Borrowed Identity. Kasi Blake

      In a fit of panic, she lunged at the door, slammed it shut and twisted the lock into place

      Kelly laughed at herself, seeing humor in her sudden paranoia. The legend of Moore House was actually getting to her. What was next? Would she hear bumps in the night? Rattling chains at midnight moving down the hallway?

      Her home was miles from town. She savored the isolation, using Moore House to hide from prying eyes. Not many people were brave enough to step inside the black wrought-iron gates surrounding the property. Very few would willingly approach the massive Victorian mansion. Hardly anyone dared to grasp the brass lion’s head knocker in their hand long enough to see it.

      They were afraid of ghosts.

      The dead didn’t bother her. She was more afraid of the living.

      Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

      At Harlequin Intrigue we have much to look forward to as we ring in a brand-new year. Case in point—all of our romantic suspense selections this month are fraught with edge-of-your-seat danger, electrifying romance and thrilling excitement. So hang on!

      Reader favorite Debra Webb spins the next installment in her popular series COLBY AGENCY. Cries in the Night spotlights a mother so desperate to track down her missing child that she joins forces with the unforgettable man from her past.

      Unsanctioned Memories by Julie Miller—the next offering in THE TAYLOR CLAN—packs a powerful punch as a vengeance-seeking FBI agent opens his heart to the achingly vulnerable lone witness who can lead him to a cold-blooded killer…. Looking for a provocative mystery with a royal twist? Then expect to be seduced by Jacqueline Diamond in Sheikh Surrender.

      We welcome two talented debut authors to Harlequin Intrigue this month. Tracy Montoya weaves a chilling mystery in Maximum Security, and the gripping Concealed Weapon by Susan Peterson is part of our BACHELORS AT LARGE promotion.

      Finally this month, Kasi Blake returns to Harlequin Intrigue with Borrowed Identity. This gothic mystery will keep you guessing when a groggy bride stumbles upon a grisly murder on her wedding night. But are her eyes deceiving her when her “slain” groom appears alive and well in a flash of lightning?

      It promises to be quite a year at Harlequin Intrigue….

      Enjoy!

      Denise O’Sullivan

      Senior Editor Harlequin Intrigue

      Borrowed Identity

      Kasi Blake

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      At twelve years of age Kasi Blake decided to be a writer and modestly rewrote the ending of a popular classic. She has an insatiable desire to read everything she can get her hands on. When she isn’t writing or reading, she spends time with her favorite nephew, paints with oils, travels and shops until she drops. She resides in Missouri with her two cats.

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Kelly Hall—Either she’s losing her mind or someone is trying to make her think she is.

      Michael Taggert—He has a job to do, and he can’t let anyone get in his way. Not even the beautiful blonde down the hall.

      John “Paddy” Paddington—The private investigator has gambled away his future, but ten million in diamonds might be the ticket to his freedom.

      Margo Lane—Kelly’s neighbor has disappeared, leaving her dog to fend for himself.

      Mona Hall—Kelly’s mother is in a mental hospital for life.

      Zu Landis—The assassin has been sent to do a job, but did he kill the wrong man by mistake?

      Elvin Grant—His “boss” wants Kelly to sell her house. How far is he willing to go to convince her?

      Wade Carpenter—This mildly retarded man has a way of finding things. Did he see something the night the killer struck?

      To my mom for supporting my writing habit when

       everyone else thought it was a waste of time. And for all the “mom” things you do. Love you.

      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 One

      “Kelly.”

      The whispered name pulled Kelly Hall out of her blissful sleep. At first she thought it was her husband calling to her. Husband. What an odd word. Married for mere hours as she was, it was going to take some getting used to. She smiled serenely, her eyes closed.

      Her hand went to the other side of the bed, reaching for him, and found it empty. She forced her heavy eyelids open a slit, enough to see the illuminated numbers on the clock. Just minutes past four in the morning. Panic shot through her, setting every nerve ending on a razor’s edge. Where in the world could Michael be?

      Her memory sported holes the size of baseballs, but not enough to keep her from remembering she was a married woman. Nothing short of brain damage could make her forget that.

      She switched on the lamp and stared at the vacant side of the bed. There wasn’t even a telltale dip in the pillow to signify Michael had rested his head next to hers last night.

      Her lips twisted into a grimace. Three generations of her family had lived in Moore House and not one had had a happy ending. She had been raised on stories of curses and doomed love. Everyone in the small town of Tinkerton, Kansas, knew about the legends of Moore House. Only the truly morbid and superstitious considered them fact.

      Kelly didn’t believe the rumors surrounding her home. Michael hadn’t been carried off by a goblin in the dead of night. He was somewhere in the house, possibly the bathroom. Or maybe he was in the kitchen getting a snack.

      She struggled to her feet in the enormous master bedroom, wobbling slightly. A wave of dizziness washed over her. Her stomach churned and her head throbbed painfully. Fearing she was about to be sick, Kelly headed for the master bath.

      Halfway to her intended destination, she spotted her reflection in the vanity mirror out of the corner of her eye. A streamlined white satin-and-lace gown hugged her body like a mummy wrap. Why had she slept in her wedding dress?

      She frowned as she struggled to recall going to bed, but her memory was a blank. She took a long look at the facts. Michael hadn’t made love to her. It didn’t make sense. He’d been so insistent they marry at once instead of next month as per the original plan. Why would he walk out on her, leaving her an untouched bride?

      Who would want you?

      She shoved the haunting words aside, knowing they must have come from a dream. Michael