No Looking Back: A Breakdown Series Short Read Read online

  No one was that perfect. Not even the people who lived in Shutter Lake.

  Laney and McCabe met near the victim. One look at his unshaven face and blood shot eyes and she knew her original deduction was correct, he’d had a bad night. Not that he ever looked much different at nine in the morning. It was usually noon before he resembled anything fit for human interaction. Not that she was judging. For months after she left L.A. she had been a mess. Her drug of choice had been endorphins. She’d run morning, noon and night, pushing her body beyond its limits.

  She still ran five miles or so every night. Kept her sane. Kept the memories out of her dreams.

  McCabe shook his head, exhaled a big breath. “What do we have?”

  “Missing credit cards and any cash that was in her wallet. Jewelry box has been searched. Few things knocked around and this.” Laney stared down at the victim. “Looks like she was strangled. Maybe she interrupted the burglary in progress. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense since the perp dumped her purse. The fact that it was here should have signaled that the owner was as well. I’m surprised he didn’t cut and run. Her cell phone is on the bedside table. No calls or texts since around six last evening until her friend,” Laney gestured to the woman outside, “started calling her this morning.”

  McCabe set his hands on his hips. “I called the coroner. He’ll be here within the hour.” He shook his head. “I’ve known this girl my whole life. I’m calling in the county crime scene unit. This is out of my league.”

  Laney agreed. “So far nothing from any of the neighbors.” Another of their officers was canvassing the people who lived on this street but neighbors were few and far between. The chances that anyone saw or heard one damned thing were about nil. “The robbery scenario doesn’t feel right. Too many easy to move items left behind. After he killed her, why not grab the laptop and the game console?”

  McCabe forked his fingers through his hair. “Doesn’t make sense. This,” he gestured to the dead girl on the floor, “doesn’t make sense. I gotta talk to her parents.”

  Laney didn’t envy him that task. “You want me to stay on things here?”

  His bleary gaze met hers. “The truth? I’d rather you come with me.”

  Great. “I should take Renata Fernandez home on the way. She’s been here for hours. She’s already given her statement. I don’t think there’s anything else she can tell us right now. Maybe when she’s had a chance to get past the shock, she’ll recall more.”

  “I don’t want her talking to anyone,” McCabe said. “Not until we know how the hell this happened. Make sure she understands.”

  “I’ll make sure.” Laney took one last look around. Things like this didn’t happen in Shutter Lake.

  Until now.

  Get a copy of the dead girl by Debra Webb

  What is Breakdown?

  What happens when you get four USA Today bestselling authors together and they let their imaginations run wild?

  If those authors are Debra Webb, Vicki Hinze, Peggy Webb and Regan Black, they talk about books . . . and their muses awaken and join in the play. That’s when something magical happens.

  It’s extraordinary, and we can’t really explain it. We first talked about one of our favorite creepy movies, The Stepford Wives, which somehow led down a winding path to us discussing the concept for a suspense mini-series that revolves around the "perfect" small town falling apart. Piece by piece.

  Of course, we wanted the women in our stories to be strong, determined and capable—truly, we wanted these women to be the heroes. And so in our novels, these four amazing females—no matter the wounds of their pasts—stop at nothing to find the truth.

  So, in short, when you get these authors together, you end up with an exciting new mini-series of suspense books.

  And what happens when these authors enjoy writing those books so much they don’t want to stop?

  They expand the Breakdown project and each create a short read about the one moment in time that changed the life of the woman who experienced it. That single event that was so momentous it defined the life of the woman from then on—the main character in each of the Breakdown books.

  The authors love these collaborative events and the strong stories that result. And they hope that you’ll love them, too.

  BREAKDOWN READS

  Short Reads:

  no looking back by Debra Webb

  her deepest fear by Vicki Hinze

  her hidden terror by Peggy Webb

  trust no one by Regan Black

  Look for all of the Breakdown Short Reads September 7th.

  Then Buckle Up for October!

  Every Thursday during the month of October, a new Breakdown novel will be released!

  4th: the dead girl by Debra Webb

  11th: so many secrets by Vicki Hinze

  18th: all the lies by Peggy Webb

  26th: what she knew by Regan Black

  Welcome to Shutter Lake

  Downtown Shutter Lake is the nerve-center of the community. Designed with a vintage feel, shops range from Victorian to Craftsman. Sidewalks and streets are cobblestone. Green spaces heavily dot the landscape.

  Shutter Lake was specifically created to be the epitome of small-town, tranquil, clean living. Farmers in the area have taken organic farming to the next level. Most of the pubs brew their own beer. From the bakery to the coffee shop and everything in between, residents pride themselves on living clean and healthy and just plain good. Seven years ago, Shutter Lake opened its own private entity school and hired Dr. Dana Perkins to run it. Since then, it’s been awarded a prestigious blue ribbon of excellence every year. In no small part, that’s due to the brilliant minds who call Shutter Lake home—leaders in innovative industries—and freely share their knowledge and expertise with students. Even the good doctor, Ana Perez, operates a wellness center three nights a week in the community gathering hall. A healthy lifestyle is key for most residents.

  Walking trails cut through the center-square park. Moms or dads are often seen pushing strollers and children enjoy the playground. Benches are littered throughout the park. Old men gather to play chess, and in the park’s center is a fountain where people young and old often pause and toss in a coin and make wishes.

  There is little crime in Shutter Lake. The police chief and his assistant chief, Laney Holt, work hard to keep it that way. The founders provide ample funds to keep everything—safety, medical facilities, educational requirements the best. Even the weekly paper, The Shutterfly, covers a diverse collection of topics of interest to residents and hires top-notch people, like the Loeb Award winner and Pulitzer nominee, Julia Ford.

  In short, the founders and residents are determined Shutter Lake be and remain the most idyllic town in the country—and it had . . . until someone killed the owner of Sparkle Cleaning Service, Sylvia Cole.

  No one could have predicted the fallout of that single event. Or that it would leave no resident unscathed. But when four women seek answers—Laney Holt, Dana Perkins, Julia Ford, and Luciana (Ana) Perez—their revelations result in a calamitous breakdown…

  The BREAKDOWN Books

  (Best read in order.)

  The Novels

  the dead girl by Debra Webb

  so many secrets by Vicki Hinze

  all the lies by Peggy Webb

  what she knew by Regan Black

  The Short Reads

  no looking back by Debra Webb

  her deepest fear by Vicki Hinze

  just one look by Peggy Webb

  trust no one by Regan Black

  About the Author

  DEBRA WEBB is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency and the Shades of Death series. She is the recipient of the prestigious Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense as well as numerous Reviewers Choice Awards. In 2012 Debra was honored as the first recipient of the esteemed L. A. Banks Warrior Woman Award for her coura
ge, strength, and grace in the face of adversity. Recently Debra was awarded the distinguished Centennial Award for having achieved publication of her 100th novel. With this award Debra joined the ranks of a handful of authors like Nora Roberts and Carole Mortimer.

  With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood when her mother bought her an old typewriter in a tag sale. Born in Alabama, Debra grew up on a farm and spent every available hour exploring the world around her and creating her stories. She wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the Commanding General of the US Army in Berlin behind the Iron Curtain and a five-year stint in NASA’s Shuttle Program that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has expanded her work into some of the darkest places the human psyche dares to go. Visit Debra at www.debrawebb.com.