She opened the card.
Always and forever you, Summer, my darling.
How unlike Kennedy. And it wasn’t his handwriting, either. He must have called it in to the florist …
The card’s sentiment made her wonder if she’d received the right bouquet. Not that Kennedy hadn’t sent her flowers—the security in their building was too good to think anything else—but maybe somebody had made a mistake about which arrangement he had ordered.
Man, she would be sad if whatever was in this box wasn’t hers, either. He loved to send her jewelry. She loved to receive it.
She tore off the wrap.
Kennedy walked in, bag in hand, and stopped. “What … are those?”
She faced him. “I knew it. This was a mistake, wasn’t it?” She gestured at the vase. “You didn’t send flowers and wine, either, did you?”
“I … did … send flowers.” He frowned. “But not … those. And not wine. Not … for tonight.”
“Then this is a mistake, too?” She showed him the box.
He stared at it, his eyes narrowing.
“Oh, well. I already unwrapped it. Let’s see what it is.” She tore off the wrap. She flipped open the box, and stared uncomprehendingly.
There, nestled in black velvet, was a round gold medal hung on a shiny red ribbon.
Had she somehow won the Olympics?
He placed his bag by his closet. “What is it?”
She read aloud, “‘Winner Double Gold … San Francisco International Wine Competition.’”
Goose bumps rolled from the back of Summer’s neck to her toes.
They looked at each other.
They looked at the wrapped box of wine.
Summer’s little finger, the finger that no longer existed, burned with remembered pain.
She untied the satin bow.
“Don’t!” Kennedy said, and started toward her.
Too late.
The ends fluttered apart. She pulled off the lid. With eyes half-blinded with foreboding, she stared at the label: a masterly painting of a ruined castle perched high on the ocean cliffs, and from its ramparts, a glorious eagle flying free.
She screamed, and fled toward Kennedy.
But she couldn’t run from the terror the name had etched into her brain:
Gracie Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon
Summer Forever
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times bestselling author CHRISTINA DODD builds worlds filled with suspense and adventure, and creates the most distinctive characters in fiction today. Her fifty-two novels have been translated into twenty-five languages, featured by the Doubleday Book Club, recorded on Books on Tape for the Blind, and been called the year’s best by Library Journal. Dodd herself has been a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. With more than fifteen million copies of her books in print, her legions of fans always know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they’ve found, as Karen Robards writes, “an absolute thrill ride of a book!”
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her free mailing list for news, exclusive excerpts, and book sales at her Web site, at www.christinadodd.com. Or sign up for email updates here.
ALSO BY CHRISTINA DODD
Virtue Falls
Candle in the Wind
Treasure of the Sun
Castles in the Air
Priceless
Greatest Lover in All England
Move Heaven and Earth
Once a Knight
Outrageous
A Knight to Remember
That Scandalous Evening
The Runaway Princess
Someday My Prince
Rules of Surrender
Rules of Engagement
Rules of Attraction
In My Wildest Dreams
Lost in Your Arms
My Favorite Bride
Scandalous Again
Just the Way You Are
One Kiss from You
Almost Like Being in Love
A Well Favored Gentleman
Some Enchanted Evening
Close to You
The Barefoot Princess
Dangerous Ladies
Trouble in High Heels
The Prince Kidnaps a Bride
Tongue in Chic
My Fair Temptress
Scent of Darkness
Touch of Darkness
Thigh High
Into the Shadow
Into the Flame
Danger in a Red Dress
Storm of Visions
Storm of Shadows
In Bed with the Duke
Chains of Ice
Chains of Fire
Taken by the Prince
Secrets at Bella Terra
Revenge at Bella Terra
Betrayal
The Smuggler’s Captive Bride
Last Night
Kidnapped
Wilder
Wild Texas Rose
Stone Angel
Lady in Black
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Part One: The Kidnapping
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Part Two: The Murder
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Part Three: New Girl in Town
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Part Four: The Game
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
About the Author
Also by Christina Dodd
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
OBSESSION FALLS. Copyright © 2015 by Christina Dodd
. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Ervin Serrano
Cover photographs by iStockphoto
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The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Dodd, Christina.
Obsession Falls / Christina Dodd. —First edition.
pages; cm
ISBN 978-1-250-02847-1 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-02846-4 (e-book)
I. Title.
PS3554.O3175O27 2015
813'.54—dc23
e-ISBN 9781250028464
First Edition: September 2015