The Echo of Violence

“She doesn’t need me in her life. Hell, she’s better off without me. She always was. I’ll still support her school, but she won’t know the money is coming from me.”

“What about you? Walking away from a friend like Kate…” And me, she wanted to say. “…that’s not good. It’s hard enough to do what we do. Doing it alone only makes things…worse. You know that, don’t you?”

“I never wanted to go it alone, Alexa, but shit happens. Getting too close to me isn’t good for your health, or haven’t you been paying attention?” He shook his head and grimaced, unable to meet her gaze. “This shouldn’t have happened to Kate. None of it should have happened. Why did they…why did anyone have to die?”

Alexa wasn’t sure if he was talking about Kate and the hostages anymore.

“I don’t know, Jackson.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “But Sayed was responsible for what happened to Kate and the others, not you. It’s why we stopped him…together. How long will you beat yourself up over something you had no control over?”

“For as long as it takes.”

She wished what he said wasn’t true, but she knew different.

“Good-bye, Jackson. I hope you find…” She struggled for words. Find what? Kinkaid was a guy who had found happiness once—and lost it. “I hope you find whatever it is that you’re looking for.”

After a long moment, Kinkaid nodded, and said, “You too, Alexa.”

She walked out the door, fighting a lump in her throat, a knot of emotion that she would deal with in the days and months to come. A part of her would always love Jackson Kinkaid. She knew that now. Yet there would be a part of him that she could never have—and that wasn’t good enough.

She needed more than he had to give. And if Kinkaid were any example, time wouldn’t heal all wounds.

And now

a special early look at the

next title in the Sweet Justice series

Reckoning for the Dead

Coming 2011

From Jordan Dane and Avon Books

Outside Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Dusk

The footsteps of Ramon Guerrero echoed as he stepped closer to the hostage. A dark silhouette of a man was backlit from the only barred window in the cell. His prisoner had been stripped of his clothes. Completely naked, he sagged by the weight of his own body as he hung from a metal bar. Ropes cut into his wrists and blood drained down his arms. Dark bruises mottled his ribcage, an aftermath of the beatings he had survived.

“Why are you here in my country?”

The man did not hesitate. “I’m here to kill a man.”

Guerrero burst into laughter at the man’s gall. “And how is that going for you?” Without waiting for an answer, he shook his head and said, “We know who you are.”

“You don’t know shit. Go to hell.”

In the stifling heat, Guerrero punched the hostage in the gut. Once. Twice. The prisoner clinched his stomach muscles and took the blows without uttering a sound.

“We shall s-see…” he panted, “…h-how long your arrogance lasts.”

His cartel boss had demanded to see the prisoner. It was the only reason Garrett Wheeler was still alive… for now.

New York City

Before dawn

Dressed in gray slacks and black cashmere sweater, Alexa Marlowe sipped coffee as she looked out her apartment window, located on the third floor of a brownstone on the Upper East Side off Lexington Avenue. For the last week, she’d been restless and sleep hadn’t come easy. In her line of work that was a hazard of the trade, but she had another reason to worry. And after getting a call from Tanya Spencer yesterday and arranging for an early-morning meeting at her place, she wondered if the Sentinel’s analyst had been losing sleep for the same reason.

When she heard the soft knock on her door, she rushed to answer it.

“Good morning, Tanya.” She forced a smile. “Please…come in.”

“Thanks for accommodating my crazy schedule.”

Even before dawn, the woman was impeccably dressed in a navy Burberry blazer and a pencil skirt. Her black skin looked radiant with only a hint of the flawless make-up she wore. And her southern drawl could melt butter. That voice had calmed Alexa on many covert ops missions when she had needed analytical support…and a friend.

“Sorry to get you up this early, but I thought we should talk somewhere away from headquarters. And your place was on my way to work.”

“No trouble. You’ve given me a jump on my day. Can I get you coffee?” Alexa asked.

“Yes, please.”

Alexa had already made a pot. She served Tanya a cup and they sat in her living room.

Being a covert agent, Alexa viewed the world differently than most people. She looked for ulterior motives and conspiracies under every rock. It was how her brain worked out of necessity. Her survival sometimes depended on it. And since Tanya Spencer had a similar background—having worked many years with the privately funded Sentinels and as Garrett Wheeler’s right hand for the last decade—Alexa figured the woman’s cryptic words meant she was only playing it safe.

“So tell me what’s on your mind, Tanya.”

“I’m not sure if I should be saying this, but…” the woman began. “…I haven’t heard from Garrett in almost two weeks. And that’s not like him.” When Alexa didn’t act surprised, Tanya said, “What’s going on? Do you know anything about this?”

“No, I don’t, but I’ve noticed the same thing.” She heaved a sigh. “I thought it was me. After I broke it off with him, our relationship changed. It had to, but I haven’t heard from him either. And that’s got me losing sleep.”

Tanya was one of the few people within the Sentinels who knew about her personal relationship with her boss, Garrett. She considered the woman a trusted friend.

“Isn’t anyone else concerned about this?” Alexa narrowed her eyes. “He’s head of our organization. What’s he been working on?”

Tanya had been Garrett’s senior analyst and advisor for the last ten years. She usually kept close tabs on him. And he trusted her with every aspect of what he did. They were a team.

“That’s just it. I don’t know.” The woman shook her head and put down her coffee. “And it’s got me worried sick. He’s never done this, Alexa. He’d always involved me with anything he touched. That’s why I wanted to talk here, at your place. Something’s been going on and I’ve been cut out of the loop. The people Garrett answers to