Tempting Fate
Carla Neggers
In a town of flamboyance, wealth and family feuds, a mystery of the past is about to resurface.Despite her success as a young entrepreneur, Dani Pembroke is a haunted woman. Long ago her mother vanished without a trace, leaving Dani to live with her wealthy relatives, who have their own questionable pasts. Although the residents of Saratoga, New York, gossip that Lilli Pembroke's disappearance will never be solved, Dani is confident that she will find the truth one day.That day draws near when security expert Zeke Cutler arrives in Saratoga. The two join forces in an effort to find out what really happened to Lilli Pembroke. But Dani is unaware that her fearless partner has his own reasons for uncovering the truth…and that their search is putting them on track to collide with a killer who will do anything to keep that secret buried.
Praise for
CARLA NEGGERS
“Neggers’s engaging romantic mystery neatly blends fiction with authentic detail.”
—Publishers Weekly on Tempting Fate
“Carla Neggers is one of the most distinctive, talented writers of our genre.”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
“When it comes to romance, adventure and suspense, nobody delivers like Carla Neggers.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz
“Neggers has created yet another well-matched pair of characters and given them a crackerjack mystery to solve—complete with a seriously creepy villain.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Abandon
“Neggers keeps the reader guessing ‘whodunit’ to the end of her intriguing novel.”
—Publishers Weekly on The Widow
“A keen ear for dialogue and a sure hand with multidimensional characterizations are Neggers’ greatest gifts as a storyteller…. By turns creepy and amusing, the story engages on several levels.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Breakwater
“[Neggers’s] skill at creating colorful characters and deliciously twisted story lines makes this an addictive read.”
—Publishers Weekly on Stonebrook Cottage
“Neggers’s brisk pacing and colorful characterizations sweep the reader toward a dramatic and ultimately satisfying denouement.”
—Publishers Weekly on The Cabin
“Suspense, romance and the rocky Maine coast—what more could a reader ask? The Harbor has it all. Carla Neggers writes a story so vivid you can smell the salt air and feel the mist on your skin.”
—New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen
TEMPTING FATE
Carla Neggers
Tempting Fate
Dear Reader,
If you’ve ever been to Saratoga Springs in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, you know it’s a great place to be. I’ve spent many days there enjoying its beautiful Victorian streets and sidewalk cafés, its colorful history, its incomparable mineral springs—and breakfast at the Saratoga racetrack in August is an experience not to be missed.
All these elements are the perfect backdrop for Tempting Fate, a favorite novel of mine that I’m delighted to see back in print—updated, even better than the original! I loved diving back into this story and revisiting its colorful cast of characters and the dangers they face. They’ve stayed with me from the moment they started percolating in my head on a pleasant stroll in downtown Saratoga, and I hope they stay with you, too.
Enjoy!
Carla
www.carlaneggers.com
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
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen