by Brenda Novak
“Want to give her a call?” Shorty asked.
“Yeah.” He could’ve walked to the payphone back by the bathrooms, but Shorty did him the courtesy of putting the business phone within reach. Since there was no cell service in the area, he and everyone else in Hilltop couldn’t communicate as easily as most of the rest of the world. But it didn’t take long to drive over from Hanover House, not in the good weather they’d been having recently. So why hadn’t Evelyn taken a minute to let any of them know she was running late?
Had something gone wrong at the prison?
The thought of that frightened Amarok. Something could always go wrong when dealing with the men she studied. But the biggest threat to her had been Jasper Moore, and Amarok had arrested him six months ago. Although Evelyn had worked with other killers—still did—none had become quite that fixated on her, not any who were now in a situation to harm her, at any rate.
He’d believed any danger to Evelyn was finally under control.…
But was it really? She’d had Jasper transferred to Hanover House. Not only had she deemed it poetic justice that he would become her captive instead of her becoming his, she’d longed for the opportunity to study the one man who’d sent her on the odyssey to understand evil in the first place.
The hair on the back of Amarok’s neck stood on end as he dialed the prison. He told himself he was getting worried over nothing. In a few moments, he’d hear her voice. Maybe she’d sound a bit harried—she was probably trying to get out of the office so she could keep their appointment—but she would apologize for the delay, and he’d finish his beer and the game while she drove over.
But that didn’t happen. When Penny, her assistant, told him Evelyn had left three hours ago to grab some files from home and had never returned as expected, the fear he’d shoved away suddenly reasserted itself. “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked.
“I-I don’t know,” she responded, obviously flustered by the question. “I figured she must’ve decided to work at home this afternoon. She doesn’t have any appointments on her schedule.”
Because she’d kept the afternoon clear so they could meet with Shorty and his sister.
“Is something wrong?” Penny now sounded alarmed.
“No, nothing’s wrong,” he said. But when he called home and couldn’t get Evelyn there, either, his concern ticked up another notch.
“Any luck?” Shorty’s sister had sauntered close while drying glasses.
Amarok hung up, slapped some money on the bar and dug his keys from his pocket. “No. She’s not at the prison and she’s not at home.”
“Must be in her car, on the way over,” Roberta said.
He hoped to God that was it. She could’ve fallen asleep or something. But taking a nap in the middle of the day would be so unlike her. “Maybe.”
“Don’t freak out,” she warned. “You put that Jasper fella away, remember?”
“I remember.” But when Jasper wasn’t standing trial for one of the many murders for which he had yet to be tried, he was at Hanover House. As a matter of fact, Amarok was fairly certain he was there now. Maybe he’d figured out some way to get to Evelyn. Or someone else had. “I’ll give you a call when I know what’s going on,” he said and walked out without waiting for a response.
The five-minute drive home seemed like it took forever, but Amarok breathed a sigh of relief when he found Evelyn’s SUV parked in their driveway. As he pulled in behind it, he decided she must’ve gotten busy and forgotten their appointment. But why wouldn’t she answer the damn phone? Why the hell would she give him such a scare?
Jamming the transmission into Park, he hopped out, planning to ask her—and found something that made his blood run cold. One of the shoes she’d had on when she left for work this morning was lying on the concrete only a few feet from the driver’s side of her vehicle.
Also by
Brenda Novak
HER DARKEST NIGHTMARE
HELLO AGAIN
Praise for Hello Again
“Taking a look into the mind of a serial killer, Novak weaves a chilling tale of psychological intrigue that will have readers on the edge of their seats … The story is a fast-paced, fascinating, and wild ride. Readers will be turning the pages to see what happens next in this incredible thriller by the multi-genre superstar Novak!”
—RT Book Reviews
“A thrilling romantic suspense novel.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Exciting, terrifying, and the type of story that will keep you wondering what could possibly happen next, Hello Again is concrete proof of Brenda Novak’s wonderful writing prowess … [F]ans will undoubtedly enjoy this series and these characters immensely. Highly recommended.”
—Harlequin Junkie
“The ending of Hello Again gave me chills.”
—Unconventional Book Views
“Riveting, dark, and spine-chillingly eerie … A clever, gritty, and incredibly captivating tale that not only has all the elements you look for in a romantic suspense novel but proves Novak is still one of the best in the genre.”
—What’s Better Than Books
“I couldn’t stop reading. Novak really has a way of drawing you in and keeping you on the edge of your seat. The suspense is thrilling in this book, breathtaking even.”
—Book Binge
Her Darkest Nightmare
“The first in the new Dr. Evelyn Talbot series proves that bestselling Novak is as equally adept at crafting dark, intense suspense novels as she is at writing emotionally compelling love stories.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Novak is a master of suspense. She writes … so well that readers will have a hard time putting this book down. A well-written work of art by a true master of the genre.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick, 4½ stars)
“Her Darkest Nightmare is as stimulating as it is gripping, and Novak has crafted an exceptional new series that will leave you wanting more.”
—Real Crime magazine
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BRENDA NOVAK and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. When she’s not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually working on her annual fund-raiser for diabetes research, a cause for which she’s raised $2.6 million so far. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including six Rita nominations, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Book Seller’s Best, and the National Reader’s Choice Award.
Visit her website at: http://brendanovak.com, or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraph
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
> Excerpt: Blindspot
Also by Brenda Novak
Praise
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
FACE OFF
Copyright © 2018 by Brenda Novak, Inc.
Excerpt from Blindspot copyright © 2018 by Brenda Novak, Inc.
All rights reserved.
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St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / September 2018
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