Meredith Fletcher - Vendetta

From: Delphi@oracle.org

To: C_Evans@athena.edu

Re: investigative reporter, Winter Archer

Christine,

I understand that the recent kidnappings at Athena Academy were just the first unraveling threads of a much larger web. Looking at the information you sent me, I have to agree with you. It seems Marion Gracelyn, Athena Academy’s founder, may have had a formidable enemy, one who arranged for Marion’s murder. One who is still plaguing Athena’s students and graduates.

The incidents leading up to Marion’s murder—and our current situation—are most likely buried in the past. Who better to deal with old secrets than Winter Archer? She’s uncovered older lies than these. Give her a call. Maybe her research into Marion’s life will lead us closer to our enemy.

D.

Dear Reader,

I’ve been a part of Athena Force since the beginning, so I felt really honored to write the story of Athena Academy’s matriarch, Marion Gracelyn. As you’ll discover, Marion’s story is also the story of Athena Force’s greatest enemy, a deadly female assassin who has plotted against Marion and her dreams since 1968.

To me, a veteran Athena Force author, Marion Gracelyn has always been a real person. It was like someone I’d heard a lot about and just happened to miss at critical junctures. Getting the chance to step back into 1968 and tell Marion’s story has been a blast. And I have to tell you, I regretted not being able to incorporate one of the most important things that happened that year: The ’68 Comeback Special of Elvis Presley. No one but no one wears black leather like the King of Rock and Roll!

Marion was a role model back then, one of the first female assistant district attorneys. And her love interest, Adam Gracelyn, was, as it turns out, anything but senatorial material back in his early days. They were a definite match, and I enjoyed watching them meet on opposite sides of the legal table, fall in love despite that, and take on the most dangerous killer either of them had ever faced.

Of course, we wouldn’t know about Marion’s story without the research of Athena grad Winter Archer, whose own love affair with David Gracelyn begged to be told. So there! You’re getting two love stories for the price of one. Enjoy!

Meredith Fletcher

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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maintains a healthy interest in travel and history. She’s been to the top of Pike’s Peak and to the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns. She’s seen the Reversing Falls in St. John, New Brunswick (and eaten purple seaweed) and snorkeled plane crashes in Cozumel.

She comes from a large family and loves sitting at the table while everyone shares their stories. She’s also an avid reader and movie enthusiast, enjoying every love story from Casablanca to Spider Man 3, which she firmly maintains is a love story in spite of all the trappings of superheroes.

To the intelligent and generous women who make Athena Force fly: Natashya Wilson, Tara Parsons and Stacy Boyd.

And to my fellow writers in suspense and thrills: Rachel Caine and Nancy Holder.

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

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Athena Academy

Outside Phoenix, Arizona

Now

“You don’t trust me, do you?” Winter Archer curbed the indignation she felt as she locked eyes with the tall, handsome man standing at the office window.

“It’s not my place to trust you, Miss Archer,” he replied coolly. The reply was tactful. Exactly the way Winter would expect a United States Attorney General to say it.

His name was David Gracelyn. Winter remembered him from the time she’d spent at Athena Academy. She’d been a student then, barely into her teens. He was a few years older than her, but that gap wasn’t so pronounced these days as it had been back then. Back then, four years had separated them into different worlds.

In those days David Gracelyn had been a senior at Phoenix, attending a public school at his insistence so he could play competitive baseball. His parents hadn’t been fully supportive of his decision because being in the public eye had been risky.

Marion and Adam Gracelyn had been deeply enmeshed in politics. Their work hit society pages as well as front pages of papers, and they were regularly mentioned on the nightly news. Marion had also been the driving force behind Athena Academy.

After high school, David had gone on to play baseball at college as well. Winter had read about him in the newspapers and seen occasional snippets of games on the local television news. He’d been a good player. Just not a great one.

He was lean and athletic even now. Winter was willing to bet that he worked to keep himself in shape, though not out of vanity. He’d always had that competitive edge. Although David didn’t compete against the girls who had attended Athena, he had competed with his sister, Allison. But only because Allison had unmercifully taunted him. She’d also beaten him on several occasions.

He wore his dark brown hair short and neat, well clear of the shirt collar. His brown eyes held a sadness in them that Winter couldn’t remember being there even after his mother’s death a few years ago. Winter had returned for Marion Gracelyn’s funeral, of course. Most Athena grads had, but it had been easy to get lost in the ocean of mourners that had shown up.

Now, Winter sat in one of the comfortable chairs in front of Christine Evans’s desk. The woman was the principal of Athena Academy and had been all those years ago as well. Newspaper stories about past graduates of the academy covered the walls. Christine Evans had been part of a lot of successes. Winter took quiet pleasure in seeing that at least one of those articles concerned her career.

“If you trusted me,” Winter said to David, “you wouldn’t be here.”

A trace of irritation tightened his eyes. He turned to face her more squarely, silhouetted against the window filled with bright March sunshine. He crossed his arms over his chest and forced a smile.

“I’d hardly call my presence a declaration of distrust,” David said.

“That,” Winter told him, “is because you’re not sitting where I am.”

The look of irritation tightened into a grimace. David took in a deep breath and let it out through his nose. “It’s better if we wait to discuss this matter until Christine arrives.”

“The matter that Christine called me out here for?” Winter asked. “Or the fact that you don’t trust me to do whatever it is she’s going to ask me to do?”

“All of it.” David pushed back his shirtsleeve and compared the time on his watch with the wall clock. “She should have been here by now.”