Confessions. JoAnn Ross

      Whiskey River is a quiet Arizona mountain town—until it’s rocked by murder. The death of Laura Swann Fletcher, the beautiful wife of charismatic senator Alan Fletcher, makes headlines across the nation.

      Trace Callaghan’s job is to solve Laura’s murder, and solve it quickly. As the sheriff of Whiskey River, he has a reputation for unwavering logic and deliberate action. But this case is unlike any he’s ever handled before—because Laura’s sister, Mariah, insists on being fully involved, an involvement that extends beyond seeing her sister’s killer unmasked.

      In this twisted case packed with illicit desires and dark secrets, everyone is a suspect. And nothing is what it seems.…

      Praise for Confessions by

      “Masterfully weaves a tale of momentum and curves. Between the intrigue and the steamy romance, you’ll be left breathless.”

      —RT Book Reviews

      “JoAnn Ross takes her audience on a thrilling roller coaster ride that leaves them breathless.”

      —Affaire de Coeur

      “Touches of humor nicely relieve the suspenseful nature of the intriguing and intricately plotted tale. Bravo!”

      —The Paperback Forum

      “A hot, steamy mystery sure to keep the reader guessing right up to the final climax. A page turner.”

      —A Little Romance

      

      

      Confessions

      JoAnn Ross

      

      

www.mirabooks.co.uk

      To Jay

      Dear Reader,

      Although I’ve since moved back home to the Pacific Northwest, in 1996, while my husband and I were living in Arizona, I wrote much of Confessions at our mountain cabin set in the middle of an old growth forest high on the Mogollon Rim where this story is set. Although Whiskey River is a fictional town, the local history and landscape are very real.

      One of the themes in all my stories is family. Of course, not all families are formed by common ancestry, but by bonds of the heart, born from friendship, loyalty and love. As Mariah Swann knows all too well, tangled blood ties can often complicate family issues—exaggerating wounds and leading to resentment and regret.

      What begins as a trip home to make amends

      becomes an unexpected journey of self-discovery. I hope you’ll enjoy, as I did while writing Mariah and Sheriff Trace Callihan’s story, following along as the Emmy-winning television crime show writer struggles to find not only her sister’s killer, but acceptance, healing and ultimately, her own true-life happy ending.

      JoAnn

      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

       Chapter Nineteen

       Chapter Twenty

       Chapter Twenty-One

       Chapter Twenty-Two

       Chapter Twenty-Three

       Chapter Twenty-Four

       Chapter Twenty-Five

      Chapter One

      Laura Swann Fletcher had never realized how long five minutes could be. Especially when you were holding your breath.

      She scowled at the vial atop the cultured marble countertop, as if intimidation could speed up whatever mysterious chemical reactions were taking place inside it.

      Heat lightning flashed outside the bathroom window, hinting of the storm to come. A distant taste of rain rode on the sultry air. Normally, summer storms in Arizona’s high country never bothered Laura.

      But tonight was different. Tonight she felt as if the electricity had gotten into her blood, making her edgy.

      “Dammit, hurry up,” she begged. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with. “Please, hurry up.”

      She took a deep breath that should have calmed, but didn’t. “It’s only stress,” she insisted, as if saying the words could make them true.

      Perhaps she should have taken Fredericka Palmer up on that offer of Valium. Only last week her longtime best friend had professed concern about her. If only Freddi knew the whole story.

      “Dammit, get hold of yourself.” Laura hardly recognized the high, nervous voice. She pressed her palms against her rib cage and, taking several more deep breaths, willed herself to relax.

      But her mind continued to churn restlessly, tossing up the myriad problems that had been plaguing her. Problems without end. Dilemmas without solutions. Nerves humming, Laura decided to see if one all-important call she’d been waiting for had come while she’d been out buying the home pregnancy kit.

      The answering machine was downstairs, in the den. The red light was blinking, signaling four calls. She pushed the Rewind button. Then, Play.

      Unbearably