Why would Stowe Hannigan be staying in Harbour Falls?
My eyes drifted to the numerous files covering the table. Checking a few couldn’t hurt, right? Maybe they’d offer some insight into my neighbor’s plans for the near future.
I went over to the table and paged through a bunch of the files. Nothing helpful, just information on random people. Some of the files contained rather lengthy rap sheets, so I assumed they were in reference to individuals in his criminal organization.
Time was passing, so I knew I’d better hurry. Who knew when Stowe might return? And if Adam found me over here, that might be worse than Stowe.
So I closed up the files I’d opened, stacked them back in the same way.
But wait…
Was the first file I picked up originally next to the printer on the table…or over by the computer? I was thinking by the computer, so I stepped to my left to place it on top of a file marked: reopened. Wondering what reopened meant, I flipped open that file.
It was then that I almost collapsed.
There was a piece of paper on the top with only five words printed on it. They were:
Suspected project name—Wickingham Way
No, no, no, no…
The next page had a bit more information, just as damning.
Status of project: unknown
Recent activity: February 11—five offshore accounts frozen
Threat assessment level: raised from high to critical
Previous directive status: hold
Updated directive status: February 11—eliminate target
Okay, so this was bad, real bad. Stowe knew the name of the project Adam was working on, the one intended to bring Stowe’s organization down. And apparently whatever Adam was doing—for whatever government entity that was employing his services—it was working, hence, the five frozen offshore accounts. I was sure that was what had moved the threat level from high to critical.
February eleventh was yesterday, so this had all just happened. Maybe this was why Stowe was staying? But what was this directive status crap? And what did eliminate target mean? I was afraid I might know.
But who was the target?
There was a glossy eight-by-ten photograph behind the paper outlining the directive. I slipped it out.
The photo was of Adam leaving his Harbour Falls office. Yesterday, based on the suit he was wearing.
Oh Lord, Adam was the target.
There was no doubt about it, in fact. Hell, it said right at the top of the picture, in the border:
Adam Ward—target
My worst fear had just been realized. Stowe Hannigan was assigned to assassinate the man I loved. I stared and stared at the photograph of Adam.
God, how were we going to get out of this one?
Look for Wickingham Way—the final novel in the A Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy—next winter.
Acknowledgments
I have many, many people to thank. First, as I mentioned in the dedication, my gratitude and appreciation goes out to all the bloggers, reviewers, and readers who first gave Harbour Falls (the first novel in this series) a chance. My thanks to you is never-ending—thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope you enjoyed Willow Point; it truly is for all of you.
I also want to thank Barbara, my copy editor, and Gaele, for beta reading. Your contributions were more than helpful, they were invaluable. Thank you to Damon at damonza.com also for another amazing cover, and to Benjamin at Awesome Book Layout for the print and e-book formatting.
Finally, thank you, friends and family! But, mostly, thanks to Tom!
About the Author
S.R. Grey is the author of Harbour Falls, first in the A Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy. She resides in western Pennsylvania. Grey has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Robert Morris College, as well as an MBA from Duquesne University. She is currently at work on the third book of the A Harbour Falls Mystery series, as well as a New Adult novel due out in the fall of 2013.
When not writing, Ms. Grey enjoys traveling, reading, and running.
See how it all started… If you missed the first novel of A Harbour Falls Mystery series, Harbour Falls, here is the first chapter:
Chapter 1
Sitting in the idling car in the deserted and rain-drenched parking lot on tiny Cove Beach in Harbour Falls, I absently turned a business card over and over in my hands. Fingertips over smooth, heavy cardstock, with raised, royal-blue printing on one side…
Harbour Falls Realtors
Northern Maine Coastal Properties
Ami Dubois-Hensley
Agent
Phone numbers and an e-mail address. And to the left of Harbour, a simple company logo: a lighthouse.
With an edge of a fingernail free of polish, I traced the outline of the design. It was meant to be a representation of my destination today: a mass of land out there in the churning waters bearing the ominous name of Fade Island. Heavy fogs, quite common in this tucked-away corner of northern Maine, often swallowed up the island—giving the illusion of it “fading” into the sea.
Suddenly the rain intensified without warning. Sheeting off the windshield in thick bands of water, my view of the ink-colored waves crashing along the beach blurred. I leaned forward to turn the wiper control up a notch and caught my refection in the rearview mirror. Wow, this perpetual dampness was really wreaking havoc on my long hair. I smoothed the unruly strands back into place as best as I could and noticed the California sun-kissed highlights, always so evident in my natural honey-brown shade, were already fading. Just like the island in the fog.
I’d only been back a few days, but life as I knew it felt slippery, like it could get away from me if I let my guard down. I adjusted the mirror; uncertainty warred with determination in the hazel eyes—so like my father’s—staring back at me. Questions that had haunted
