The Worst Lie

by Shauna Bickley

  The time spent on jobs with the private investigator had been useful as he’d taught her a few tricks that he had learned along the way that weren’t strictly legal. Breaking into cars and hotwiring them were two of the useful skills, but fortunately she wouldn’t need to do that just yet. Along with other information from some of his less salubrious associates, she’d discovered the benefits of having a change of clothing, documents and money in different places that were easily accessible. False documents weren’t always easy to come by but an acquaintance in the States had introduced her to someone who had provided her with a passport and driving licence. She could use the tube but it was only a twenty minute walk to where she’d stored the cash and documents, and she needed to clear her head after the train journeys.

  Out on the street Eden went into a café and bought a takeaway coffee. When she came out she stood for a few minutes, leaning against the wall looking around, sipping her coffee. No one appeared remotely interested in her. People hurried by staring at their mobiles, or laughing together in groups or couples. Since the doctor had given her the diagnosis in a clinically sympathetic tone, she had planned and worked towards finding Madelaine’s killer. Had it given her satisfaction? It was revenge; more than that, she wasn’t sure. During the nights when she lay awake, she planned her end, much as she’d described to Lexie, only she’d assumed Hunter would be there filming.

  If she thought about it too much, she hated him for killing Spike, but she could understand the emotion that drove him. It should just have been her. The hit and run was her fault and if she hadn’t been so hysterical, Spike would have made a different decision. Too late for regrets now.

  Across the road stood the woman in the baseball cap now talking on her phone. Eden narrowed her eyes to try and distinguish more details but the woman stood in the shadow, the brim of her cap pulled low. Eden tossed the empty cup into a rubbish bin and made her way through the straggle of people to the pavement. The woman faced away from her not taking any notice. Here the streets were less busy as they were away from the main thoroughfares. At the far end of the road, the traffic lights changed to red and there was a lull in the stream of cars approaching. Eden walked out into the road. A scream of tyres from a line of parked vehicles made her look up as a car pulled out, engine revving. In that split second, she saw Hunter behind the wheel. The woman on the opposite pavement pulled off her cap. Xena. That was why she’d recognised her stance as she boarded the train despite the disguise.

  The car slammed into her, tossing her upwards. She felt the air leave her lungs with the shock, before she crashed onto the bonnet, pain radiating through her body. Her nails scraped the paintwork as she slid along the metal. The brakes screeched, throwing her off the car, and then the engine revved again as the car sped away. She tried to groan, to shout. Pain was everywhere. The last thing she was aware of was the crack of her skull on the tarmac.

  27

  Lexie Wyatt

  Nettleford, Dorset

  2018

  Lexie and Nathan were cuddled together on the couch when Lexie’s phone rang. It was the police detective who’d visited them several times.

  He cleared his throat before speaking. ‘I have some news for you. Eden Sandiford is dead. She was killed in a hit and run.’ He paused as if he expected Lexie to comment. ‘The driver was Hunter Monroe.’

  Lexie didn’t know what to say. The news was a surprise, but she couldn’t feel upset for Eden. There was an irony in the manner of Eden’s death and she guessed that would satisfy Hunter far more than his attempted overdose.

  ‘How do you know he was the driver?’

  ‘A family were filming their young son and caught the incident as it happened. There was an alert out for Miss Sandiford and she was identified at the scene from her credit card. We were notified about that, and with the car registration number from the film we discovered it had been hired under the name Clifford Doyle.’

  ‘Have you caught Hunter and his sister?’

  ‘We have. They were arrested attempting to board the Eurostar.’

  Again Lexie was at a loss for something to say; unusual for her. The siblings had killed two people, with the same motivation as Eden, but Lexie felt a little more compassion for them than she could dredge up for Eden. She wondered if her moral compass was irrevocably damaged, to feel that for someone who’d attacked her.

  She told Nathan the news and he pulled her close, kissing her cheek.

  ‘I’m surprised you haven’t said anything about me interfering again.’ She felt his shrug.

  ‘Would it do any good? Perhaps in future you won’t talk to yourself so much. That might help.’

  ‘I wasn’t talking to myself, I was talking to Max.’

  Max sat up at the mention of his name and waited for Lexie to rub his ears or pat his head.

  ‘I’m not sure that talking to Max is a much improved excuse,’ Nathan said with a laugh.

  ‘I really can’t imagine us getting involved in murder again.’

  ‘I seem to recall you saying something similar last time.’

  There was no answer to that one, but fortunately her phone rang. It was her editor Jo.

  ‘Hi Lexie. We’ve had some excellent reader feedback on your interview with Damien Featherstone. So good that I’ve got another author interview lined up for you. You’ll enjoy this one. It’s a crime writer.’

  Thank you so much for choosing to read The Worst Lie. If you enjoyed it — and I hope you did — it would be wonderful if you could leave a short review online. I love to hear what you think, and it makes such a difference helping new readers to discover one of my books for the first time.

  I send out occasional emails about my current writing projects, my new books, and any special deals being offered. If you’d like to receive the email, you can subscribe on my website. I won’t share your email address with anyone and I won’t stuff your mailbox with heaps of spam. As a thank you I’ll send you an electronic copy of Jenny’s Story and Other Tales. This collection contains a new Lexie Wyatt story as well as a story linked to the novel Lives Interrupted plus other short stories.

  Thanks again

  Shauna

  Say Hello

  I love to connect with readers through my website and social media so please feel free to get in touch. On my website you’ll find news about new releases and bonus materials. I have images on Pinterest of scenes and settings from the books and things that inspire me while writing.

  Alternatively you can follow me on Twitter, or send an email.

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to the Jeannie, Amy and Bev for your comments and feedback on early drafts, and to Stephen Stratford for some insightful comments while I polished the final draft.

  Jude, a heartfelt thank you for editing and proofing.

  Huge thanks to Andrew of Design for Writers for taking my vision of the fictional stone circles at Little Stillford and turning them into an amazing cover.

  About the Author

  Shauna lives in rural New Zealand and works as an instructional designer and technical writer to indulge her fiction writing habit.

  She has had short stories published in magazines and anthologies in England, Australia, and New Zealand. Her short story, Recipe for a Dinner Party was selected for the Awesome Indies Anthology.

  Shauna writes murder mystery crime novels as well as women’s contemporary fiction.

  Women’s Fiction / Romance

  A Kiwi Christmas Romance

  The Second Chance Christmas

  Writing the Stars

  Lives Interrupted

  Jenny’s Story and Other Tales (anthology)

  Crime Fiction

  The Worst Lie

  Still Death

  Lies of the Dead

  You can find out a little more about each of the books on the following pages.

  STILL DEATH

  She thought being a mother was tough. But protecting her family from a killer may be the death of he
r…

  Lexie Wyatt worries she isn’t cut out to be a full-time mother. After losing her high-flying job in London and moving with her family to a small country town, she lacks a sense of purpose. So when her elderly neighbour’s son disappears after his girlfriend is murdered, she starts investigating.

  As she attempts to unravel the truth, Lexie stumbles on disturbing evidence connecting the incident to other crimes. But when murder arrives on her doorstep, Lexie fears her meddling may have put her husband and children in danger.

  Can Lexie find a cold-blooded killer before her own family becomes the next target?

  Still Death is the first book in the Lexie Wyatt murder mystery series. If you like strong heroines, murder mysteries and small-town secrets, then you’ll love this fast-paced thriller.

  If you’d like to read a sample you can find it here.

  LIES OF THE DEAD

  Family secrets can be deadly.

  Liam is a charismatic smooth-talker, but when the police accept his disappearance as suicide his older brother Tom doesn’t believe them and begins a deadly hunt for answers.

  He is followed and threatened by criminals who demand the money they claim that Liam owes them.

  Liam’s legacy of deceit is dangerous, and when Tom follows his trail, his sister Andi and her daughters are kidnapped. Only then does Tom realise the truth may have too high a price.

  Can Tom follow Liam’s trail and find what the criminals want before they exact their punishment?

  Lies of the Dead is part mystery, part thriller with a little romance and lots of twists and turns.

  It is a stand-alone novel and has received a B.R.A.G. Medallion and an Awesome Indies Award.

  If you’d like to read a sample you can find it here.

  LIVES INTERRUPTED

  She’s fighting for her family’s survival. He’s playing a dangerous game with their relationship…

  Rosa is desperate to make ends meet for her family. With her husband Matthew out of a job, she struggles to pay the mortgage and bills. As she’s pushed to the brink of hopelessness, her only option may take her down a dark path that could change her forever.

  Matthew doesn’t know where to turn. After concealing his depression and pain from his wife, he can barely cope with his new full-time responsibility of looking after their young son. But his despair drives him to risk everything when he starts an affair.

  With the couple’s relationship hanging by a thread, a London terrorist attack and a selfish decision unleash devastating tragedy.

  Can Rosa and Matthew ever recover from a betrayal that wrecks their lives?

  Lives Interrupted is a powerful contemporary drama that explores the far-reaching consequences of personal trauma. If you like flawed characters, family dramas and life-altering challenges, then you’ll love this emotional rollercoaster.

  If you’d like to read a sample you can find it here.

  A KIWI CHRISTMAS ROMANCE

  Two sisters plus one special Christmas. How hard can it be?

  Lauren and Poppy Munro are set to spend the Christmas holidays with their parents in the small town of Clearwater Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand.

  December brings the start of summer, and Lauren, an uptight workaholic, knows she can’t miss Christmas with the family again. But can she get through the holidays without them finding out that she’s lost her job?

  Meanwhile, Poppy has finished with her boyfriend after discovering he was married. She has no intention of letting anyone else fool her. However, after saving a handsome holidaymaker is she going to make the same mistake again?

  Lauren always keeps emotions at a distance, the further the better, and this Christmas she’s focussed on managing her job anxiety levels. But, when she bumps into Dylan, one of her old high school group, keeping her emotions under control becomes just about impossible.

  A heart-warming read of romance, family, friendship and a different kind of Christmas down-under.

  If you like sweet romance with a bit of heat, then you’ll love this emotionally-driven Christmas-at-the-beach novel. Blossoming romance and well-developed characters that you’ll want to read about again.

  The sequel to this novel is The Second Chance Christmas. Both are standalone stories with many of the same characters but they can be purchased together in the compilation A Kiwi Christmas Collection.

  If you’d like to read a sample from A Kiwi Christmas Romance you can find it here.

  THE SECOND CHANCE CHRISTMAS

  Two sisters. A worrying secret and a broken romance.

  Can the Munro sisters still make this a special Christmas?

  Last Christmas Lauren and Poppy Munro both found love, but with the approach of the current festive season problems are arriving faster than the sisters can cope with.

  Lauren’s worrying nature is sending her anxiety levels sky-high. However, it’s not the thought of Christmas causing her stress, but the secret she can’t bring herself to share with Dylan.

  Poppy loves Rob, but when he proposes to her unexpectedly he takes her hesitation to mean that the answer is no. Later, when she tries to explain, he believes that she’s bored with him and wants to finish their relationship.

  As they gather for a family Christmas, can the magic of the season help them create their second chance?

  If you like sweet romance with a hint of mystery, then you’ll love this emotionally-driven tale of love, family and friendship, and a New Zealand summer Christmas at the beach.

  This is a sequel to A Kiwi Christmas Romance. Both are standalone stories with many of the same characters but they can be purchased together in the compilation A Kiwi Christmas Collection.

  If you’d like to read a sample from The Second Chance Christmas you can find it here.

  WRITING THE STARS

  Anna King is an astrologer whose life is crashing around her. Why didn’t she see that in the stars?

  Her boyfriend has been cheating on her and she’s about to lose her part-time job.

  If she missed seeing that in the stars, how can she call herself an astrologer?

  When Anna and her best friend Corinne can’t find work, they start a Girl Friday business. As if that isn’t a big enough challenge Corinne decides the best way for Anna to rebuild her confidence is to get back into the dating scene.

  If Anna thought things were bad, they’re about to get a whole lot worse.

  If you love your romance complete with strong females, hunky heroes and a touch of the stars then pick up Writing the Stars today.

  If you’d like to read a sample you can find it here.

  JENNY’S STORY AND OTHER TALES

  A love story across the ages. Murder. And a second chance.

  Multiple genres come together in this compilation of tales.

  Author Shauna Bickley writes in a variety of genres, from crime fiction to romance to contemporary drama. In Jenny’s Story you get a taste of each of these in one collection.

  Jenny’s Story and Other Tales is a compilation of short stories that can stand alone from their individual series. If you like strong heroines, breath-taking suspense, and emotionally driven writing, then you'll love this multi-genre collection.

  It includes:

  Jenny’s Story: Jenny is struggling to cope with a life-changing diagnosis when she is caught up with the bomb explosions in London.

  In Plain Sight: A Lexie Wyatt stand-alone short story. Lexie becomes involved in the cold case of an abducted child.

  A Private Investigation: A young woman working as a receptionist in a Private Investigator’s office finds a dead body.

  Footprints: The breakdown of a contemporary relationship set against the survival of people who lived 20,000 years ago

  In the End: A psychological tale of a young woman attempting to escape a modern monster.

  Copyright 2019 Shauna Bickley

  http://shaunabickley.com

  Kindle Edition

  The Worst Lie is a work of fiction. All th
e characters in the book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the author.