Heather Graham - The Hexed

A place of history, secrets…and witchcraft.

Devin Lyle has recently returned to the Salem area, but her timing couldn’t be worse. Soon after she moved into the eighteenth-century cabin she inherited from her great-aunt Mina—her “crazy” great-aunt, who spoke to the dead—a woman was murdered nearby.

Craig Rockwell—known as Rocky—is a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s team of paranormal investigators. He never got over finding a friend dead in the woods. Now another body’s been found in those same woods, not far from the home of Devin Lyle. And Devin’s been led to a third body—by…a ghost?

Her discovery draws them both deeper into the case and Salem’s rich and disturbing history. Even as the danger mounts, Devin and Rocky begin to fall for each other, something the ghosts of Mina and past witches seem to approve of. But the two of them need every skill they possess to learn the truth—or Devin’s might be the next body in the woods.…

www.eHeatherGraham.com

Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham Praise Title Page Dedication Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Extract

“Graham does an amazing job of bringing real-life elements into her fiction worlds… [The] messages are subtle, expertly woven through a story that focuses on solving mysterious crimes using the Krewe members’ unique talents.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Night Is Forever (Top Pick)

“Bestseller Graham launches the third arc in her paranormal romantic suspense Krewe of Hunters series (The Unseen, etc.) with a rousing tale of the intriguing haunted town of Lily, Arizona…. Readers will enjoy Sloan and Jane’s interactions as romantic partners and competent professionals, aided by Lily’s ghosts.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Night is Watching

“Graham deftly weaves elements of mystery, the paranormal and romance into a tight plot that will keep the reader guessing at the true nature of the killer’s evil.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Unseen

“I’ve long admired Heather Graham’s storytelling ability and this book hit the mark. I couldn’t put The Unholy down.”

—Fresh Fiction

“The main characters are a great team, both professionally and romantically.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Unspoken

“Graham does a great job of blending just a bit of paranormal with real, human evil.”

—Miami Herald on Unhallowed Ground

“Graham’s narrative never lags for even a single paragraph, and her setting...is a fascinating and compelling one. The ending is a heart-stopping surprise that her fan base and reading groups will be discussing for months.”

—Bookreporter.com on The Dead Room

“Graham stands at the top of the romantic suspense category.”

—Publishers Weekly on Phantom Evil

The Hexed

Heather Graham

www.mirabooks.co.uk

To Pearl Riley and Kelly Riley

with lots of love and thanks.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A place of history, secrets…and witchcraft. Devin Lyle has recently returned to the Salem area, but her timing couldn’t be worse. Soon after she moved into the eighteenth-century cabin she inherited from her great-aunt Mina—her “crazy” great-aunt, who spoke to the dead—a woman was murdered nearby. Craig Rockwell—known as Rocky—is a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI’s team of paranormal investigators. He never got over finding a friend dead in the woods. Now another body’s been found in those same woods, not far from the home of Devin Lyle. And Devin’s been led to a third body—by…a ghost? Her discovery draws them both deeper into the case and Salem’s rich and disturbing history. Even as the danger mounts, Devin and Rocky begin to fall for each other, something the ghosts of Mina and past witches seem to approve of. But the two of them need every skill they possess to learn the truth—or Devin’s might be the next body in the woods.… www.eHeatherGraham.com

Praise Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham Praise Title Page Dedication Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Extract “Graham does an amazing job of bringing real-life elements into her fiction worlds… [The] messages are subtle, expertly woven through a story that focuses on solving mysterious crimes using the Krewe members’ unique talents.” —RT Book Reviews on The Night Is Forever (Top Pick) “Bestseller Graham launches the third arc in her paranormal romantic suspense Krewe of Hunters series (The Unseen, etc.) with a rousing tale of the intriguing haunted town of Lily, Arizona…. Readers will enjoy Sloan and Jane’s interactions as romantic partners and competent professionals, aided by Lily’s ghosts.” —Publishers Weekly on The Night is Watching “Graham deftly weaves elements of mystery, the paranormal and romance into a tight plot that will keep the reader guessing at the true nature of the killer’s evil.” —Publishers Weekly on The Unseen “I’ve long admired Heather Graham’s storytelling ability and this book hit the mark. I couldn’t put The Unholy down.” —Fresh Fiction “The main characters are a great team, both professionally and romantically.” —RT Book Reviews on The Unspoken “Graham does a great job of blending just a bit of paranormal with real, human evil.” —Miami Herald on Unhallowed Ground “Graham’s narrative never lags for even a single paragraph, and her setting...is a fascinating and compelling one. The ending is a heart-stopping surprise that her fan base and reading groups will be discussing for months.” —Bookreporter.com on The Dead Room “Graham stands at the top of the romantic suspense category.” —Publishers Weekly on Phantom Evil

Title Page The Hexed Heather Graham www.mirabooks.co.uk

Dedication To Pearl Riley and Kelly Riley with lots of love and thanks.

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Extract

Prologue

“Help me, Rocky! Help me!”

Craig Rockwell—Rocky to family and friends—was seventeen, a high school senior. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Melissa Wilson; he just wasn’t interested the way she was interested.

He rolled over restlessly on the bed, her voice—frantic as always—pushed to the background as his half-sleeping mind returned to the thoughts that had occupied him earlier as he’d drifted off over homework.

He’d been waiting to leave here as long as he could remember. He wanted to head to Boston or New York. Not that there was anything wrong with Peabody, Massachusetts. It was fine. It was filled with old houses, history and die-hard Yankees, though sometimes the people around him seemed uptight. He’d been drilled in the history of Pilgrims and Massachusetts all his life, so maybe—since many of the people in the area were descendants of the Puritans who had first settled in the state—it was natural that people here took a wicked long time to progress.