A CAIN/HARPER THRILLER (#1)
D. P. LYLE
SUSPENSE PUBLISHING
PRIOR BAD ACTS
A CAIN/HARPER THRILLER
by
D. P. Lyle
DIGITAL EDITION
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Suspense Publishing
D. P. Lyle
COPYRIGHT
2020 D. P. Lyle
PUBLISHING HISTORY:
Suspense Publishing, Paperback and Digital Copy, October 2020
Cover Design: Shannon Raab
Cover Photographer: Shutterstock.com/ Mike Pellinni
Cover Photographer: Shutterstock.com/ Nerthuz
Cover Photographer: Shutterstock.com/ Zonda
ISBN: 978-0-578-72479-9
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
BOOKS BY D. P. LYLE
Cain/Harper Thrillers
Skin in the Game (#1)
Jake Longly Thrillers
Deep Six (#1)
A-List (#2)
Sunshine State (#3)
Rigged (#4)
Dub Walker Thrillers
Stress Fracture (#1)
Hot Lights, Cold Steel (#2)
Run To Ground (#3)
Samantha Cody Thrillers
Devil’s Playground (#1)
Double Blind (#2)
Original Sin (#3)
Royal Pains: Media Tie-in Novels
Royal Pains: First, Do No Harm (#1)
Royal Pains: Sick Rich (#2)
Anthologies
Nothing Good Happens After Midnight
For the Sake of the Game
It’s All In The Story
Thriller3: Love Is Murder
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads
Non-Fiction
Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions From Mystery Writers
Forensics For Dummies
Forensics For Dummies, 2nd Edition
Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions From Crime Writers
Howdunnit: Forensics: A Guide For Writers
More Forensics and Fiction: Crime Writers Morbidly Curious Questions Expertly Answered
ABA Fundamentals: Understanding Forensic Science
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my wonderful agent Kimberley Cameron of Kimberley Cameron & Associates for her guidance, advice, dedication, and friendship. KC, you’re the best.
To John and Shannon Raab and all the dedicated crew at Suspense Publishing. Thanks for your hard word and creativity and for making this book the best it can be.
To my always first reader and editor Nancy Whitley.
To Nan for everything.
PRAISE FOR D. P. LYLE
CAIN/HARPER THRILLERS
“Prior Bad Acts moves like a runaway freight train, thundering along from beginning to end and picking up speed until the very last page. D. P. Lyle’s second effort to feature Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy finds his stalwart heroes on the dark side of the American Dream, as they attempt to right wrongs that turn small-town Americana into a Shakespearean tragedy. This is crime thriller of the highest order and an absolute must read.”
—Jon Land, USA Today Bestselling Author
“D. P. Lyle writes wonderfully and with real insight. He’s a born storyteller.”
—Peter James, UK #1 Bestselling Author of the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace Series
“D. P. Lyle’s novels are chillingly authentic. An expert technician just keeps getting better. Packed with edge of the seat tension, Skin in the Game takes hunting to an astonishing, and frightening, new level.”
—Robert Dugoni, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Tracy Crosswhite Series
“Skin in the Game is The Most Dangerous Game on steroids. Fast, relentless, and cunning.”
—David Morrell, New York Times Bestselling Author of Murder as a Fine Art
“Terrific—truly sinister, scary and suspenseful. Lyle never lets you down.”
—Lee Child, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
DUB WALKER THRILLERS
“D. P. Lyle’s Stress Fracture is just what I love in a book: lightning paced, brutally executed, dynamic characters, and a story that grips you by the throat. If Michael Crichton had written an episode of Law & Order, here might be the result. Simply brilliant!”
—James Rollins, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Cutting-edge forensics and a whip-cracking pace make Stress Fracture a one-sitting read. If you love CSI, this is the book for you.”
—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times Bestselling Author
“D.P. Lyle’s Stress Fracture is an intense, nail-biting adventure. The author’s knowledgeable voice adds a fear factor that can’t easily be found. A wonderful, thrilling read, an excellent work of fiction—and more!”
—Heather Graham, New York Times Best-selling Author
“A gritty and grisly tale of serial murder, told in the edgy style of classic noir but powered with a 21st century plot. Dr. Doug Lyle delivers a scalpel-sharp thriller.”
—PJ Parrish, New York Times Bestselling Author
“A taut, hard-to-put-down, emotionally-satisfying thriller. Fans of James Lee Burke and Lee Child will be pleased with Lyle’s Dub Walker. Really, a damn good read!”
—Andrew Gross, New York Times Bestselling Author
PRIOR BAD ACTS
A CAIN/HARPER THRILLER (#2)
D. P. LYLE
CHAPTER 1
PRESENT
Bobby Cain stood at the wall of windows in the St. Germain Place penthouse condo he shared with his sister Harper McCoy. Near two a.m. He enveloped a firm rubber ball in each fist, squeezing them in a to-and-fro rhythm. Right-left-right-left. The action made little inroad into the tension that gripped his shoulders, his entire body, but at least it was adding to his hand strength. The key, according to Uncle Mo. Whether climbing a tree, pulling off a second-story B&E, or attempting to survive a mano a mano fight to the death, grip strength offered the make-or-break advantage.
Rain streaked the glass and muted his view over the SoBro area and the lights from Broadway, a block away. Lower Broadway, the Bourbon Street of Nashville, rich with food, drink, and country music, was winding down. Lights winking off, drunks staggering home, musicians packing up, another gig finished. The city stumbled toward slumber.
Not so for Cain. The fourth night in a row fitful sleep had dragged him from bed to stand in this very spot. Not an uncommon occurrence. His dreams came off and on in no predictable pattern. Lately more on. Even during restful nights, they appeared as not-so-gentle nips along the edge of his dreamscape, coiled to flare up full-blown. When they did, sleep became impossible.
“Bad night?” Harper moved to stand next to him.
“Yeah.”
“Which one?”
She meant which dream. Cain possessed a catalog to choose from. Not that the choice was his. Never his. Sometimes it was the traitorous Iraqi commander whose throat he had sliced just so. Dark room, third floor, dead of night. Never saw his face, but
