Maggie Shayne - Innocent Prey

To save innocent lives, they’ll have to risk their own.

Self-help superstar Rachel de Luca and Detective Mason Brown have finally given in to their overwhelming attraction to each other, but neither of them is ready to let physical passion turn into full-blown romance, so they carefully maintain an emotional distance. Then a judge’s daughter disappears, and Mason has a terrible sense that it’s connected to the most recent case they solved together: the abduction of Rachel’s assistant.

The discovery of a string of missing women—all young, all troubled—seems like a promising lead. But there’s no clear connection between the missing girls and the high-profile young woman Mason is trying to find. He realizes that once again he’ll have to rely on his own well-honed instincts and Rachel’s uncanny capacity to see through people’s lies in order to catch a predator and rescue his captives. But can they do it before Rachel becomes his next victim?

www.MaggieShayne.com

Praise for the novels of Maggie Shayne Praise Booklist Title Page Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Copyright

“A tasty, tension-packed read.”

—Publishers Weekly on Thicker Than Water

“Tense…frightening…a page-turner in the best sense.”

—RT Book Reviews on Colder Than Ice

“Mystery and danger abound in Darker than Midnight,

a fast-paced, chilling thrill read that will keep readers turning the pages long after bedtime….

Suspense, mystery, danger and passion—

no one does them better than Maggie Shayne.”

—Romance Reviews Today on Darker than Midnight

[winner of a Perfect 10 award]

“Maggie Shayne is better than chocolate.

She satisfies every wicked craving.”

—New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Forster

“Shayne’s haunting tale is intricately woven… A moving mix of

high suspense and romance, this haunting Halloween thriller

will propel readers to bolt their doors at night.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Gingerbread Man

“[A] gripping story of small-town secrets. The suspense will

keep you guessing. The characters will steal your heart.”

—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner on

The Gingerbread Man

“[Kiss of the Shadow Man is] a crackerjack novel of romantic suspense.”

—RT Book Reviews

“Shayne crafts a convincing world, tweaking vampire legends

just enough to draw fresh blood.”

—Publishers Weekly on Demon’s Kiss

“This story will have readers on the edge of their seats

and begging for more.”

—RT Book Reviews on Twilight Fulfilled

Also by Maggie Shayne Booklist Title Page Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Copyright

Brown and De Luca Novels

WAKE TO DARKNESS

SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON

The Portal

BLOOD OF THE SORCERESS

DAUGHTER OF THE SPELLCASTER

MARK OF THE WITCH

Secrets of Shadow Falls

KISS ME, KILL ME

KILL ME AGAIN

KILLING ME SOFTLY

Bloodline

ANGEL’S PAIN

LOVER’S BITE

DEMON’S KISS

Wings in the Night

BLUE TWILIGHT

BEFORE BLUE TWILIGHT

EDGE OF TWILIGHT

RUN FROM TWILIGHT

EMBRACE THE TWILIGHT

TWILIGHT HUNGER

TWILIGHT VOWS

BORN IN TWILIGHT

BEYOND TWILIGHT

TWILIGHT ILLUSIONS

TWILIGHT MEMORIES

TWILIGHT PHANTASIES

DARKER THAN MIDNIGHT

COLDER THAN ICE

THICKER THAN WATER

Look for Maggie Shayne’s next novel

DEADLY OBSESSION

available soon from Harlequin MIRA

Innocent Prey

Maggie Shayne

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text To save innocent lives, they’ll have to risk their own. Self-help superstar Rachel de Luca and Detective Mason Brown have finally given in to their overwhelming attraction to each other, but neither of them is ready to let physical passion turn into full-blown romance, so they carefully maintain an emotional distance. Then a judge’s daughter disappears, and Mason has a terrible sense that it’s connected to the most recent case they solved together: the abduction of Rachel’s assistant. The discovery of a string of missing women—all young, all troubled—seems like a promising lead. But there’s no clear connection between the missing girls and the high-profile young woman Mason is trying to find. He realizes that once again he’ll have to rely on his own well-honed instincts and Rachel’s uncanny capacity to see through people’s lies in order to catch a predator and rescue his captives. But can they do it before Rachel becomes his next victim? www.MaggieShayne.com

Praise Praise for the novels of Maggie Shayne Praise Booklist Title Page Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Copyright “A tasty, tension-packed read.” —Publishers Weekly on Thicker Than Water “Tense…frightening…a page-turner in the best sense.” —RT Book Reviews on Colder Than Ice “Mystery and danger abound in Darker than Midnight, a fast-paced, chilling thrill read that will keep readers turning the pages long after bedtime…. Suspense, mystery, danger and passion— no one does them better than Maggie Shayne.” —Romance Reviews Today on Darker than Midnight [winner of a Perfect 10 award] “Maggie Shayne is better than chocolate. She satisfies every wicked craving.” —New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Forster “Shayne’s haunting tale is intricately woven… A moving mix of high suspense and romance, this haunting Halloween thriller will propel readers to bolt their doors at night.” —Publishers Weekly on The Gingerbread Man “[A] gripping story of small-town secrets. The suspense will keep you guessing. The characters will steal your heart.” —New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner on The Gingerbread Man “[Kiss of the Shadow Man is] a crackerjack novel of romantic suspense.” —RT Book Reviews “Shayne crafts a convincing world, tweaking vampire legends just enough to draw fresh blood.” —Publishers Weekly on Demon’s Kiss “This story will have readers on the edge of their seats and begging for more.” —RT Book Reviews on Twilight Fulfilled

Booklist Also by Maggie Shayne Booklist Title Page Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Epilogue Copyright Brown and De Luca Novels WAKE TO DARKNESS SLEEP WITH THE LIGHTS ON The Portal BLOOD OF THE SORCERESS DAUGHTER OF THE SPELLCASTER MARK OF THE WITCH Secrets of Shadow Falls KISS ME, KILL ME KILL ME AGAIN KILLING ME SOFTLY Bloodline ANGEL’S PAIN LOVER’S BITE DEMON’S KISS Wings in the Night BLUE TWILIGHT BEFORE BLUE TWILIGHT EDGE OF TWILIGHT RUN FROM TWILIGHT EMBRACE THE TWILIGHT TWILIGHT HUNGER TWILIGHT VOWS BORN IN TWILIGHT BEYOND TWILIGHT TWILIGHT ILLUSIONS TWILIGHT MEMORIES TWILIGHT PHANTASIES DARKER THAN MIDNIGHT COLDER THAN ICE THICKER THAN WATER Look for Maggie Shayne’s next novel DEADLY OBSESSION available soon from Harlequin MIRA

Title Page Innocent Prey Maggie Shayne www.mirabooks.co.uk

Prologue

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Epilogue

Copyright

Prologue

Near Taos, New Mexico

Halle didn’t think he knew—until he held out the test-kit wand and pointed firmly at the bucket in the corner that had been her only toilet for the past ten months.

Ten months, as near as she could figure. It must be getting close to her nineteenth birthday, and she had no reason to think she wouldn’t still be here for her twentieth. She hadn’t kept track of the days until after the first week or so, when she’d realized he was going to keep her alive, at least for a while. She’d never expected that she might be rescued. There was no one to come and save her, no one even to notice she was gone. The first time she woke up and was almost unable to remember what day it was, she knew she was going to have to start marking time somehow. Now she kept track of the days in the dust way underneath the bed. He couldn’t wriggle under that far even if he wanted to, the fat fucking pig.