An image of her younger self, standing over her father’s grave, flashed through her mind. Going from her father’s house to Frank’s, she never had the opportunity to manage her own finances. She had no idea how to file an income tax return or open her own checking account. She’d never held a real job.
Your real job,
Frank would say, is to be my wife.
She couldn’t ignore this by burying her head in the sand. Was this how her dad coped for all those years with her mother’s drunken, promiscuous behavior, by pretending it, the elephant in the room, didn’t exist?
Alison clenched her jaw. Frank wasn’t getting off the hook this time. She had her children’s future to consider despite the fact she’d like to smack that smug smile right off his arrogant . . .
Gentle-natured like her dad, she walked away from a fight. Most of the time she ran.
She imagined the hurt that would scar Claire and Justin’s lives forever, like so much notepaper—once torn into pieces—never easily repaired. She fought the urge to tear the photograph into a million pieces and pretend. Like father, like daughter.
Grinding her teeth, she bore down on the knife in her hand. The pungent scent of basil filled her nostrils.
Not this time.
How much homework do you two have tonight?
She’d learned over the years not to ask if they had homework but simply how much.
Justin shook his wavy brown hair out of his eyes. About an hour’s worth of vocabulary. I hate English.
He was a boy who liked to tinker with engines and computers, not words.
Claire rolled her eyes. Tell us something we don’t know.
A tiny smile quivered on Alison’s lips, easing some of the tension. And you, Claire?
Her daughter dangled the lavender sandals on her feet as she balanced on the stool. A little English lit and history. Nothing I can’t handle. But there’s not too much I find I can’t handle.
An acrid taste filled Alison’s mouth.
Justin responded before she could, patting Claire on the head like an Irish setter. You know what they say about pride, my ever humble big sister.
What’s that, stinky little brother?
Justin laughed, walking out of the kitchen with his notebook under his arm. Pride bites the dirt the moment you trip over it and fall on your face.
She looked at her daughter. Like father, like daughter?
Not this time. Not if she could help it.
imagedeco1.jpgMike Barefoot hated grocery stores. He hated the sight of love-struck young newlyweds too besotted with each other to notice they were blocking the aisle. Grocery stores should be like his former army missions in the Gulf. Get in, target your objective, and get out.
Instead, a preschooler with a miniature-sized cart plowed over his toes. He blinked and clenched his jaw to keep from cursing.
Sorry.
The child’s mother wore an expression as overburdened as her cart. A toddler stuffed chubby fistfuls of crackers into a mouth surrounded by a none-too-clean face. The mother also lugged a prostrate infant, slung onto her back, cradleboard-style, like his Cherokee ancestors.
Tell the nice man you’re sorry for hurting him, Billy.
She shoved her one mobile offspring forward. The pint-sized cart’s back wheels ran over his other foot.
He gritted his teeth.
Billy scowled, his eyes narrowed into slits. Sorry.
Great. Give it fifteen years. He’d be arresting this one for serial murder.
Mike balanced the green wire basket over his forearm and sidestepped the freak show. All he’d wanted was a TV dinner, the one time he wanted a home-cooked meal and not takeout. Why did the store change up the products on the aisles every time he dropped by? Not that he dropped by often. Fast food was an American way of life for a reason . . . because it was fast.
He dodged a couple of college boys toting large cartons of beer to the cashier—might be wise to let Traffic be on the lookout for that particular frat party. He sidled past a Female with a smile the size of an alligator—and yes, noting those rapier-length nails, a female with a capital F. Did he have lonely and desperate
tattooed on his face? That Female was a man-eater. He’d stake his grandfather’s farm in the Blue Ridge on it.
For crying out loud, couldn’t a guy get some dinner and a little peace? After the totally uncalled for and totally unexpected public tantrum of his last so-called girlfriend—he’d forgotten to call and cancel dinner when a murder/suicide thing happened, but he’d been busy at the time—he was wise and wary now when it came to women.
A thin, liver-spotted hand tapped him on the arm. Young man?
He gazed down into the cherubic face of an elderly woman.
Would you be so kind as to hand me a can of green beans?
She gave his arm a playful squeeze. I don’t know why the manager insists on placing items so high on the shelves.
Inbred politeness—the cultural curse of the Southerner—and his granny’s former training kicked in. Yes, ma’am.
His 6’4 frame had served him well, whether on the football field or coming to the rescue of elderly ladies.
I’d be happy to help you."
His former sour mood vanished, warmth pervading his being. He could almost hear the echoes of his granny’s determined Sunday school efforts. The best way to stop feeling sorry for yourself was to help somebody else. The oneness of humanity—
The old lady rammed the can against his chest, the beatific smile erased. The French-cut beans. Are you stupid or something?
Or something,
he growled, handing her another can, French-cut this time. So much for the training of childhood. He wondered as he watched her scuttle away without so much as a backward glance—much less a thank-you—if there was anything he could charge her with.
Obstruction of a police officer on a grocery run? Disrespectful and disorderly conduct toward an officer of the law in North Carolina? Assault against a bona fide Raleigh homicide detective? The sharp metal can against his ribs had hurt.
He’d bet his granny’s prize-winning apple pie there were bodies buried in that old broad’s backyard. His stomach rumbled at the thought of pie. Where did they hide TV dinners—and pies—in this warehouse they called a grocery store? What he’d give for a slice of granny’s pie. Or a glimpse, just one more time, of her laugh-lined face.
Mike needed to go home. His real home, not the apartment where he parked his clothes. It had been way too long. He missed the rainbow quilt of rhododendrons on the mountainside. The silvery flash of trout in the stream. The haunting hoot of the owl that lived in the rafters of the barn.
No home to go back to, gone with the death of the grandparents who’d raised him. His only living relative—his niece, Brooke, whose tuition bills cluttered his home office—would be away at school until summer break.
As he yanked open the freezer door, the air-conditioning hit him in the face like a blast of ice. He reared. He’d been in morgues less chilling.
The cell phone in his front pocket vibrated. Letting the freezer door slam shut, he wiggled the phone out and scanned the number. Dispatch. With the department shorthanded, following his partner’s delivery and subsequent maternity leave, he was on call 24/7.
So much for a home-cooked dinner. So much for a quiet evening.
Murder never took a night off.
imagedeco1.jpgThe dinner hour had come and gone. Frank was still a no-show. With their homework done, baths taken, and clothes ironed and laid ready for the early alarm of high school, Justin and Claire were as tucked into bed as you could tuck teenagers.
Frank had done this before. The kids knew they’d see him when they saw him. But if he thought he could outlast her this time, Frank had another thought coming.
Alison jumped at the shrilling of the phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was Val, her best friend and confidante since college, who was never one of Frank's biggest fans. She started to pick it up, then reconsidered, letting her hand fall to her side.
She’d have to fake it or Val would know right away something was wrong. And once Val got a hold of that, she’d be like black spot on roses until Alison cracked and told her everything. She squelched the urge to pour out her soul.
Not just yet. Val might tell her something she didn’t want to hear. Like what God would want her to do.
She schooled her features into a mask of calm before she picked up the phone as if Val could see her through the telephone wires. She imagined her thirty-something friend reclining on the sofa in her den, her feet up and over the armrest, running ever-busy fingers through her crop of short brown curls, rumpling them in the process.
Ali? The house is ours!
Val gushed. We are the new owners of the two-story brick Colonial only five minutes from you.
She waited a beat too long.
What’s Frank done now?
They’d known each other far too long for secrets.
I can’t talk about it until I’ve spoken with Frank tonight, but I promise I’ll call you tomorrow.
Her voice wavered.
A silence. She used the time to get control of the sudden unexpected tears she hadn’t known were hovering on the edge of her eyelids.
If you need me or Stephen . . .
Did Val imagine that kind of thing went down over here? Frank preferred to wound with words, not fists. Words weren’t as visible
She managed a weak laugh. No worries. Nothing like that.
At the risk of your continuing scorn through every crisis of your life,
Val sighed, I only bring this up because I care.
Continuing crises, huh?
She laughed with genuine mirth this time. You make me sound like Scarlett O’Hara.
You will be in my prayers all night. If I can do anything for you . . .
Whatever works.
She replied to Val’s gentle prodding. Val never shoved her religion—correction, Val called it her relationship with Jesus Christ—in anybody’s face. Val understood all too well why Alison felt so estranged from God. Val had been the only one there with her on the worst day of her life.
You better not forget to call me when you get a chance. Remember I’m always in your corner and so is God.
Clicking the phone off, Alison wondered why everyone abandoned or betrayed her in the end. Except for Val. And Val would be the first to tell her everyone deserved a second chance.
But a sixth chance, or a twelfth?
The beginnings of a small, secret smile lurked at the corners of her lips. If Frank refused to cooperate, she would make sure the entire community knew every sordid, despicable detail of his miserable life.
She quashed the thought there might be a less brutal, wiser way to handle things.
At first, he would deny her allegations. Then, he’d rage, declaring she didn’t have the guts to go public. Frank’s problem, she reflected not for the first time, was he never knew when to quit, to leave it alone and fight another day. But she knew what moved Frank, what got him up in the morning. With a certainty grounded on Frank’s overweening pride, she had him.
And he would hate her for it.
Alison could hear Val’s gentle voice in her ear reproving her.
So what if he hated her?
Kicking off her flats, she curled up on the loveseat in the front room with its excellent view of the street. She was tired—probably what Frank was counting on—but everything that would make life worth living depended on her not giving in this time. She reviewed in her mind the events of the last few months, every put-down, every argument.
Like a soldier preparing for battle, she harnessed the tattered remains of her inner strength—whatever strength Frank hadn’t succeeded yet in slashing—gathering the few shreds of what was left of her identity.
What was there about her people found so difficult to love? All her life . . . She winced at the memory of her mother walking away, the smell of the freshly turned loamy soil lingering in the air.
If only she could be like Val. Fighting her aloneness, at this moment, she envied Val her loving God. She wished someone, anyone, would love her like that.
2
Clinging to the tire rope, balancing like the monkey her daddy claimed her to be, she crawled out of the doughnut hole of the tire swing. She raised her skinny suntanned legs up until at last, she stood on the top of the tire holding onto the rope with all her might.
She jumped straight out at him. Watch, Daddy! I can fly!
And in that split second of time, she knew she was going to fall and he wouldn’t be there to catch her. The air rushed past her face, impact seconds away.
With a small involuntary cry, Alison jerked herself awake. Disoriented, she realized she lay on a sofa in a strange room. A clock ticked.
She swung her legs over to the floor. Her heart hammering in her chest, returned to reality. Her dream. Not in Florida. Not seven anymore. Her daddy had died a long time ago. That bitter realization upon waking—time and again—never failed to rend her heart.
Here, in her home in Raleigh, she waited for . . . ? What had she been waiting for? With a rush, the events of what must now be yesterday flooded over her.
She’d fallen asleep waiting for Frank to return. She stood, too quickly for her equilibrium, and swayed, lightheaded. Her brown leather flats lay beside the sofa on the Oriental rug where she had kicked them off the night before.
A streak of pink and gold hovered at the edge of the horizon above the tree line. She glanced over at the grandmother clock in the corner. Early morning. Not yet six.
The children. She must get them up soon for school. Befuddled, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She needed coffee.
Where was Frank?
Had Frank somehow slipped past her and left her to sleep undisturbed on the sofa? Or had he come home at all?
She padded on bare feet out of the front room, through the foyer and down the hall into the kitchen to yank open the connecting door to the garage.
Alison rocked back on her heels. His black Corvette did not sit in its usual space beside her car in the garage. With all his secret assignations and late-night partying, he always came home at some point during the night.
The doorbell rang, followed by an insistent pounding. Frank had forgotten his key or, drunk again, had lost it. He’d wake the children. She didn’t want them to see him like that.
As she entered the foyer, Justin’s tousled head peeked over the banister of the landing. Someone’s at the door, Mom.
He stretched and gave a big sleepy yawn.
Claire, in her pink polka dot pajama shorts, popped up behind him. Do they know what time it is?
Anxious to divert their attention from their father, she fluttered her hand. Go back to your room. Get ready for school.
Without bothering to see if they complied, and not pausing to look first through the glass panels on either side of the massive oak door, she reached for the brass handle, throwing the door wide open.
imagedeco1.jpgMike took an involuntary step backward on the porch.
The Uniform, as he liked to refer to them, cleared his throat. Mrs. Monaghan?
A tall, painfully thin woman stood in the doorway, blinking in confusion. Whatever she expected to find on the other side of the door, it had not been policemen.
Mrs. Monaghan?
prompted the officer again.
Y . . . yes?
She swallowed, Mike noted, and licking her dry lips, tried again. Yes, I’m Mrs. Monaghan.
Fear sharpened the focus of her coffee-brown eyes. She drew a shaky hand up to her throat.
Interesting. Already dressed at this time of day, yet her attire appeared rumpled, her hair in disarray.
As if she could somehow read his thoughts or the direction of his gaze, she removed her hand from her throat, stroking down the unruly strands of her silver-blonde hair, tucking both sides behind her ears.
He also observed the toenails of her bare feet were painted the same pink as her blouse.
What’s happened?
Her voice heightened in pitch.
He perceived the quickness of her breaths in and out as if she’d just run a marathon. Having delivered bad news countless times in his career, he supposed it was never a good sign when policemen appeared on your doorstep. He remained silent. His role was observer at this point. The Uniform would handle the rest for now.
The Uniform took a small step toward Alison Monaghan. Ma’am, I’m Officer Randy Ross and this,
he gestured to Mike, is Detective Sergeant Mike Barefoot.
Her lips tightened. What’s wrong?
Officer Ross wouldn’t enjoy this any more than any other cop, but they were paid to do the unpleasant and deal with the fallout.
We have bad news for you, ma’am.
Ross wore his compassion on his face. Could we come in?
The lady opened the door wider and motioned for them to follow. A dazed expression on her face, she halted in the spacious foyer.
Ross glanced at the sofa visible in the living room. Maybe you’d like to sit first.
The woman shook her head.
It never helped to delay. Better to get it over with.
Your husband, Frank Monaghan.
Ross took a quick breath. I’m sorry to say, ma’am, he was found dead this morning.
Mike’s gaze never left Alison Monaghan’s face. He caught the split-second flicker of relief flashing across her face, followed immediately by a flush that stained her sculpted cheekbones. Guilt?
She staggered two steps away from them as if she could flee their words. Her hand groped behind her. She started a rapid descent to the floor. Ross caught hold of her arm, slowly lowering her the rest of the way.
No! You’re lying!
screamed a girl leaning over the banister at the top of the stairs.
He, Officer Ross, and Alison Monaghan jerked their heads toward her. A boy tugged her back onto the landing. Ross shot Mike a look.
Mike frowned. He’d not realized children were present. Not the way any kid should find out about their old man.
The girl collapsed to her knees, her face in her hands. The keening arising from the teenage girl sent a preternatural shiver down the spine of the usually unflappable detective.
It was a sound he’d heard once when he was a boy with his grandpa on one of their camping trips in the hollows of the Blue Ridge. Her pain, as ancient as Eve, reminded him of the wild mountain creature they’d discovered