Lady Killer - Kathleen Creighton

Kathleen Creighton

Lady Killer

The fifth book in the Taken series, 2009

Dear Reader,

I hope youre enjoying the series THE TAKEN, which tells of Secret Agent Sam hero Cory Pearsons search for his lost siblings. When I wrote my introductory letter for the series, I mentioned that it had personal meaning for me. Now, I can tell you of an amazing thing that has happened in my life. During the writing of this book, I made contact with my own lost siblings. Life is a series of miracles, isnt it?

Lady Killer is the third book in the series. The first two books were Corys brothers stories. In this book and the next-the fourth and final chapter coming next month-its the girls turn: twin sisters, separated not only from the brothers they never knew, but, thanks to unspeakable events in their childhood, from each other. Come with us now and share their journey as they struggle to overcome great odds and find lasting love, and at the same time rediscover each other and the brothers lost so many years ago

Enjoy!

Kathleen Creighton

Prologue

In a house on the shores of a small lake somewhere in South Carolina

Pounding-thats always the first thing. Someone-my father-is banging on the door. Bangingpoundingwith his fists, feet, I dont know. Trying to break it down.

Andwhere are you?

Im in a bedroom, I think. I dont remember which one. I have the little ones with me. Its my job to look after them when my father is having one of hisspells. I have to keep them out of his way. Keep them safe. Ive taken them into the bedroom, and Ive locked the door, exceptI dont trust the lock, so Ive wedged a chair under the handle, like my mom showed me. Onlynow Im afraidterrified even that wont be enough. I can hear the wood splinteringbreaking. I know it will only take a few more blows and hell be through. My mother is screamingcrying. I hold on to the little onesI have my arms around them, and theyre all trembling. The twins, the little girls, are sobbing and crying, Mama, Mama but the boys just cry quietly.

I hear sirensmore sirens, getting louder and louder, until it seems theyre coming right into the room, and theres lots of people shoutingand all of a sudden the pounding stops. Theres a momentseveral minuteswhen all I hear is the little ones whimperingand then theres a loud bang, so loud we-the children and I-all jump. We hold each other tighter, and theres another bang, and we flinch again, and then theres just confusionvoices shoutingfootsteps runningglass breakingthe little ones cryingand I think I might be crying, too

He discovered he was crying, but he also knew it was all right. He was all right. Sam, his wife, was holding him tightly, cradling his head against her breasts, and her hands were gentle as they wiped the tears from his face.

Im going to find them, Sam. My brothers and sisters. I have to find them.

Samantha felt warm moisture seep between her lashes. Of course, you do. She lifted her head and took her husbands face between her hands and smiled fiercely at him through her tears. Well find them together, Pearse, she whispered. Well find them. I promise you we will.

Chapter 1

The black SUV was parked just off the main road on the rocky dirt track that ran around the back side of Brookes twenty-five acres. Not far enough off the road to be hidden by the live oaks that grew thickly there, so she couldnt help but see it as she slowed for her driveway a hundred yards farther on. She didnt need to see the license plate to know who the SUV belonged to, and the knowledge sent a shock wave of fury through her. There could be only one reason for that car being parked where it was.

Duncan was spying on her.

The cold, clutching feeling in her stomach was one shed come to know well in the months since Duncan had filed for custody of Daniel. Although the divorce had been no picnic, shed never been afraid, not then. Only relieved. But that had been before shed had to consider the unthinkable: the possibility that she could lose Daniel.

I cant lose Daniel. Duncan Grant is not taking my son.

She wouldnt have thought such a thing could happen, never in a million years. She was a good mother. She owned her own ranch-twenty-five acres worth, tiny by Texas standards, but at least it was paid for-and thanks to the untimely death of her parents in a freeway pileup two years ago, she was also independently well-off. But this was still a good ol boys county, and Duncan being a deputy sheriff, he had powerful allies. And now, thanks to that idiot at the feed store whod lost her order, Duncan might actually have that ammunition hed been looking for in his battle to win custody of their son.

Because of the delay at the feed store, she was late getting home. Daniel would have been home alone for at least an hour, and although Brooke knew he was an exceptionally responsible child and quite capable of taking care of himself for that period of time, she feared a judge would consider only the fact that he was nine years old and disregard any mitigating circumstances.

Damn Duncan, anyway. How could he have managed to show up unannounced on the one day it mattered? He wasnt due to have Daniel until next weekend. How had he known? Unless-her stomach clenched again-unless one of his buddies had happened to see her truck in town and had reported it to him. It was the kind of thing Duncan would do, set his network of good ol boys to spying on her for him.

Then she thought, Oh, Brooke, youre being paranoid.

But the thought came creeping back: why else would he be here, lurking on the back lane?

All that rocketed through her mind in a matter of seconds while she closed the distance between the lane and her mailbox, and her heart was tripping along faster than it ought to and the coldness was sitting in her belly as she turned into her driveway. The coldness spread all through her as she drove past the live oaks that surrounded her house and the accompanying assortment of outbuildings and animal enclosures that qualified the property as a ranch.

Where in the world is Hilda? And Daniel?

Normally, the Great Pyrenees-Duncan had given the huge dog, then only an adorable fur ball, to Daniel on his fifth birthday-would come bounding out to meet her, giddy with joy at her return, with Daniel not far behind. But the lane remained empty, and there was still no sign of either child or shaggy white-and-fawn dog as Brooke circled the house and drove across the yard to the barn and the feed storage shed next to it. The place seemed deserted.

That is, until she turned off the motor and opened the door. Then the noise hit her. Hildas frantic barking. And something else. Something that made the hair prickle on the back of her neck: the unmistakable scream of an angry cougar.

Whispering-whimpering-OhGodohGodohGod, please, Godno under her breath, Brooke tumbled out of the pickup and raced through the open middle of the barn. Out the back and down the lane between the animal pens she ran, not even aware of her feet touching the ground. The cougars screaming and Hildas barking grew louder as she ran, filling her head, filling her with a fear so terrible, she couldnt think, couldnt feel, could barely even see.

What she did see, as if through the wrong end of a telescope, was Hilda, lunging frantically at the gate to the wire-enclosed compound far down at the end of the lane and barking with frustration at her inability to get past the high chain-link barricade. Brooke felt a momentary surge of relief, followed by an even more desperate fear.

Lady-thank God! Shes not loose, after all! But-oh, God-where is Daniel? Oh, my God-Daniel!

Her son was nowhere in sight, but for Hilda to be so upset, he had to be here. Which could only mean one thing. He was inside the cougars compound.

But why? Although she and Daniel had raised the cougar together from a tiny kitten, the boy knew very well Lady wasnt a pet, that she was a wild predator and could never be trusted. Daniel would never go into her cage. Not alone. He just wouldnt.

But he had. She could hear him now, his voice quavering and breathless one moment, firm and commanding the next. And he sounds so very, very young.

Shouting, sobbing No-no, Lady-back. Lady-back!

Sobbing herself now, Brooke reached the cougars enclosure, and gripping the wire with both hands, she stared in disbelief at the scene beyond the fence. Daniel, with his back to her, her child, holding a rake aloft like a battle sword and a folded saddle blanket over his other arm like a shield, facing down a full-grown mountain lion. And the lion, teeth bared, screaming and snarling in fury as she backed slowly toward the door to her holding cage, pausing now to swipe at the air with her claws.

Daniel! His name felt ripped from her throat by forces outside herself.

He didnt turn, but she heard his breathless Im okay, Mom.

At that moment the cougar, for whatever reason-perhaps returned to sanity from whatever terrible place shed been by the voice of the only mother shed ever known?-gave one last huffing growl, turned and sprang through the door and into her cage. Daniel scrambled after her to throw the bar across the door. By that time Brooke had opened the gate to the compound and was there to catch him when he turned, sobbing, into her arms.

But hed only let himself stay there a moment, of course, being all too mindful of the fact that he was the man in their household now. For the space of a couple of deep, shuddering breaths, he gripped her tightly, arms wrapped around her waist, and allowed her to smooth his sweat-soaked hair with her own shaking hands. Then he let go, stepped back and wiped his face with a quick swipe of a forearm, leaving a smear of mud across one hot red cheek.

She didnt mean to, Mom. I know she didnt mean to. His words came rapidly, choked and breathless with his efforts to hold the tears at bay.

Daniel, honey, what- She reached for him, but he took another step back, eluding her, and shook his head with a heartbreaking desperation.

She didnt mean to hurt him. I know she didnt.