The Sound of Secrets. Irene Brand
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“Mick invites me to church every week. When we clear up this newest case, I’m going to surprise him and go,” Drew said.
Rissa beamed in his direction. “That will make me very happy.” She stood and started toward him. He met her halfway, and she gave him both of her hands.
He pulled her into a brief embrace, and Rissa relaxed and enjoyed the closeness of him. Being held in his arms made her feel secure and safe. It was the kind of caress she would have given to anyone who had rededicated his life to God. But she knew it signaled something more. She not only found security in Drew’s arms, but peace as well. Was she ready for what was developing between them?
THE SECRETS OF STONELEY:
Six sisters face murder, mayhem and mystery while unraveling the past.
FATAL IMAGE—Lenora Worth (LIS#38)
LITTLE GIRL LOST—Shirlee McCoy (LIS#40)
BELOVED ENEMY—Terri Reed (LIS#44)
THE SOUND OF SECRETS—Irene Brand (LIS#48)
DEADLY PAYOFF—Valerie Hansen (LIS#52)
WHERE TRUTH LIES—Lynn Bulock (LIS#56)
MILLS & BOON
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IRENE BRAND
Writing has been a lifelong interest of this author, who says that she started her first novel when she was eleven years old and hasn’t finished it yet. However, since 1984 she’s published more than thirty contemporary and historical novels and three nonfiction titles. She started writing professionally in 1977 after she completed her master’s degree in history at Marshall University. Irene taught in secondary public schools for twenty-three years, but retired in 1989 to devote herself to writing.
Consistent involvement in the activities of her local church has been a source of inspiration for Irene’s work. Traveling with her husband, Rod, to all fifty states and to thirty-two foreign countries has also inspired her writing. Irene is grateful to the many readers who have written to say that her inspiring stories and compelling portrayals of characters with strong faith have made a positive impression on their lives. You can write to her at P.O. Box 2770, Southside, WV 25187 or visit her Web site at www.irenebrand.com.
Irene Brand
The Sound of Secrets
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Irene Brand for her contribution to THE SECRETS OF STONELEY miniseries.
“Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
—Psalms 91:9–12
I want to dedicate this book to the five
other authors with whom I’ve worked on
THE SECRETS OF STONELEY
continuity series—Lynn Bulock, Shirlee McCoy,
Lenora Worth, Terri Reed and Valerie Hansen.
It’s been a pleasure to work with them.
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
PROLOGUE
Illuminated by the faint light of a half moon, Blanchard Manor resembled a phantom house. Swept inland by a brisk wind from the turbulent Atlantic, thick fog shrouded the stately mansion with wispy white tendrils. The faint scent of seaweed blended with the pungent fragrance of spruce trees. It was a peaceful night and quietness reigned on the promontory. Presumably the inhabitants of the mansion had long since gone to bed.
A man stealthily opened a side door of the mansion. He paused briefly to survey the moonlit scene before he strode purposefully toward the gazebo at the edge of the manicured lawn. Stopping once, he looked upward at the house, wondering if his daughters were sleeping. He climbed the steps into the gazebo, questioning how long he would have to wait. Not long, he thought. His expected visitor wouldn’t be late when her financial future hung in the balance.
A figure, swathed in a hooded raincoat, approached the gazebo and hesitated in the shadow of an ancient, sprawling maple tree before entering the small, wooden structure. Soon the wheedling tones of the woman were muffled by the man’s strident, angry voice.
The argument intensified, and two faces appeared at a window in the mansion. Kneeling with their arms folded on the sill, the sisters strained their eyes to discover the identity of their father’s mysterious visitor. Finally, Ronald Blanchard’s voice rang out loud and clear in the stillness of the night.
“If you ever darken my doorstep again, I’ll have you killed.”
A shaft of moonlight swept across the lawn and highlighted the figure of a tall, powerfully built man with his hand lifted as though to strike the woman. Was he holding a knife? A cloud covered the moon and the gazebo was again plunged into darkness.
The man stormed angrily across the lawn and disappeared into the house, but what had happened to the visitor? A door slammed downstairs, leaving the two sisters alarmed and troubled. They returned to their beds, but not to sleep. Would there ever be an end to the troubles that plagued the Blanchard family?
ONE
With misgiving, Nerissa Blanchard strapped two bags on the luggage carrier and looked longingly around her trendy apartment. How she dreaded the upcoming visit to her family’s home in Stoneley, Maine! It wasn’t as if she’d been away for a long time. She had made two quick trips to Blanchard Manor in the past two months.
Since moving to New York City four years ago, the days that Rissa spent away from the exciting metropolis felt as barren as if she’d been stranded on a desert island. And this trip was also unwelcome because Rissa definitely didn’t want to be involved in her twin’s wedding.
But what