Read the book: «Death's Door»

“It’s possible your life is in danger.” “It’s possible your life is in danger.” Paul took one of her hands in both Paul took one of her hands in both of his. of his.

She didn’t believe it, but the intensity in his eyes told her that he was dead serious. Madison liked to think she could take care of herself, and she could, but something cracked inside her. Knowing Paul cared appealed to her softer feminine side—the side she liked to deny having.

His expression darkened with an unreadable emotion. “So much is going on, a perfect storm of events, and you’re at the center. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

His look was so galvanizing it sent a tremor through her. The concern reflected in his eyes became smoldering desire. She was gathered against a warm, rock-solid body and he covered her mouth with his. He kissed her urgently, hungrily, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. She eased her arms around his shoulders and returned the kiss.

In a heartbeat her blood thickened to warm honey. Kissing him was even better than she’d imagined….

Praise for the work of
MERYL SAWYER

“Sawyer’s gift for building great and believable characters makes the danger they face all the more intense. Outstanding!”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Kiss of Death (4¹/2 stars, Top Pick)

“Sawyer spins a tale to captivate and entertain.…Wonderfully crafty and extremely entertaining.”

—Romance Reader’s Connection on Half Past Dead

“Nail-biting suspense punctuates this thrilling romantic adventure. The name Meryl Sawyer is synonymous with exceptional romantic suspense.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Better Off Dead

“A riveting work of romantic suspense…near perfection.”

—Publishers Weekly on Tempting Fate

“Meryl Sawyer has become a brand name known for taut, sexy and very intriguing romantic suspense.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Closer Than She Thinks

“A page-turner…glamour, romance and adventure on a grand scale.”

—Publishers Weekly on Promise Me Anything

“Count on Meryl Sawyer to deliver a fast-paced thriller filled with sizzling romance.”

—New York Times bestselling author Jill Marie Landis

Death’s Door
Meryl Sawyer

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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This book is dedicated to Dave Wells

and to my close friends, Pamela and Ricki.

Where would I be without your friendship?

A special thank-you also

to the real Keith Brooks Smith

for his humor and his inspiration.

The best way to love anything is as if it might be lost.

—G. K. Chesterton

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

“THERE’LL NEVER BE another you.”

The killer’s words were spoken softly, almost lost in the darkness. The dead were lucky. Death stopped time and their mistakes were ended. They were forever young and unchanged in the minds of those left behind. They were immortalized. Especially beauties like the woman slumped across the floor nearby.

What might she have become?

That unfulfilled promise would be seared into the memories of her loved ones. So young. So sad. So tragic.

So necessary.

Death meant life everlasting. Didn’t it?

“Don’t look at her body. Don’t allow this to become personal,” whispered the killer.

Death divides time like nothing else. Closing doors irreversibly. Before and after. No doubt her family, friends, a lover—if she had one—would always say her name accompanied by those words. Never, ever would “before” return.

Silent as a shadow, the killer moved toward the door, unable to resist a quick look back. Inhaling deeply, the killer absorbed the sweet perfume of death.

Take it in. Make it last until the next time.

This murder had been much harder and messier than the others, but in a way the difficulty of the task—the challenge—made the kill more satisfying. Life did not go smoothly. Why should death?

Had the dead woman seen this coming? the killer wondered. People believed terrible things happened to others—not them. Still, humans did retain remnants of their ancestors’ primitive instincts. Fear—first among those vestiges of survival. She must have sensed…something.

THIRTY-SEVEN MINUTES earlier, at almost three in the morning, the victim had driven up the short, narrow driveway. Her front porch light must have burned out. She had turned it on before leaving, hadn’t she?

It was difficult to remember just what she’d done when she’d raced out of the house to meet the others. She’d been too keyed up to pay much attention to anything but what she had been instructed to wear. A black stocking cap to go with her black pants and T-shirt and black soft-soled shoes. They promised to provide the night-vision goggles and latex gloves.

She idled in the driveway, gazing at the burned-out light, and almost put the car in Park before remembering she’d had the garage door opener replaced last week. Thank heavens. She didn’t know if she had the strength left to hoist the heavy old door. The job tonight had been much more physical than anything they’d attempted in the past. Her body was in great shape, but working so strenuously against the clock consumed more energy than she’d imagined.

She pressed the remote control and the garage door creaked upward. “We’re home, big guy,” she told the dog on the seat beside her.

The retriever cocked his head slightly as if he understood every word. She gave him a quick pat as the Toyota rolled into the garage. His golden fur was matted and he smelled as if he needed a bath. Not your show-quality golden retriever, but he was precious just the same.

“Home sweet home,” she said to the dog when she stepped out of the small car and held her door open for him. The retriever hesitated, again tilting his head toward her as if expecting another command. “Here, boy. Come on.”

The dog lumbered across the driver’s seat, sniffed the humid air, then cautiously lowered himself to the garage floor. The single-car garage dated back to the twenties and had a dank, musty smell. The heat of the day was still trapped inside, making it like breathing through wet wool.

She turned and punched the button beside the door leading into the house. Behind her, the garage door groaned shut as she stepped into the laundry room and hurried through the small space into the kitchen. The dog hesitantly followed, sniffing at her heels.

“Thirsty?” She put the manila envelope she was carrying on the counter before filling a cereal bowl with water. She set it on the floor, but the dog didn’t move toward it. “You feeling okay?”

The golden retriever hitched one ear. He couldn’t have to go to the bathroom, she decided. She’d stopped at a park on the way home. He’d relieved himself while she’d pitched the outer layer of her clothes and gloves into a nearby trash can before using the pay phone. She’d been warned numerous times to never—under any circumstances—use her home phone or cell to make a call that could be traced back to the others.

“You stay right here,” she instructed as she walked out of the kitchen and closed the door behind her.

The rest of the small house was dark, the air only slightly cooler than it was outside thanks to the window air conditioner. She flicked the switch that lit the tiny lamp across the room. Suddenly the hair on her arms prickled. Something didn’t seem…right. She refused to allow the tidal pull of memories to interfere with rational thought. Her unease was just the residual effect of the past few hours, she decided. She was safe now. No one could link her to the job. But if she’d been caught in the act—

“Don’t go there,” she whispered to herself. The reward was worth the risk.

Feeling silly for being so jumpy, she walked into her bedroom. And stood still. Something slightly ominous seemed to hover in the air like an unseen ghost. She looked around at the drifts of clothes tossed over a chair and underwear slung onto the bed. She had the housekeeping habits of a frat boy. She really ought to make an effort to be neater, she thought, still battling her nerves.

What was giving her the willies?

It was ridiculous for a grown woman to be afraid, but she tiptoed over to the closet and put her hand on the knob. For a moment she merely stared at the door. Stop being an idiot, she told herself, and jerked open the closet.

Nothing. Just clothes haphazardly shoved into the small space. On the floor was a jumble of shoes and a few purses too large for the overhead rack. No one was hiding in here.

In the small bathroom off her bedroom, she ran a bath and filled the tub with magnolia-scented bubble bath, then lit lavender-infused candles, known for their calming fragrance. Even though she’d showered before she’d left, the adrenaline rush had left her sheathed in sweat that had since dried and made her skin itch. She peeled off the short shorts, tank top and underwear she’d worn beneath her dark clothes, then swung her leg over the side of the tub.

She had the unsettling sensation that someone was watching her. Of course, that was impossible. It was merely her mind playing tricks. She’d purchased new locks and dead bolts when she’d had the garage door opener replaced. This was a safe neighborhood, considering it was Miami. Still, you couldn’t be too careful. The others in the group believed they were under surveillance. It came with the territory. If the authorities were spying on her, they were outside the house, monitoring her comings and goings to build a court case. They were not hiding in the house.

The bathroom door was open. She pushed it and the door would have shut, except the tangled cord from her blow-dryer on the counter got in the way. Hadn’t she returned it to the drawer? Obviously, she’d been in such a rush to meet the others that she’d forgotten.

She eased into the tub and turned off the taps. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and let the warm water and fragrant air soothe her taut nerves. This was it, she told herself. The last job. From now on, she would lead a normal life. It might even be time to settle down, she silently admitted. That meant a steady, down-to-earth guy, not one of the club rats she usually met in South Beach.

A faint, muffled noise outside the bathroom made her eyes fly open. Her pinched throat kept air from entering her lungs and she trembled. Then she remembered the dog. Aspen. A great name for a honey-colored golden retriever. She’d given it to the dog even before she’d seen him. She had it put on the collar she’d bought. She’d chosen “Aspen” because when the leaves on Aspen trees changed color each fall, they were the same golden shades she associated with golden retrievers. Aspen wasn’t trying to get out of the kitchen, was he?

She kept listening, straining to hear another noise, but the only sound was the muted whir of the air conditioner in the living room. What was throwing her world out of whack? She’d never been this disturbed before, and the group had engaged in missions that had been just as dangerous as the one tonight.

Closing her eyes again, she settled back, allowing the warm water and the fragrant candles to do their magic. She was bone weary and soon almost nodded off. She forced her eyes open so she wouldn’t fall asleep in the tub.

Hadn’t the bathroom door been almost closed a few moments ago? She stared hard at its reflection in the mirror partially fogged by steam, then looked over her shoulder directly at the door. Her red robe hung from a hook on the back. Maybe the door wasn’t quite balanced and the weight of her robe had caused it to open several inches. What was going on? She was more jittery than she ought to be.

She settled back, closed her eyes once more and inhaled deeply to take the calming scent of the candles into her lungs. Her tense muscles relaxed and her mind almost purged itself of the sight of all those forlorn, pleading eyes riveted on her.

Almost.

Don’t drift off, she warned herself. She needed to scrub away the sweat, crawl into bed and set the alarm for seven-thirty. She struggled not to close her eyes, but gave in for just a moment.

A mechanical whir jerked her upright, the sound reverberating against the ceramic tile. Her eyes flashed across the short distance to the counter. Her blow-dryer was on. How had that happened? She grabbed the towel bar and heaved herself upright in one quick jerk. Instinct told her to get out of the tub NOW!

“Wh-what?” The serrated blade of fear shredded each syllable. The vapor from the candles scorched her throat as if she’d been suddenly transported to the desert. She attempted to make sense of what her eyes told her, but the dark glaze of panic blacked out the edges of her vision. Hot, white noise rumbled through her head, awakening a terror unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

A gloved hand appeared from behind the door and grabbed the blow-dryer off the counter. The next instant the dryer was hurtling through the air at her. It splashed into the bubble-filled water at her knees with a serpent’s lethal hiss and an eruption of sparks. Instantly, little popping sounds battered her skull like fireworks exploding in her brain.

CHAPTER ONE

Before becoming a world-famous photographer, what did Ansel Adams aspire to be?

MADISON CONNELLY STARED out the window from the largest enclosure in the cube farm at the shimmering waters of Biscayne Bay visible over the rooftops of nearby buildings. As copresident of Total Trivia, she was entitled to a large private office, but she and Aiden had agreed long ago that doors encouraged isolation. Togetherness inspired innovation—the healthy exchange of ideas that led to creativity.

Maybe, she thought, but right now she wished she could slam her office door shut and make the world go away. She was burned out by what her father would have called “premature success.” Her company was barely three years old and it was already being touted as a triumph. If only her personal life was as glorious.

Get a grip, Madison told herself. There’s no reason to feel sorry for yourself. Concentrate on what you’re doing and forget past mistakes.

Madison forced herself to stare at her computer screen as she waited for inspiration. The software program she’d invented culled obscure facts from numerous sources for their online game, but every so often she liked to throw in a zinger. Her favorite was “what if.” What if Ansel Adams had his wish? He would have become a concert pianist. Lucky for the world, he hadn’t.

If she’d had her wish, she would have pursued a doctorate and—

“Madison, there’s a man here to see you. How cool is that?”

She swiveled around in her chair to face Jade, Total Trivia’s receptionist. Short blue-black hair gelled up like a rooster’s comb and deep red lipstick combined with Cleopatra eyes gave the girl an unfashionable Goth look that was rarely seen in South Beach these days. Jade could easily have told Madison she had a visitor with the interoffice telephone, but the girl never lost an opportunity to sashay by the cluster of cubicles the programmers used, just as she never failed to add how “cool” something was, even when delivering bad news.

“Who is it? I’m not expecting anyone.”

Jade consulted a business card she held between bloodred nails that could have doubled as letter openers. “Paul Tanner. He’s with Tanner Security Solutions, Inc.”

Another geek trying to sell them software that was supposed to prevent other online trivia sites from hacking into their database. Online protection. What a joke.

“Tell him we take care of our own security.” She was about to give Jade another lecture on how to screen people, but she spotted Aiden Larsen coming toward her office.

“Hey, Madison,” her ex-husband called in his usual upbeat voice. “Got a minute?”

“Not really,” she fibbed as Jade ducked out of the cube and began to saunter down the aisle toward the reception area.

Aiden ignored Madison’s response and parked himself in the chair opposite her desk. She tried not to notice how handsome he looked. Chloe really knew how to make him dress in a way that emphasized his best features, his height and surfer blond hair.

The irony of the situation irritated her. Aiden would do anything for Chloe, but he’d stubbornly refused to make the smallest change for Madison. Instead, he’d insisted she be the one to alter her looks and life for him. He’d wanted her hair long and ruler-straight, even though it was naturally curly and at the mercy of Miami’s humidity. He’d wanted to go out to SoBe’s clubs almost every night. It was a scene she hated. Madison had resisted, of course, but it didn’t seem to matter now. Aiden was on a new path in life—Chloe’s course.

“Where’ve you been? I tried to get you all weekend.”

“Busy.” She didn’t want to tell Aiden she’d wasted another weekend searching for a place to lease. She couldn’t decide on anything, because each property she was shown made her think of the fabulous house in Coral Gables that she’d permitted Aiden to keep in the divorce. Retaining half the business they’d started together had been more important.

“You didn’t answer your cell.”

“I left it at Erin’s on Friday.”

The mention of her best friend’s name caused one blond eyebrow to quirk. Aiden’s brows were less scraggly than they had been on Friday, she noted. Over the weekend, Chloe must have convinced him to go to one of SoBe’s stylish spas for a professional wax.

Madison could see Aiden was biting back another negative comment about Erin. For an instant, Madison’s brain replayed something she’d heard on the morning news as she’d been getting ready for work. It made her think about Erin and wonder if her friend could have been involved in the incident.

“Why were you looking for me?” She knew it had to be important. Since their divorce they spoke only when necessary. So much for the “togetherness” they’d envisioned when starting the company. She struggled to keep her tone civil. Their last conversation had ended with Aiden accusing Madison of using her tongue like a whip.

“I had such a great idea that I wanted to run it by you immediately. That’s why I kept calling. Total Trivia needs a shot in the arm, right?”

“I guess,” she reluctantly conceded, although she knew he was correct. Advertising banner sales were level but she perceived a lack of momentum. On a per-week basis they weren’t drawing new gamers the way they once had. They were still raking in a bundle, but similar Web sites were invading the territory they’d once dominated.

“How’s this for an idea?” He rocked back in the chair opposite her desk and put his feet up on the rim, the way he used to when they’d been developing ideas for Total Trivia. “Add betting to our site.”

“We’ve been down this road before.” How could he waste her time with this? They’d known when they created Total Trivia that Internet gambling and auctions made boodles of money. They’d defied the odds by making money with a game that didn’t feature gambling.

He chuckled nonchalantly, but she knew better. Aiden handled the business end of their site. He could smell money the way a bloodhound picked up a fresh scent. “True. We have avoided gambling, but now Trivia Mania has added it to their site.”

“Interesting,” Madison hedged. Trivia Mania had been their chief rival before their competitor added gambling. She had no doubt gamers on Total Trivia would flock to a site where they could place bets. “Who’s handling their finances?”

“They’ve contracted with Allied Miami Bank.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Madison knew the bank was owned by a group of YUCAs—Young Urban Cuban Americans—with a reputation for financing shady gambling operations. Not all young and ambitious Cubans skirted the law, of course, but some did. It was a temptation unique to Miami, where many immigrants had settled and were making new lives.

“We’re thinking that adding betting to Total Trivia is the way to go. We know Allied Miami has the most experience.”

Madison didn’t have to ask who “we” was. This must be Chloe’s idea. Well, she could say many things about Chloe, but not being one of God’s brightest creatures wasn’t one of them. Madison had personally hired Chloe, but she hadn’t counted on Chloe stealing her husband.

“We’re making money. Why risk associating with questionable characters?”

“What if I tell you—”

Bzzt-bzzt. Jade was buzzing her from the receptionist’s desk. Madison picked up the phone, relieved at the interruption. “Yes, Jade?”

“Mr. Tanner is still waiting to see you. He says it’s not about business. This is a personal matter.”

“Yeah, right. That’s what they all say.” She never failed to be amazed at how many creeps crawled out of the woodwork once they sensed a computer game had hit the big time. She must get ten of these guys a week.

“I think he means it.” Jade was whispering now.

“Tell him to call me. We’ll discuss it on the phone.” Madison hung up and turned back to Aiden.

He was watching her intently, and she wondered if she was wearing an outfit she’d had on last week. She tended to wear half a dozen outfits that she liked over and over and over. No wonder she’d never been able to turn geek Aiden into GQ Aiden the way Chloe had. Twice a year Erin forced Madison to donate her old clothes, then took her shopping.

Don’t let him make you feel inferior, she told herself. Both Madison’s mother and Erin always described her as pretty. Not that they fooled her, but natural blond hair and wide blue eyes did manage to turn a few guys’ heads. Unlike Chloe, Madison didn’t have much to brag about in the chest department. Chloe was pinup material. Madison didn’t care; her brains set her apart. She had no intention of competing in the body department.

“Well, what do you think?” Aiden asked, and though his tone was still casual, she knew his manner meant he was ready to move on this immediately.

She stood up. “Let’s do a bit more research. I’m still not in favor of gambling or Allied Miami, but maybe—”

“Why? Allied Miami handles all sorts of betting operations. They even have a division set up to process, then pay every bet.”

“Wait!” She threw up one hand to stop him. “We don’t want to hand over a chunk of our business without thoroughly investigating the situation. It’s an invitation to steal from us or ruin our reputation. This isn’t something to leap into without careful thought.” She picked up her purse. “I’ve got an appointment.”

“Wait. I—”

“Later. I’m in a hurry.”

She rushed out of her corner cube and took a left. She headed for the back door to avoid the software salesman. She needed time to think about Aiden’s proposal. She might as well swing by Erin’s and pick up her cell phone.

Madison climbed into her BMW and lowered the windows to air out the car. Even though it was barely ten o’clock, the Miami sun was scorching a path across the blue April sky. She allowed her mind to drift for a moment. She’d wasted yet another weekend. She was never going to be able to replace the home she’d shared with Aiden.

Why was she trying?

She should lease the condo that she’d reluctantly allowed the Realtor to show her, Madison told herself. She didn’t need a yard. This way she could come and go easily. She punched the AC button and reached for her cell phone with her other hand to call the Realtor. Then she remembered she was on her way to pick up her cell.

“I’m losing it,” she said out loud. She backed out of her parking space and drove away.

Total Trivia was located several blocks off trendy Ocean Boulevard in South Beach’s low-rent district—if such a thing existed. They’d leased the office space nearly ten years ago, before she had married Aiden, when Total Trivia had been just another blip on the information superhighway. Aiden had insisted locating in SoBe would lure programmers they could hire for less.

Her ex had been right. Talented programmers often made sacrifices, living in studio apartments or sharing run-down flats just to be in the area. As Erin always said, SoBe was “hip to the max.” It was amazing what people would give up to live here.

Maybe Aiden was right about adding gambling to Total-Trivia, but she didn’t think so. Letting an offshore bank collect the money was evading the law. Wasn’t that the same as breaking the law? Sooner or later the government would catch on and come after them.

South Beach traffic was light—no doubt a fair number of residents were inside nursing hangovers—which meant Madison had to wait a mere two cycles to drive through most traffic lights. By evening, when the club set went on the prowl, it would take at least six cycles to move through a light.

From ten until dawn, the clubs would be full of tanned guys and women wearing next to nothing, slurping mojitos and chocolate martinis. Sexual energy would pulse through the air like a drumbeat in the tropics.

Madison didn’t like the club scene, but last Friday, Erin had wanted to check out two new clubs and she’d gone along. Her best friend since they’d been in diapers, Erin Wycoff had always been something of an enigma. Like a butterfly, Erin was beautiful but difficult to pin down. As close as they were, Madison often didn’t know what Erin was thinking. Even when they were young, Erin had kept her thoughts to herself, unlike most teenage girls, who told their best friends all their secrets. But since Madison’s split with Aiden, Erin had been the only one who could lift her spirits.

Erin had insisted on going to Sweet Cheeks and another club whose name Madison couldn’t recall, but as soon as they were there, drinks in hand, Erin had wanted to leave. Too hot. Too crowded. Too many airhead guys.

Well, that was the club scene for you. A club wasn’t “in” unless it was crowded with hunky guys and scantily clad babes. And jam-packed places were hot. That was a given.

They’d gone back to the little cottage Erin had rented and ordered pizza from an all-night pizzeria. They’d sat chatting about the move Madison couldn’t seem to make, but Erin had seemed distracted, on edge.

Still, Erin had scored a major point when she’d claimed Madison was in denial. By searching for a large home to replace the one she’d shared with her ex-husband, Madison was attempting to hang on to the past. The last time Madison’s mother had telephoned from some remote island in the South Pacific, she’d told Madison the same thing—in different words. “Oh, baby doll. Try something new. Get on with your life.”

Madison had admitted Erin was probably right and had left after finishing a slice of cardboard-tasting pizza. She’d only realized the next day that she’d forgotten her cell phone. She’d tried to catch Erin on Saturday and again on Sunday but hadn’t been able to connect. Maybe she hadn’t even wanted to reach Erin, hadn’t wanted to explain why she was still asking the Realtor to show her large homes.

A bit of trivia popped into her head, which often happened when she was thinking of something distressing. How much wine does one grapevine make? The average vine yielded twenty-four pounds of grapes. That was enough to make ten bottles of wine. She hadn’t used this fact on Total Trivia because inexact measurements like “average” caused arguments and players would claim their answer was correct.

She told herself to forget about trivia and concentrate on finding a place to live. The owners of the house where she was staying would return soon. Gambling and trivia could both wait until she’d settled her life.

At this hour of the morning, Erin was probably out making sales calls for the sunglass company she represented. It didn’t matter if Erin wasn’t home. Madison had a key to her friend’s place. She could pick up her cell then call the Realtor. Signing the lease on the condo and making arrangements would take the better part of the day, but Madison didn’t care. She didn’t want to return to Total Trivia until she’d had a chance to consider Aiden’s proposal.

It was quieter in the middle-class neighborhood in South Miami where Erin lived. People were at work, children in school. She turned into the narrow driveway and shut off the engine. The white cottage with an attached single-car garage was a legacy of the early twentieth century, when snowbirds from the North built small, inexpensive bungalows where they could wait out the winter in Miami’s warm sun. Snowbirds now clustered like bees in the hives of condos that riddled the state. This neighborhood had morphed into a working-class section of the city.

She slung her purse over her shoulder and got out of the car. On her way up the walk to the front door, she selected the key Erin had given her from the seldom-used ring of keys at the bottom of her purse. She rang the bell and heard its chime echo through the small house. As she expected, Erin wasn’t home. She attempted to put the key into the lock. It didn’t fit.

Suddenly, Madison remembered her friend mentioning getting a new garage door opener and new locks. Erin had forgotten to give Madison a new key.

“Great, just great,” she muttered under her breath. Standing on the small porch, Madison noticed a silver Porsche had pulled to the curb across the street. It seemed out of place in this neighborhood. A tall, dark-haired man stepped out. He glanced in her direction, then locked the car.

Madison wondered if Erin had hidden a spare key in the small yard behind the cottage. She went around back, but didn’t bother to check under the flowerpots. Erin wouldn’t hide a key in such an obvious place. She looked around, thinking, then spotted a dog turd over by a bush. Erin was an animal lover and always had been, but she didn’t have a dog. The landlord wouldn’t allow any pets. Erin got her pet fix by volunteering at an animal rescue facility.

She toed the dried pile and it rolled over. Just as she suspected, there was a latch on the bottom. These rock-hard devices had become popular with pet owners. A close look revealed they were molded pottery of some kind, but to the untrained eye, they looked like a deposit a dog would make. She picked up the fake turd and opened it. A shiny new key was inside. Leave it to Erin to hide a key in plain sight—in a fake dog turd that looked disturbingly real. So real, you could almost smell it.

She rushed up to the back door. For a moment she paused and gazed up at the flawless blue sky, feeling inexplicably troubled. The key fit in the lock and the door creaked open inch by inch. She brushed her odd reaction aside and stepped into a small service area with a washer and dryer.

A noxious odor she couldn’t identify hung in the close, humid air and made her stomach roil. Obviously, Erin had burned a funky candle. She opened the door leading into the kitchen and was greeted by a golden retriever with runny eyes. A small pile of dog poop accounted for the odor. Why hadn’t Erin let this dog out?

“Hi, there. What’s your name?” When had Erin gotten a dog? She hadn’t mentioned a word about it when they’d gone out on Friday. She’d probably found the retriever at the rescue center and couldn’t resist even though her lease specified no pets. With Erin, you never knew what was going on.

“Erin, it’s me,” she called out, in case her friend was still home but hadn’t heard the bell. No response.

The dog kept scratching at the door. She opened it and he charged through the service area and out to the small backyard. He immediately lifted a leg on a low-hanging bush.

“You’re a boy,” she muttered, more to herself than the dog. He trotted back to her and she bent down to check his collar. It looked brand-new. “So, your name is Aspen.”

The dog cocked his head and looked up at her. His eyes were tearing the way some poodles’ did, leaving brown stains on their fur. She wondered if something was wrong with the retriever. Maybe that’s why Erin had brought him home.

She led Aspen back inside. The odor she’d smelled earlier was worse now. She covered her nose with her hand. On the counter was a fly-covered pizza box clearly left over from Friday night. Typical Erin. She wasn’t much for housekeeping.

Next to the box was a manila envelope marked “Aspen.” Coiled beside it was a nylon leash. She held her breath while she opened the unsealed envelope and found a bill of sale inside for a male golden retriever, age three years and seven months.

Erin had purchased the dog for twenty-five dollars. Interesting. It wasn’t much for a purebred, but maybe something was wrong with it, like an eye problem. And it wasn’t Erin’s style to buy a dog. She didn’t believe in buying from breeders when there were so many homeless animals, many of whom had to be put down when homes weren’t found for them. Yet she had purchased this dog. Very odd.

Madison returned the paper to the envelope and closed it. On the back flap, Erin had written something so quickly that it was difficult to read. “Rob—Monday noon. Don’t be late.”

Interesting, she thought. Very interesting. Madison had always believed Erin and Robert Matthews were meant to be together, but they’d broken up. Erin hadn’t mentioned the veterinarian in months.

Madison decided to leave the dog in the kitchen. Obviously, Erin had her reasons for keeping Aspen there. She opened the door to the small space that served as a living room with a dining area off to one side. With all the blinds drawn, it was hot, dark and uninviting.

She let the kitchen door close behind her. A denser cloud of the horrible, cloying smell saturated the air. The stench sent her stomach into a backflip. A fly zoomed by her nose, closely followed by a second one. The odor of urine was also present. That must be why Erin had left the dog in the kitchen. He wasn’t properly trained.

Despite the room’s darkness, she managed to spot her silver cell phone gleaming on the coffee table where she’d left it. She charged forward to pick it up and nearly tripped over something protruding from the shadows between the sofa and coffee table.

A bare foot.

The thought scarcely registered when she saw something on the floor. A naked body? She squinted, her eyes adjusting to what light had stolen into the room. The form was sprawled across the carpet, dark brown hair streaming like a banner. Her limbs were splayed, one arm bent beneath her and the other flung outward, palm up. The open hand seemed to capture a shaft of light that was seeping in from between the blinds. Around the neck was a red scarf pulled so tight the head torqued to one side.

All Madison could make out in the semidarkness was the side of the woman’s face. Erin! No. It couldn’t be.

She sucked in a terrified breath as goose bumps pebbled her skin. For a heartbeat she couldn’t move. A burning, wrenching sensation gripped her stomach and a wave of throbbing dizziness hit her. Madison heard a jagged, high-pitched shard of sound rip through the air, but it was a second before she realized she’d screamed.

A thousand thoughts pinwheeled through her brain. Erin. How could she be dead? Her friend had always been there—a constant presence in her life—even more reliable than her own mother.

She forced herself to edge closer just to be sure. A few strands of hair covered the naked woman’s face, its skin like white candle wax. Erin. No question about it.

Why? Why? Why?

She stood near her friend, her mind barely taking in what she saw. Details registered like freeze-frame images. A wet stain pooled around Erin’s thighs. A drop of dried blood lingered at the corner of her mouth. One knee was swollen, the purplish skin so tight that it seemed ready to burst. A bulging blue eye stared sightlessly at the beige carpet beneath her. The white part of her eye was bloodred.

Madison’s vision had grown accustomed to the dark. Now, she noticed evidence of a frantic struggle. Furniture was knocked out of place. Pictures on tables had fallen and plants were overturned. By some quirk of fate, the coffee table where her cell phone had been was still upright.

Suddenly, a hand clamped across her lips. Pulse misfiring, her mind attempted to grapple with the situation, but panic shredded her brain like shrapnel.

A single thought registered: the killer!

All her instincts told her that she was a heartbeat from death. The will to survive kicked her body into gear. She flailed, biting the huge hand over her mouth and jabbing her elbows in a futile attempt to free herself. Powerful arms locked around her and brought her against the solid wall of a big chest.

“Be still,” a deep, masculine voice ordered. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She wasn’t buying that bridge—not with her murdered friend less than a foot away. She kicked backward and landed a blow with the heel of her shoe.

“Stop it!” He had a death grip on her now, squeezing her so tight the air in her lungs turned to cement. “I’m trying to help you.”

“L-lemme go.” She worked hard to keep hysteria out of her voice, but detected its shaky undertone in every word.

“Screaming isn’t going to bring her back.”

Suddenly, it dawned on Madison that she hadn’t stopped screaming from the moment she’d spotted her friend’s body.

CHAPTER TWO

How far away can a fly smell a dead body?

MADISON TEETERED, feeling light-headed, grabbed the back of the sofa for support and closed her eyes for a second, her fragile barrier of control slipping. Get a grip, she told herself. The air was so tight in her lungs that she could hardly breathe. But the thump-thump of her heart filled her skull and made it difficult to think. Even with her eyes closed, she kept seeing Erin’s lifeless body. She opened them and found the dark-haired man from the street gazing down at her.

He handed her a cell phone and calmly said, “Call 911. I’m going to check the rest of the house just in case.”

The man’s calm, cool attitude told Madison that she’d been mistaken. He really was trying to help her, as he’d said. He wasn’t the killer. That man was long gone but his evilness remained, hanging over the small house like a noxious cloud.

Madison’s eyes dropped to the body prone on the carpet. “Don’t leave me.”

The man touched her arm and prodded her in the direction of the kitchen. “Go out back. You’ll be safe.”

Madison stumbled toward the kitchen, managed to open the door and lurched to an upright position on the other side. She gulped hard and air rasped down her throat, then thundered into her lungs. She swayed for a moment, the numbers on the keypad of the small cell phone swimming in front of her. Something brushed against her leg and she gasped out loud but managed not to scream when she realized it was just the dog, standing beside her, tail swishing.

She gazed down into his soulful eyes and something unexpected tugged at her heart. Erin must have cared deeply about the dog to bring him home even though she knew a pet could mean eviction from a bungalow she’d described as “perfect.” Had this poor animal seen the killer, heard the desperate struggle in the other room?

The screech of tires on the street outside jolted her. Call the police! She punched the numbers and hit Send.

“Nine-one-one. Please hold.”

Hold? Erin was dead. Getting an ambulance here fast wasn’t important, but what if someone—

“What is the nature of your emergency?”

“M-my f-friend’s been killed.” Madison choked on the words. It was almost as if saying them made it true. If she didn’t utter them, Erin would still be alive.

“Does your friend have a pulse? Have you cleared the air passages?”

Madison mumbled her replies, trying to make the overly calm, patient woman understand. Erin had been murdered. As she talked, she spotted the envelope and leash on the counter and made a split-second decision she hoped she wouldn’t regret. She shoved the envelope into her purse, which by some miracle was still slung over her shoulder. She snapped the leash onto Aspen’s collar.

“What is your address?” the emergency operator asked.

Madison went blank. She could find her way to her best friend’s house easily but didn’t recall the number on Sawgrass Terrace. “I’m on a cell. I’ll go outside and check the number.” She plowed through the small kitchen and service area, Aspen in tow. Outside, the sun was blistering a path across the sky. In shimmering waves, moist heat rose from the grass in back of the house.

Madison squinted. How could it be so bright and sunny when Erin was dead?

“You’re at fourteen eleven Sawgrass Terrace. Correct?”

From back here, Madison couldn’t see the house number but knew it was correct when she heard it. The man’s cell phone must have a GPS chip in it. Most cell phones couldn’t transmit the location so quickly. “Yes.”

The operator told her help was on the way and to stay on the line. She snapped the phone shut. Why remain on the line? Nothing the operator could say would help Erin now.

The door behind Madison slammed and she spun around. The man who’d heard her frantic screams walked toward her. She’d been so upset that she’d only had the vague impression of a tall, powerfully built man with dark hair and eyes. His hair was indeed dark brown, almost black, but his eyes were a deep blue that had only appeared brown in the gloomy house.

She told herself again there was no reason to be afraid. The man merely looked intense, the way anyone would at a murder scene. Yes, his size implied strength and threatened her even though she wasn’t the type to be intimidated. But she could see he was trying to help. And finding a dead body had to be as shocking for him as it was for her.

The hollow thunk-thunk of blood in her temples made it difficult to think as quickly as she usually did. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a thought managed to register. Most women would say this guy was hot. Not that she cared. Being with Aiden had taught her that a handsome man couldn’t resist the temptation thrown into his path.

“Whoever killed your friend is long gone,” the stranger told her in a concerned voice, but she felt trapped by his unwavering stare. “Did you call—”

“They’re on the way.” She returned his cell phone.

“We’d better go around front where the police can see us.”

Madison started to move but couldn’t. He stared at her for a moment and Madison wondered if he expected her to again cut loose with a shriek loud enough to be heard in New York. She forced herself to put one foot in front of the other and headed toward the street, bringing the dog with her.

“If only I’d gotten here sooner,” she muttered more to herself than to him. As sharp as a blade, a lone siren cut through the still air, coming closer and closer.

“It wouldn’t have mattered. She hasn’t been alive for some time.”

Madison stopped and Aspen plowed into the back of her legs. “How can you tell?”

“I’m Paul Tanner with Miami PD.”

“Oh,” she said simply, remembering the flies hovering around Erin’s body. A pinprick of a thought flashed through her brain the way obscure facts often intruded. A fly could smell a dead body a mile away. They’d been buzzing around Erin’s lifeless body for hours.

A police car followed by an ambulance, lights flashing, screeched to a stop at the curb. Two uniformed policemen emerged from the squad car just as a gray sedan drove up. They waited until two men in suits got out of the second car.

“Yo, Tanner,” called one of the men in suits to Paul Tanner.

The man was who he claimed he was, she thought. How could she have mistaken him for a killer?

“Her friend’s been strangled.” Paul lightly touched Madison’s arm. “The back door’s open. She came over to—”

Madison realized everyone was staring at her, expecting an answer. “I came over to get my cell phone.”

One detective remained with her while Paul led the other detective and the uniformed officers to the back of the house.

“I went in and found Erin on the floor in the living room. Sh-she had this cord or sash around her neck.”

“So she was dead when you arrived?”

“Yes. It looked like she’d been strangled.”

The detective jotted a few notes in the small notebook he held in his hand. His face registered no emotion. Obviously, dead bodies came as no surprise to him.

“What is the victim’s full name?”

“Erin Allison Wycoff.”

“How’d you get in?”

Madison ran through the story of the newly changed locks and how she’d found the hidden key. She was coming to her senses a little bit, her mind grasping the gruesome reality of the situation.

The two policemen came out of the front door, followed by the other detective and the Tanner guy. From their impassive, almost frozen expressions, no one could guess the grisly scene they’d discovered in the house.

“Medical examiner’s on the way. The tech van will be here to process the scene,” announced one of the men in uniform.

The men gathered a few feet from Madison. She took a step back and bumped into Aspen. She leaned down and stroked his head. The men conferred for a moment, speaking so softly Madison couldn’t make out what they were saying.

The detective with the notebook continued asking questions as the men moved closer. “When was the last time you saw the victim?”

“Erin. Her name was Erin.”

The men looked at one another. Hysterical female, they silently telegraphed.

Madison took a deep breath, then told them, “I was with her on Friday night. That’s when I left my cell phone. I called her Saturday and Sunday, but I didn’t get her. I also tried to reach Erin on her cell. It kicked into voice mail.”

“Did you find that unusual?” asked the detective.

“No, not really. Erin often turns off her phone. She isn’t—wasn’t—the kind to talk on it all the time.” Madison couldn’t help blaming herself. She should have driven over yesterday instead of house-hunting for a home she could never replace. If she had, Erin might still be alive. Surely the killer wouldn’t have tried to murder two women. She could have saved her friend if she hadn’t been obsessed with replacing a home—and a life—that was gone forever.

“When I couldn’t make contact this morning, I drove over here,” Madison told them.

“Do you have any idea where she’s been or who she was with?”

Madison shook her head.

“Boyfriend? Parents?”

Before she could respond, Tanner asked, “Do you know anyone who would want to kill your friend?”

“No, no. Of course not.” She heard her voice crack and with it came the threat of tears.

The men were silent for a moment, waiting for her to compose herself. A Miami PD van marked Crime Scene Investigation pulled to the curb. The uniformed officers went over to meet it, and Madison was left with the detectives. It seemed to be straight out of a CSI: Miami episode—only this was horribly real.

“Erin doesn’t have a boyfriend. Both parents are dead. I’m all she has.”

None of the three reacted—exactly—but they silently regarded her with keener interest.

She suddenly realized how it sounded. “I—I mean, Erin has had boyfriends in the past, and she would like—would have liked—to find a guy. That’s why we went out clubbing on Friday night. But as far as family, I’m it. We grew up together.” She looked at Paul Tanner, feeling more of a connection with him than the other two men. His expression said he was measuring every word. “Our mothers met when they were pregnant with us. I’ve known Erin my whole life.”

Two men and a woman in navy jumpsuits with Crime Scene Investigator stenciled on the back had emerged from the van with a video camera and bags of gear. The crime scene techs headed toward the open front door. While she’d been talking, someone had strung yellow crime scene tape across the porch.

“We’re close,” Madison continued, “just like sisters.”

The detective taking notes arched one thick eyebrow. “Where were you last night?”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see where they were heading with this. “Wait a minute. You don’t think I—”

“They’re just doing their job,” Paul interjected. “This is a question they’ll ask everyone associated with your friend.”

“I spent the night alone. I’m house-sitting for a friend. That’s where I was.”

The detective taking notes asked, “Make any phone calls?”

Madison knew that could establish her whereabouts. “No. But I wouldn’t have any reason to kill Erin. She doesn’t have any money or anything of value to inherit.”

She could have added that the dog on the leash was her friend’s only valuable possession, but she didn’t want to draw attention to Aspen. Erin had gone out of her way—and violated her lease—to rescue this dog. Madison couldn’t bring herself to give up the retriever. She knew he’d be sent to some pound and kept there for who knew how long. Erin wouldn’t have wanted the dog to be distressed. The animal was all she had of her friend; she had to protect him from more abuse.

“We’re going to need a set of your fingerprints,” the detective said.

“Eliminating your prints and your friend’s may leave them with the perp’s,” Paul added.

“All right,” she said, but something in their attitude told her that she was a suspect. “A man had to have killed Erin, right? She was strangled.”

Silence greeted her statement. Then the detective taking notes said, “We’ll take you down to the station for the prints.”

“I’ll come in this afternoon,” she told them in her firmest tone. “Aspen has to go to the vet’s.” She tugged on the leash, making this up as she went. She had to get away from here. “He has an eye infection.”

“It’ll have to wait,” the detective said.

Maybe it was just her imagination—misplaced anxiety over her best friend’s death—but Madison needed to get away. Perhaps she should consult a lawyer. Why, she couldn’t imagine, but something was going on here that she didn’t understand.

“I said I would come into the station. Unless the department wants to be slapped with a lawsuit for causing blindness in a champion show dog, I insist on taking Aspen to the vet.”

The word lawsuit detonated on impact. The men exchanged indecipherable looks. “We’ll need those prints by four o’clock.”

It took all Madison’s willpower to lead Aspen to her Beamer without running. Who’d killed Erin? How could she possibly be a suspect? It didn’t make sense.

Something else had been niggling at the back of her brain. She was behind the wheel, driving away from the cluster of police vehicles when it hit her. Paul Tanner. He wasn’t some former cop who just “happened” to live in the neighborhood. He claimed to be a policeman. This morning Jade had said a Paul Tanner wanted to see her about selling her security software or something. He’d driven up in a Porsche. He’d followed her here. Why?