Break the Silence: A totally addictive crime thriller (Detectives Kane and Alton Book 7)

by D. K. Hood

  Jack, I know you’ll never read this but I have to tell someone. Earlier tonight four members of the Black Rock Falls football team drugged and raped me. You know them, Jack. Lyons, Court, Devon, and Jacobs. Seth Lyons threatened to do the same to our little sister if I went to the sheriff. They have pictures and a video of me, Jack. Mom and Dad would be so ashamed if this was spread all over social media. They’re like terrorists to women on campus and Lyons told me I’m not the only girl they’ve done this to. My roommate tried to warn me about them. I’ve been such a fool, Jack, and it’s best if I end this now. Like you, I’m not afraid of dying. See you on the other side, big brother. xxx

  Heart aching, Jack gripped the cellphone so hard it cut into his palm. Her message had remained unanswered for ten minutes before he’d returned to base after one hell of a mission. His chopper had gone down but most of the team had walked away without a scratch. He’d been out of contact with base for a few days, but after completing the mission with a depleted team, he’d returned to base. At the debriefing, Jack had discovered his status was MIA and would remain so until his unit had completed the retrieval of all the members of his team.

  He’d turned on his phone and sent her a message but his reply to Chrissie had remained unanswered. Devastated, his gut told him he’d missed the window of opportunity to save her by less than fifteen minutes. How many more young women’s lives would these men destroy? The creed he lived by had played in his mind: I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans, always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves.

  He’d pulled in a few favors and within the hour was on his way home on a fake passport. After arriving, he’d gone straight to Chrissie’s residence hall and the scuttlebutt surrounding her suicide had near shattered him. He’d dropped into a different zone, engaged a protective shield to ease the pain, and then gone about gathering intel on the run, with the help of his drone. People had little idea how easy it was to spy on them and discover their innermost secrets. Infiltrating the influx of new students for the fall semester had been easy, after making friends with the football team the previous semester. It had been by pure chance that during his downtime, a friend had asked him to replace him as the medic for the college football team for a couple of weeks and this semester he’d slipped into the college without question. Having field medic training had paid off in spades. He’d also used his expertise to disable the college CCTV cameras, hack the mainframe, and, like a ghost, hunt down the targets. It had only taken a few days to take out the trash.

  He’d not gained any satisfaction by killing Jacobs, Devon, or Court, and their faces would never haunt him, but he would remember Seth Lyons. The disgusting animal had wet himself when he’d told him he was Chrissie’s brother and given him the reason he was in Black Rock Falls. He’d dangled the flash drives in front of his face and grinned. After messing up his pretty-boy face, he’d threatened to disembowel him and hang him from the nearest tree by his entrails if he gave the cops his name. Hoping Lyons would leap to his death into the ravine, the man had decided his own punishment by taking the coward’s way out and opting for the bridge.

  Yeah, he’d taken a risk by sticking around to make sure the sheriff had all the evidence she needed to ensure Lyons would rot in jail for the rest of his miserable life, but it was worth it. Moments later, he’d vanished like smoke and then called the team to evacuate him. Later, when the news had come through about a reward for the man who’d given the sheriff the flash drives, he’d arranged for one of his buddies to drop by the sheriff’s office. With a similar build and features, they were often mistaken for each other on base. His friend had donated the reward to a charity for battered women. As his friend had an iron-clad alibi, having arrived in Black Rock Falls on the morning of the bridge collapse, his ruse had worked.

  Jack allowed his humanity to slip through one more time to read Chrissie’s message again. He brushed away the sting of tears in his eyes and then, with his mask firmly back in place, he hit delete. His mission was over and it was time to return to base. Rest easy, little sister. I’m done here.

  Epilogue

  One week later

  A shimmer of excitement ran through Jenna as she stepped onto her porch and surveyed her ranch. It was an incredibly beautiful day. The sun shone and not a cloud marred the blue sky. The scents of fall came to her on a surprisingly warm breeze as if nature had made this day special to mark one little girl’s birthday. Wolfe’s youngest, Anna, had stolen a place in her heart, but she enjoyed spending time with all his girls. Emily and Julie had become close friends, and it was great to have someone to go on shopping trips with and not be the sheriff for one day. Best of all, this year she’d persuaded Wolfe to allow her and Kane to arrange Anna’s birthday party. Surprisingly, Anna had only invited three friends from school but insisted that Rowley, Webber, and Atohi be there as well. The little girl had asked her shyly if she could have a big person’s barbecue and horse rides. How could she refuse?

  It had been a busy week, tying up loose ends and writing reports. The FBI had moved swiftly and contacted more of the young women raped by Lyons and his friends. Fifteen had come forward, and as the proof of the crimes was unchallengeable, Samuel Cross, the lawyer, had found himself inundated with queries about compensation. As the majority of the offenders were loaded, he’d agreed to represent them all in a number of class actions for damages. Lyons had pleaded guilty at his hearing and was awaiting sentencing, but like Stevens, he would spend the rest of his life in jail.

  The day a man with a buzz cut had walked into the sheriff’s office to claim the reward had been the cherry on the cake. At last, she’d been able to tie up all the loose ends and close the case. He’d claimed he’d come home on leave and taken a walk when he ran into Lyons and Jenna but hadn’t witnessed a fight. He’d gotten there after Lyons had run onto the bridge and found the flash drives on the edge of the ravine. After Kane had shaken his hand and thanked him for his service, Jenna had stared at the man for a long moment before checking out his story. A Navy Seal like Jack Lowe, the resemblance between the two men was uncanny. When he’d left, she’d looked at Kane. “I’m sure glad he came by. You have to agree he looks like Jack Lowe.”

  “I never doubted you, Jenna.” Kane had smiled at her. “I’d have figured the same thing.”

  The rodeo crowd had left, and after the usual Saturday night dance, the town had thankfully returned to normal. Soon the chill of winter would arrive and Kane had offered to take her for a weekend at the new Black Rock Falls ski resort—just as friends, of course. It would be a luxury. Hot chocolate, skiing, and nights in front of a log fire… Bliss.

  The warm comfort of friends surrounded her as Kane strolled back to the porch. He’d spent a great deal of time attaching balloons to the driveway and now walked back, chatting with Atohi, Rowley, and his girlfriend Sandy. She smiled at them. “You’ve all done a great job.”

  “The ponies are very gentle.” Kane slapped both men on the back. “Thank you for bringing them; it will mean all the kids can ride and Anna is going to love her gift.”

  Jenna opened the front door and went inside. “Her pony is so pretty. Thank you so much, Atohi.”

  “The mare is gentle and I’ve worked with her this week to make sure she has no vices.” Atohi looked at her. “She’ll be perfect. Her name is Raweno and she’ll take care of the young one.”

  Jenna looked over the gifts piled high on the coffee table then led the way into the kitchen. She’d made the birthday cake, and although it tilted slightly to one side, and Kane had helped her with the frosting, she considered it quite an achievement as she had only one good arm. As Kane moved around the kitchen, filling bowls with various snacks and candy, Jenna handed Rowley, Sandy, and Atohi drinks from the refrigerator. “So, who plans to do the cooking?”

  They looked at each other and a smile spread over Rowley’s face. “Shane.”

  “He’s the master of the grill.” Kane chuckled. “Wolfe has m
any talents.” He cocked his head as if listening. “I hear vehicles.”

  Emily and Wolfe were bringing all their guests, and after taking a quick look around the rooms, Jenna headed for the front door. As the children spilled out of the trucks, she moved down the steps to greet them. “Happy birthday, Anna.” She bent to hug the little girl.

  “I can’t wait to ride the horses. I saw the ponies in the corral. Are they for us to ride?” Anna looked at Kane and beamed when he nodded. “Can we do that straight away, Uncle Dave? Daddy can help with the barbecue.”

  “Don’t you want to open your presents first?” Kane crouched down to look at her. “And Jenna made you a cake.”

  “I’m not sure they’ll sit still long enough.” Wolfe chuckled. “All they’ve been chatting about is the horses.”

  “Yeah, they’ve been driving me nuts.” Julie pulled a face. “Horses, horses, horses.”

  Jenna laughed. “The cake can wait. They’ll need a boost once they’ve run out of energy.” She gave Atohi a wink and he slipped off toward the stables.

  “Great!” Emily grinned. “I’ll help Jenna. Julie will help with the girls.”

  “Oh, all right.” Julie waved Anna’s friends toward the corral.

  As Jenna followed, holding Anna’s hand, the little girl lifted her big blue eyes to her. “Can I ride with Uncle Dave? My friends can all ride and they’ll be fine on the ponies.”

  “Not this time; you’ll be staying inside the corral with your friends.” Kane took Anna’s other hand. “But I’ll walk beside you if you like.”

  “I can ride your horse on my own?” Anna’s eyes rounded.

  “No need, look.” He pointed to the stables as Atohi led out a magnificent paint pony. “Happy birthday, Anna.”

  The little girl’s face lit up with so much joy, tears pricked the backs of Jenna’s eyes. Wolfe moved beside her and she turned to look at his reaction. “I think she likes her present.”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her that happy. Thank you. I appreciate it more than you know.” Wolfe rubbed his hands together. “I’ll get the fire going for the barbecue.”

  Under the guidance of Julie, Atohi, Rowley, and Sandy, the procession moved off around the corral. Jenna went to stand beside Kane and smiled at the way Duke leaned against his leg, his eyes closed. The kids had worn out the dog already. She mimicked Kane’s pose of one foot on the bottom rung as they watched the little girls. “I knew when I woke up this morning it would be a special day. This is like having a real family.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Kane slipped his arm around her waist. “People say you can’t pick your family but I figure ours turned out just fine.”

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  Books by D.K. Hood

  Don’t Tell A Soul

  Bring Me Flowers

  Follow Me Home

  The Crying Season

  Where Angels Fear

  Whisper in the Night

  Break the Silence

  AVAILABLE IN AUDIO

  Don’t Tell A Soul (Available in the UK and the US)

  Bring Me Flowers (Available in the UK and the US)

  Follow Me Home (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Crying Season (Available in the UK and the US)

  Where Angels Fear (Available in the UK and the US)

  Whisper in the Night (Available in the UK and the US)

  A Letter from D.K. Hood

  Thank you so much for choosing my novel and coming with me on another thrilling adventure with Kane and Alton in Break the Silence. If you’d like to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the website link below. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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  If you enjoyed my story, I would be very grateful if you could leave a review and recommend my book to your friends and family. I really enjoy hearing from readers so feel free to ask me questions at any time. You can get in touch on my Facebook page or Twitter or through my blog.

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  D.K. Hood

  www.dkhood.com

  dkhood-author.blogspot.com.au

  Don’t Tell a Soul

  Detectives Kane and Alton Book 1

  Get it here!

  The floor was stone cold on her bare skin. Her heart pounded in her chest. ‘Not a soul knows where I am,’ she thought as she took in the darkness around her. And then she heard his footsteps…

  When a body is found stuffed into a barrel at the local dump, covered in long red cuts, Detective Jenna Alton and her new deputy, David Kane, rush to the scene.

  Nothing ever happens in the small town of Black Rock Falls, so Jenna believes the victim must be one of two recent missing persons, and she fears for the life of the other.

  Both were strangers to the town, but there’s nothing else to link them. Jenna knows someone must have seen something, but no one’s talking; how well does she really know the people around her?

  Then a disturbing clue makes Jenna suspect a connection with other disappearances in the town’s history. Just when she begins asking the right questions, she realises she’s being followed. Is she next on the killer’s list?

  In a race against time, Jenna and David must unlock the dark secret at the heart of the town, before it’s too late…

  A completely addictive detective thriller that will have you guessing right to the end. If you love Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott, you’ll love Don’t Tell A Soul.

  Available now!

  Bring Me Flowers

  Detectives Kane and Alton Book 2

  Get it here!

  She didn’t know he was watching. Until it was too late.

  She’d walked this way hundreds of times before. She knew every twist and turn. She didn’t know this was the last time she’d ever walk this path.

  Hidden deep in the forest, schoolgirl Felicity Parker is found carefully laid out on a rock with nothing but a freshly picked bunch of flowers next to her. The body lies just off a popular hiking route, and Detective Jenna Alton thinks the killer might be a visitor to the town, until another girl’s body is found at the local swimming pool, once again posed with a bunch of flowers.

  Jenna recognizes the signs of a serial killer, and thinks it could be a local. As the town is gripped with fear, Jenna must examine each person the girls knew, and trust between neighbors starts to crumble.

  Both girls went out on their own, and were found where they shouldn’t be. Were they taken by chance, or did they know their killer? How were they lured so far from safety? And can Jenna and her team find the killer before another life is lost?

  An absolutely nail-biting thriller that will keep you up all night. If you enjoy Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott, you’ll love this!

  Available now!

  Follow Me Home

  Detectives Kane and Alton Book 3

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  ‘Don’t you agree Detective? That some people deserve to die? I’ve killed the first. I’ve killed the second. Now will you catch the others, or do I have to kill them too?’

  The body of Amos Price lies in a pool of blood on the polished floor of an otherwise empty house. With no signs of a break in, and no clues left at the scene, Detective Jenna Alton is at a loss.

  But as the team begins to unpick the life of the reclusive victim, they discover a disturbing link between Amos and the disappearance of several young girls in the county going back years.

  Days later, another brutally murdered body is found, in a remote motel on the outskirts of town. Ely Dorsey was killed in a frenzied at
tack and Jenna fears not only that the murders are connected to the missing girls, but that the killer hasn’t finished yet.

  As Jenna tries to work out who will be next, the killer suddenly starts sending her deputy, David Kane, messages. Is she being taunted? Or does the murderer want to be caught? And will Jenna discover who’s behind these killings before more people die?

  An absolutely nail-biting thriller with plenty of twists, Follow Me Home is perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott.

  Available now!