Dead Ringer
Facts about the Mountain Springs Serial Killer:* He targets women with long dark hair and blue eyes.* He finds his victims through an online dating service.* He's about to strike again.When a distress call sends Detective Eli Hawkins to Lucy Kimbol, he senses danger straightaway. With her long dark hair and beautiful blue eyes, Lucy's a dead ringer for the local killer's other victims. And she is a member of the online dating service the killer frequents. But with her painful past, Lucy is reluctant to believe Eli's warnings. Winning her trust is the only way to keep her safe…if Eli is not already too late.
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“Listen, Lucy, I know you have the right to make your own choices, but I got the creepy vibe from your date when we were in the restaurant the other day.”
Lucy opened her mouth to protest, but Eli held up a hand. “I know you don’t like people interfering. But I grew up with two sisters and I had, like, a ninety percent success rate with predicting when a guy was bad news.” Her expression hardened, and he knew he was fighting a losing battle. “Please, Lucy, I am just asking you to trust me. I can’t explain why, but please just trust me.”
She studied him for a moment. “You barely know me. I don’t understand why you would even care.”
“It’s in my cop DNA. Though, my partner says I have an overdeveloped need to protect people.”
“Your partner might be right.” The resolve he saw in her eyes was unwavering.
He let go of her arm. “I had a good time this afternoon helping you. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” It was the truest thing he could say to her.
SHARON DUNN
has always loved writing but didn’t decide to write for publication until she was expecting her first baby. Pregnancy makes you do crazy things. Three kids, many articles and two mystery series later, she still hasn’t found her sanity. Her books have won awards including a Book of the Year award from American Christian Fiction Writers, and she was a finalist for an RT Book Reviews’ Inspirational Book of the Year award.
Sharon has performed in theater and church productions, gotten degrees in film production and history and worked for many years as a college tutor and instructor. Despite the fact that her résumé looks like she couldn’t decide what she wanted to be when she grew up, all the education and experience has played a part in helping her write good stories.
When she isn’t writing or taking her kids to activities, she reads, plays board games and contemplates organizing her closet. In addition to her three kids, Sharon lives with her husband of twenty-two years, three cats and lots of dust bunnies. You can reach Sharon through her Web site at www.sharondunnbooks.com.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
—Isaiah 41:10
For the Ladies’ Aid Society and my July brainstorming buddies. Thanks for making me laugh until my sides hurt, supporting me in all matters personal and professional and for praying.
CONTENTS
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
EPILOGUE
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
ONE
Someone was in the house.
Lucy Kimbol pushed her chair back from her work-table. The noise had come from downstairs.
Tuning in the sounds around her, she held her breath. Outside, the rain tapped the roof in a muffled whisper. The view through the window was black. A fan whirred about four feet from her. She leaned forward in her chair. Downstairs, it was silent.
Yet her skin tingled. Her stomach clenched. The same physical responses she had when she was camping and a wild animal was close. Even if she couldn’t see or hear the animal, she could sense it. And now she sensed…something in her house. She released a slow stream of air and remained as still as possible.
A sudden thud from downstairs caused her to jump up from her chair and dart to the edge of her loft. She gripped the wooden railing, scanning the living room and kitchen below. No sign of movement. She had definitely heard something this time, though. Her heart rate accelerated as adrenaline shot through her muscles.
Her house was not that big; most of it was visible from the loft. That meant something or someone had to be downstairs in her bedroom.
Lucy tiptoed down the spiral staircase and crept toward the bedroom door. Another sound, like the brush of a broom or gust of wind came from within the bedroom. She froze. Her hands curled into fists. She locked her knees.
Maybe she should just call the police. No, the last thing she wanted to do was talk to anyone on the Mountain Springs police force. Past experience told her that the police did more harm than good. She could handle this herself.
She took a step forward; her bare feet brushed across polished wood. Her hand grazed the bedroom door. No light penetrated the slit between door and frame.
This could be nothing. A raccoon had probably snuck in through the open window again.
After a deep breath, she pushed hard on the door, burst into the room and flipped on the light in one smooth movement. Something was crawling out of the window, but it wasn’t a wild animal.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Her words came out in a staccato burst, like gunfire.
The man in a hoodie slipped through the window and disappeared. Lucy raced to the window. Sheets of rain made the glowing circle of a flashlight murky as it bobbed across the field. He was headed toward the forest and beyond that the road. A quick survey of the room revealed open drawers and boxes pulled out of the closet. Lucy put a palm on her hammering heart. The man had been holding something as he’d escaped. She’d been robbed!
