Deadly Trail by Christy Barritt

Author:Christy Barritt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-11-22T14:26:04+00:00

* * *

Violet Sharp could not believe Alex was here. She knew enough of her late husband’s work to never wave at another special agent. Ever. If an agent greeted her or waved first, then it was safe. Alex had seen her—bumped into her, even—but he hadn’t acknowledged her in a personal way. Her eyes had wanted to follow him when he’d moved past her, but she hadn’t wanted to draw any attention to him.

Dark wavy hair, green eyes and only a few inches taller than her, he appeared intimidating in size because of his athletic build. He looked different than the last time she’d seen him, like he was made of harder edges.

In the one second their eyes had connected, she’d recognized the pain he carried, certain she reflected the same hollow emptiness. Judging by the tension in his jaw, he had felt the same way about seeing her. They reminded each other of the greatest loss in their lives. Rick. The sensation had rocked her off balance. After two years, she shouldn’t be so caught off guard by sudden waves of sorrow, but grief refused to follow any rule book.

She also really needed a word with her best friend. Eryn Lane had pleaded with her to come to this party. The only reason Violet had agreed was so that Eryn could have a night out without kids. She’d foolishly assumed the evening would be free of any of the matchmaking attempts her friends had been intent on lately. Eryn had ambushed her by arranging for Violet’s high school boyfriend, Bruce Wilkinson, to meet them there.

Every social invitation had become a minefield the past couple of months. It was as if crossing the two-year marker of being a widow had put an Available sign on her forehead. Why couldn’t Eryn get it through her head that Violet had no intention of marrying again?

Bruce was regaling them with yet another story of one of his latest business ventures when a current of cold air rushed past her.

“Who keeps opening the door?” Eryn wrapped her arms around herself and turned to find the source of the cold. Two men, one on either side of Alex, disappeared out the back.

“Looks like someone had a little too much Christmas cheer,” Bruce muttered. “That guy was bumping into everyone, not just you. And he’s one of the employees, no less. If this were my business, I would—”

Violet didn’t hear the rest of Bruce’s analysis on best business practices. The back of her neck tingled. Something wasn’t right. There was nothing behind the lodge but woods. The same woods she’d planned to walk through to get home. “Excuse me, I need to check on Teddy.”

She grabbed a napkin from Alex’s food station on her way to the coatrack and threw on her wool coat and the boots she’d brought with her. A moment later, she was out the front door next to the parking lot.

Teddy, her Newfoundland dog, sat at attention beside the valet, Daniella Curtis.

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