Deadly Retreat: An Ian & Merideth Investigation: The Girl in the River, #4

By Reese Patton

When Your Love of a Lifetime is a Conflict of Interest

Merideth Gardner, newly hired reporter at the Daily Herald, is tenacious, curious, and brilliant. Never a good combination in any woman. Especially a woman who is stealing the heart of the Daily Herald's publisher.

Ian Stirling is rich, powerful, and handsome. When Merideth agrees to his crazy plan, he never thought she'd be the one driving him crazy. And Ian is driving everyone around him crazy with his unwillingness to admit his feelings for her. But Ian has bigger worries than his growing feelings for Merideth.

The story about a missing woman turns into one about a murdered woman and now Merideth is in even more danger. Ian uses a weekend away as a distraction. Two days in Iowa with her parents. Two days before returning to the city. And the story. Two days for Ian to fixate on his feelings for Merideth.

Will Ian finally admit he wants more than a fake relationship with Merideth? Or will a conflict of interest stop the love of a lifetime?

Deadly Retreat delivers a racy and suspenseful serial. Perfect for when you want a fast-paced story, but don't have a lot of time. Read the fourth part of The Girl in the River while it's Hot!

• Language: English
• Publisher: VAB Sassy Crime Stories
• Release date: Jan 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386491231

Book preview

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Deadly

Retreat

The Girl in the River Book 4

BY REESE PATTON

The Barnes Family

The Rebound

The Rescue - Coming Soon

Immaculate Reception

The One with all the Thanksgiving Turkeys - Coming Soon

The One with All the Christmas Trees

Copperwood

Dirt

Pick

Honor - Coming Soon

Ian & Merideth Investigations

The Girl in the River

Deadly Proposal - Book One

Deadly Services - Book Two

Deadly Protection - Book Three

Deadly Retreat - Book Four

Deadly Confession - Book Five

Stand Alone Novels

Ties that Bind

Visit www.ReesePattonBooks.com to sign up for Reese’s Newsletter and gain access to exclusive content, free stories, and much more!

VoxAmoris Sassy Crime Stories

Published by VoxAmoris Sassy Crime Stories an imprint of VoxAmoris Books

This book is an original publication of VoxAmoris Books.

Copyright © Reese Patton, 2017

Original published as Girl in the River - Page Four

VoxAmoris Books supports copyright. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. By purchasing this book, you are supporting writers and allowing Publisher Name to continue to publish books.

For more information about Reese Patton, visit ReesePattonBooks.com.

Identifiers: ISBN 9781948603096 (ebook) | ISBN 9781948603089 (paperback)

Cover art: images depositphotos.com.

Cover design by R Patton

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

In Journalism, there has always been a tension between getting it first and getting it right.

Ellen Goodman

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Deadly Confession Preview

One

Merideth paced the perimeter of Ian’s office. Stone watched her movements, but didn’t ask questions.

She pursed her lips together and tilted her head to the side while studying Stone. We can’t be the ones to make the identification, can we?

No.

We need to see the police report. Merideth chewed on her thumbnail and resumed pacing

That’s not going to be easy. We can’t just call the coroner’s office and request it.

She stopped behind the couch and pressed her hands against the cool leather. Well then, what are you good for if you can’t use your secret spy skills to get me the report or the autopsy?

Stone lifted his eyebrows at her outburst. He didn’t deserve it, but her frustration had to go somewhere or she’d end up losing her mind. Merideth was also angry. She knew deep down that when they found Gretchen it wouldn’t be a happy ending. She just hadn’t fully prepared herself for it. Merideth had hoped it would be different, and hadn’t expected the least happy ending possible.

Merideth was out of her league. She knew it. Stone knew it. Ian knew it. Hell, the only one who didn’t know it was Vivian.

Merideth jumped topics, pushing her thoughts away from her glaring inferiority. If you hurt her, Stone, I will be very angry.

Stone smirked at her. Angrier than you are now?

Come on. You and I both know her background. She doesn’t need you playing a game with her.

Stone leaned forward in his chair and Merideth took a step back. Now he was the angry one. Not the normal terse and annoyed persona he projected every day. This was full on pissed and Stone directed it right at Merideth.

A sound at the doorway to Ian’s study stopped Stone from saying whatever he was about to and they both snapped their heads to the entrance.

Vivian stood there, hands clasped in front of her as she stared at the ground.

Shit. Merideth wanted to swear aloud. She wanted to scream the word. Instead, she let it echo around her mind.

Can I get you coffee?

Vivian’s soft voice broke at Merideth’s heartstrings. She was a horrible person.

Sweetheart, you don’t need to do anything today. Stone’s voice softened. You and Merideth are taking the day off. Remember?

Merideth gaped at Stone and her eyebrows rose high enough on her forehead to risk being hidden by her hair She’d never heard Stone speak like that to anyone.

I need to do something. Vivian shifted her weight from foot to foot and twisted her fingers around one another.

Merideth sympathized with her. She knew what it was like not having anything to do. Especially when you desperately needed to keep your mind occupied with other things to keep it from focusing on the horrid things.

There’s a laptop on Ian’s desk. It has access to Jason’s stuff. Merideth sighed and moved back around to the front of the couch under Stone’s glare. She sat down and glared right back at him.

But can I make coffee? Vivian’s question startled Merideth.

Of course, Vivian would want permission. At least Merideth had a fake relationship that recently shifted to maybe not quite so fake to help give her a sense of security in belonging. Vivian didn’t have that benefit.

Do you want help? Merideth stood from the couch.

I can manage, I’m sure. Vivian smiled at Merideth, but it didn’t hide her red-rimmed eyes, swollen from crying.

I’m sure you can too. But it’s Ian and Ian never goes with a basic coffee maker. It’s possible that his coffee maker has more bells and whistles than the space shuttle.

I’m fine. Really.

Stone turned his head and smiled at Vivian. If you need any help, you’ll ask?

Sure. Vivian walked away from the door and down the hall. Stone leaned back in chair, almost falling backwards, in order to watch her progress.

I want to see those reports, Stone.

He breathed in through his nose and shifted his gaze back to Merideth. And people in hell want ice water.

Merideth narrowed her eyes at him. It all traces back to Gretchen as the source. It would be better if Vivian was still at work, she could see who her date was.

No. Stone growled the curt reply and Merideth flinched.

Once the shock of his vehemence wore off, she rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. "I said if."

Stone rubbed his thumb and forefinger over his eyes.

But, what if we could just find–

No, Merideth.

They have records though, right?

Stone leaned forward over his knees again and stared at her. Merideth.

But, Stone. If we can just find out who Gretchen went out with…

Stone took a deep breath. "Merideth, I never said we