Season of Secrets

Season of Secrets
Marta Perry

As a teenager, Dinah Westlake had witnessed the murder of her pregnant cousin, but a concussion blocked her memories of that night.Now, ten years later, her cousin's widower, Marc Devlin, had returned to Charleston to give his young son a true Southern Christmas. It was a chance to make amends in a family torn apart by the tragedy–and the suspicion that Marc was responsible for his wife's demise.But when several dangerous "accidents" occurred amid the colorful holiday celebrations, Dinah's recollections of that past dark night began to resurface. Would she discover a killer inside the man she'd grown to love?

Dinah heard a thud somewhere in the house.

Then it came again-a faint, distant creaking this time. She listened another moment. Nothing.

A shrill sound broke the silence, and she started, heart hammering. Then, realizing what it was, she shook her head at her own foolishness, snatched her cell phone out of her bag and pressed the button.

“Hello?” Her voice came out oddly breathless.

“Is everything all right?” Marc asked. “You don’t sound quite yourself.”

“It’s nothing. Really. I was just scaring myself, thinking I heard someone in the house.”

“Get out. Now.” The demand was sharp and fast as the crack of a whip.

Holding the phone clutched tightly against her ear, Dinah raced across the room, through the hallway, and plunged out the door.

MARTA PERRY

has written everything from Sunday school curriculum to travel articles to magazine stories in twenty years of writing, but she feels she’s found her home in the stories she writes for Love Inspired.

Marta lives in rural Pennsylvania, but she and her husband spend part of each year at their second home in South Carolina. When she’s not writing, she’s probably visiting her children and her beautiful grandchildren, traveling or relaxing with a good book.

Marta loves hearing from readers and she’ll write back with a signed bookplate or bookmark. Write to her c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279. E-mail her at marta@martaperry.com, or visit her on the Web at www.martaperry.com.

MARTA PERRY

Season of Secrets

For now we see in a mirror, darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know full, even as I am known.

—1 Corinthians 13:12

This story is dedicated to my granddaughter,

Greta Nicole Wulff, with much love from Grammy.

And, as always, to Brian.

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

Chapter Sixteen

Questions for Discussion

One

“Why is he coming back now?”

Aunt Kate put her morning cup of Earl Grey back in the saucer as she asked the question for what had to be the twentieth time since they’d heard the news, her faded blue eyes puckered with distress. December sunlight streamed through the lace curtains on the bay window in the breakfast room, casting into sharp relief the veins that stood out on her hand, pressed to the polished tabletop.

“I don’t know, Aunt Kate.”

Love swept through Dinah Westlake, obliterating her own fears about Marc Devlin’s return to Charleston. She covered the trembling hand with her own, trying to infuse her great-aunt with her own warmth. Anger sparked. Marc shouldn’t come back, upsetting their lives once again.

“Maybe he just wants to sell the house since the Farriers moved out.” Aunt Kate sounded hopeful, and she glanced toward the front window and the house that stood across the street in the quiet Charleston historic block.

Annabel’s house. The house where Annabel died.

Dinah forced herself to focus on the question. “I suppose so. Do you know if he’s bringing Court?”

Her cousin Annabel’s son had been three when she’d seen him last, and now he was thirteen. She remembered a soft, cuddly child who’d snuggled up next to her, begging for just one more bedtime story. It was unlikely that Courtney would want or need anything from her now.

“I don’t know.” Aunt Kate’s lips firmed into a thin line. “I hope not.”

Dinah blinked. “Don’t you want to see Courtney?” This visit was the first indication that Marc would let his son have a relationship with his mother’s kin that consisted of more than letters, gifts and brief thank-you notes.