Dark Secret

Dark Secret by Christine Feehan Page A

Book: Dark Secret by Christine Feehan Read Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Feehan
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance
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time on her chores. As she started back toward the ranch, she caught sight of a vulture circling lazily in the sky. She watched its path, turning Domino so she could pick her way through the larger boulders along the steep cliffs. As she rounded a particularly steep rock face, she saw more of the large birds. They were gathered together near the base of one of the cliffs.

    At once she felt a terrible dread, her body stiffening. Domino began to dance nervously, Colby’s body language communicating instantly to the animal. She bit at her lower lip, made a long sweep, scanning the area to ensure this time she really was alone.
    Colby approached on foot, not trusting Domino’s reaction with the birds and the odor. She kept her rifle with her, but used her handgun, firing into the air to frighten off the vultures and to alert the Everett riders she needed their help.
    She circled the area, careful not to disturb anything, looking for tracks to tell her what had happened. She knew before she ever reached the body that it was Pete. He had been dead for days. It looked as if he had been on the ledge up above and had slipped and fallen. The back of his head must have hit the small boulder near where he lay. There was blood on the rock and plenty of it staining the shirt across his shoulders.
    Colby saw the broken pieces of a whiskey bottle scattered around. She closed her eyes, suddenly tired, her throat choking on unshed tears. For a brief moment she rested her hand on Pete’s arm. Immediately she snatched it away, backing away from the body, looking around her, very, very afraid.
    She felt it, the instant she touched him: she knew it had been no accident, knew Pete had been murdered. She didn’t know who or why, only that someone had killed him. The aftermath of violence was still haunting the ground, the rocks, especially the body. Colby examined the area carefully, wanting to read the messages the earth might give her, yet she didn’t want to disturb the crime scene.
    She moved away from the body, back to Domino, and buried her face against the animal. For once he remained steady, unmoving, as if he knew he was consoling her with his presence.
    Colby? Her name shimmered in her mind. Warmth seeped into the coldness of her body. Pequena, I feel your pain. I cannot come to you. Share it with me. Let me help you.
    The words were there, velvet soft. Real. She heard them. Knew Rafael’s voice. Felt his presence. She also felt the tremendous effort he was making to reach her across whatmust have been a great distance. It should have shocked her, but she was accepting. She was different. He was different. For the first time in years she wanted to throw herself into someone’s arms in a storm of weeping. She didn’t even mind that he called her “little one.”

4
    “T his doesn’t look good, Colby,” Ben said as he walked over to where she was sitting on a large, round boulder. “I’m sorry, honey, I know you loved that old man. I should have listened to you.” He put his hand on her slender shoulder, an awkward attempt at comforting her.
    “It isn’t your fault, Ben. He must have already been dead when I reported him missing.” Colby rubbed her pounding temples as she looked up at the sheriff. “It wasn’t an accident, was it?”
    Ben sighed heavily. Colby had always been as transparent as glass. He could see her grief, the heaviness in her as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. “We’re treating it like a homicide until we know different. I took pictures of the scene; we’ve finished that finally. I know it’s been a long morning for you, but we had to get this done before we could move the body.”
    “I can read the signs, Ben. He didn’t fall off that cliff. He was hit from behind. The blood splatters aren’t consistent with a fall. And his body isn’t beat up enough. His knees hit the dirt first, like his legs went out from under him.” A sob welled up out of nowhere and she looked away from

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