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Piper could feel it co She could feel that bond of pleasure Jed had created four weeks before tightening between theether

She’d taken Eve’s suite on the first floor of Mackay’s Bed-and-Breakfast Inn after her sister had an had been staying in the suite next to Eve’s for the two years he had been there doing whatever it was he was doing She had a feeling he was a hell of a lotcontractor or supervisor or whatever the hell he claient and working directly with her hly suspected both Jedediah Booker and the other contractor staying at the inn, Elijah Grant, were Brogan’s partners

There had been strange things going on in Somerset--hell, in Pulaski County, period--for the past few years: thefts that didn’t ers who knew far too much about the people and the mountains where Piper now made her home And far too many "disappearances" of several of the criminal elements in the county

It was damned freaky

And she knew Jed was involved in it

She watched theh the county, and she had a hell of an ability to tie together things that at first ht not appear connected

It was a talent she’d often heard Dawg had as well

It didn’t matter what kind of talent she had She could be as fully trained as any agent who had ever worked with her brother and he’d still treat her like a five-year-old

And so would Jed

Pulling the older-model Jeep into the driveway of the post office, she set the parking brake before turning off the ignition and e notification card fro’s strap over her shoulder and pushed open the glass door leading into the building

"Hey there, Piper"

"Piper, how’s it goin’"

"Hello, Piper,to let you come out and play this weekend?"

She heard it every time she ran into the usual crowd of summer weekend partiers Because Piper, normally the life of the party, had been absent or joined by her brother or cousins every time she tried to slip out to one of the lake parties A Mackay always arrived withinif she was being guarded? She returned the greetings, answered where she had to, and waited patiently in line to sign for the certified letter she’d been notified aiting for her

The New York City address hadn’t reallyto her; neither had the na the envelope fro clerk behind the counter, Piper thanked her quietly beforeherself in and restarting the ignition, Piper flipped on the AC and quickly tore open the envelope

She scanned the letter first; then, as disbelief set in and her heart began racing furiously, she read it an to build

She’d been ns since she was a child, and for nearly as long she had been sewing those designs together She’d learned early how to use a needle and thread, and she’d torn her fingertips to ribbons as a child to perfect each and every stitch

Nownow someone had noticed them Someone of such renown in the fashion world that she had never iined he would show an interest in her work

Eldon Vessante, one of the biggest names in the New York fashion scene, had, for several years, been bringing in hot new designers, up to three a year, and staging exclusive runway shows for theer naner he’dthe fashion world And their designs were still being worn by models, movie stars, and the rich and fans to the Vessante panel o

No one knew she had subns to the Vessante teaotten about it

His assistant had sent the letter--she quickly checked the date--two days ago?

Oh, ns!

She wanted to scream

She wanted to jump out of the Jeep and announce it to everyone on the street as they made their way into the post office and various businesses that lined the sidewalk

She wanted to call her

Whoa

Bad idea

Very, very bad idea

She really wanted to call Jed, and that was an even worse idea, because there was no way, despite his pro and what she was doing

She read the letter again<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>