Mind Reader (41 page)

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Authors: Vicki Hinze

Tags: #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Mystery, #Private Investigators, #Supernatural, #Psychics, #Romance, #Paranormal, #Inspirational, #Mystery & Suspense

BOOK: Mind Reader
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His eyes softened to that warm and wonderful dove gray.
Melting inside, Caron plucked a dead leaf from his sleeve.
“And we’ll work together, too. No, don’t bother glaring at me. It won’t
change my mind. We
will
work together, Parker. But only
when I image… probably.”

“That’s probably okay.” The scowl he clung tenaciously to faded.

“No other women. Not ever.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “I love
you,
Caron, though at the moment I have to say I’m wondering why.”

“You love me.”
 
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“That’s all I’ve been waiting to hear.”

He dipped his head toward hers. “Not true, and you know it.
 
You’ve been waiting
for convincing.”

“I have. Trust is a fragile thing, Parker.” She lifted her
face for his kiss. “But I trust you.”

Ina called out from the back door. “Parker, Caron, you
children come on in now, you hear? These eggs is getting
cold and tough as shoe leather. I ain’t being blamed for no leathery eggs this morning, and I ain’t redoing ‘em. I got a
Christmas dinner to get on the stove.”

“She recovers fast,” Parker muttered under his breath.

“She’s got a thing for Fred.” Caron fingered Parker’s lapel. “Where’s Fred spending Christmas?”

“Oh, no. No matchmaking, Caron, and I mean it.”

“Honey.” Caron wrapped her arm around Parker’s waist and slunk against him. “I want everyone happy today.”

Ina ducked out again. “Seeing’s how you’re the one what
knocked it down, you’d best get this door fixed before
dark, Parker Simms. Dang thing wasn’t even locked. Didn’t
Charley teach you nothing about turning knobs, boy?”

“All right, Ina.” Parker laughed. “Just let me kiss my fiancee one more time. It’s Christmas, you know.”

“Fiancée?” Ina stuck her head back through the door
way. “Well, I’ll be switched. If that don’t make me as
happy as a dead pig in the sunshine.” She cupped her hands
to her mouth and shouted over the fence. “Did you hear that, Lily Mae? The smoochers are getting married!”

“She heard,” Parker told her. “Everyone in a five-block
radius heard.”

“How happy is a dead pig in the sunshine, do you think?” Caron wag
gled her brows at him.

Ina stopped, then waved the dishtowel in their direction. “I’m old, not senile, and I ain’t deaf, either. I know good and well what day it is. It’s Christmas.”

“I’ll call Fred,” Parker whispered. “He’ll mellow her.”

“You’re a soft touch, Simms.”

“Yeah, I have my moments.” Parker rubbed her nose
with his. “Merry Christmas, honey.”

It would be merry. Together, they’d moved beyond the shadows of the past and turned toward a future filled with promise. Sometimes life is just good—leathery eggs and all.
 
Caron smiled. “Merry
Christmas, Parker.”
 

 

 

 

About Vicki Hinze

 

 

 

 

Vicki is the award-winning author of 27 novels, four nonfiction books and hundreds of articles, published in as many as sixty-three countries.
 
She is recognized by Who’s Who in the World as an author and as an educator.
 
For more information, please visit her at:

 

Website:
 
www.vickihinze.com

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/vicki.hinze.author

Twitter:
 
http://www.twitter.com/vickihinze

 

 

 

If You Enjoyed This Novel

 

 

 

*
 
And you like Inspirational Romantic Thrillers try:

 

  
Forget Me Not

  
Deadly Ties

  
Not This Time

 

  
Survive the Night:
 
Lost, Inc. Book 1

   
(coming October 2012)

  
Christmas Countdown:
 
Lost, Inc. Book 2

   
(coming December 2012)

  
My Deadly Valentine:
 
Lost, Inc. Book 3

  
(coming February 2013)

 

 

 

*
 
And you like Military Romantic Suspense/Thrillers try:

 

  
Body Double
:
 
War Games Book 1

  
Double Vision
:
 
War Games Book 2

  
Double Dare
:
 
War Games Book 3

  
Smokescreen
: Total Recall:
 
War Games

  
Novella Book 4

  
Kill Zone
:
 
War Games Book 5

 

  
Shades of Gray

  
Duplicity

  
Acts of Honor

  
All Due Respect

  
Her Perfect Life

 

 

*
 
And you like paranormal Romantic Suspense try:

 

  
Beyond the Misty Shore
:
 
Seascape Book 1

  
Upon a Mystic Tide
:
 
Seascape Book 2

  
Beside a Dreamswept Sea
:
 
Seascape Book 3

 

  
Maybe This Time (Coming 2012)

  
Festival (aka Festival of the Brides) (Coming 2012)

 

 

 

*
 
And you like Political Romantic Suspense/Thrillers try:

 

  
Lady Liberty

  
Lady Justice

 

 

*
 
And you like Romantic Suspense try:

 

  
Mind Reader
 

  
Bulletproof
Princess

 

*
 
And you like Short Stories try:

 

  
Before the White Rose

  
Love is Murder:
 
Thriller 3
, Wed to Death (Coming May 2012)

 

Table of Contents

DEDICATION

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

About Vicki Hinze

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