The Nature of Secrets

PRAISE FOR DEBRA WEBB The Last Lie Told “A complex case fraught with angst and danger ends with surprising revelations.” —Kirkus Reviews “Debra Webb writes the kind of thrillers I love to read. Sure, there is a murder or more. Yes, a twisted mystery to be solved. Once again, in The Last Lie Told, her characters are fully rendered and reveal themselves authentically as her novel unfolds and careens to its stunning conclusion. The Last Lie Told is her best yet. Webb is the queen of smart suspense.” —Gregg Olsen, #1 New York Times bestselling author Can’t Go Back “A complex, exciting mystery.” —Kirkus Reviews “Police procedural fans will be sorry to see the last of Kerri and Luke.” —Publishers Weekly “Threats, violence, and a dramatic climax . . . Good for procedural readers.” —Library Journal Gone Too Far “An intriguing, fast-paced combination of police procedural and thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews “Those who like a lot of family drama in their police procedurals will be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly Trust No One “Trust No One is Debra Webb at her finest. Political intrigue and dark family secrets will keep readers feverishly turning pages to uncover all the twists in this stunning thriller.” —Melinda Leigh, #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Cross Her Heart “A wild, twisting crime thriller filled with secrets, betrayals, and complex characters that will keep you up until you reach the last darkly satisfying page. A five-star beginning to Debra Webb’s explosive series!” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author “Debra Webb once again delivers with Trust No One, a twisty and gritty page-turning procedural with a cast of complex characters and a compelling cop heroine in Detective Kerri Devlin. I look forward to seeing more of Detectives Devlin and Falco.” —Loreth Anne White, Washington Post bestselling author of In the Deep “Trust No One is a gritty and exciting ride. Webb skillfully weaves together a mystery filled with twists and turns. I was riveted as each layer of the past peeled away, revealing dark secrets. An intriguing cast of complicated characters, led by the compelling Detective Kerri Devlin, had me holding my breath until the last page.” —Brianna Labuskes, Washington Post bestselling author of Girls of Glass “Debra Webb’s name says it all.” —Karen Rose, New York Times bestselling author ALSO BY DEBRA WEBB The Last Lie Told Can’t Go Back Gone Too Far Trust No One This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Otherwise, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Text copyright © 2023 by Debra Webb All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Thomas & Mercer, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Thomas & Mercer are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781662508820 (paperback) ISBN-13: 9781662508813 (digital) Cover design by Shasti O’Leary Soudant Cover images: © Magdalena Wasiczek / Arcangel; © KorradolYamsatthm / Shutterstock; © onair / Shutterstock This book is dedicated to a pair of very special friends: Vicki Hinze and Peggy Webb, two ladies who have always had my back and who are always there to lend a helping hand—Vicki with the flashlight and Peggy with the shovel. Twisted sisters, you are the best! CONTENTS START READING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR All secrets become deep. All secrets become dark. That’s in the nature of secrets. —Cory Doctorow 1 The Murder Sunday, September 18 9:35 a.m. Winthrop Residence Morningview Court, Brentwood This had been an enormous error. She shouldn’t have permitted the indulgence. She should have been stronger. Need was weakness. No one knew this better than her. Trusting him had been a mistake. She smiled. Well, perhaps she had not really trusted him. She’d spent so much time “in character” lately that at times it was difficult to step back. Actually, all had gone entirely according to plan. Now it was time to finish this. It was him or her, and it was not going to be her. She smiled again. It was always going to be him. Self-preservation was something she had learned at an early age. In this instance, outwitting him had not been so complicated. He was a mere man, after all. A cheater, a thief, the sort that thought only of himself when the chips were down. She hadn’t expected more from him. The sound of water spewing from the dozen or so body sprayers in the shower abruptly stopped, leaving only the soft music from his chosen playlist and the knowledge of what must be done. She waited and watched. Patience was essential at this pivotal moment. From her position near the door, she observed him stepping from the shower, droplets sliding over contoured muscle and slipping down tanned flesh. He reached for the towel, wiped his eyes and face first, then started the methodical ritual of smoothing the thick cotton over his body. He adored his body. Was completely absorbed in admiring himself as he swept the towel over his skin. So much so he didn’t even notice her approach. Never sensed her presence. A tragic lapse in judgment. She was quite close behind him before he recognized her presence. Likely noticed her scent. Every woman possessed a unique scent, whether she chose to wear perfume or not. A man—especially a man who had been with her—recognized her scent. She drew back her chosen weapon like a baseball bat as he turned, surprise marring his handsome face. She swung the weapon with all her might, twisting through her hips and driving hard into