Silent Confessions

Silent Confessions
Julie Kenner

Was it poetic justice or an education in obsession?Book shop owner Veronica Archer is eager to oblige when sexy detective Jack Parker shows up at her shop, seeking help on the stalking case he's working. Verses from Victorian erotica are being left for the victims, and Jack needs to interpret the clues; before someone gets hurt. Thankfully, Ronnie's an expert on naughty turn-of-the-century prose, but if she's going to play teacher, Jack will have to be a very dedicated student;With her own love life stuck in neutral, Ronnie's sensual studies have piqued her curiosity, and she wonders if reality can be as stimulating as fiction. She agrees to help Jack with his case, if he'll satisfy her wildest, most scandalous desires ;a request Jack has no problem accommodating. But the closer they get to each other, the closer the stalker circles in, leaving Jack to question if Ronnie is merely a very skilled scholar ;or the key to something far more sinister…

Was it poetic justice…or an education in obsession?

Bookstore owner Veronica Archer is eager to oblige when sexy detective Jack Parker shows up at her shop, seeking help on the stalking case he’s working. Verses from Victorian erotica are being left for the victims, and Jack needs to interpret the clues—before someone gets hurt. Thankfully, Ronnie’s an expert on naughty turn-of-the-century prose, but if she’s going to play teacher, Jack will have to be a dedicated student….

With her own love life stuck in Neutral, Ronnie’s sensual studies have piqued her curiosity, and she wonders if reality can be as stimulating as fiction. She agrees to help Jack with his case, if he’ll satisfy her wildest, most scandalous desires—a request Jack has no problem accommodating. But the closer they get to each other, the closer the stalker circles in, leaving Jack to question if Ronnie is merely a very skilled scholar—or the key to something far more sinister….

Silent Confessions

J. Kenner

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

Thanks to the folks in the Detective Bureau, NYPD,

for answering my stream of questions about

procedural details. And thanks to the Austin P.D.

for filling in some gaps, and to Cyndee Duhadaway

for putting me in touch with the right folks. Also,

a big thanks to Mishell Kneeland for not running

far and fast from my unilateral announcement that she’d

become my own personal NYC expert, and for patiently

answering my avalanche of emails. To all of you,

the help provided was invaluable and accurate.

Any embellishments (or mistakes) are purely my own.

Contents

Cover (#uca6191ae-07ac-53b3-934e-e58f56924b04)

Back Cover Text (#u90cce4c2-e59b-53a4-b42f-8acbdd067589)

Title Page (#uc92a19b0-9f81-5fc8-9eec-a5816ed5b9e1)

Dedication (#ue06294f3-5229-5750-b4ee-7a40738e6dea)

Chapter One (#u9b575393-9611-5652-8339-25f0dd7ca3d2)

Chapter Two (#ud36172a6-56ec-5401-a6cc-ff83904b26ff)

Chapter Three (#u42d7c82b-bde0-5f71-8ebd-4dee19fef6fa)

Chapter Four (#u27fc278f-850e-5a94-9d21-3c7b69aa7504)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

chapter one (#ulink_f13987ef-b9bb-5d44-abca-3079a397184d)

Don’t be frightened, darling; lovers can say anything. Those words, out of place in colder moments, add fresh relish to the sweet mystery of love? You will soon say them, too, and understand their charm.

Detective Jack Parker snapped on a pair of latex gloves and plucked the note off the satin-covered pillow. Neatly typed on pale pink paper, the writing seemed innocent enough. Hell, in another time, another place, the words could have been romantic, lovers sharing naughty endearments and euphemisms meant only for each other.

Tonight, though, the words had been meant to terrify.

Bastard.

Their Casanova had struck twice before, and so far the police didn’t have one solid lead. The situation ate at his gut.

Jack hated to lose.