Winter's Mourn Read online

  The face smiled. The voice, quiet with a Southern accent, was oddly sympathetic.

  Sorry, girlie. I’m not here for you. Just him.

  A sudden jolt against her sore arm set off a sharp starburst of pain, and she blinked again. She’d sagged against the doorjamb. In the clarity of the sudden pain, she saw that the face was gone, but the echo of the voice seemed to linger in the room.

  Sorry, girlie…just him.

  Mind focused again, she looked around the room. There was no more bed, or blood, or black-eyed monsters disguised as regular, grandfatherly looking men. But in the empty fireplace, among the ashes, there was a piece of paper.

  Winter crossed the room on feet that felt numb and heavy. When she saw it more clearly, she took in a shuddering breath.

  Crouching down, she picked up the picture of her brother, carefully covering her hand with her shirtsleeve first, and grabbing it by the barest corner of the thick photo paper. Careful, this time, of fingerprints. Justin’s face looked out at her from the woods where she’d seen him in the last photo.

  She turned it over.

  And stared at the same bold handwriting as the note she’d found on her car.

  See you soon, girlie. XOXO.

  The End

  To be continued…

  Want to Read More About Winter?

  I invite you to step back in time and join Winter on a journey to solve her first crime, back before she became an FBI agent.

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  Winter Black Series by Mary Stone

  Winter’s Origin (Winter Black Series: The Prequel)

  Winter’s Curse (Winter Black Series: Book Two) - Coming Soon

  Acknowledgments

  How does one properly thank everyone involved in taking a dream and making it a reality? Let me try.

  In addition to my family, whose unending support provided the foundation for me to find the time and energy to put these thoughts on paper, I want to thank the editors who polished my words and made them shine.

  Many thanks to my publisher for risking taking on a newbie and giving me the confidence to become a bona fide author.

  More than anyone, I want to thank you, my reader, for clicking on a nobody and sharing your most important asset, your time, with this book. I hope with all my heart I made it worthwhile.

  Much love,

  Mary

  About the Author

  Mary Stone lives among the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee with her two dogs, four cats, a couple of energetic boys, and a very patient husband.

  As a young girl, she would go to bed every night, wondering what type of creature might be lurking underneath. It wasn’t until she was older that she learned that the creatures she needed to most fear were human.

  Today, she creates vivid stories with courageous, strong heroines and dastardly villains. She invites you to enter her world of serial killers, FBI agents but never damsels in distress. Her female characters can handle themselves, going toe-to-toe with any male character, protagonist or antagonist.

  Discover more about Mary Stone on her website.

  www.authormarystone.com