by Jenna Kernan
Nadine moved to Demko’s bed, sitting by his side, and taking hold of his hand. He didn’t squeeze back, and his fingers were icy and pliant as wet clay.
It didn’t matter. He was alive. He’d wake up, and this time, she’d tell him how important he was to her. And she’d show him.
But he didn’t wake up, and as the seconds turned to minutes, Nadine battled a rising panic.
She brushed his hair from his forehead, stroking his wide brow as she spoke.
“Clint? Can you hear me? It’s Nadine. Your family is here. We want you to wake up.”
He didn’t.
She did her breathing exercises and tried to read on her phone. But she kept losing her place. Finally she just stared at him, praying for some sign that he was coming out of the coma.
Nadine leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then whispered in his ear.
“Come back to me, Clint. I need you.”
She drew away, watching for any reaction and tried to stem the disappointment when she saw none. She needed to be patient and believe he’d fight his way back to her.
From the corridor came the aroma of food and the rattle of the lunch service. Nothing smelled good; in fact, the odor turned her stomach.
The twitch of a finger drew her full attention. He exhaled in what sounded like a groan. She stroked his cheek. The bandage on his forehead hid the place where surgeons had bored into his skull to remove the blood clot.
Demko’s eyeballs moved beneath his lids. Was he dreaming?
Then he pinched his eyes closed.
“Clint? Can you hear me? It’s Nadine.”
He opened one eye, and he peered at her. She waited, recalling her own disorientation waking from anesthesia.
“Hey there. Welcome back,” she said, and smiled.
His first try at speaking was a dry sound.
Nadine offered him some ice chips. After crunching and swallowing, he tried again.
“Hospital?”
“Yes.” She explained about the medically induced coma, head injury, subdural hematoma and how long he had been unconscious.
He listened, eyes closed, hand gripping hers.
“Your sister, Carlie, is here with Danny.”
Demko smiled at that.
“Did we get him?”
She didn’t need to ask who he meant.
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
She took a long breath, then filled in the missing pieces of what had happened.
“Torrin said that Uncle Guy ate with the crime techs and others in the police department. That’s how he knew how to destroy the evidence in that van. And he sat in on criminal trials. He studied it all from the inside. He told me, himself, that he planted that seltzer can in order to frame Juliette and admitted he sent the text to lure her to my place.”
She paused when he began snoring. This time, the unconsciousness seemed natural. She moved back to her chair just before his family came in.
“Did he wake up?” asked Carlie.
“Not yet.” She was still a fairly proficient liar.
“Oh, phew,” said Carlie.
No one, especially not a sister, wanted to learn that they’d missed their loved one waking up from a coma.
Carlie’s brow knitted. “Shouldn’t he have woken up by now?”
“He seems to be sleeping.”
She still sat with his family when Danny’s two siblings, actually Demko’s cousins, Bobby and Kaylee, arrived.
The four chatted together in hushed voices as they waited for Demko to rouse and join them.
When he did, it was to find Nadine and his family all around him.
“Hey. The gang’s all here,” he said. His voice was weak, but his smile bright.
Carlie began to cry, but soon Demko and his family were chatting away. After a bit, he turned to Nadine, extending his hand. She took it and he squeezed.
“You look happy,” he said.
“It’s nice to see a big normal family.”
He met her gaze. “What about yours?”
“My aunt, uncle and cousins are here in town visiting.”
“Nice. Good to have some backup.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to meet them.”
She took his hand and squeezed, then laced her fingers with his.
“I’d like that. Aren’t we lucky to have good friends and a supportive family? People we can count on. It makes all the difference.”
Carlie went out to fetch the nurse and Nadine sent Juliette a text. She replied with a thumbs-up emoji. Finally Nadine sent another text to Tina.
His sister returned with a nurse, who checked Demko’s vitals and raised the head of his bed so he could sit up. That made him dizzy and the nurse said that was normal, then left to get him a lemon ice.
Juliette burst into the room, arms outstretched.
“Hey!” she said. “You’re awake!”
She stepped forward to gently hug Demko. He patted her on the back, and she used his bedsheet to dry her eyes. She bobbed her head as he introduced her to Carlie and his cousins.
Juliette perched on the window ledge as they waited for the nurse.
“What’s new, Juliette?” Demko asked. “I know I have some catching up to do.”
“Well, did you hear about Dr. Crean?” asked Juliette, her eyes twinkled, and she had a smile that told she had a delicious bit of mischief to relay.
“She was released from the hospital,” said Nadine.
“Yes,” said Juliette. “But she’s submitted her paperwork. She’s retiring.”
“Really?” said Demko.
“Yeah. And she’s got a book deal.” Juliette cast Nadine a glance. “A big one.”
“Are they interviewing for her position?” Nadine asked.
“Word is that they’ll offer it to you.”
“Me!” She gasped and immediately turned to Demko to see his reaction.
He beamed at her, nodding. “You’d be a natural.”
“Will you take it?” asked Juliette.
Nadine thought about that and about the conversation she’d had with Torrin. “I don’t think so.”
Juliette frowned and Demko looked confused.
“Torrin said they want to recruit me.”
“Who? The FBI?” asked Juliette.
“Yup.”
Juliette gave a low whistle. “That’s badass.”
“You going to take it?” asked Demko.
“Not without discussing it with you first.”
“You should take it. Huge opportunity. And they’d be crazy not to want you.”
Something about the way he said “want you” made her stomach flutter.
“I’d like to see this case through, but I was thinking of accepting their offer. And the Bureau might be able to help me find my father,” said Nadine.
Demko nodded. “I’ll help you.”
“So will I,” said Juliette.
She took both their hands as her heart filled with an upswell of joy.
At that moment, Tina dashed into the room. She took one look at them and burst into tears. She cried on Juliette’s shoulder and hugged Demko so tight his eyes bulged. Finally she wrapped Nadine up in a warm hug, tears pouring down her cheeks.
“This is my assistant, Tina,” said Nadine to his family.
Tina hugged them, too.
Danny laughed at Tina’s exuberance. “I think I have the wrong assistant. Mine might like to see me in a hospital bed.”
Juliette chuckled. “Well, we’re more like a family.”
If you were totally gripped by A Killer’s Daughter and can’t wait to find out what case is next for Dr. Nadine Finch and Detective Demko, sign up here to be the first to know when the next book is out.
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Books by Jenna Kernan
A Killer’s Daughter
A Letter from Jenna
Dear Reader,
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First, a great big thank-you for choosing to read A Killer’s Daughter. I’m delighted and grateful that you joined me in Nadine Finch’s exciting world! If you want to be the first to know about all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Sign up here!
A Killer’s Daughter has undergone many changes since concept. I loved the idea of the daughter of a serial killer confronting her mom’s dark legacy and surrounding her with adult children of killers. The concept lifted the hairs on my neck, and I knew I was onto something.
I hope you enjoyed A Killer’s Daughter as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, would you leave a short review on Amazon or the review site of your choosing? By doing so, you help new readers find this story. Even a line or two can make an enormous difference in the success of this book. Here are some links to help you find the review pages for A Killer’s Daughter.
I’d love to learn what you thought about Nadine’s unfortunate upbringing and her successfully solving, and surviving, her first case. During the rewriting process, I did consider killing her once or twice!
Please look for the second Nadine Finch book in May 2021, where Nadine, Demko and Juliette will be heading to Central Florida and Arleen’s old stomping ground. Bring your bug repellent and watch out for gators!
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I love to hear from readers. Please get in touch on social media, GoodReads, in an Amazon review or on my website.
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Be safe. Stay well.
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Happy Reading!
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Jenna Kernan
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www.jennakernan.com
Acknowledgments
This book grew from a poorly crafted brilliant idea into a manuscript worthy of presenting to editors largely because of the advice, editorial input and support of my agent, Ann Leslie Tuttle, of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Ann Leslie worked on my first book and has been a constant support and one-woman cheering section for me and my writing for nearly twenty years. I’m so grateful for her friendship and encouragement.
My Bookouture editor, Ellen Gleeson, again elevated this story through excellent editing and advice. She flagged issues and offered insightful suggestions to make this story shine. I’m so grateful for her belief in this story and in me!
I’m appreciative of Bookouture for their faith in my story and for the opportunity for me to hop genres. From the art team for crafting this striking cover, to contracts, to production and to the marketing team for putting this story into the hands of readers—this is one classy operation, and one with which I am happy to be included.
In addition, I offer my appreciation to the writing organizations that continue to provide quality education to mystery, thriller and police procedural writers. Thank you to Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Mystery Writers of Florida, Thrill Writers International and Writers Police Academy. Also my gratitude goes to Novelists, Inc., a group of professional authors with unmatched commercial acumen who are always on the forefront of the business of writing.
It is important to have professional support and expertise and equally vital to have emotional support and love. My family has always been generous with praise and encouragement. Thank you to my siblings, Amy, Nan and Jim, for cheering me on and to my mom, Margaret Cunningham Hathaway, for her faith in me.
The final acknowledgment goes to my husband, also named Jim, who allows me the time needed to write, and gives constant love and encouragement. He is always ready to offer practical advice on a range of topics from “Should I hire a branding expert?” to “Who would you call to help you move a body?” I’m so lucky to share this journey with you!
Finally I am grateful to my readers, both longtime and brand-new. A story doesn’t live until it is in your hands!
Published by Bookouture in 2021
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An imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
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www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Jenna Kernan, 2021
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Jenna Kernan has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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ebook ISBN: 978-1-80019-270-6
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
