While Others Sleep

While Others Sleep
Helen R. Myers

Who says lightning never strikes twice?Campbell Cody has twice experienced the strike of lightning, and both times proved to be a deadly portent of things to come. The first time lightning struck, she lost her friend, and her job as a police officer. The second time, Maida Livingstone, the dear old woman she was hired to protect, disappeared.Jackson Blade has also lost someone: a teenage girl he was tracking as part of a drug investigation. Nothing about her murder makes sense to the undercover cop until he attends her funeral and discovers a connection to Maida…and Campbell.Realizing their separate investigations are leading down the same path, Campbell and Jackson join forces to expose a killer. For Campbell, the encounter is as powerful as a bolt of lightning. But will it prove as dangerous?

Driven by concern, Campbell stepped outside to a sky opening to a torrential rain. A barrage of icy droplets pricked her face and clear vision was impossible, but she knew the approaching car was a compact, and that it was traveling fast. And it was almost upon her.

Her memory was working better than her vision, and she reached a hand out into the driveway. Yet no sooner did she step out onto the walkway than she realized the driver didn’t intend to slow down. Worse yet, she heard the car accelerate.

It was going too fast to miss her and far too fast to make the necessary ninety-degree left turn out onto the drive.

Campbell flung herself backward. Although she struck hard against the booth’s rough stone exterior, she kept her eyes open and focused her attention to try to catch a closer look at the maniac speeding by.

The car was a Grand Am. The driver was—

“Maida?” Campbell gasped. “Maida, stop!”

Ignoring the pain in her back, Campbell launched herself after the car. Brakes squealed and the rear end swung wildly through that first impossible turn. She got close enough to slam her hand on the trunk, but either Maida Livingstone didn’t hear her, or the sound had the opposite effect and frightened her.

After several stumbling strides, Campbell gave up and stared in horror as the car accelerated again. The elderly widow was racing toward the next hairpin turn.

Also by HELEN R. MYERS

NO SANCTUARY

FINAL STAND

DEAD END

LOST

MORE THAN YOU KNOW

COME SUNDOWN

While Others Sleep

Helen R. Myers

www.mirabooks.co.uk (http://www.mirabooks.co.uk)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A special salute to Texas Bluegrass singer Terri Hendrix, who inspired many of the characters in this book with her song about night wolves, those individuals who either suffer from insomnia, work, or otherwise maneuver through life while others sleep. Also thanks to the Longview Police Department and Longview Board of Education for their strong public access commitment.

To the Hide-Away-Lake Book Club and residents who asked that I feature a character who has experienced my own too-close encounters with lightning—I hope this adds insight. Your lovely development was, indeed, the inspiration for Maple Trails, even though I had to relocate it. But I will always cherish your graciousness and hospitality.

Finally, ongoing appreciation to my editor Valerie Gray and always to my agent Ethan Ellenberg. Couldn’t have done this without your wisdom, support and humor.

Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence.

—Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Nobel Prize lecture, 1973

Contents

Chapter 1 (#u1bde30f4-1e6e-521f-a7c8-0a5b3c298aef)

Chapter 2 (#ue1259f7d-e2f5-5e59-aab6-2b1074c25007)

Chapter 3 (#u914d476c-04fa-5dfa-916a-1534fbbb737b)

Chapter 4 (#ud3fc64d5-3a25-59ed-ad9a-f7fb44b7bf30)

Chapter 5 (#u09240b28-70c9-55fc-b37d-6a1af55fcf7d)

Chapter 6 (#u45cc4de8-ffa4-5e7a-afad-fa39a5a596e1)

Chapter 7 (#uc6a15a13-b782-51c5-aa04-3d7f458504c5)

Chapter 8 (#uc865c1a3-492b-5211-b06e-002d075bc5dd)

Chapter 9 (#u7ebf1203-a312-5cc9-9e2e-6e6e7c4e0e8b)

Chapter 10 (#u616651f7-225e-59a3-971e-fc9cf602c476)

Chapter 11 (#u3279ba46-fa6e-581e-95ad-d76277e59ffe)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 (#litres_trial_promo)