Debra Webb - Dark Whispers

A chilling new spin-off series from USA TODAY bestselling author Debra Webb sure to keep you up all night...

Former homicide detective Clint Hayes has his first client as a private investigator: a fragile beauty he isn’t sure he can trust. An injury has left Natalie Drummond with gaps in her memory, and she sees and hears things that aren’t there. But she’s sure she shot an intruder in her Birmingham mansion. So where’s the body, the gun, the evidence? When it’s clear someone is trying to kill his vulnerable client, Clint appoints himself her protector, working overtime not to fall for her. But someone is dead set that Natalie never regains her memories—or makes new ones with Clint.

“You really do think someone wants to harm me?” Natalie asked. “That it’s not my imagination?”

“Isn’t that why you hired me?” Clint asked.

She stared into Clint’s dark eyes and pressed a hand over her mouth to hide the way her lips trembled. Yes. But why would anyone want to harm her?

Those dark whispers she had tried so hard to close out just before she drifted off to sleep each night these past eight or so weeks nudged her now, echoing deep in her mind. She closed her eyes and let them come. Laughter, soft, feminine... Then the raised voices—a man and a woman. Was it a real memory? Something from before her fall? Something from childhood?

She waited until Clint had parked in front of her home to say, “I don’t intend to stay holed up in this house. I can’t...do that.”

He put his hand on her arm. “Wherever you go, I go.”

Dear Reader,

I am so pleased to bring you Dark Whispers, a new beginning for my Faces of Evil series for Harlequin Intrigue. The characters are very close to my heart, and I am certain you will enjoy following former FBI profiler Jess Harris Burnett as her private investigation agency reveals evil that lurks behind the seemingly ordinary. Next month be sure to look for Still Waters. And there will be more to come!

Harlequin Intrigue has been my home for nearly two decades and I am so excited to continue being a part of this amazing family. So many of you write to me and I appreciate every letter! Keep them coming. Along with the Faces of Evil series, Harlequin Intrigue and I will be bringing you more Colby Agency stories in the future. Look for Colby Agency: The Next Generation soon! It’s hard to believe but Victoria’s granddaughter, Jamie, is all grown up and ready to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps.

I have more exciting news. My new most chilling series yet, Shades of Death from MIRA Books, is coming in the spring of 2017, starting with No Darker Place. But be sure to pick up the ebook prequel, The Blackest Crimson, to get the terrifying backstory.

You can follow me at www.debrawebb.comand sign up for my newsletter for news about my latest releases.

Best,

Deb

Dark Whispers

Debra Webb

www.millsandboon.co.uk

DEBRA WEBBis the award-winning USA TODAY bestselling author of more than one hundred novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil , the Colby Agency and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to childhood on a farm in Alabama. Visit Debra at www.debrawebb.com.

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Cast of Characters

Clint Hayes—A former homicide detective and the most experienced investigator on Jess’s new team. Clint is certain he can help Natalie, but he has a few dark secrets of his own.

Natalie Drummond—Natalie suffered a traumatic brain injury two years ago and now she’s trying to get her life back together…only dark whispers and equally dark secrets from the past keep haunting her.

Jess Harris Burnett—Former FBI profiler and deputy chief of major crimes. Jess has joined forces with her old friend Buddy Corlew in a private investigation agency in an effort to help victims of crimes the police can’t always resolve.

April Drummond Keating—Natalie’s sister wants to help, but is she hiding too many secrets of her own?

David Keating—Natalie’s brother-in-law is far too focused on running for office to worry that she might be in danger.

Heath Drummond—Natalie fears her brother believes she might be losing her mind.

Vince Farago—He was supposed to be Natalie’s friend, but was he really only out to get ahead of her at the firm?

Mike Beckett—How long has he been watching Natalie, and for whom?

Art Rosen—The partner at the firm Natalie considered a friend and mentor. Was she wrong all those years?

Lori Wells, Chet Harper, Chad Cook—Detectives from Jess’s former major crimes team who give her a hand whenever the need arises.

Dan Burnett—Birmingham’s chief of police and Jess’s husband.

I have met many people in this life but few have proved to be so dear to me as the wonderful Marijane Diodati. Thank you, my friend, for caring so very much for me and for my stories.

I will cherish you always.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Cast of Characters

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

4th Avenue North

Birmingham, Alabama

Monday, September 19, 3:30 p.m.

Former Deputy Chief Jess Harris Burnett repositioned the nameplate on the new old desk in the center of her small office. A matching credenza stood against the wall beneath the window. She had a nice view of the street, unlike her partner whose office window overlooked the not-so-attractive alley at the back of their downtown historic building. She’d offered to toss a coin, but he’d insisted she take the nicer view. Buddy Corlew, her old friend turned business partner, actually preferred the office with the potential backdoor escape route. He boasted that he’d worked sufficient cheating spouse cases to appreciate the option of a hasty retreat.

Jess sighed as she surveyed her new office space. A couple of bookcases lined the wall to the right of her desk, while framed accomplishments and accolades dotted the left. Her new office didn’t look half bad now that everything was in place. The lingering doubt about the big career change was gone for the most part as were the rumors in the media and even in the department. The people she cared about understood and supported her reasons for change. Though she missed her major crimes team and, to some degree, working in the field, family and friends were what mattered most to her now.

Her closest friends, Detective Lori Wells and Dr. Sylvia Baron, had helped Jess with the decorating as well as the furnishing of the offices. Since the building was one of Birmingham’s oldest, they had chosen to go with a casual vintage decor. Jess arranged the two mismatched chairs in front of her desk and stood back to have a look. “Not bad at all.”