Tell Me No Secrets

by Lynda Stacey

  About the Book

  Book 3 - Secrets

  Books in Series:

  House of Secrets

  House of Christmas Secrets

  Tell Me No Secrets

  Synopsis:

  Can a secret be worse than a lie?

  Every time Kate Duggan looks in a mirror she is confronted by her guilt; a long, red scar reminding her that she was ‘the one to walk away’ from the car accident. Not everyone was so lucky …

  On the surface her fiancé Rob is supportive – but the reality is different. He’s controlling, manipulative and, if the phone call Kate overhears is anything to go by, he has a secret. But just how dangerous is that secret?

  When Kate begins work at a firm of private investigators, she meets Ben Parker. His strong and silent persona is intriguing but it’s also a cover – because something devastating happened to Ben, something he can’t get over.

  As Kate and Ben begin their first assignment, they become close. But, what they don’t realise is how close to home the investigation will bring them, or who will be hurt in the process …

  What people are saying about this book:

  Lynda Stacey showed she could really crank up the tension and write a great story with her last book, House of Secrets. But this one…phew!

  Annie's Book Corner, Top 500 Reviewer.

  I love a good mystery with well developed characters. Kate is a great heroine - full of complexity. Ben is strong, funny, and sexy. There were lots of twists and turn in this story to keep the reader guessing.

  Stacey R

  If you like romantic suspense then you can't go wrong with this book.

  AnneMarie Brear, author of Where Dragonflies Hover.

  It's got everything! Romance, suspense, dealing with the past, humour......you name it, it's in there! ...I love how this novel moves, you are literally swept along with it.

  Annie's Book Corner

  Copyright © 2017 Lynda Stacey

  Published 2017 by Choc Lit Limited

  Penrose House, Crawley Drive, Camberley, Surrey GU15 2AB, UK

  www.choc-lit.com

  The right of Lynda Stacey to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

  All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the UK such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Barnards Inn, 86 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1EN

  EPUB: 978-1-78189-370-8

  For my wonderful mother, Pauline.

  You were taken from us far too soon and far too many years ago.

  There isn’t a day that passes that I don’t miss you and every single day I wish that you were still here to read my books and to drive everyone just a little bit crazy, by constantly talking about them!

  xx

  Contents

  About this Book

  Copyright information

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Thank You

  About the Author

  More Choc Lit

  Introducing Choc Lit

  Preview of House of Secrets by Lynda Stacey

  Acknowledgements

  I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Jane Lovering. She’s been the most amazing friend. She has picked me up on so many occasions, dragged me along kicking and screaming, fed me numerous mugs of coffee and on more than one occasion convinced me to carry on. I really don’t know what I’d do without her and I’m sure that without her help and encouragement, I still wouldn’t be published. So … thank you!

  A huge thank you as always goes to my husband, Haydn. He’s the one anchor in my life, the one person in the world I could not live without and even though my writing means that he ends up spending many evenings watching TV without me, he’s been encouraging throughout.

  To both Kathy Kilner and Victoria Howard who both read my manuscripts repeatedly. You’ve both helped me, critiqued my work and supported me daily. Its friends like both of you that keep me going on days when it would be easy to do anything else except for the writing. Thank you xx

  To Jayne Stacey, Cynthia Foster and Vivien Norton. You have all read this novel, given critique, believed in me, supported me and encouraged me to continue. Thank you.

  I’d also like to thank Paul McGee, author of S.U.M.O (Shut up, move on). It was after a conversation with him five years ago that I began writing Tell Me No Secrets. We sat and we chatted and I told him what I wanted to do and he simply used his catch phrase of … ‘Well then, SHUT UP AND MOVE ON, if you want to be an author, you need to sit down and get on with it. No one is going to do it for you.’ It was then that I read his inspirational book, S.U.M.O. And what a book it was. Since then, Paul and I have become great friends and even though we don’t see each other very often, I know he’s always there to encourage me, should I need it and vice versa. He even calls me his C.E.O … his Chief Encouragement Officer. It’s a nickname that I love and if I’m honest, I think everyone should have a C.E.O of their own.

  To my amazing editor, what would I do without you? I loved every minute of working with you. You were the best and I couldn’t have wished to work with anyone better. You helped me add the sparkle and shine. Thank you xx

  To the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Being a member of this association has changed my life. I’ve met some of the best authors in the world, spent time with them and what’s more, I get to call them all my friends. So, how lucky am I? I’ll be forever grateful that this group exists, and thankful that I was accepted onto their New Writers’ Scheme in 2014. Anyone wishing to become an author of romance really should join this scheme, it’s invaluable.

  And finally, I’d like to thank the team at Choc Lit for believing in me. They are amazing, they are always supportive, always at th
e end of an email, even at stupid o’clock at night and all responses are left with a lovely smiley emoticons. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to take this journey with any other publisher but you. So to you, the thanks come from every millimetre of my heart!

  Special thanks goes to the Tasting Panel readers: Elena B., Dimi E., Ruth N., Yvonne G., Stacey R., Isobel J., Samantha E., Thatsany R., Melissa B., Kathryn B. and Bianca B.

  Thank you so much, xx

  Chapter One

  ‘How many times do I have to tell you, don’t phone me here.’ Rob’s voice echoed up the stairs, making Kate jump out of bed. He sounded angry and Kate didn’t like it. She crept onto the landing, where she stood and waited, not knowing whether to go down, stay put or go back to bed. ‘Not a chance. I’m not doing it. Now, you stick to your plan, and I’ll stick to mine.’ Kate held her breath as she heard the kitchen door quietly close and the mumbled voice continued.

  ‘Rob,’ she shouted. She inched her way down the stairs. ‘Rob, is everything okay?’ Her feet were cold and she hopped from foot to foot, wishing for just a moment that she’d thought to put her slippers on as she’d jumped out of bed. ‘Rob?’

  The door handle snapped down and the kitchen door jerked open. ‘What?’ he bellowed, making her jump backwards.

  ‘I … I heard you on the phone, is all okay?’ she questioned, and nervously pulled at her pyjama top. She’d heard whispered conversations like this before. Each one had been in a hushed voice. Each one as secretive as the one before and each one had showed her a side to Rob that she didn’t like.

  ‘It’s just work. Go to bed, I’ll be up soon.’

  ‘Okay.’ He was lying to her. That was obvious. ‘Come on, Rob, how long will you be? It’s just … I start my new job tomorrow …’ She tried to play on his conscience. ‘… You have remembered that, Rob, haven’t you? I could do with an early night, and I hoped you might join me.’ She pushed for an answer knowing that the phone was still in his hand, hidden behind the door.

  ‘Kate, stop nagging and go to bed.’

  The kitchen door slammed shut in her face and Kate pouted. She wasn’t nagging and what’s more, she wasn’t stupid; she’d heard his words and knew that he was up to something, but once again, she didn’t know what.

  Sighing she went back upstairs, climbed into bed, and picked up her unfinished glass of wine. She took a sip and looked over at the impeccably positioned photo. It stood on her bedside table, silver framed, perfectly polished. The photo had been taken the year before, at their engagement party in September, a time when they’d both been happy. Rob was hugging her so close and looked so good. But then, Rob always looked good. Why wouldn’t he? He always seemed to have the perfect tan, an amazing body, figure-hugging shorts and a smile that could be seen for miles. Unlike her, who in comparison was far too scrawny, with long auburn hair and pale freckly skin that burnt far too easily.

  Everyone had said that opposites attract, but Kate still wasn’t sure. Of course, she’d thought so at first. Things had moved quickly, Rob had bombarded her with romance, love and affection and all at a time when she’d needed it the most. But recently, he’d changed. He’d become distant, cold and, dare she admit, just a little on the aggressive side. It was as though from the moment she’d agreed to him moving in with her, he’d become far too comfortable and seemed to do or say whatever he wanted, in whatever tone he liked. And the normal politeness of a new relationship had disappeared overnight.

  A million questions ran through her mind. Who had been on the phone? Was it a girlfriend? Had he met someone else? Did he regret meeting her, or was it that he’d simply stopped loving her? She wouldn’t have been suspicious if there had only ever been one call, but there hadn’t and now her mind was working overtime.

  Kate shook her head. She wouldn’t blame him if he’d found someone else. After all, what man in their right mind would want to love someone who looked like her? A single tear dropped down Kate’s face as she closed her eyes and tried to decide what to do. Did she go down, confront him, ask him the questions that were spiralling around her mind, or did she go to sleep, curl up in the duvet and once again pretend that she didn’t care?

  It was seven o’clock when her alarm clock burst into life. Its constant buzzing drove her insane, but she didn’t dare switch it off. She couldn’t sleep in; not today. But she was struggling to wake herself. She knuckle-rubbed her eyes and finally slapped the alarm clock into silence as she slid her leg over to the left-hand side of the bed, her toes searching for Rob.

  His side of the bed was cold. She should have known he wasn’t there due to the lack of snoring, but for a few seconds her hand inched across to where her fiancé should have been sleeping.

  The empty space in the bed encouraged her eyes to finally open. She peered at the duvet. It was perfectly straight, even the decorative cushion still lay where she had left it the night before and she slumped back against her pillow, knowing that once again he’d slept downstairs. Kate closed her eyes, punched the duvet and sighed, suddenly remembering the phone call, the secrets and lies of the night before.

  ‘This isn’t getting you to work, Kate Duggan.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Get up, you have a new job to go to.’ She threw back the duvet and launched herself out of bed. But as she did so, her stomach turned and the nervous nausea began.

  It would be the first full-time job she’d taken since the accident just over a year before. Thirteen months since her whole world had fallen apart. Everything had been such a mess, most of her family had both blamed and needed her in equal measure. But then she’d met Rob. It was just a few weeks after the accident, a time when she’d really needed to be loved. He’d worked, provided for her and, at that moment in time, she’d been happy to let him. She hadn’t thought about what he did for a living. How a personal trainer worked, or how often he’d end up spending days, if not weeks, working away from home. All she’d cared about was that someone actually loved her.

  Was it any wonder they’d grown apart, just as quickly as they’d got together?

  Flinging open the wardrobe door she scoured inside and without hesitation selected a black pencil skirt, new white blouse and high-heeled black patent leather shoes. Everything was easy to find. All the clothes were colour coded and set out in two distinct sections. There were tops and blouses on one rail and skirts, trousers and gym clothes on the other. Rob may have a problem sleeping with her, but that didn’t mean she’d let her appearance or standards slip for the rest of the world to see.

  She laid each item on the bed so she could check them carefully. There were to be no creases, no marks or loose seams. Appearance was everything, especially today. She just had to look perfect.

  She scanned the perfume bottles on her dressing table. All stood in a row, all were in size order. All perfectly lined up without a millimetre to spare. She carefully selected the bottle of Vivienne Westwood’s Boudoir and put it on the bed, beside her clothes. She liked everything to be there, just ready to put on. Satisfied with her choices, she padded through to the bathroom at the far side of the cottage.

  Intense, bright, early morning sunshine bounced off the glistening white tiles, hurting her eyes. She turned down the blind and waited until she’d stopped squinting, before allowing the bathroom to come into focus. There was a splatter of toothpaste, which had imprinted itself across Rob’s bathroom mirror. He’d left towels on the floor and a toilet that desperately needed attacking with bleach. These were all signs that told Kate that Rob was awake and had already been in the bathroom. She heard herself tut. They’d been together for just over a year and she’d repeatedly asked him to clean up after himself, but still it was always left like this. Even though he knew she hated it. Kate opened the cupboard, pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, and picked up the bleach.

  Once she was satisfied that the bathroom was once again perfect, she began to take in her reflection in the mirror.

  ‘I doubt I’d want to sleep with you either,’ s
he mouthed as she splashed cold water onto her pale, freckled, scarred face. Her finger drew a line along the long red puckered scar that had been engraved into her jawline, a constant reminder of the accident and a day that had tormented her dreams every night since.

  After all, it was a day she’d never been allowed to forget. The reminder was there every time she looked at herself, but according to her mother, she had been the lucky one: the one who’d walked away. A scar was nothing compared with what had happened to her twin sister, Eve, who’d been paralysed and hadn’t walked since, or her poor brother, James, who’d been killed outright, and no matter how many times she’d tried to tell herself that it hadn’t been her fault, the guilt still remained.

  After taking a shower, she set to work to correct the disturbing image that stared back from the steamed-up mirror, beginning with the brushing of her long dyed auburn hair. It reminded her of a huge tangled bird’s nest and the brush pulled as she dragged it repeatedly through the strands of hair, until they fell evenly down her back. She then turned her attention to her face and began applying the foundation that for the past year she trusted to hide her scar. Three thin coats, followed by a light dusting of face powder.

  Once satisfied, she applied a smudge of eyeliner and a touch of clear lip gloss. ‘Not too much, you don’t want to look like a hussy, now do you?’ she whispered, before smiling back at her reflection and, after dropping one damp towel into the wash basket and then wrapping a dry one around her body, she walked back across the landing and into her bedroom.

  ‘Morning.’ She heard Rob’s deep husky voice before she saw him. It came from behind the open wardrobe door and she tried to determine what kind of mood he was in. She thought he sounded cheerful, not moody at all. Yet without seeing his face, she really couldn’t tell.

  ‘So, what’s with sleeping downstairs, again?’ she immediately demanded, and then cursed inwardly for jumping in so quickly. Her job in the police force had taught her that a person always looked down if they lied and she wished she’d waited until the wardrobe door had been closed before she’d asked. At least then she’d have been able to see if there had been any sign of lies or deceit in his eyes.