Lethal Justice. Fern Michaels

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LETHAL JUSTICE

      Also by Fern Michaels …

      Fancy DancerNo Safe SecretWishes for ChristmasAbout FacePerfect MatchA Family Affair Forget Me Not The Blossom Sisters Balancing Act Tuesday’s Child Betrayal Southern Comfort To Taste the Wine Sins of the Flesh Sins of Omission Return to Sender Mr. and Miss Anonymous Up Close and Personal Fool Me Once Picture Perfect The Future Scrolls Kentucky Sunrise Kentucky Heat Kentucky Rich Plain Jane Charming Lily What You Wish For The Guest List Listen to Your Heart Celebration Yesterday Finders Keepers Annie’s Rainbow Sara’s Song Vegas Sunrise Vegas Heat Vegas Rich Whitefire Wish List Dear Emily Christmas at Timberwoods

      The Sisterhood Novels:

      Crash and BurnPoint BlankIn Plain SightEyes Only Kiss and Tell Blindsided Gotcha! Home Free Déjà Vu Cross Roads Game Over Deadly Deals Vanishing Act Razor Sharp Under the Radar Final Justice Collateral Damage Fast Track Hokus Pokus Hide and Seek Free Fall Lethal Justice Sweet Revenge The Jury Vendetta Payback Weekend Warriors

      The Men of the Sisterhood Novels:

      Double Down

      Fast and Loose

      The Godmothers Series:

      Hideaway (e-novella exclusive) Classified Breaking News Deadline Late Edition Exclusive The Scoop

      E-Book Exclusives:

      Desperate MeasuresSeasons of Her LifeTo Have and to HoldSerendipity Captive Innocence Captive Embraces Captive Passions Captive Secrets Captive Splendors Cinders to Satin For All Their Lives Texas Heat Texas Rich Texas Fury Texas Sunrise

      Anthologies:

      The Most Wonderful TimeWhen the Snow Falls Secret Santa A Winter Wonderland I’ll Be Home for Christmas Making Spirits Bright Holiday Magic Snow Angels Silver Bells Comfort and Joy Sugar and Spice Let It Snow A Gift of Joy Five Golden Rings Deck the Halls Jingle All the Way

Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

      FERN MICHAELS

      LETHAL JUSTICE

      ZEBRA BOOKS

       KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

       http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

      This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

      ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      119 West 40th Street

       New York, NY 10018

      Copyright © 2006 by Fern Michaels. Published by arrangement with Severn House Publishers, Ltd.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

      Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

      ISBN-10: 1-4201-4274-7

      ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-4274-7

      First Mass Market Paperback Edition: January 2007

      First Trade Paperback Edition: March 2017

      eISBN-10: 1-4201-2777-2

      eISBN-13: 978-1-4201-2777-5

      First Electronic Edition: January 2007

LETHAL JUSTICE

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 18

      Chapter 19

      Chapter 20

      Chapter 21

      Chapter 22

      Chapter 23

      Chapter 24

      Chapter 25

      Epilogue

      Prologue

      Alexis Thorne slipped out of bed and walked over to the window. She loved watching the sun creep over the horizon, loved that a new day was beginning. She was mindful that today was the first day of spring. Finally, finally, she was going to get the justice she deserved. Today, she was ready. She curled up on the window seat with its flowered pillows and hugged her knees to her chest. Excitement rippled through every inch of her.

      Once before she’d been in this same emotional state but it hadn’t worked out, because back then she wasn’t ready to exact her revenge against the two people who had ruined her life and sent her to prison. Now, though, she was soooo ready to take them on! Her body just screamed with vengeance.

      “Woof.”

      Alexis untangled herself and rushed over to her beloved dog Grady, the dog she had thought she would never see again. But here he was and her life was better for it. “Want to go out, huh? Okay, but be quiet, everyone is still asleep.”

      The golden retriever dipped his head and it looked as if he understood, which he probably did.

      There was nothing fashionable about the flannel robe Alexis slipped into or the fuzzy, worn slippers. Once, a long time ago, before prison or BP, as she referred to that ugly time, she’d had fine things and a fine life. These days, thanks to Nikki Quinn, her attorney, she earned a living as a personal shopper for some of Washington’s elderly residents. It paid the rent, her car payment, and her living expenses. Somehow or other, she managed to save a few dollars each month. It was a far cry from the high salary she used to earn as a securities broker but she’d gotten used to a frugal lifestyle.

      Alexis opened the kitchen door to let Grady romp the grounds of Pinewood. She was startled to see Charles Martin on the terrace, surrounded by clay pots of brilliant spring flowers and drinking a cup of coffee.

      “Good morning, luv. Can I get you some coffee?” he asked.

      “I’ll get it if you don’t mind me joining you. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. I’ve always loved the first day of spring with its promise of warm breezes, gentle rains, and golden sunshine.” Alexis was back within seconds, a cup of coffee in her hands. She sat down on one of the terrace chairs. “A penny for your thoughts, Charles.”

      “Right now, my dear, my thoughts aren’t worth a penny. My mind is clear. It’s rare that this happens so I’m trying to enjoy these few minutes.”

      “How do you do it, Charles?” Alexis asked. “Keeping it all straight, staying on top of everything, even while you may be missing your homeland? I would never be able to do that. I obsess. I can’t move on and I can’t seem