Lake of Tears

LAKE OF TEARSTHE YORKSHIRE MURDER MYSTERIESDI HASKELL & QUINN CRIME THRILLERSBOOK 7 BILINDA P. SHEEHAN HIGHFIELD CRIME Copyright © 2023 by Bilinda Sheehan All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. ALSO BY BILINDA P. SHEEHAN Watch out for the next book coming soon from Bilinda P. Sheehan by joining her mailing list. A Wicked Mercy - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Death in Pieces - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 2 Splinter the Bone - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 3 Hunting the Silence - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 4 Hidden in Blood - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 5 Place of Temptation - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 6 Lake of Tears - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 7 No Safe Place - DI Haskell & Quinn Crime Thriller Book 8 All the Lost Girls-A Gripping Psychological Thriller Wednesday’s Child - A Gripping Psychological Thriller CONTENTS Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapter 39Chapter 40Chapter 41Chapter 42Chapter 43Chapter 44Chapter 45Chapter 46Chapter 47Chapter 48Chapter 49Chapter 50Chapter 51Chapter 52Chapter 53Chapter 54Chapter 55Chapter 56Chapter 57Chapter 58Chapter 59Chapter 60Chapter 61Chapter 62Chapter 63Chapter 64Chapter 65Chapter 66Chapter 67Get the Next Book!Want a free book?Also by Bilinda P. Sheehan CHAPTER ONE The chilly December air fogged in front of Maureen's face as she left the warmth of the pub. "If my driving is so terrible, then you can drive us back to the hotel." Maureen glared at the man next to her. Not that Liam was paying her any heed, or even seemed to care that he'd upset her. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, the carefree grin, which only increased her ire, suggested he was enjoying the entire exchange. "I was only saying I wanted to get home in one piece." "Didn’t I get us here without incident?" Maureen clutched the keys tightly between her fingers. "Just about..." She stopped and stared at him. "You've got a nerve!" "Maureen, love, I'm only pulling your leg." "No. You can bloody well drive, you ungrateful little--" He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, catching her completely off guard. Momentarily silenced, she welcomed the warmth of his embrace. Leaning in closer, she allowed him to wrap his arms around her waist, drawing her into his solid frame. A couple of skipped heartbeats later, Liam released her. Cupping her face gently, he stroked his thumb over her cheek. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you." "I suppose you could always make it up to me." She smiled at him, enjoying the way his eyes darkened as the meaning of her words sank in. "Maybe I should drive," he said, reaching for the keys. "Nope," Maureen skipped out of reach. "You've been drinking all evening. The last thing we need is to get pulled by the Gardaí." She hit the button that unlocked the car. Liam climbed in without another word. Pausing with her hand on the door, Maureen glanced up at the sky. The stars overhead were enough to render her speechless. You couldn't see a sight like this in Dublin. The light pollution drowned out the possibility of seeing even a glimmer of the celestial bodies that twinkled overhead. Coming to the countryside for a holiday had been the right decision. They'd needed the break, both from work and the city. The door popped open in her hand. Surprised, Maureen took a step back and found Liam draped over the centre console. "Come on, get in,” he said. "Patience." Giggling, she slid in behind the wheel. Liam's warm hand found her knee as she started the engine. "Not while I'm driving." From the corner of her eye, she saw his salacious grin. Rolling her eyes, she pulled out of the almost empty car park. Even with the high beams of her headlights, the road was dark, darker than she was used to. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she navigated the route. It had been easier during the day. Now, with slick palms, she wondered if perhaps Liam had been right. Maybe he was the better driver. His hand drifted up her thigh. "Liam, no. I'm trying to concentrate." "But you're adorable when you concentrate," he said. "You even poke your tongue out of the side of your mouth.” "I do not!" "You do." His voice dropped as his hand slipped higher still."Maybe we should pull over." "I'm not pulling over." "We've never done it alfresco." "Liam!" Shock coated her voice as Maureen tore her eyes from the road and glanced at him. He grinned. “It could be—“ His expression suddenly became one of horror. “Shit! Look out!" For a moment, Maureen's brain refused to piece together the terror in Liam's voice. He grabbed the wheel, practically ripping it from her hands as he jerked it hard to the left. There was a brief moment where Maureen saw the ghostly white figure of a woman, frozen like a deer in the headlights, in the middle of the road. And then she was gone. The car hit the edge of the road. The impact jarred through her and Maureen bit her tongue. Blood flooded her mouth, the coppery taste washing away the sweetness of the kiss she had shared only moments ago with Liam. Her seatbelt bit into her chest, stealing her breath as she was thrown forward. Time slowed to a crawl. For a moment, she could see Liam and the fear reflected in his eyes. She could see his mouth moving but his words never penetrated the high pitched screaming of metal that