Tell No Lies (26 page)

Augusta stared at the ring, tears forming in her eyes. Moonlight shone off the silver band with a twinkle that mirrored the one in Ian’s eyes.

“Yes,” she said, and in that instant, a flicker of light lit the air between them. For an instant, the glitter took Augusta aback. Fireflies were becoming rare in this area, but here one was, its light a symbol of hope. It lit again, flying up above their heads like a tiny electric bulb, and then flittered into the night.

She and her sister had once sat right here on this porch counting fireflies ... looking for hope in the rare glow of their bodies. They’d sat here all night, waiting, hoping . . . and they’d seen nothing, going back inside, disheartened and hopeless.

Ian couldn’t have truly understood the magic this insect’s appearance held for her, but he sensed the pent-up emotion she couldn’t share, and kissed her gently.

“I love you,” he said, and pulled her back to lay her head upon his shoulder. Then they sat there, under the veranda, staring out at spartina grass . . . where, if you looked hard enough, a symphony of glow lights accompanied the musical sounds of the marsh.

Tanya Anne Crosby has written seventeen novels, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists including the
New York Times
and
USA Today
. Best known for stories charged with emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and reviews, and she’s a five-time nominee for the RT Career Achievement Award. She lives with her husband, two dogs, and two cats in North Michigan and grew up in Charleston, South Carolina.

 

Caroline Aldridge was surprised by the number of mourners at her mother’s funeral. Evidently the newspaper heiress who had caused her children so much pain was well loved by everyone else in Charleston. Now she was gone, leaving behind countless secrets—and a few demands: Caroline and her sisters must live together for one year or lose their inheritance, and Caroline must take over
The Tribune
. But a killer is making headlines, and Caroline may have unwittingly stepped into the crosshairs. . . .

 

A series of kidnappings and murders resurrect the sisters’ memories of their brother’s disappearance as a child—and Caroline fears she may be next. Yet in the midst of her turmoil, she may be rekindling a romance she’d extinguished long ago. With Jack back in her life and the tattered bonds of sisterhood slowly mending, Caroline hopes the family can restore its position in Charleston society—unless a sinister force beyond their control tears them apart forever . . .

eKENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

 

Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018

 

Copyright © 2014 by Tanya Anne Crosby

 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

 

 

 

eKensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

 

First Electronic Edition: March 2014
eISBN-13: 978-1-60183-144-6
eISBN-10: 1-60183-144-7

 

ISBN: 978-1-6018-3144-6

ISBN-10: 1-60183-222-2