Christina Dodd - Hidden Truths

Photo credit: Marc von Borstel

CHRISTINA DODD

New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd writes edge-of-the-seat suspense (Iris Johansen) with brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd (Booklist). Her books have been called scary, sexy, and smartly written" by Booklist, and much to her mothers delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. With more than fifteen million copies of her books in print, Dodds fans know that when they pick one up theyve found, as Karen Robards writes, an absolute thrill ride of a book! Enter Christinas worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, shes the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com.

His new bride, Kellen, hovers between life and death.

A convicted serial killer threatens their child.

Max Di Luca goes on the hunt

What would you do to protect your family?

Praise for #1 New York Times
and #1 USA TODAY bestselling author
Christina Dodd

[A]n unforgettable protagonist, who makes Jack Reacher look like a slacker.
Booklist (starred review) on What Doesnt Kill Her

Action-packed, littered with dead bodies, and brimming with heartfelt emotion, this edgy thriller keeps the tension high.
Library Journal (starred review) on What Doesnt Kill Her

Dodds gripping voice will appeal to fans of Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, Linda Howard & Jayne Ann Krentz.
Mystery Tribune on What Doesnt Kill Her

Christina Dodd reinvents the romantic thriller. Her signature styleedgy, intense, twisty, emotionalleaves you breathless from first page to last. Readers who enjoy Nora Roberts will devour Dodds electrifying novels.
Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author

No one does high-stakes, high-voltage suspense quite like Dodd, and [Dead Girl Running] is another guaranteed keep-the-lights-on-late read. Dodd is at her most wildly entertaining, wickedly witty best.
Booklist (starred review)

Complex, intense, and engrossing, this riveting romantic thriller has a chilling gothic touch and just enough red herrings and twists to keep readers on edge.
Library Journal (starred review) on Dead Girl Running

You can always count on the ingenious mind of Christina Dodd to deliver fascinating, unusual and highly intriguing stories. Dodd is truly a masterful storyteller!
RT Book Reviews on Dead Girl Running (Top Pick)

Also available from
Christina Dodd
and HQN Books

Cape Charade

Hard to Kill (ebook novella)

Dead Girl Running

Families and Other Enemies (ebook novella)

What Doesnt Kill Her

Hidden Truths (ebook novella)

Strangers She Knows

Hidden Truths

Christina Dodd

Dedication

For my brother-in-law Tom,

Thank you for years of crawfish, family and friendship. Hidden Truths is dedicated to you as a thanks for sharing your surgical experiences. I know being my unwitting expert source was never your intention; nevertheless, Im grateful for the knowledge Ive gleaned.

For my sister-in-law Glenda,

So many years of sitting on the couch listening to the family tell the same stories over and over Were saints. Absolute saints. Heres to many more years of sainthood.

Contents

D ARLING WIFE , TODAY Dr. Clift confirmed our fears. The surgery to remove the bullet from your brain was successful Max Di Luca laughed a broken laugh. Thats what he said. Successful. As in, he removed the bullet, and you lived. But its been three weeks. You havent regained consciousness. At all. I dont know how they know, but the doctor said the coma was deepening and you have no chance of survival without life support. Max took a long, wrenching breath and pressed his forehead to Kellens cold hand. When the temperature of her skin registered, he lifted his head and said, Youre freezing! I wouldnt want to wake up in a hospital room, either, much less a cold one. Hang on, let me get you a warm blanket.

He hustled over to the microwave blanket heater, pulled out a narrow cotton blanket and spread it over Kellens inert body. He placed her hands under the covers and tucked the blanket around her from her neck all the way down to her toes. There. Is that better? I want you to be comfortable. I dont want you to suffer. I want this to beeasy. He groped for the chair behind him, found it without looking, pulled it close and seated himself. He slid his hands under the blankets and found one of herswhich was slowly warmingand held it. Remember, when we talked about this surgery, you made me promise I wouldnt allow you to be nothing more than an unmoving, unfeeling carbon life form on a hospital bed. That if you survived the surgery but didnt return to light and speech and hope, I wouldnt keep you beyond your time. He pulled his hand out of the blankets, reached into the pocket of his jeans, withdrew a massive handkerchief and blew his nose. Honked his nose.

Kellen sat on the chair opposite and watched Max affectionately. God bless him. He was so sad, and he wasnt afraid to blow his nose so hard it echoed down the hospital corridors. He cried openly for her, and his grief fed her hope that her life had not been wasted, that it had meaning.

She had collapsed at their wedding. Not exactly the right time or place, but when it came to comas, she couldnt pick her moments. Shed had a bullet in her brain for years, resting there, waiting to move into position and cause her trouble. After a few too many adventures and jumps and bumps and leaps, she had a few problems. Then a few more. Then sure enough, after the wedding ceremony at their winery in Oregon, she had seen Mara Philippi smiling and making conversation with their daughter, freaked out, told Max and collapsed.

That was it.

She didnt exactly know what happened after that. She hadnt known anything until right now when she got up off that bed and thought, Huh. This is different.

Now she knew. Max had told her. Shed had surgery, she hadnt recovered. He hadnt said it yet, but she was going to die.

She examined her hands. They looked pretty normal. Maybe a little transparent around the edges, and her fingernails were bluish, from the cold she supposed. But the skin tone looked healthy. For someone headed toward death, she felt pretty good.

Kellen looked up at her body on the bed. Those hands were hidden, fingers slightly curved.

Ah, those poor hands.

The bullet had been lodged in the quadrant of the brain that controlled the hands fine motor skills. Without being told, Kellen knew shed lost a lot of those skills. But what did it matter? She was dying.

Max said to the Kellen on the bed, Were going to take you off life support. No IVs and stuff. Youve got about ten days before you pass on. My mom will be bringing Rae to visit you.

He choked up again.

Rae was their daughter, a wonderful seven-year-old genius smart-mouthed child who Kellen loved so much. At the mention of Raes name, Kellen choked up, too, but there were no tears.

No tears. If the Kellen on the bed had heard, she would have cried. But the Kellen in the chair had slipped beyond that human response.