Known as the
Graveyard of the Pacific, Barkley Sound is notorious for surging swells with
the power to pull helpless victims into its merciless abyss…
Sergeant Holly Rudd arrives in the coastal community of
Bamfield after local divers discover a body with a knife jutting from its chest
in the waters of Barkley Sound. As she investigates the crime, Holly soon
realizes the sleepy town is rife with secrets. But what unsettles her most is
the residents’ insistence that she bears a striking resemblance to the victim
of a murder from three decades earlier. She shrugs off the uncanny likeness as
a coincidence. But her simmering attraction to Finn Carver, one of the divers
who discovered the corpse, isn’t so easy to ignore.
Finn, a former Special Forces soldier, knows it’s best to
keep his distance from Holly. Yet it isn’t long before they both give in to the
consuming desire they share. And as the danger escalates, Finn and Holly must
rely on each other to thwart the plans of a cold-blooded killer who’s intent on
keeping the past buried.
About the Author:
Toni Anderson is a former marine biologist who conducted her
Ph.D. at the Gatty Marine Laboratory in St. Andrews, Scotland, and traveled the
world with her work. She was born and raised in rural Shropshire, England but,
having lived in five different countries, finally settled in the Canadian
prairies with her husband and two children—about as far from the ocean as
possible. She combines her love of travel with her love of Romantic Suspense
and writes stories based in some of the places she’s been lucky enough to
visit. Coming next are two Romantic Suspense books set in the wilds of
Vancouver Island for Montlake Romance.
She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, Kiss of Death
Chapter, and The International Thriller Writers’ Association.
When not writing, she’s walking the dog, gardening or
ferrying the kids between school, piano, and soccer games.
Excerpt:
Holly Rudd stepped off the speedboat and looked around. Vancouver
Island was the size of Scotland, but with a population of only three-quarters
of a million people, most of whom where based in the provincial capital,
Victoria. The rest were scattered among tiny out-ports and communities like
this one—Bamfield, population one-hundred and fifty-five hardy, adventurous
souls, according to the last census.
“You can’t moor that there.”
She looked the guy up and down. Surfer blond hair and bare
feet. Rugged good looks and attitude to match. She dumped her bag at her feet
and turned to the guy who’d ferried her over from Ucluelet. Handed him fifty
bucks. “Thanks for the ride.” He waved as he sped away.
She turned back to the dude who stood with arms crossed over
his broad chest, radiating impatience and hostility. Sexy as hell. She was
tired from lack of sleep, exhilarated by the thought of what the day might
bring, but she sure as heck wasn’t blind.
“This is private property.” Blue eyes glittered. Pale hair
glowed like white gold in the rays of the rising sun. Hot, tanned, gorgeous.
Just her luck.
She raised a brow and checked her watch. “I’m meeting
someone here.”
“Public dock is another minute that way.” He jerked his
thumb down the inlet.
She smiled coolly. Twelve long years on the job and she was
still dealing with macho bullshit. “But someone’s dropping a car off for me
here.” She pointed up at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans sign on the
side of a large wooden building and started toward it.
He blocked her path. “There’s no one there today.”
She rocked back on her heels, let her eyes range over the
square jaw and heated eyes. “You’re not very friendly.”
He didn’t crack a smile. “Not in my job description.”
Not in hers either, but she found smiles worked better than
growls when gathering information.
His mouth pinched, then he backed off, relenting. “Tell me
who you’re supposed to meet and I’ll get someone to track them down.”
“Who are you?” She had a feeling she knew.
He blew out an impatient sigh. “Look, lady, I don’t have
time for this—”
“Sergeant.”
“Excuse me?” Those pale brows formed a formidable line.
She held out a hand. “Sergeant. Sergeant Holly Rudd. I’m
with the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit.”
“You’re a Mountie?”
A proud member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by any
other name. She nodded.
He stood stock still, nothing moving but the glitter in his
eyes. Finally he sucked in a breath and shook her hand. “Nice uniform.”
She glanced down at her ragged old t-shirt, cut-offs, and
thongs. “I was caught a little unprepared this morning as I was officially on
vacation. Thankfully I always pack a uniform.” She tapped her bag with her
foot, smiled widely, and watched his eyes grow a lot more friendly. And then
they shifted straight back to suspicious as he realized she was cataloguing his
expressions like a facial analysis program. “And you are?”
“Finn Carver.”
Ah. Her fingers tightened on his when he would have let go.
“You called it in?”
“I did.” He forcibly disconnected her fingers.
“I’m going to need all the gear you wore last night, and the
other diver’s. Forensics will want to check it out.”
He regarded her with one of those silent, steady gazes
people used when they wanted to argue but couldn’t. “I’ll need it back ASAP. I
have a busy dive schedule this week.”
“You can use something else for a day or two, right? I’ll
make sure they do a quick turnaround.” She needed this guy on her side.
The little time she’d had before the boat trip she’d used to
pull up background information on the two guys who’d found the body. Finn
Carver had been in the military. Right now he looked ready to go into combat.
“Any chance the dive team arrived yet?” she asked.
“No. Their ETA is eleven o’clock. West Coast Marine Service
had a call north of Prince Rupert last night. It’s going to take them a few
hours to get back here. So far you’re it.” His eyes scraped her form. He didn’t
look impressed. She should be insulted, but she worked best when people
underestimated her.
“I want to check out the crime scene ASAP.”
His face gave away nothing but skepticism. Those arms
crossed again over that muscular chest. Mouth pressed into a firm line. She let
her eyes wander over him. He really was very attractive and absolutely
untouchable. Knowing that gave her a distinct advantage.
“You can take me down,” she suggested.
He gave her one of those sideways glances. Not hostile. Not
friendly. “Whoever is in charge of the investigation probably wouldn’t be very
happy about that.”
“Me. I’m in charge. On the ground anyway.” Although she was
the newest member of the major crime unit here on the island, she had plenty of
experience. She let her grin reach her eyes this time. This was her first case
as primary investigator in a murder investigation and she didn’t usually have
to work this hard to charm anyone. “I just helped solve a case down in Blaine.”
RCMP, municipal, and FBI collaboration. A hell of a big deal. “Guy murdered his
wife, dumped her in Semiahmoo Bay. We found enough evidence to prove he was
lying and he confessed.” To her, at the end of a bloody knife. She rubbed the
newly healed scar on her arm. “I’ve been working with forensic experts in
Burnaby for some time, looking at decomp after seawater submergence.”
His lip started to thin. He was definitely not buying it.
“If you’re too scared to go back down there…”
He snorted and whirled away. “What am I, eight?”
“If you don’t take me down I’ll find someone who will,” she
called to his retreating back.
He stopped, tension stretching the muscles tight across his
shoulder blades. “I thought people who found the bodies were suspects?”
Knowledgeable about police investigations. Check. “At this
stage everyone’s a suspect, but I can take care of myself.”
A harsh sound was forced out of his mouth. “Just what a
potential dive buddy wants to hear.” He swiveled back to her and moved so close
she smelled his scent and felt his body heat. She held her ground, watching his
nostrils flare. He was trying to intimidate, but she’d been a cop for over a
decade, had grown up with cops. There wasn’t much she hadn’t seen or dealt
with, and brawny guys with bad attitudes did not scare her. “This isn’t some
macho pissing contest. Wreck diving is dangerous, especially at this sort of
depth. Only experienced divers should be down there.”
“I can handle it.” Her voice was sharp. He wasn’t a pushover
for female charm or pretty smiles. Perhaps proving she was damn good at her job
would work instead.
He went to walk away, but she reached out to touch his arm.
“I have dive training.” She spoke softer this time. She’d
learned to dive exactly so she could pursue this sort of investigation.
He paused, those eyes of his diamond hard. “Prove it.”
She let go of his arm and bent to pick up her bag. Unzipping
the tote she pulled out her brand-new PADI diving certificate. “I just
completed the basic dive training yesterday.”
“Fortuitous.” He plucked the book from her fingers and
flipped through it. “You did four open water dives and think you’re ready for a
thirty-meter wreck dive?” He shoved the book back in her hand and stalked away.
“Not on your life, Sergeant Rudd.”
“I checked you out, Mr. Carver.”
“I bet you did.”
She followed him into a low-slung single-story building, the
room full of tanks and neoprene. The desk overflowed with papers, keys, coffee
mugs. Where was everyone? The place was quiet as a graveyard. He picked up the
phone.
“I heard you’re the best dive instructor this side of the
Pacific. If anyone can get me into that wreck it’s you.”
“Getting you into the wreck wouldn’t be the problem.” His
eyes flicked over her, unmoved by flattery. He started talking on the phone.
“Johnny? Finn Carver here. I’ve got a woman called Holly Rudd claims she just
completed a PADI course with you?”
It went silent and Holly leaned against the doorway,
straining to hear above the background sound of running water.
“What was she like under pressure? Think she could hold her
own on a thirty-meter wreck dive?”
She watched his face, trying to gauge the answers, but his
impassive features gave nothing away.
“Would you trust her with your life?” The reply made Finn
smile. “That’s what I figured. Talk to you later.” He hung up.
“What did he say?” She could have kicked herself for asking.
He stared at her, then bent down and started filling an air
cylinder. “You don’t want to know.”
Her eyes widened despite her efforts to conceal her
emotions. “Well, it won’t be anything I haven’t heard before.” She lived in a
man’s world and never forgot the fact, but she was done playing games. “Are you
taking me down or not? So far we’ve only got your and Professor Edgefield’s
word a body even exists. And even if there’s a body, it doesn’t mean it’s a
homicide.”
He snorted. “Trust me, it’s a homicide.”
This was her first murder as lead investigator, and she
would not be thwarted. Checking out the crime scene with the body still in
place was imperative as long as she didn’t contaminate the scene. The guys on
the Underwater Recovery Team were no more likely to take her down than he was.
She geared herself up for an argument.
“You do exactly as I say. No pulling rank or cop bullshit
when we get down there. And you’ll owe me.” Carver disconnected one cylinder
and began filling another. His eyes were flat and hard.
“You’re going to take me down?” A rush of adrenaline shot
through her. She nodded. “As long as it isn’t illegal, I’ll owe you.” She
nodded.
“Down there I’m boss. You have to trust me implicitly.” He
took a step closer and her mouth went dry. “If I put my hands on you…” He
rested both hands on her hips and she felt the imprint of each burning hot
finger. She forced herself not to react. This was a test. She didn’t fail
tests. Ever. “If I grab you, you don’t freak out. You help me do whatever the
hell it is I want to do. You follow my lead exactly and we’ll both get out of
there alive.”
She found herself staring up into those bright blue eyes,
only inches from hers. Energy sizzled between them. A sudden wave of sexual
awareness mixed with mutual mistrust, a subtle perfume of complication.
Red burned his cheekbones. He released her. He hadn’t
expected it either.
“I have to trust you. Think I can do that?” Blue eyes held
her gaze.
She didn’t make a joke about putting her hands on him
because suddenly it wasn’t funny. One, he was a suspect and she refused to feel
anything for him that wasn’t strictly professional. Two, they were going to
dive a hazardous shipwreck at thirty meters with a rotting corpse at the end.
It wasn’t the sort of treasure most divers dreamed of, but she wasn’t most
people. She kept her mouth shut. Nodded.
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