Margaret Daley - Christmas Peril - Merry Mayhem / Yule Die

“Forsaken Canyon, a sharp, creative story by Margaret Daley, has great suspense from beginning to end.”

-RT Book Reviews

“Margaret Daley keeps readers guessing, developing the suspense gradually in this enticing novel.”

-RT Book Reviews on Vanished

“Buried Secrets, by Margaret Daley, is a fun, adventurous tale with romance blended into each scene. Don’t be deceived, however, because danger nips at Maggie’s and Zach’s feet as they try to solve this well-thought-out mystery.”

-RT Book Reviews

“Debby Giusti doesn’t pull any punches in this intriguing story that’s like a maze with no end. MIA: Missing in Atlanta is a thrilling story with a superb ending.”

–RT Book Reviews

“Plenty of suspense, a captivating mystery and fast pacing make this a great read.”

-RT Book Reviews on Protecting Her Child

“Inspirational romantic suspense at its best.”

-FreshFiction.com on Scared to Death

MARGARET DALEY

feels she has been blessed. She has been married more than thirty years to her husband, Mike, whom she met in college. He is a terrific support and her best friend. They have one son, Shaun. Margaret has been writing for many years and loves to tell a story. When she was a little girl, she would play with her dolls and make up stories about their lives. Now she writes these stories down. She especially enjoys weaving stories about families and how faith in God can sustain a person when things get tough. When she isn’t writing, she is fortunate to be a teacher for students with special needs. Margaret has taught for over twenty years and loves working with her students. She has also been a Special Olympics coach and has participated in many sports with her students.

DEBBY GIUSTI

is a medical technologist who loves working with test tubes and petri dishes almost as much as she loves to write. Growing up as an army brat, Debby met and married her husband—then a captain in the army—at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Together they traveled the world, raised three wonderful army brats of their own and have now settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where Debby spins tales of suspense that touch the heart and soul. Contact Debby through her Web site, www.DebbyGiusti.com, e-mail debby@debbygiusti.com or write c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279.

MERRY MAYHEM

Margaret Daley

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

EPILOGUE

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

YULE DIE

Debby Giusti

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

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Margaret Daley

To Aubrey with all my love

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

—Proverbs 3:5–6

Annie Coleman almost dropped the phone at her ex-boyfriend’s words, but she couldn’t. She had to keep it together for her daughter. Jayden played nearby, oblivious to the sheer terror Annie was feeling at hearing Bryan’s gasping warning. “Run. Disappear…Don’t trust anyone, especially the police.”

A scuffling noise on the other end of the phone sent her heartbeat slamming against her chest. What was going on? A swishing sound filled her ears, followed by something like a fist hitting flesh and a groan that iced her blood.

“Thought you could get away,” a gruff voice said between punches. “You haven’t finished telling me what I need to know.”

Annie panicked. What was going on? What was happening to Bryan on the other end? Confusion gripped her in a choke hold, her chest tightening with each inhalation.

“I don’t want—” Bryan’s rattling gasp punctuated the brief silence “—any money. Just let me go. I’ll—” a smack interrupted his words “—forget…everything.”

“I’m not worried about you telling a soul.” The menace in the assailant’s tone underscored his deadly intent. “Now all I need is where you hid it exactly. If you tell me now, it will be a lot less painful.”

“I can’t—” Agony laced each word.

“What’s that? A phone?”

The sounds of a struggle then a gunshot blasted her eardrum. Curses roared through the connection.

Fear paralyzed Annie in the middle of her kitchen. Was Bryan shot? Dead? she screamed silently, clutching the receiver until her fingers locked into place.

“Who’s this? Annie? Who are you?”

The assailant’s voice so clear on the phone panicked her. She slammed it down onto its cradle as though that action could sever the memories from her mind. But nothing would. Had she just heard her daughter’s father being killed? What information did Bryan have? How did that man know her name? Question after question bombarded her from all sides, but inertia held her still.

The ringing of the phone jarred her out of a trance. She zoomed in on the lighted panel on the receiver and noted the call was from Bryan’s cell. The assailant now had her home telephone number! He could discover where she lived. He knew what she’d heard.

The last time she’d talked with Bryan early this morning, he was finally paying his father a visit for the first time. What could have gone wrong with that? Why was he warning her? What was Bryan sorry about? What did he do? Why shouldn’t she trust the police? The questions started all over again, slamming one after another into her thoughts.

“Mommy, what’s wrong?”

Looking up at Jayden, Annie schooled her features into what she hoped was a calm expression while her stomach reeled. “You know I’ve been thinking, honey? We need to take a vacation. We’ve been working so hard this year. It’s time for us to have…an adventure.” Her daughter was all into having adventures, since her favorite book series was The Brandon Twins’ Escapades.

“Where?” Jayden came to her and threw her arms around Annie.

She wished she could stay forever holding her child, pretending she hadn’t heard what she had. But she couldn’t.

Annie hugged her daughter to her, then leaned back. “That’s a surprise—a Christmas surprise.” Because she wasn’t sure herself, but she couldn’t get Jayden’s father’s words out of her mind. Run. Disappear. Don’t trust anyone, especially the police. Nor would she forget the gunfire that followed.

Grief and fear swamped her. Although she and Bryan had never married and were only friends for Jayden’s sake, he’d tried to do right by his daughter in his own way. Had that led to him doing something foolish? Deadly?

“When are we going?” Jayden stepped back from Annie.

“Right now is as good a time as any. It’s Saturday. I’ll get some money and then we’ll hit the road.”

Jayden whirled from her and started across the kitchen. “Wait till Mandy hears I’m going on an adventure.”

“We don’t have time for you to call Mandy.” They might not have much time for anything. She didn’t even know where Bryan had been calling her from. “I’ll get our suitcases. Let’s see how fast we can pack. Take only your favorite things.” Although she tried to make it sound like a game, her voice quavered, and Annie curled her trembling hands until her fingernails dug into her palms.