Danish and Deceit (PAPERBACK)

Chapter 1

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...so don't come out into the snow. The snowman is in the snow. Hiding. Waiting. Watching.

Bethany Lights put down a worn book she'd checked out from Snow Falls Library. The old western had a touch of romance woven through it—meant to distract her from the weight of the day. But a cold wind rattled against the cabin windows carrying the promise of early snow, and it kept pulling her attention back to the lonely view beyond the glass. Would Sarah call? She didn't know.

What I do know is that the snowman is outside. The nightmare Sarah and I have been waiting for has finally arrived. But am I fully awake this time, or still dreaming? Will I follow the same script again?

Bethany reached for a brown coffee cup sitting on the coffee table, its warmth a small comfort in her hands. Julie was in London with Amanda handling legal matters Julie had kept quiet about—matters Bethany wished she'd known of sooner, especially now that the apartments had surfaced. No wonder Julie's son had been circling lately. Amanda would make sure Julie came through it all right. Bethany was simply grateful they were both safely away.

She stood and walked to the stone fireplace where a fire burned, but the warmth wouldn't stay. Bethany pulled a thick brown sweater tighter around herself. The cabin was as comfortable as she could make it and still, the cold seeped in. If only Sarah would call. I need to know what's happening. I need to know if Pete is going to be okay. Steven is with Pete, but Pete is in bad shape.

There was nothing to do but wait. She took a sip of coffee, the taste grounding her. Her uncle had finally left Snow Falls for Utah—a relief to everyone, if she was honest. She loved him, but he'd worn her down. And now her mother wanted to visit for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was only a few weeks away. I can't let her come here. Not now. Maybe not ever.

The brown telephone on the side table came to life. Bethany startled, nearly dropping her cup, then hurried to answer it. "Hello? Sarah?"

"Cell phone service is down," Sarah Spencer's voice was tight and upset. "Internet's gone, too. We still have landlines—for now. I'm not sure how long that will last."

"I checked my cell earlier," Bethany said quickly. "How is Pete?"

Sarah was at the Snow Falls Police Station—everyone in town just called it "the Station." "Conrad and the kids are in Vermont," she said. "They're safe. They couldn't get back here even if they tried."

Sarah paused, then said, "The Back Alley Killer has a son, Bethany."

Her voice carried a weight Bethany had never heard before. She continued.

"We didn't know. Pete didn't know. No one did. That man is in Alaska now. He left a body with my name on it at a hotel in Anchorage. The authorities have locked everything down. The state police have closed all the roads leading in and out of Snow Falls. I've been ordered to secure the town."

"And that's what the killer wants," Bethany said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Sarah said miserably. "That's exactly what he wants."

Bethany closed her eyes. An image surfaced—a hideous snowman grinning in the winter dark. This time I'm going to win. The weather outside is frightening...so be very, very scared. "How is Pete?"

"Alive. Barely." Sarah's voice cracked slightly. "Pete was shot three times in the back. The killer left a photograph of my face at the scene with 'Let It Snow' written below it." She let out a shaky breath. "Steven said Dr. Mills thinks Pete has a good chance if he stays strong. Pete is a fighter."

"Sarah—"

"I told Steven to stay with Pete. I ordered him to." Sarah's voice hardened. "Steven gave me his word, and I heard the sincerity in it. He won't leave."

"Steven won't leave Pete," Bethany confirmed.

"Not on his life." Sarah paused. "Bethany, it's just you and me now. Andrew is on vacation, and I'm the acting chief. Most of the officers are bedridden with the virus going around. Henry, Andy, everyone. Andy's wife had to take him to the hospital because his fever spiked dangerously high. I have no backup."

"Sarah, I need to come down to the station."

"No." Sarah's tone was final. "It's too dangerous to leave your cabin. The killer is probably already in Snow Falls."

"You found out about the body last night. The sun's setting now. It's possible." Bethany rubbed her temples. "I'm worried he might not be alone, Sarah."

"He's alone," Sarah assured her. "The Back Alley Killer always worked solo."

"But his son?"

Sarah went quiet for a moment. "It's possible they worked together. But it's been years since we stopped the father. That's a lot of time for the son to grow. To practice." Bethany heard the chill in Sarah's voice. "Pete started investigating murders targeting the homeless in Los Angeles. A woman whose father had been killed hired him. Her father was a homeless man she'd finally tracked down—but too late."

"That's when Pete noticed the pattern," Bethany said.

"A homeless person murdered every two weeks up and down the California coast. No one was connecting it. Most people don't care enough to look." Sarah's frustration was clear. "But Pete did. Pete found a pattern. And that pattern led to the killer's son."

"A pattern that got him shot," Bethany said quietly.

"Yes." Sarah's voice sank. "But I think the killer let Pete find him, Bethany. I think he wanted to be found."

"Because he was ready. He'd honed his skills. He was coming for his final target," Bethany whispered.

"Yes."

The single word landed like a stone. Sarah was scared—truly scared. Sarah wasn't the type to let fear control her, but this was different. Sarah had family to protect now. If Sarah fell, the killer would go after them next. Sarah knew that.

"What can I do?" Bethany asked.

"Nothing," Sarah said.

"No. There has to be something." Bethany's voice steadied with certainty. "We both know I was brought to Snow Falls for a reason. All those murders, all those traps the snowman put me through—I was being trained, Sarah. For this. For one final killer. I can't just sit here."

"Bethany—"

"I'm coming down to the station." Bethany locked eyes on the front door. "You can argue with me later. I'm on my way."

Sarah wanted to insist, but the resolve in Bethany's voice cut off any objection. "I can't promise you'll be safe."

"I know." Bethany was already moving. "I'm on my way." She hung up.

Bethany checked the gun secured to her right ankle, then positioned a second pistol hidden under her sweater at her belt. She grabbed her green winter coat and white purse, then stepped out into the wind.

The air held an edge that made her breath catch. Before her, the land was bare and brown—no snow yet, most trees stripped of leaves, the sky low and gray. The air felt heavy with waiting.

I'm out here, Bethany. Waiting for the first snow. When it falls, I'm coming for you. For Sarah. It's Sarah I want, but you got in the way. When the snow falls.

Bethany scanned her SUV on the dirt driveway to the left of the porch. The tires looked sound. No sign of tampering. She whispered a quiet resolve—she would make it through this—then dashed across the cold porch and climbed into the driver's seat. A powerful gust nearly knocked her sideways, but she pushed forward. "Time to move."

A figure watched Bethany drive away from the cabin. "The games are just beginning."

Bethany heard nothing over the engine. The roads were clear, so she drove fast toward Snow Falls. No traffic moved on the roads—Snow Falls was a small Alaskan town with only a few traffic lights that spent most of their time blinking yellow. The emptiness felt unnatural. Usually, she passed at least a couple of trucks heading into town or toward O'Malley's Department Store. It's good no one is out, though. There's a killer in Snow Falls.

When she reached Main Street, she pushed hard on the brakes and slid to a stop in front of the old police station wedged between two brick buildings. The front door burst open immediately. Sarah rushed out in a brown leather jacket that signaled she was ready for a fight—no longer dressed like a mother but like a detective who knew the weight of murder.

"See anyone?" Sarah asked as Bethany climbed out.

"Not a soul." Bethany scanned the street. At the far end of Main Street stood her coffee shop, the one she'd taken over for Sarah. "He's here, Sarah. I can feel it. The snowman is in the air."

"I know." Sarah looked around at the closed storefronts—the shuttered diner, the locked doors. "The town is locked down. The state police are controlling the roads. I haven't seen a patrol car in town, and I don't expect to. They're doing what they've been ordered to do. That's why the cell service is down. We're isolated, Bethany. No way in or out except on foot, and even that would be risky."

"At least we're together," Bethany said.

"At least we are." Sarah grabbed Bethany's hand and pulled her toward the station door. "Let's get inside where it's safe. We're sitting ducks out here."

Bethany locked her SUV and followed Sarah into the station trying not to think of it as a tomb.