Amanda Stevens - Whispering Springs

The first secret is personal. The second one is a killer…

The trip with old friends to Whispering Springs should have been a happy reunion. Yet former army ranger Dylan Burkhart suspects there’s something darker at play. It doesn’t take long before a game of anonymous secret-telling stirs the embers of a decade-old tragedy. A time when Dylan and Ava North stole a night of passion…and one of their friends died.

Then Ava stumbles upon a written confession of murder. Unable to trust anyone else, Ava and Dylan must confront the truth of that terrible night—and their hidden attraction for each other. Now their reunion has turned into a reckoning. They must find which of their friends is a killer…and fight for their lives and their love.

“It was my choice. And for what it’s worth, it was the second-best decision I ever made.”

Now it was Ava who hesitated. “What was the first?”

“Telling you how I really felt. Laying all my cards on the table. I never had to look back with regret. I never had to wonder what-if.”

Her hackles rose in self-defense. “You assume that I have?”

“I never said that. I speak only for myself.”

The conversation was getting a little too intimate for comfort. Ava felt a sense of relief at having survived their first encounter, but now she searched for a subtle excuse to go her own way even though a part of her wanted to just stand there and stare at him forever.

She opened her mouth, but before she could utter a sound, a scream pierced the night, jangling her nerves and freezing her to the spot. For a moment, she stood in horrified silence, unable to breathe, unable to move until a second scream propelled her straight into Dylan Burkhart’s arms.

Whispering Springs

Amanda Stevens

www.millsandboon.co.uk

AMANDA STEVENS is an award-winning author of over fifty novels, including the modern gothic series The Graveyard Queen. Her books have been described as eerie and atmospheric, “a new take on the classic ghost story.” Born and raised in the rural South, she now resides in Houston, Texas, where she enjoys binge-watching, bike riding and the occasional margarita.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS

Ava North—Trapped by raging floodwaters and stalked by a ruthless killer, assistant DA Ava North teams up with a man who mysteriously disappeared from her life ten years ago.

Dylan Burkhart—A former army ranger turned security consultant, he’s been hired to protect Tony Redding from a ruthless business rival, but the killer stalking Whispering Springs has a more personal motivation.

Blair Redding—She’s invited her closest college friends to Whispering Springs for a long-overdue reunion. But the gathering is shattered when a killer issues a deadly invitation: Play the game.

Tony Redding—He’s been receiving threatening phone calls from someone he claims is a business rival. But is he the victim or instigator of a nefarious scheme?

Celeste Matthews—A vivacious redhead with a mean streak. What is her real motive for coming to the reunion…and what is her real relationship with Tony Redding?

Jane Sandoval—She’s carried a chip on her shoulder since Lily Callen’s tragic suicide on graduation weekend. Has she come to the reunion to exact her pound of flesh?

Lily Callen—Ten years ago, guilt over Lily’s suicide drove Ava North from Dylan Burkhart’s arms. Now Lily’s ghost haunts their reunion.

Noah Pickett—Whispering Springs had been in his family for generations. Now he is an employee. Does he harbor a secret resentment toward the new owner?

Sarah Rainey—An employee of Whispering Springs, she went out one evening to walk the trails and was never heard from again.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text The first secret is personal. The second one is a killer… The trip with old friends to Whispering Springs should have been a happy reunion. Yet former army ranger Dylan Burkhart suspects there’s something darker at play. It doesn’t take long before a game of anonymous secret-telling stirs the embers of a decade-old tragedy. A time when Dylan and Ava North stole a night of passion…and one of their friends died. Then Ava stumbles upon a written confession of murder. Unable to trust anyone else, Ava and Dylan must confront the truth of that terrible night—and their hidden attraction for each other. Now their reunion has turned into a reckoning. They must find which of their friends is a killer…and fight for their lives and their love.

Introduction “It was my choice. And for what it’s worth, it was the second-best decision I ever made.” Now it was Ava who hesitated. “What was the first?” “Telling you how I really felt. Laying all my cards on the table. I never had to look back with regret. I never had to wonder what-if.” Her hackles rose in self-defense. “You assume that I have?” “I never said that. I speak only for myself.” The conversation was getting a little too intimate for comfort. Ava felt a sense of relief at having survived their first encounter, but now she searched for a subtle excuse to go her own way even though a part of her wanted to just stand there and stare at him forever. She opened her mouth, but before she could utter a sound, a scream pierced the night, jangling her nerves and freezing her to the spot. For a moment, she stood in horrified silence, unable to breathe, unable to move until a second scream propelled her straight into Dylan Burkhart’s arms.

Title Page Whispering Springs Amanda Stevens www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author AMANDA STEVENS is an award-winning author of over fifty novels, including the modern gothic series The Graveyard Queen. Her books have been described as eerie and atmospheric, “a new take on the classic ghost story.” Born and raised in the rural South, she now resides in Houston, Texas, where she enjoys binge-watching, bike riding and the occasional margarita.

Cast of Characters CAST OF CHARACTERS Ava North—Trapped by raging floodwaters and stalked by a ruthless killer, assistant DA Ava North teams up with a man who mysteriously disappeared from her life ten years ago. Dylan Burkhart—A former army ranger turned security consultant, he’s been hired to protect Tony Redding from a ruthless business rival, but the killer stalking Whispering Springs has a more personal motivation. Blair Redding—She’s invited her closest college friends to Whispering Springs for a long-overdue reunion. But the gathering is shattered when a killer issues a deadly invitation: Play the game. Tony Redding—He’s been receiving threatening phone calls from someone he claims is a business rival. But is he the victim or instigator of a nefarious scheme? Celeste Matthews—A vivacious redhead with a mean streak. What is her real motive for coming to the reunion…and what is her real relationship with Tony Redding? Jane Sandoval—She’s carried a chip on her shoulder since Lily Callen’s tragic suicide on graduation weekend. Has she come to the reunion to exact her pound of flesh? Lily Callen—Ten years ago, guilt over Lily’s suicide drove Ava North from Dylan Burkhart’s arms. Now Lily’s ghost haunts their reunion. Noah Pickett—Whispering Springs had been in his family for generations. Now he is an employee. Does he harbor a secret resentment toward the new owner? Sarah Rainey—An employee of Whispering Springs, she went out one evening to walk the trails and was never heard from again.