Just One Look

by Peggy Webb

  Big stories, though. Not her current life-style pablum. His words, not hers.

  It wasn’t until her stomach rumbled that she realized she’d missed supper, whatever that was. Probably soup from a can.

  She also noticed that her curtains were still wide open to a sky turned deep velvet. Forbidding. The only light in the room came from her computer screen and the nightlight plugged in behind a glass-top table.

  Julia sprang up so fast she almost toppled her chair, a nearly impossible feat considering it was on a swivel base. Her heart raced as she flew around her house closing curtains against the darkness, checking locks on windows and doors against anything evil that lurked in the shadows…and most of all, making certain all her nightlights were burning.

  Julia felt the almost-forgotten beginnings of a panic attack coming on.

  She said a word she used to see on the walls of bathrooms before she moved to a town that kept everything pristine, including public toilets. Then she felt a foolish stab of guilt, as if she’d betrayed her mother. How many times had Rachel, the consummate Southern belle, reminded her that a woman who made her living stringing words together ought to have a vocabulary that would express her dismay without resorting to the mouth of a common gutter snipe.

  She said it again on general principles, but also because the sound of her own voice stilled her panic. She was in the here and now, not back in the nightmare that had sent her running so hard and fast it took the edge of a continent and the Pacific Ocean to stop her. Though, practically speaking, she wasn’t close enough to see the ocean without a considerable drive.

  “Not today, you don’t.” She rubbed her forehead then took a deep breath, consciously relaxed her clenched jaw and waited.

  Nothing. Good.

  She made a rude gesture though nobody could possibly see, not with those blackout curtains on every window. Then she marched into her kitchen and opened a can of tomato soup. Plain. No frills. She loved cooking and she particularly loved experimenting, but tonight she was in no mood to add butter and real cream. Or maybe cream cheese with a touch of dill.

  Julia ate her soup standing up, still tense, ever vigilant, turning her head toward every sound. The high-pitched voices of the nine-year-old twin boys next door, arguing with their mother about coming inside to eat. The metallic clang of a metal garbage can across her back fence. The sound of an engine, slowing as it entered the neighborhood and then stopped.

  So close. Next door?

  Her adrenaline surged as she crept toward the front of her house. The sound outside her door tipped her closer toward the edge of panic. Footsteps, definitely. Her friends never showed up without calling first. They knew better.

  Had her past finally caught up with her? Was another dark horror waiting just beyond her door, taunting her that this time there would be no escape?

  Get a copy of all the lies (Breakdown, Book 3)

  What is Breakdown?

  What happens when you get four USA Today bestselling authors together and they let their imaginations run wild?

  If those authors are Debra Webb, Vicki Hinze, Peggy Webb and Regan Black, they talk about books . . . and their muses awaken and join in the play. That’s when something magical happens.

  It’s extraordinary, and we can’t really explain it. We first talked about one of our favorite creepy movies, The Stepford Wives, which somehow led down a winding path to us discussing the concept for a suspense mini-series that revolves around the "perfect" small town falling apart. Piece by piece.

  Of course, we wanted the women in our stories to be strong, determined and capable—truly, we wanted these women to be the heroes. And so in our novels, these four amazing females—no matter the wounds of their pasts—stop at nothing to find the truth.

  So, in short, when you get these authors together, you end up with an exciting new mini-series of suspense books.

  And what happens when these authors enjoy writing those books so much they don’t want to stop?

  They expand the Breakdown project and each create a short read about the one moment in time that changed the life of the woman who experienced it. That single event that was so momentous it defined the life of the woman from then on—the main character in each of the Breakdown books.

  The authors love these collaborative events and the strong stories that result. And they hope that you’ll love them, too.

  BREAKDOWN READS

  Short Reads:

  no looking back by Debra Webb

  her deepest fear by Vicki Hinze

  her hidden terror by Peggy Webb

  trust no one by Regan Black

  Look for all of the Breakdown Short Reads September 7th.

  Then Buckle Up for October!

  Every Thursday during the month of October, a new Breakdown novel will be released!

  4th: the dead girl by Debra Webb

  11th: so many secrets by Vicki Hinze

  18th: all the lies by Peggy Webb

  26th: what she knew by Regan Black

  Welcome to Shutter Lake

  “Welcome to Paradise! Shutter Lake is a quaint, self-sustaining town in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains tucked away from the hustle and bustle of big city life but close enough to the Pacific for a leisurely day trip to the beach. A private school, the best medical clinic in northern California, a state-of-the art concert hall, charming home-grown shops surrounding the town square and zero crime-rate make Shutter Lake the best kept secret in America. As the world grows increasingly cynical and disgruntled and ever distracted by technology, Shutter Lake stands as a shining example of simple living.”

  Life in Shutter Lake is tranquil, beautiful…perfect.

  Until the first murder leads to….

  BREAKDOWN

  When Sylvia Cole is murdered, four strong, independent women set out to find who killed the girl who knew too much.

  But BREAKDOWN is more than a stunning suspense series, more than four separate books by four USA TODAY bestselling authors who have been entertaining readers for years. This groundbreaking series raises awareness of some of the biggest problems in today’s society while shining a spotlight on flawed, courageous women who put their pasts behind them and rise to become heroes. As the female protagonists search for Sylvia’s killer they expose the secrets and lies of Shutter Lake’s most prominent citizens, and the façade of the perfect town slowly crumbles. Think Gone Girl meets Big Little Lies.

  BREAKDOWN Books will be published each Thursday in October, 2018, beginning October 5.

  Short Read Prequels will be published on September 7th. The four female protagonists are haunted by their pasts. Find out why in the prequels.

  The Breakdown Books

  (Best Read in Order.)

  The Novels

  the dead girl by Debra Webb

  so many secrets by Vicki Hinze

  all the lies by Peggy Webb

  what she knew by Regan Black

  The Short Reads

  no looking back by Debra Webb

  her deepest fear by Vicki Hinze

  just one look by Peggy Webb

  trust no one by Regan Black

  About the Author

  Peggy Webb is an actress, musician and award-winning author. The former adjunct instructor at Mississippi State University lives in the Deep South among the gardens she designed and planted. Peggy has written more than 80 novels in multiple genres, including literary fiction as Elaine Hussey. Pat Conroy called her work “astonishing” and reviewers hail her as “one of the Southern literary greats.” Visit her and sign up for her newsletter at www.peggywebb.com.

  Also by Peggy Webb

  Read More from Peggy

  Peggy is the author of the popular Southern Cousins Mysteries, a comedic cozy series starring Elvis, the hound dog who thinks he’s the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll reincarnated. Get her latest!

  ELVIS AND THE BLUE SUEDE BONES

  The Valentine family has received BIG NEWS and everybody’s in a fever. While Ruby
Nell (Mama) throws a garden party to spread the news, Elvis is in her flower beds digging up some blue suede bones – human bones. Suspicious minds put the blame on Mama. Callie and cousin Lovie go into sleuth mode along with everybody’s favorite crooning canine detective. Can Elvis and the Valentine gang catch a killer with murder always on his mind before Ruby Nell ends up singing the jailhouse rock?

  Peggy also writes women’s fiction beloved by her fans for her portrayal of female friendships and family. Get her two latest novels now. For a complete list of her books, visit her website - www.peggywebb.com.

  STARS TO LEAD ME HOME

  Sometimes you have to lose everything to find your true home.

  If you’ve ever tried to pick up the pieces after a marriage goes up in smoke, you’ll know Maggie. If you’ve ever thought your daughter might not speak to you again or a life-threatening illness would claim your best friend, you’ll understand Maggie’s heart. And if you’ve ever wished on a star, you’ll cheer for her throughout this book.

  “It’s the kind of book you can’t wait to share with friends.”

  A NECESSARY WOMAN

  “Fans of THE HELP and SAVING CEE CEE HONEYCUT will love this book!” — Tamara Tillman

  A mother looking for a miracle. An outcast looking for a home. And the remarkable dog who brings them together.

  In the last summer of Camelot, President Kennedy urged a nation toward unity. In November he was struck down by an assassin’s bullet. Against that backdrop of enormous hope and great heartbreak, a teenaged girl whose only family is a stray dog named Catfish and a desperate mother whose only living child seems broken beyond repair discover the true meaning of family and of grace.

  Thanks for reading! Please do leave a review.