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  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Synopsis

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Other Books by Gerri Hill

  About the Author

  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 Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Bella Books

  Synopsis

  Danielle Stevens is Hollywood’s “next big thing” in a long line of next big things. When she goes to Dallas to prepare for a role—shadowing Detective Harper Jeremiah—she’s not only running from her fame…she’s also running from a stalker.

  Harper Jeremiah wouldn’t recognize a Hollywood actress even if she bumped into one on the street. The last thing she wants to do is to get pulled from her current case to have an actress follow her around. But the perceived babysitting gig quickly turns into a protection detail as the threats against Dani escalate.

  The two women form a bond as secrets are shared, trust builds, and the stalker turns into a hunter. As the stalker’s pursuit becomes relentless, Harper becomes even more determined than ever to protect Dani at any cost. But could that unwavering conviction get them both killed?

  Copyright © 2018 by Gerri Hill

  Bella Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 10543

  Tallahassee, FL 32302

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  First Bella Books Edition 2018

  eBook released 2018

  Editor: Medora MacDougall

  Cover Designer: Micheala Lynn

  ISBN: 978-1-59493-586-2

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Other Bella Books by Gerri Hill

  Angel Fire

  Artist’s Dream

  At Seventeen

  Behind the Pine Curtain

  Chasing a Brighter Blue

  The Cottage

  Coyote Sky

  Dawn of Change

  Devil’s Rock

  Gulf Breeze

  Hell’s Highway

  Hunter’s Way

  In the Name of the Father

  Keepers of the Cave

  The Killing Room

  Love Waits

  The Midnight Moon

  No Strings

  One Summer Night

  Paradox Valley

  Partners

  Pelican’s Landing

  The Rainbow Cedar

  The Roundabout

  The Secret Pond

  Sawmill Springs

  The Scorpion

  Sierra City

  Snow Falls

  Storms

  The Target

  Weeping Walls

  About the Author

  Gerri Hill has thirty-three published works, including the 2017 GCLS winner Paradox Valley, 2014 GCLS winner The Midnight Moon, 2011, 2012 and 2013 winners Devil’s Rock, Hell’s Highway and Snow Falls, and the 2009 GCLS winner Partners, the last book in the popular Hunter Series, as well as the 2013 Lambda finalist At Seventeen.

  Gerri lives in south-central Texas, only a few hours from the Gulf Coast, a place that has inspired many of her books. With her partner, Diane, they share their life with two Australian shepherds—Casey and Cooper—and a couple of furry felines.

  For more, visit her website at gerrihill.com.

  Chapter One

  “Detectives…Jeremiah, Springer, I need to see you.”

  Harper and Reid exchanged glances. “What did you do now?” he asked with a grin.

  She stood and pushed her chair from her desk. “Yeah…it’s usually me, but this time it’s probably you. He found out you’ve been dating that hooker.”

  He held his hand up. “One date! And I didn’t know she was a hooker!”

  “Yeah, yeah.” She shook her head. “Can’t believe you slept with her.” She tapped the lieutenant’s door. “Sir?”

  “Come in, Harper.” Lieutenant Mize looked past her to Reid and shook his head. “A hooker, Springer? Really?”

  Harper laughed as Reid’s face turned bright red. “I swear, Lieutenant…I didn’t know.”

  Lieutenant Mize turned his attention to her. “And what’s got you so jovial?”

  “I’m always jovial.”

  “Yeah…in what universe?”

  She shrugged. No, she wasn’t normally jovial, especially with Lieutenant Mize. The man rarely cracked a smile. “Well, you know, I’m trying to chill out.”

  “So the anger management class has helped, huh? Good. Keep that in mind when I give you your new assignment.”

  “New assignment? We’ve got a serial rapist. Springer and I—”

  “Springer’s got a serial rapist. You’ve got an actress.”

  She frowned. “An actress?”

  He tossed a file on his desk. “Orders from the top, Detective. Danielle Stevens is going to shadow you for a week or so.”

  Reid’s eyes widened. “Danielle Stevens? Oh, my God! She’s going to be here? In our squad?”

  “Looks like it.”

  Harper narrowed her eyes. “Who…is Danielle St
evens?”

  They both looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “Come on, Harper,” Reid said. “The Cruise? The Manhattan Dance?”

  “Blond…sea-green eyes,” the lieutenant added wistfully, his mouth almost lifting in a smile. “Beautiful. She’s like a combination of Jennifer Aniston, Meg Ryan, and Sandra Bullock. Beautiful, smart, sexy, lovable.”

  “No offense, Lieutenant, but you’re showing your age with those comparisons.”

  She stared at both of them and shook her head. “No. I’m not doing it. Find someone else.”

  “I’ll do it! I’ll do it!” Reid said quickly, raising his hand and practically dancing in front of Lieutenant Mize.

  “Sit down, both of you,” he said. “Detective Jeremiah, you’ve been selected. You don’t have a choice.”

  “What do you mean I don’t have a choice?”

  “It means exactly what I said.” He motioned to the chair. “Sit down. Apparently they’re going to shoot a movie here. We’ll get some exposure, some of our officers will get to be extras—whatever the hell that is—and it’ll give us a chance for a little community outreach and some positive PR for once.”

  She leaned forward in her chair. “So you’re saying that catching a serial rapist, one who’s been terrorizing our citizens for six months now, is taking a backseat to some goddamn Hollywood actress? Yeah…that’s good for our community outreach. What idiot decided that?”

  He stared at her, that same cool expression on his face that she’d seen for the last year. “Calm down, Detective. Most people would jump at this chance.”

  “I’m not most people. This is a goddamn waste of my time.”

  He took his glasses off and tossed them on his desk. “I swear, Harper…every day you remind me more and more of Tori Hunter. It’s uncanny, really.” He picked up his glasses again. “And that’s not really a compliment.”

  “So you keep saying.”

  “Hunter? From Homicide?” Reid shook his head. “No, I don’t see it. Harper’s too nice. About the only thing they have in common is their track record with partners. They say Hunter went through like ten of them or something. Most of them got killed too. Pushed one of them out of a two-story window, I hear.”

  She glared at him. “Well, you’re still alive. For now.”

  He laughed. “It’s only because I’m such a good guy that I put up with your shit, Harper. I do believe since you’ve been in Assault, I’m like your fifth partner, right?”

  “They’re all still alive,” she said dryly. “I think.”

  She’d never met Tori Hunter, but this was the third time Lieutenant Mize had mentioned her. The first time was after she’d thrown a suspect out of a window when he spit on her.

  “Seven days or so, Harper. Again, it’s not a choice.”

  “Why me?”

  “She’ll probably be asking herself that question after she meets you.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That means she selected you from all of the files that were sent over. If it’s any consolation, I think Detective O’Connor in Homicide was a close second.” He shoved the file closer to her. “That’s her. And a briefing of what she hopes to accomplish while shadowing you.”

  Harper picked up the file and she literally stopped breathing when she saw the photo.

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  “Uh-huh,” Reid said as he peered over her shoulder. “Wow is right.”

  Jesus…no wonder he wanted this assignment. Long, blond hair, parted just off-center, dark eyebrows and…sea-green eyes? No, more deep ocean blue. The lips were turned up in a smile revealing perfect white teeth. The smile was a…a hauntingly beautiful smile, one she didn’t want to look away from. The eyes, however, weren’t quite smiling. They were guarded, shadowed. As striking as Danielle Stevens was, the somewhat pensive look in her eyes made her even more so, in Harper’s opinion. What were those eyes hiding? she wondered. She finally moved the photo out of the way and looked at the one-page directive instead.

  “A car chase? She wants a car chase?” She shook her head. “And a murder scene?” She closed the file and tossed it back down. “She does know that we’re not Homicide, right? Maybe you should give Detective O’Connor a call.”

  Chapter Two

  “Why are you driving all the way to Dallas? That’s crazy. What if there’s a storm or something?”

  Danielle impatiently closed the trunk of the car she’d rented. February in Dallas was practically spring, she’d been told. She turned to Shelly, her assistant. The fact that she wanted to drive didn’t seem to be a good enough answer. “We’ve gone over this twice already.”

  “So you hate airports.”

  She sighed. “I told you, I don’t like people staring at me.” And demanding autographs and pictures, she added silently.

  “Dani, you’re an actress. You’re hot. You’re it right now. Take advantage of it while it lasts. Once you hit thirty, it’s all downhill from there. How many times have you heard that?”

  So in less than two years she should be home free, she thought wryly. She stared at the modest house she was renting. “You’ll get the locks changed while I’m gone?”

  “Yes, I told you I would. And I’ll look for something else for you.”

  “Something small, quiet. Gated community would be good.”

  “I know, I know.” Shelly shook her head. “But why rent? Why don’t you just buy something? You’re on the verge of superstar status, Dani. I don’t know why you refuse to act like it.”

  Danielle blew out her breath. Superstar status? No, she wouldn’t go that far. And it would do no good to tell Shelly that she didn’t want to be a superstar. That would be blasphemy.

  The truth was, she didn’t want to be an actress at all. She wanted to be anything but an actress. Yet here she was, about to head to Dallas to prepare for a new role…and her fifth movie. She hadn’t told Shelly. She hadn’t told anyone—not even her agent—but it would be her fifth and final movie. She simply couldn’t continue to live like this.

  She’d had no aspirations of stardom. No aspirations of living a public life. She had always been a very private person, even when she was a child. She always guarded her feelings, her emotions, her thoughts. Private. Yet there was nothing private about her life now. In fact, she had no life. The friends she’d had before all of this were gone for the most part. She rarely saw or even spoke to her parents. Even with her sister, she remained distant. Because the world she lived in now…it wasn’t real. She wasn’t real.

  No. She was this caricature created by the movies, by the parts she played. She wasn’t Rachel from The Cruise. She wasn’t Brianna from Manhattan Dance. She wasn’t Clair from Shores of St. Clair. She wasn’t even Danielle Stevens.

  “Are you okay? Has this stalker thing really gotten to you that much?”

  Dani gave her a half smile. “I thought you didn’t believe me.”

  “The police don’t believe you. I do. I’ve seen the dolls.”

  “Yes, the stalker thing has gotten to me,” she admitted. Which was one reason she was heading out early for Dallas. She would take three days to drive there. Three days to clear her head. Then she would have a week or so with Detective Jeremiah—she absolutely loved that name—and hopefully her stalker will have moved on to someone else by the time she got back.

  “They say you haven’t really made it big until you have a stalker.”

  “Well, according to the police, I don’t have one.”

  Yet, she did. At first, she thought she was imagining things—or losing her mind. A picture was moved. Books out of order. Dishes rearranged. But she couldn’t explain fresh flowers waiting for her on the dining room table. Or the box of chocolates that were sitting by her coffeepot one morning. Or the love letters that started appearing. The police thought she was a diva wanting attention. There was no evidence of a break-in. No fingerprints. Nothing taken. She’d had the locks changed three times. She had a security camera installe
d. A security camera that mysteriously stopped working at the most inopportune times…like when a dozen roses were left in her kitchen during the night. Black roses this time. Or when the doll was left just inside her front door…the doll whose hair had been chopped off and its belly ripped open, revealing benign cotton stuffing inside, stuffing that had been spray painted red. The police took notice after that, but she suspected the detective assigned to the case thought she might be doing it all herself, like stopping the camera long enough to plant the flowers…the doll.

  She got a gun after that incident. That didn’t help her fall asleep though. Especially not after reading the latest love letter that was left for her. She couldn’t tell who he was in love with or who he was mad at. At first, she thought it must have been Brianna. Brianna had been fun and flirty…and sexy. But after reading the last letter, she thought maybe it was Clair. Clair had been engaged. Clair met someone new…her fiancé’s best friend. Clair fell in love…and broke a heart in the process.

  Her stalker had a broken heart, he said. Her stalker, while saying he loved her, was mad at her. Her stalker thought she needed to be punished.

  She thought she needed to get away. And fast.

  Chapter Three

  “I can’t believe you’ve never heard of Danielle Stevens. She’s like the hottest thing out there right now.”

  “I don’t go to movies,” she said as she dodged two officers bringing in a guy in cuffs.

  “Standing in a grocery store checkout, surely you’ve seen her picture on magazines,” Reid said as he struggled to catch up with her.

  “Look, I get it. She’s a big star. All the guys love her, blah blah blah.” She shrugged. “Means nothing to me. My only concern is I’ve got to babysit her while freakin’ Hernandez works our case with you.”

  “It’s not like it’s going anywhere, Harper. The last three victims can’t even agree if he’s black or white.”

  She stopped and ran a hand through her hair. “You’ll keep me in the loop, right?”

  “I will. We should get the lab results back this afternoon.” He looked at his watch. “So when’s she meeting you?”