It started to spit snow the moment Dan turned off a two-lane country road into a long winding driveway. Sunset was at least an hour away, but the sky had already turned an ominous gray that made everything look dark and dreary. To make matters worse, overgrown rows of evergreens planted on either side of the narrow way formed a high, nearly impenetrable hedge.
Liss began to feel uneasy as she peered at the thickly intertwined branches. “All we need are a few thorns and I’ll be wondering if we’re about to stumble onto Sleeping Beauty’s castle,” she muttered under her breath.
“Hold on!”
That was all the warning she had before Dan slammed on the brakes.
Liss’s seatbelt tightened, pressing hard against her chest and lap. Fortunately, Dan had not been going very fast. They didn’t hit anything and the airbags did not deploy.
When she looked out through the windshield, Liss half expected to see a deer blocking their way, but what had caused their precipitous stop was not an animal. A heavy chain had been stretched across the driveway. Dan opened his door and got out of the truck. While he unhooked the barrier, Liss squinted to read the words on the sign attached to the links.
The message was not WELCOME TO VACATION-LAND.
It said: PRIVATE PROPERTY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2013 by Kathy Lynn Emerson
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.
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7582-7268-3
ISBN-10: 0-7582-7268-5
First Kensington Hardcover Edition: August 2013
First Kensington Mass Market Edition: September 2014
eISBN-13: 978-1-61773-610-0
eISBN-10: 1-61773-610-4
First Kensington Electronic Edition: September 2014
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Vampires, Bones and Treacle Scones Page 27
