AN AIRLESS TOMB. AN UNSPOKEN CURSE
1898: Bound for Chicago, the freighter Jerry McGuen goes down in Lake Michigan, taking with it every man aboard. But what other fate could befall a vessel carrying the ill-gotten sarcophagus of an Egyptian sorcerer? Because a curse unspoken is no less deadly.
Now: A veteran diver and ghost ship expert is exploring the legendary wreck for a documentary. He dies inexplicably inside the freighters main saloon. Then another diver is killed and panicked rumors rise like bubbles from the lake: ancient demons have awakened below!
The expeditions beleaguered financier calls paranormal investigator Katya Sokolov to Chicago to save the filmand perhaps some innocent lives. Along with media forensics guru Will Chan, Kat plumbs the depths of an evil that may date back to the time of the Pharaohs. But some secrets are best drowned in the seas of the past.
Praise for the novels of Heather Graham
Graham wields a deftly sexy and convincing pen.
Publishers Weekly
A fast-paced and suspenseful read that will give readers chills while keeping them guessing until the end.
RT Book Reviews on Ghost Moon
If you like mixing a bit of the creepy with a dash of sinister and spine-chilling reading with your romance, be sure to read Heather Grahams latest.
Miami Herald on Unhallowed Ground
The Keepers is original and exciting. Constant tensionboth dangerous and sexualwill keep readers on the edge of their seats.
RT Book Reviews
The paranormal elements are integral to the unrelentingly suspenseful plot, the characters are likable, the romance convincing andGrahams atmospheric depiction of a lost city is especially poignant.
Booklist on Ghost Walk
Grahams rich, balanced thriller sizzles with equal parts suspense, romance and the paranormalall of it nail-biting.
Publishers Weekly on The Vision
Great writing and excellent characters make Wicked a terrific read.... The undercurrent of mystery and suspense will keep readers riveted.
Romance Reviews Today
Grahams tight plotting, her keen sense of when to reveal and when to tease...will keep fans turning the pages.
Publishers Weekly on Picture Me Dead
The Unspoken
Heather
Graham
www.mirabooks.co.uk
In loving and grateful memory of my mom, Violet, who came from Dublin to the amazing city of Chicago.
And for Aunt Amy, Katie and my Irish side of the family, especially my great-grandmother who, when watching my sister and me, would warn us that the banshees be gettin us in the outhouse if we didnt behave. (She issued this threat so well, we were teenagers before realizing we didnt have an outhouse!) Granny, however, had a touch of magic about her, and told wonderful stories. She, my mom and all those who believed in (or pretended they believed in!) banshees, leprechauns, pixies, ghosties and all else gave me my love for what might be in the darkness or in realms we have yet to discoverand for reading.
A book, they taught me, could give me a new world or adventure to explore every day of my life.
What a gift to give a child. I am grateful to them all.
A Note from the Author
Dear Reader,
The Unspoken is the latest book in a series that includes The Unseen and The Unholy. These books follow the activities of the special FBI units known as the Krewe of Hunters.
The Krewe also appears in Phantom Evil, Heart of Evil, Sacred Evil and The Evil Inside. Featuring a mix of the real and the paranormal, these books also contain strong mystery elements.
The Krewes origins lie in Adam Harrison, an elderly gentleman first seen in Haunted, who recognizes those who possess a sixth sensewhether they admit it or not. Having worked with the government several times, Adam is asked to form small and distinctive FBI units, to be sent in when traditional methods of investigation need a little boost.
The Unspoken takes the Texas Krewe away from their home state to Chicago, where a newly discovered shipwreck has taken the life of the first diver to see her since she sank at the end of the nineteenth century. But the Jerry McGuen was no ordinary ship She had carried precious cargo from Egyptincluding the mummy of an ancient Egyptian priest. Naturally, the mummy comes with a curse.
The Krewe is out to discover the truth. Can a curse be real? Can it transcend the ages? Or is it the evil in mens hearts that continues to wreak havoc throughout time?
Texas Krewe member Kat Sokolova medical examiner by tradeis sent to work the case. Shes paired with Will Chan, an original member of the Krewe of Hunters and an agent well-versed in the art of illusion. Between them, they must find out what really happened to the diverand to the shipif theyre to keep the body count from rising.
I hope youll join their investigation and enjoy the adventure!
Heather Graham
A Note from the Editor
I can truly say that Heather Graham has foundor rather, createda unique niche in contemporary romantic suspense. Her Harlequin MIRA books include mysteries, investigators with unusual abilities anddead people. Yes, ghosts. Her novels have a classic flair; after all, people have been telling ghost stories for millennia. And these books invariably feature interesting, appealing characters, intense romance thats always an integral part of the suspense plot and fascinating backgrounds.
Each of these stories is set in a great American citySan Antonio (The Unseen), Los Angeles (The Unholy), Chicago (The Unspoken) and Philadelphia (The Uninvited). Theyre all places Heather knows well and describes both appreciatively and atmospherically. And, needless to say, theyre all cities that have their share of ghosts and hauntings!
I want to point out that the books can, of course, be read independently; they definitely stand alone. But Ill bet you cant read just one! Each story focuses on a particular member or members of the Krewe, but youll also meet characters youve encountered over the course of the series.
I also want to tell you that in 2013, the Krewe will return with stories set in brand-new (that is to say, old!) American towns and cities, like Tombstone, Arizona, and Savannah, Georgia.
But right now I invite you to come to the great city of Chicago, go diving in Lake Michigan, explore a shipwreck and discover the truth about some ancient Egyptian artifactsand fall in love!
Paula Eykelhof
Executive Editor, Harlequin MIRA Books
Contents
Prologue
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
Prologue
The midnight hour
Austin Miller loved his comfortable home. Built by his grandfather in 1872, after the ravages of the Great Chicago Fire of October 10, 1871, it had the graceand even opulenceof the mid-Victorian era. The staircase was carpeted in deep crimson, a shade picked up in the period furniture. Swirling drapes in black and cream adorned the parlor, and the windows were etched glass. He had changed little since his grandfathers day.
It boasted a true gentlemans den with bookshelves that lined the walls, filled with wonderful tomes, old and new. It also boasted some of his fabulous collections, the most impressive of which was his collection of Egyptian artifacts. They were legally obtained, since Austins grandfather had been on the dig when Tuts tomb was discovered; he had lived much of his life prowling the sands of the Sahara in pursuit of discoveries. Canopic jars were kept in a temperature-controlled display case, along with funerary statuettes that were gilded and bejeweled. A real sarcophagusthat of a kings illegitimate son, of little import to Egyptians at the timestood open in a corner of the room. It had been arranged in a display case of its own, built by his grandfather in the mid-1930s. Hed exhibited his collection of mummified snakes and cats behind glass, as well. On one side of Austins beautiful desk was an exquisitely crafted statue of the god Horus, adorned with gold paint and fine jewels. On the other side was a carafe, where he kept his finest brandy and glasses for when the need arose.
Yes, Austin loved his den. He held his most important meetings here, with business associates and with fellow members of the Egyptian Sand Diggers, the Society of Chicago and scholars who loved and appreciated all things Egyptian.
He felt the need for a brandy arise at that moment. Tonight, he was happy. So happy. After more than a century of being at the bottom of Lake Michigan and her shifting sands, the Jerry McGuen might well be on her way to twenty-first-century discovery!
He knew he should go to sleep. His doctor had warned him that he had to rest and that he had to avoid sleeping aids, that he needed to take his heart and blood pressure medications and stick to a healthful regimen. He was, after all, eighty-three years old.
But
They were on the brink of knowledge. Nothing had hit the papers yet, but come morning, divers and documentarians would, at long last, discover the Jerry McGuen.
And, with the ship, untold treasure.
His cat, Bastet, a beautifully marked Egyptian Mau, also seemed restless that night. Bastet meowed and sidled along his leg.
Tomorrow, Bastet, tomorrow! He had changed for bed and wore his pajamas and a smoking robe, although hed long ago given up the cigars hed once enjoyed so much.
But a little brandy wasnt a bad thing.
He poured himself a snifter and rolled the tawny liquor against the sides of the glass, smelled it and finally sipped. He let out a soft sigh. Tomorrow, Bastet, tomorrow, he said again.
But the cat leaped atop his desk with a screech that was frightening.
Bastet! He frowned. He tried to stroke the cat, but Bastet vaulted from the desk and disappeared behind the standing sarcophagus. What could be bothering the creature? Mrs. Hodgkins, his housekeeper, was long gone for the day.
The massive grandfather clock behind him began to toll the midnight hour.
He swallowed another sip of his brandy.
A cool breeze blew from the patio beyond the den; the curtains wafted.
The clock chimed three times, four, five.
And then
He saw it. Moving in from the patio.
He sat completely still and blinked. He had to be seeing things. But, as if compelled by his vision, he rose, swallowing down the rest of the brandy. He wanted to scream. He couldnt scream, but somewhere in his mind he knew that even if he could, no one would hear.
The clocked chimed six times, seven, eight.
It was comingcomingcoming for him.
His heart! Instinctively, he clutched his chest and felt the thundering of his heart. He groped in his pocket for his nitroglycerin pills, but just as he reached them, it reached him. The pills were knocked from his hand.
The clock chimed nine times, ten, eleven.
He felt as if hed been struck by a sledgehammer. The pain was overwhelming. The thing before him was enveloped in the black of his vision.
The clock chimed the hour of midnight.
And he fell down dead.
The wee hours
Kat Sokolov slept deeply, and in that sleep, she dreamed. It was a lovely dream. She was sailing somewhere. She stood on the deck looking out at the darkness of the water and watched the stunning display in the sky overhead. The moon was full, but clouds drifted in and out, and the world seemed beautiful.
She listened to the music from the ships grand salon, where someone was playing a Viennese waltz. Attracted to the sweet sound of the music, she turned. She wore a gown as elegant as those she saw around her. Silk and velvet, it swept gracefully as she moved. There was a celebration going on, and she could hear delighted laughter along with the enchanting strains from the piano. At the doors to the grand salon, she felt the breeze and pulled her fur stole more closely around her shoulders. It couldnt be about to snow! The moon had been too bright, too visible. The breeze had seemed so gentle.
But now it touched her like a blast of ice. When she opened the door to the salon, she felt the wind snatch it from her. It banged hard against the wall, and she was embarrassed for losing it and creating such an awful sound. But before she could apologize to anyone, the ship suddenly pitched and rolled. Glass shattered; people screamed. She thought she heard the blast of a horn, or a high, loud whistle. Then people were shouting, screaming. A voice of authority boomed out, warning people that a storm had come in, that they needed to go to their cabins immediately.
A couple pushed past Kat as if she wasnt even there. Its cursed! The ship is cursed! the man said to the young woman at his side. Oh, God! What they should do is cast out the cargo, clear us of the curse!
Youre scaring me! the young woman cried.
Im so sorry, my darling! the man said.
Then the woman seemed to see her. She looked at her with wide, desperate eyes. Its the curse, she said. Its the curse!
No, no, its a storm, thats all, Kat heard herself say reassuringly. She smiled at the young woman. But then she turned. There appeared to be something out on the water. Something huge coming toward them.
She felt another blast of cold. Wet cold. The lovely night had become treacherous. It wasnt snow rushing at her; it was ice. They had sailed into an ice storm.
And still, that thing was out there, mammoth, a dark shadow that couldnt quite take shape because of the raging elements.