LIONESS

by Nell Brien

Overview

Deep in the heart of Africa lies the terrible truth about a brutal death. And the woman searching for answers can't even imagine the consequences exposing the truth will have on her own life.

When Joel Stanton left for Kenya to find the perfect site for a new hotel, it was just another routine business trip for the young architect. But when his battered body came home in a body bag, his twin sister and partner, Cat, knew something had gone terribly wrong. Something someone was determined to cover up.

Heading to Nairobi, Cat hires the same safari outfit her brother used. And soon realizes that Dan Campbell, the man charged with Joel's safety—and a man with his own demons to fight—knows more than he's saying about her brother's death.

Retracing her brother's footsteps across the rugged and heartbreakingly beautiful terrain of Africa, Cat embarks on a journey that will change her life…and put her in the same kind of danger that got Joel killed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781460363997
Publisher:	MIRA Books
Publication date:	07/15/2014
Sold by:	HARLEQUIN
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
File size:	1 MB

Read an Excerpt

Prologue

British Airways Flight 283 from Nairobi stood outside the hangar, its cargo doors open. Cat Stanton was aware of activity inside the cavernous building, the whir of machinery, forklifts moving containers into place, men's voices. Nothing seemed real.

    Joel's coffin inched into view, alone on the platform that descended from the bowels of the 747 toward the wet, shiny tarmac. As it cleared the protection of the giant aircraft, rain bounced off the gray metal carrying case.

    He would like that, Cat thought. Joel loved the rain. She started toward the open doors of the hangar. A restraining hand touched her arm.

    "Honey, you don't have to go outside, you'll get soaked," John Rifken said. "They'll bring him in."

    Cat took a moment to process his words—they sounded hollow and distant—then said, "It's okay, John. It's only rain." A cold storm had barreled down from Alaska, unheard of in September, and still hovered over Los Angeles.

    She started walking again and felt John keeping pace with her. She heard the whisper of wheels on the cement floor and turned to him.

    "John, I ..." She glanced at the black-suited men behind him trundling a wheeled cart and fumbled for words. "John, keep them here for a minute. I'll be all right."

    John looked at her face. "Okay, honey."

    Silently he motioned to the two attendants from the mortuary, and they stood back with the casket carriage they had brought to transfer the coffin to the waiting hearse.

    Alone, Cat walked out into the rain. She tried not to think of Joel in the darkness, his bones crushed, his body mangled.