Deadly Storm

by Lily Harper Hart

  “But … wouldn’t the business just revert back to you in the event of her death?” Marian asked.

  That was a pretty shrewd question for a crazy person, James mused. “We have a prenup,” he lied. “She set it up so her mother gets everything in the event of her death. She’s … suspicious by nature.”

  “She was worried you would try to off her?”

  “Yes,” James said, hating himself for even thinking something so awful. “Our marriage isn’t as … sweet … as it looks on outward appearances. She makes me say the things I say in public because she wants people to think I’m infatuated with her.”

  “I knew you couldn’t love her that much,” Marian said. “There’s no way a real man loves a woman like that. Ben explained about love to me. He says only women feel it. I can live with that as long as I have him, though.”

  “I’m glad you understand,” James said. “It’s a rare woman who understands what a man is really thinking.” James flicked his eyes down to Mandy. Her face was a mask of … something. He could only hope she realized he was lying. “You’re probably the best girlfriend in the world, Marian. Ben is a lucky man. I don’t think he deserves you.”

  “He’s a wonderful man,” Marian said. “He’s my … everything. He was my first. I held out for years because I wanted a magic moment, and I finally got it with him.”

  Well, that was a little sad. Oh, who was he kidding? That was just pathetic. “Did you have to kill Ann and Julie because they seduced Ben?” James asked. “Is that why they had to die?”

  “That darned Julie,” Marian said, scrunching her forehead up. “I told her what would happen if she didn’t stay away from Ben. She didn’t believe me. Look how that turned out for her.

  “She seduced him in the closet the night of our first class,” she continued. “Can you believe that?”

  “I’m shocked and appalled,” James said. “Did you see her when she came out of the closet?”

  “I did,” Marian said. “I saw Ben first. We didn’t have a date planned that night, but I was hoping he would make an exception. I understand how he can only see me on a schedule, otherwise his glands explode – that’s what happens when you have sex with the same woman more than once a week – but I thought we could go to a movie or something.

  “Instead, I saw him coming out of that closet,” she said. “At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. I thought maybe he was looking for something. Then I saw Julie come out. Her hair was a mess … and she was pulling down her skirt, the tramp. I just saw red.”

  “What happened?”

  “I hit her over the head as hard as I could,” Marian said. “She fell to the ground, and I thought I killed her right there. Then I realized she was still breathing. I didn’t know what else to do, so I dragged her into the classroom.

  “When she regained consciousness, she said she was going to call the police and report me,” she said. “I couldn’t have that. Still, I probably would’ve let things go until she said she wouldn’t stay away from Ben. Can you believe she thought she was in love with him?”

  “No,” James said. “I have no idea how she could think that when he clearly belongs with you.”

  “I know. What a pathetic moron.”

  That was exactly what James was thinking. “Why did you kill Ann?”

  “She seduced my man.”

  “But … Marian, Ann didn’t sleep with Ben,” James said.

  “I saw her going after him in the cafeteria,” Marian said. “I was with your lying wife when she decided to go after Ann. At first I thought it was because she genuinely felt sorry for her. Now I realize it was because she really wanted to sneak some time with Ben.”

  “I see,” James said. “I don’t think they had sex, though.”

  “They did,” Marian said. “Ann told me when I confronted her later in the night.”

  “You confronted her? I didn’t know that.”

  “You locked yourself in the office with Mandy,” Marian said. “You had no idea what was going on. Heck, I strangled Ann right outside of the teacher’s lounge. I thought for sure you guys would hear. She regained consciousness in the middle of it and tried to scream for help. Luckily, she didn’t have much of a voice left.”

  Mandy’s face drained of color, and James could read the guilt and horror as it washed over her face. He forced himself to remain focused on Marian. “I need to know why you … did what you did … with the flashlight.”

  Mandy tilted her head, confused. She had no idea what he was talking about, but from the tone of his voice she knew it was bad.

  “They were whores,” Marian said. “They deserved to go out like whores. The only thing I had that would work was the flashlight. I thought the police would assume a man was guilty because it would appear that they had sex.”

  Mandy shuddered, pressing her eyes shut to block out the visual.

  “That was smart thinking,” James said. “What are you going to do now?”

  “I think I have to send a clearer message,” Marian said. “Women need to know that my man is off limits.”

  “That’s wise,” James said, forcing his breathing to remain even as he saw Jake move closer to the car. He was only a few feet away now. “I need you to hand Mandy over to me until she signs the business back, though. After that, I’ll give her back to you.”

  “You will?”

  “You’ll be doing me a favor,” James said.

  Marian looked like she was considering the offer, but just as she started to release her grip on Mandy’s hair the sky split with a terrific flash of lighting. Thunder rolled almost immediately, causing Marian to jump and dig the knife into Mandy’s throat.

  Mandy whimpered, fighting the urge to cry out.

  James took a step forward, instinct taking over. He had to get his wife, and he had to do it now.

  The sky opened up, the rain coming in a torrent. Marian was so momentarily flummoxed she didn’t see Jake take the final steps behind her. He had his hand around her throat, the other on her knife hand as he pulled it away from Mandy, and they were locked in a wrestling match.

  James moved quickly, grabbing the hand that was furiously trying to stab Mandy through the throat and twisting it. The sickening sound of a bone breaking filled the night, followed by another rumble of thunder.

  “You lied to me!” Marian was spitting mad. “You tricked me.”

  Jake squeezed her throat tighter. The lack of oxygen was making Marian spacey, and she finally relinquished her hold on Mandy’s hair. James cried out with relief as Mandy sprang to her feet and launched herself at him.

  “Baby,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean one word of that.”

  “I’m not an idiot,” Mandy said, kissing him back. “I knew what you were doing.”

  “That’s good,” James said. “I can’t stand one more fight this week.”

  Mandy buried her face into his neck, the rain coating them as they clung to each other. Jake forced Marian to the ground, cuffing her hands behind her back as she bitterly complained.

  “I’m so sick of dumb whores,” Marian said. “I can’t believe you’re staying with her after she cheated on you.”

  “You need help,” Mandy said.

  “I don’t need help,” Marian scoffed. “I’m happy. I’m going to marry Ben and we’re going to live happily ever after.”

  “You definitely need help,” James said, lifting Mandy off the ground and carrying her toward his Explorer. “Come on, wife. Let’s go enjoy our happily ever after. I’m sick of dumb people, too.”

  Twenty-Six

  Mandy woke up on top of James the next morning. They were both naked, but not for the usual reasons.

  After hours of questioning the previous evening, the cops took Marian into custody and booked her for the premeditated murders of Ann Nelson and Julie Nichols. Ben Barnes was also taken into custody as an accessory. The cops didn’t believe he was truly oblivious about Marian’s actions, a
lthough James wasn’t sure he wasn’t simply that stupid.

  By the time Mandy and James got home, they were both exhausted. They stripped out of their clothes and climbed into bed, and because he knew nightmares of Mandy’s ordeal would haunt him, James tugged her on top of his chest and held her the whole night.

  Now, with the morning sunlight filtering in, the new day beckoned.

  “What time is it?” Mandy murmured.

  “It’s after ten.”

  Mandy moved to bolt upright, realizing she’d overslept and was late for work, but James held her flush against his chest.

  “I texted Heidi three hours ago,” James said. “I told her you couldn’t come into work. She said she would tell Judge MacIntosh.”

  “James,” Mandy scolded. “That’s so unprofessional.”

  “Yeah? Well, you almost died last night … again. I figure you deserve a day off.”

  “You should’ve woken me up and let me make the decision,” Mandy said, resting her head back against his chest. “That wasn’t fair.”

  “I’m your husband,” James said. “Sometimes life isn’t fair. The morning after a crazy woman tries to kill you, I get to make the decisions. It’s in the husband handbook.”

  “Is that next to that glands thing?” Mandy asked, going for levity even though the horrors of Marian’s delusions were still bothering her.

  “I guess,” James said. “I know it’s horrible to say, but part of me feels sorry for her.”

  “You and me both,” Mandy said. “Barnes twisted her mind. He told her crazy things and she believed them … all because she was desperate for someone to love her.”

  “People want to be loved, baby,” James said, brushing his lips against her forehead. “They can’t help themselves. It’s human nature.”

  “I guess it’s good you love me then, right?”

  “More than anything.”

  “Even though I stole your business and I force you to spout platitudes in public?” Now she was definitely teasing him.

  “Even though,” James agreed, rubbing his hand over the back of her head. “Is there something you want to talk about this morning?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I saw your face when Marian admitted what happened to Ann,” he said.

  “Yeah, that was particularly terrible,” Mandy agreed.

  “Do you want to yell at me? If I had listened to you that night, there’s a chance we could’ve saved her. You were right.”

  “We can’t go back in time and change things,” Mandy said. “I’m not mad. I’m not … anything where that’s concerned. It’s horrible, and it’s something I’m never going to forget, but dwelling on it isn’t going to do either of us any good.”

  James glanced down at her, his brown eyes meeting her serious blue ones. “Really? You don’t want to do a little dance and tell me you told me so?”

  “No,” Mandy said. “You were right, too.”

  “I was? About what?”

  “I never should’ve taken that cooking class,” she said. “I’m terrible when it comes to cooking.”

  “You’re gifted in bed, though, baby. That’s all that matters.”

  Mandy pinched his flank. “That’s not funny.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be funny,” James said, shifting lower on the bed as he pulled her up higher so they were eye level. “Are you going to finish the class?”

  “No. I’ve decided that cooking isn’t my thing.”

  “Painting can be your thing,” James said. “We’ll both enjoy that.”

  “That’s only going to be one of my things,” Mandy said.

  “What’s the other going to be?”

  “Naked takeout ordering, of course.”

  James grinned and tickled her ribs, kissing her softly as he snuggled her closer. “Well, wife, it’s the middle of the week and you have the day off,” he said. “What do you want to do? Do you want to paint something together again?”

  Mandy shook her head. “That can wait until the weekend.”

  “Okay, I … wow … what are you doing with your hand?”

  “I’m trying to see if I can seduce you,” she said. “I heard that men can’t stop themselves from having sex with a woman if she wants it.”

  “I heard that, too.” James groaned as he shifted. “What if my glands explode, though?”

  “I’m willing to risk it.”

  Mandy pressed her mouth to his, and James tightened his arms around her as he rolled them over.

  Life was back to normal in the Hardy household, and happily ever after was an ongoing – if sometimes bumpy – reality. They were both up for completing the trip, though.

  As long as they had each other, they could do anything.

  Up Next

  Life in the Hardy family is never easy, even when a simple outing to a haunted Halloween attraction is involved.

  Mandy Hardy loves all things supernatural and scary, so when James arranges for everyone to visit Hell House he thinks he’s doing his wife a favor. After being separated, Mandy is injected with a dangerous new drug called Twilight that leaves her on the brink of death.

  James is beside himself, and even though he knows she’ll recover, he is bent on vengeance.

  Sophie Lane also wants payback, and she’s willing to go undercover to get it – even if her live-in love fights the process.

  The Hardy family is scattered and struggling, and when a new enemy makes itself known they all have to band together – or they’re going to die apart.

  The streets of Detroit are running red with the blood of young women, all falling prey to the ravages of Twilight. The forces of good and evil are converging and the Hardy family is going to need all hands on deck if they hope to survive intact.

  Deadly Dealings is available here.

  Author’s Note

  I’m a romantic at heart. A true romantic. I love the idea of a happy ending, so much so I have trouble writing a sad one. The world is sad enough. I like escaping in fiction. That’s just me. I like sarcasm and snark – but I’m not sure a sad ending is in me. If you’re looking for an edge like that, you’re probably looking in the wrong place. Just FYI.

  If you’re interested in upcoming releases, follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I do not spam. I don’t believe it and, as a reader, I find it annoying. Only new release information and special sales promotions will be posted.

  This book is available for lending. Please do so.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  Books by Lily Harper Hart

  Hardy Brothers Security

  Deadly Intentions

  Deadly Intuition

  Deadly Illusions

  Deadly Proposal

  Deadly Prospects

  Deadly Ever After

  Deadly Honeymoon

  Deadly Questions

  Deadly Addition

  Deadly Vacation

  Deadly Secrets

  Deadly Storm

  Deadly Dealings

  Deadly Christmas (Coming November 2015)

  Deadly Desperadoes (Coming December 2015)

  A Maddie Graves Mystery

  Grave Homecoming

  Grave Insight

  Grave Delight

  Grave Misgivings

  An Ivy Morgan Mystery

  Wicked Days

  Wicked Dreams

  A Harper Harlow Mystery

  Ghostly Interests

  ly Harper Hart, Deadly Storm