Her Deepest Fear, page 4
part #0.20 of Breakdown Series
Laney’s eyes narrowed. “Has anyone—“
Dana cut in. “The waitress delivered his food, but since he abandoned the trash, the table and departed, no one else has come near that table. It’s untouched,” Dana said. “I’ll swear to it.”
Laney nodded, appreciation lighting her eyes. “Let me grab an evidence bag.”
Dana pulled the Ziploc from her purse. “Here you go.”
A smile curled Laney’s lips. “How long has that puppy been in your purse?”
Good question. One Dana couldn’t answer. “Not a clue.”
“Best use mine, then.” Laney retrieved a bag and gathered the evidence. She turned to the waitress. “You can clear the table now. Thanks for waiting.”
Dana gathered her papers and put them back into the sheath, then dumped the file into her tote.
Laney stepped over to her, the filled evidence bag in hand. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Why did you do this?” Laney’s sunglasses rested parked atop her head.
“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. An opportunity arose, so…”
“You seized it. I see.” Laney faced Dana squarely. “You’re convinced Vinn is innocent.”
“I know he is innocent, Laney. Just as I know, until the real murderer is behind bars, I have three hundred other kids still in jeopardy.”
“How do you know Vinn’s confession isn’t real? You’re a school principal and a psychologist, for heaven’s sake. You know better than most that given the right circumstances anyone can kill.”
“Yes, of course, I do. But Vinn didn’t. For those same reasons, I know that, too,” Dana said quietly. “I just can’t prove it.”
“I hear an unspoken yet on the end of that remark.” Compassion crossed Laney’s face and settled into a frown. “Dana, you want to protect your students. I get that. I want to protect them, too.”
“Of course, you do.”
“Well, then. Let’s do what we do best. You are the pro at the school, so I won’t try to run it, and I’m the pro at police work, so don’t you try to run my investigation, okay? Just do your job and let me do my job.”
“Sharing a few notes, but I wouldn’t dream of interfering.”
Laney cleared her throat. “Course not.” She backed up a step and checked her watch. “If I hurry, I can get this to the lab before the press conference.”
“Don’t forget girls’ night out. Wednesday night.”
“Seven o’clock. The Wine and Cheese House,” Laney said. “I’ll be there.” She stopped and looked back. “Did you remind Julia?”
“She’s on my list,” Dana said. Julia Ford, a former investigative journalist who now wrote a weekly column for The Firefly, their community newspaper, which also ran in The Sacramento Bee, tended to forget. Actually, trying to forget is what had brought her to Shutter Lake—not that anyone knew it, and those who did, like Dana, were sworn to secrecy on the subject. “I told Ana, too,” Dana added. Dr. Ana Perez ran the medical clinic. She was single like the rest of them and she might be able to offer valuable insight on Vinn.
“Sounds good,” Laney said, then rushed out the door on her way to the lab.
Dana gathered the rest of her things. With luck, she could catch Thomas at his office. If anyone could get Chief McCabe to let her in to see Vinn, it’d be the mayor. One way or another, she had to get in to see Vinn.
If Thomas Jessup’d had half as much trouble calming the community as she’d had calming her staff, students and their parents, they both could use a soothing word, a quiet dinner and a stiff drink. Maybe two…
Get a copy of so many secrets by Vicki Hinze
What is Breakdown?
What happens when you get four USA Today bestselling authors together and they let their imaginations run wild?
If those authors are Debra Webb, Vicki Hinze, Peggy Webb and Regan Black, they talk about books . . . and their muses awaken and join in the play. That’s when something magical happens.
It’s extraordinary, and we can’t really explain it. We first talked about one of our favorite creepy movies, The Stepford Wives, which somehow led down a winding path to us discussing the concept for a suspense mini-series that revolves around the "perfect" small town falling apart. Piece by piece.
Of course, we wanted the women in our stories to be strong, determined and capable—truly, we wanted these women to be the heroes. And so in our novels, these four amazing females—no matter the wounds of their pasts—stop at nothing to find the truth.
So, in short, when you get these authors together, you end up with an exciting new mini-series of suspense books.
And what happens when these authors enjoy writing those books so much they don’t want to stop?
They expand the Breakdown project and each create a short read about the one moment in time that changed the life of the woman who experienced it. That single event that was so momentous it defined the life of the woman from then on—the main character in each of the Breakdown books.
The authors love these collaborative events and the strong stories that result. And they hope that you’ll love them, too.
BREAKDOWN READS
Short Reads:
no looking back by Debra Webb
her deepest fear by Vicki Hinze
her hidden terror by Peggy Webb
trust no one by Regan Black
Look for all of the Breakdown Short Reads September 7th.
Then Buckle Up for October!
Every Thursday during the month of October, a new Breakdown novel will be released!
4th: the dead girl by Debra Webb
11th: so many secrets by Vicki Hinze
18th: all the lies by Peggy Webb
26th: what she knew by Regan Black
Welcome to Shutter Lake
Downtown Shutter Lake is the nerve-center of the community. Designed with a vintage feel, shops range from Victorian to Craftsman. Sidewalks and streets are cobblestone. Green spaces heavily dot the landscape.
Shutter Lake was specifically created to be the epitome of small-town, tranquil, clean living. Farmers in the area have taken organic farming to the next level. Most of the pubs brew their own beer. From the bakery to the coffee shop and everything in between, residents pride themselves on living clean and healthy and just plain good. Seven years ago, Shutter Lake opened its own private entity school and hired Dr. Dana Perkins to run it. Since then, it’s been awarded a prestigious blue ribbon of excellence every year. In no small part, that’s due to the brilliant minds who call Shutter Lake home—leaders in innovative industries—and freely share their knowledge and expertise with students. Even the good doctor, Ana Perez, operates a wellness center three nights a week in the community gathering hall. A healthy lifestyle is key for most residents.
Walking trails cut through the center-square park. Moms or dads are often seen pushing strollers and children enjoy the playground. Benches are littered throughout the park. Old men gather to play chess, and in the park’s center is a fountain where people young and old often pause and toss in a coin and make wishes.
There is little crime in Shutter Lake. The police chief and his assistant chief, Laney Holt, work hard to keep it that way. The founders provide ample funds to keep everything—safety, medical facilities, educational requirements the best. Even the weekly paper, The Shutterfly, covers a diverse collection of topics of interest to residents and hires top-notch people, like the Loeb Award winner and Pulitzer nominee, Julia Ford.
In short, the founders and residents are determined Shutter Lake be and remain the most idyllic town in the country—and it had . . . until someone killed the owner of Sparkle Cleaning Service, Sylvia Cole.
No one could have predicted the fallout of that single event. Or that it would leave no resident unscathed. But when four women seek answers—Laney Holt, Dana Perkins, Julia Ford, and Luciana (Ana) Perez—their revelations result in a calamitous breakdown…
The BREAKDOWN Books
The Novels (Best Read in Order)
the dead girl by Debra Webb
so many secrets by Vicki Hinze
all the lies by Peggy Webb
what she knew by Regan Black
The Short Reads
no looking back by Debra Webb
her deepest fear by Vicki Hinze
just one look by Peggy Webb
trust no one by Regan Black
About the Author
Vicki Hinze is a USA Today bestselling author who has written nearly forty books, fiction and nonfiction, and hundreds of articles, published in as many as 63 countries. She’s won a wide array of awards, including novels of the year in multiple genres. Her novels, general market or inspirational, include suspense, mystery and romance and have been classified in nearly every genre except horror.
As well as a Vice President for International Thriller Writers, Vicki has served as a consultant to the Board of Directors for Romance Writers of America and several other notable organizations. She is the former host of radio talk show, Everyday Woman, and a columnist for Social In Global Network.
Vicki was the first RWA PRO Mentor of the Year, and the recipient of the National Service Award. She’s recognized as an author and an educator by Who’s Who in the World.
For early access to new releases and more, subscribe to the monthly newsletter at http://mad.ly/signups/82943/join
Online, Follow Vicki on Amazon and BookBub.
For more information, visit www.vickihinze.com
www.vickihinze.com
vickihinze@vickihinze.com
Also by Vicki Hinze
Breakdown
so many secrets | her deepest fear (novella)
Down and Dead, Inc. Series
Down and Dead in Dixie | Down and Dead in Even | Down and Dead in Dallas
Shadow Watchers (Crossroads Crisis Center related)
The Marked Star | The Marked Bride | Wed to Death: A Shadow Watchers Short
Crossroads Crisis Center Series
Forget Me Not | Deadly Ties | Not This Time
The Reunited Hearts Collection
Her Perfect Life | Mind Reader | Duplicity | The Reunited Hearts Collection
Lost, Inc.
Survive the Night | Christmas Countdown | Torn Loyalties
War Games Series
Body Double | Double Vision | Double Dare | Smokescreen: Total Recall (Double Recall) | Kill Zone, SAT (Special Abilities Team)
The Lady Duo
Lady Liberty | Lady Justice
Military
Shades of Gray | Duplicity | Acts of Honor | All Due Respect
Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Legend of the Mist | Maybe This Time
Seascape Novels
Beyond the Misty Shore, Book 1 | Upon a Mystic Tide, Book 2 | Beside a Dreamswept Sea, Book 3
Other
Girl Talk: Letters Between Friends | My Imperfect Valentine | Invitation to a Murder | Bulletproof | The Madonna Key (series co-creator) | Before the White Rose | Invidia
Multiple-Author Collections
Dangerous Desires | My Evil Valentine | Risky Brides | Smart Women and Dangerous Men | Christmas Heroes | Love is Murder | Cast of Characters | A Message from Cupid Seeing Fireworks
Nonfiction Books
In Case of Emergency: What You Need to Know When I Can’t Tell You | One Way to Write a Novel | Writing in the Fast Lane | All About Writing to Sell
For a complete listing of all Vicki’s books, visit “Books” on her website:
http://vickihinze.com/books
Vicki Hinze, Her Deepest Fear
