Barbara Warren - Dangerous Inheritance

SHADOWS OF THE PAST

Though Macy Douglas remembers nothing from the night of her mother’s murder, she’s determined to prove her father’s innocence in the crime. But she soon finds that returning to her childhood home and digging up her family’s past is a surefire way to attract enemies—and a killer that’s still at large. Now only handsome local cop Nick Baldwin can safeguard her—even if that means disobeying direct orders and risking his job. His boss might not think Macy’s in harm’s way, but Nick’s suspicions are soon confirmed when an assailant breaks into her house. Nick tries to trigger Macy’s memories for clues…but someone will do anything to ensure that the past remains forgotten.

“He said to get out while I could…if I wanted to live.”

Nick choked, sputtering his soft drink over the table. He grabbed a napkin to clean up the mess he’d made, stunned at what he’d heard. “He said what?”

Macy repeated the threat, looking lost, while Nick stared at her. What was going on here? Someone threatened to kill her if she stayed in this house. So what was hidden here that someone wanted bad enough to pull something like this? Or was it someone who wanted to get her out of town before she found out something better left secret?

He wanted to reach across the table and take her hand, tell her it would be all right, but she’d know he was lying. Nothing would be all right until they found out the truth about Megan Douglas’s death and learned for certain who had killed her. Most important, he had to find the jerk harassing Macy before this situation turned deadly.

BARBARA WARREN started making up stories when she was young. When she grew older, she began working on her dream of becoming a real writer. Now writing is an important part of her life and she tries to make time for it almost every day. Barbara lives in the rural Ozarks with her husband. You can learn more about her at her website, barbarawarrenbluemountainedit.com, or on Facebook.

Dangerous Inheritance

Barbara Warren

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies,

and Thy right hand shall save me.

—Psalms 138:7

Dedicated to Mary Lowe, Carol Parscale, Randi Perry, Ronica Stramel and Alice Leverich, my critique group, and to my agent, Terry Burns, who works so hard for me. And a special thank-you to Tina James and Emily Krupin at Love Inspired Suspense for being so helpful and so easy to work with. I appreciate you very much.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text SHADOWS OF THE PAST Though Macy Douglas remembers nothing from the night of her mother’s murder, she’s determined to prove her father’s innocence in the crime. But she soon finds that returning to her childhood home and digging up her family’s past is a surefire way to attract enemies—and a killer that’s still at large. Now only handsome local cop Nick Baldwin can safeguard her—even if that means disobeying direct orders and risking his job. His boss might not think Macy’s in harm’s way, but Nick’s suspicions are soon confirmed when an assailant breaks into her house. Nick tries to trigger Macy’s memories for clues…but someone will do anything to ensure that the past remains forgotten.

Introduction “He said to get out while I could…if I wanted to live.” Nick choked, sputtering his soft drink over the table. He grabbed a napkin to clean up the mess he’d made, stunned at what he’d heard. “He said what?” Macy repeated the threat, looking lost, while Nick stared at her. What was going on here? Someone threatened to kill her if she stayed in this house. So what was hidden here that someone wanted bad enough to pull something like this? Or was it someone who wanted to get her out of town before she found out something better left secret? He wanted to reach across the table and take her hand, tell her it would be all right, but she’d know he was lying. Nothing would be all right until they found out the truth about Megan Douglas’s death and learned for certain who had killed her. Most important, he had to find the jerk harassing Macy before this situation turned deadly.

About the Author BARBARA WARREN started making up stories when she was young. When she grew older, she began working on her dream of becoming a real writer. Now writing is an important part of her life and she tries to make time for it almost every day. Barbara lives in the rural Ozarks with her husband. You can learn more about her at her website, barbarawarrenbluemountainedit.com , or on Facebook.

Title Page Dangerous Inheritance Barbara Warren www.millsandboon.co.uk

Praise Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me. —Psalms 138:7

Dedication Dedicated to Mary Lowe, Carol Parscale, Randi Perry, Ronica Stramel and Alice Leverich, my critique group, and to my agent, Terry Burns, who works so hard for me. And a special thank-you to Tina James and Emily Krupin at Love Inspired Suspense for being so helpful and so easy to work with. I appreciate you very much.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

A car drove by and turned the corner, but Macy Douglas ignored it. All her attention was centered on her grandmother Lassiter’s house—the house where her mother had been brutally murdered—the house where her father had been arrested as the killer. The house she couldn’t remember, even though she had apparently lived here the first seven years of her life. Dark and forbidding, and at least two stories tall, it sat back from the street on a large lot. She hadn’t realized the house would be this big—or this intimidating.

Lightning flared. A gust of wind rattled the branches overhead like dry bones. She shot a glance upward before giving herself a mental shake. Enough of this. She had to stop being such a coward. It was just a house, the house a grandmother she couldn’t remember had left to her.

It was hers...and she didn’t want it.

Didn’t want the secrets hiding behind that innocent-looking facade. Secrets better left dormant behind the barrier her mind had erected, protecting her from the horror of that night.

She stared up at the rounded turret of the old Queen Anne house. What had really happened here? In spite of her resolve to learn the truth, did she really want to know? Would the knowledge destroy all she wanted to believe about her father?

When Grandmother Douglas lay dying she had gasped out “the box.” When Macy found the metal box with information about her father’s death in prison, there had also been a letter telling her not to come here, that it would be dangerous. But she had come because she needed to know the truth about her family—the truth about what had happened in this house.