A Face in the Shadows. Lenora Worth
Kate stood staring at her sleeping son,
her mind in turmoil over Parker being taken away by the police. She knew there was more to Parker Buchanan than he let on. But he wasn’t a murderer. Why had the police picked today, of all days, to question him?
Her son turned nine years old today. He’d been so excited about the birthday party Parker had thrown at his mansion. A big step for a man who wasn’t used to being around other people, especially children.
Even in college, Parker had been the James Dean type—part mystery, part outcast, but always intriguing. Kate had never seen the real man behind the facade.
Until recently. Until her son had won him over.
REUNION REVELATIONS: Secrets surface when old friends—and foes—get together.
Hidden in the Wall—Valerie Hansen (LIS#84) January 2008
Missing Persons—Shirlee McCoy (LIS#88) February 2008
Don’t Look Back—Margaret Daley (LIS#92) March 2008
In His Sights—Carol Steward (LIS#96) April 2008
A Face in the Shadows—Lenora Worth (LIS#100) May 2008
Final Justice—Marta Perry (LIS#104) June 2008
LENORA WORTH
has written more than thirty books, most of those for Steeple Hill. She also works freelance for a local magazine, where she has written monthly opinion columns, feature articles and social commentaries. She also wrote for five years for the local paper. Married to her high school sweetheart for thirty-two years, Lenora lives in Louisiana and has two grown children and a cat. She loves to read, take long walks and sit in her garden.
A Face in the Shadows
Lenora Worth
MILLS & BOON
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He reveals the deep things of darkness
and brings deep shadows into the light.
—Job 12:22
To Val Hansen, Shirlee McCoy, Margaret Daley,
Carol Steward and Marta Perry, my fellow
conspirators! I will always remember our time
together working on this project!
Special thanks and acknowledgment to
Lenora Worth for her contribution to the
REUNION REVELATIONS miniseries.
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
“Mr. Buchanan, you need to come down to the station with us.”
Parker Buchanan looked from the two officers standing at the front door of his house to the woman standing in shock behind him. Before he could speak, Kate Brooks pushed her way around him.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, glaring at the investigators, daring either of them to step forward.
Out in the backyard, her son’s ninth birthday party was in full swing and Parker didn’t want this to ruin Brandon’s big day. “What do you want?” he asked, his tone firm and in control in spite of the tremors pushing through his pulse.
“We just need to ask you some questions,” one of the officers answered.
Parker knew both of them. He’d gone to college with Nikki Rivers and he’d seen her partner, Jim Anderson, around town. And he knew why they were here. In fact, he’d been expecting this visit for a while now. Ever since the body of a classmate, Josie Skerritt, had been discovered a few months ago buried on the campus grounds, their entire graduating class had become suspects. Then Cassie Winters’s brother, Scott, had died mysteriously just a few months ago. Everyone who’d known either Josie or Scott had been questioned. Now, it would seem, Parker’s number was up. He glanced at Kate, thinking it made sense that their time together would have to come to an end. Wasn’t that just his luck? Whenever something good started happening in his life, the bad was soon to follow.
“Let me get my jacket and cane,” Parker said, pulling Kate back away from the door. He limped to a nearby umbrella stand and grabbed one of his many walking sticks. The one he picked up now had a scrolled silver handle. A bit of embellishment to compensate for his permanent disability.
“They can’t do this,” Kate said, turning toward him, her blue eyes full of doubt and fear. “Parker, you should call Seth, at least. You might need a lawyer.”
“I don’t have anything to hide,” he replied, memories swirling like ink spots in front of his eyes. “Look, Josie knew all of us. It’s only natural they’d want to question me again, especially since she and I were good friends.” He gave Kate a warning look, then glanced toward the officers. “I’m surprised they haven’t already called me. And I do have something that might interest them, remember?”
Kate stood back, her hands at her sides. “But…they want to take you with them—that sounds more like an arrest.” She turned toward Nikki. “Can’t you just talk to us here? C’mon inside where we can talk privately and I’ll make some coffee.”
Nikki shook her head then looked down at the planked porch floor. “Sorry, we can’t do that, Kate. We’ve been ordered to bring him in—just for questioning.”
“And we can’t go into the details,” Jim said, his tone apologetic. Then he looked back at Parker. “It shouldn’t take too long.”
Parker nodded, then tugged on his jacket. “I’ll be back soon,” he told Kate, hoping that was the truth. “Just stay here and keep the party going. Wait for me, okay?”
Kate gave a quick nod. “I’ll be right here, I promise. But what should I tell Brandon?” she asked, her blue eyes widening. “He’s going to wonder why you’re not out there with everyone?”
Parker leaned close, taking in the floral scent of her perfume. Wrapping his arms around her, he gave her a light