What Doesn't Kill Her (Cape Charade #2)(109)

Carson and Birdie.

Verona and Arthur.

Temo and Adrian.

Max said, “Zio Federico approves of the splatters on your dress. He wants to know how you created it.”

“What did you tell him?’

“That it was a spontaneous demonstration of creative sophistication.”

She chuckled. “You’re a genius.”

“I know. I’ve got you.”

That fuzziness advanced, the edges of her vision diminished. She slowed. “I’ve begun to think that’s not such a smart thing.”

Max’s smile faded. His face became watchful. “Why?”

Kellen had to tell him. Warn him. She looked around, avoiding his gaze, and—Rae had disappeared from the dance floor.

“Where is she?” Kellen searched the wedding party.

“Who?”

“Rae. Where is—?” Kellen caught her breath.

There, at the edge of the dance floor, she saw them. Rae, her charming trusting lovely daughter, smiling and talking to...to a...

FEMALE, WHITE, TANNED, HEALTHY, 5'6", 130 LBS. AGGRESSIVELY PHYSICALLY FIT. DARK HAIR. BRILLIANT BLUE EYES.
She looks older than the last time I saw her...

Mara Philippi, smuggler and serial killer, the woman who had almost murdered Kellen. The woman Max and Kellen had captured and sent to prison.

In slow motion, Mara knelt before Rae and listened to Rae’s enthusiastic babble, then turned her head and smiled directly at Kellen, taunting her with her helplessness.

“She’s here.” Kellen stopped dancing and dug her fingernails into Max’s arm.

“Who’s here?” He looked around, alarmed.

“Mara Philippi. She’s here. She’s with Rae. She has Rae.” The gray mist moved like an ocean fog over Kellen’s mind, invincible, blinding her, binding her.

“Where?” He held Kellen up by her elbows and helped her circle in slow motion.

“There.” Kellen tried to point, but when she stared at the place where Mara Philippi and Rae had been, they were gone. “Rae. Where is Rae?”

“I can see her. She’s with my mother and Arthur, talking and dancing. She’s safe, Kellen, she’s safe.”

Kellen looked up into his eyes. “No. I wasn’t hallucinating, Max. Mara Philippi is back, and she wants to kill everything I love. Save Rae. Take care of yourself. I love you forever.” She collapsed in his arms.






I have three confessions:

My name is Max Di Luca.

I’m a father and a husband, and I’ll do what I must to save my daughter and my wife from harm.

I will kill to protect my family. Make no mistake about that.

Find out Kellen’s fate in


the next book of Christina Dodd’s


pulse-pounding Cape Charade series,


Strangers She Knows,


coming soon from HQN Books.




Acknowledgments


Nothing was as important to the writing of What Doesn’t Kill Her as my daughters, Shannon and Arwen, who taught their amazed mommy how smart, how annoying and how funny little girls can be. The terror a parent feels about the safety of their children is universal; translating that terror and the incredible bond that grows between parent and child was a challenge I hope I captured in some small part, and communicated to my dear reader. Thanks, my dear girls, for making me a better person.

When it comes to positioning the books, sales navigates the increasingly challenging and constantly changing platforms that are book placement. In the case of What Doesn’t Kill Her, the HQN Books sales team was also the guiding light behind the name change and the cover redesign. Thank you so much, Fritz Servatius and the team. I’m so excited about the changes.

To Allison Carroll—so many brilliant insights and ideas wrapped up as horrible queries! Keep up the good work!

Thank you to the whole trade and hardcover art team, led by Erin Craig, and to Sean Kapitain for the What Doesn’t Kill Her cover and the formatting of Kellen’s mental Rolodex files.

Thanks to Lisa Wray, manager, publicity and events. Despite bad weather and broken planes, what an entertaining publishing year we created! I look forward to working with you on many more fabulous and unique publishing events.

Thank you to Craig Swinwood, publisher and CEO, Loriana Sacilotto, executive vice president, and to Susan Swinwood, HQN editorial director, for the opportunities you’ve given the Cape Charade series.

Dianne Moggy, vice president of editorial, thank you. After so many years of anticipation, working with the HQN team and seeing the care with which you publish is a privilege. You used the word “stellar,” about What Doesn’t Kill Her; what a treasure for me to enjoy!