River of Danger Read online

  River of Danger (Secrets of Rios Azules, Prequel)

  Number 0 of Secrets of Rios Azules

  Alexa Verde

  (2015)

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  Tags: Romance

  Romancettt

  "Loved it! Alexa's Christian Suspense stories are awesome." - Laura Scott, award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense

  Dallas reporter River Montenegro returns to her hometown, Rios Azules, in south Texas to aid her father, a constantly recovering alcoholic. After the notorious Smiling Killer strikes close to her home -- and her own neck, River grudgingly accepts help from her childhood friend and first love, who unknowingly crushed her heart.

  When his formerly awkward school buddy is being stalked and attacked, local newspaper editor and town favorite Jacob Forrester decides to protect River. Falling for River, who blossomed into a confident, beautiful woman, Jacob is also eager to take their friendship to a different level. But River always made it clear she wouldn't stick around.

  Scarred and scared, River has fled to the big city lights once. But she's stronger now. The homegrown killer better be prepared because not all Rivers run...

  Secrets of Rios Azules Series: welcome to Rios Azules, a small Texas town where rivers and emotions run deep, and secrets are deadly.

  Available now

  Prequel: River of Danger (Jacob and River)

  Book 1: Color of Danger (Luke and Mari)

  Coming soon

  Book 2: Taste of Danger (James and Soledad)

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  Review

  "Start with a white-knuckle car ride. Mix in a mystery with twists and turns, friends and enemies. Then add an old crush, a few dead bodies, and you have the thriller that is River of Danger. Ms. Verde delivers another intriguing mystery from her Secrets of Rios Azules series. An exciting read!" - Connie Almony, author of Amazon bestselling Christian romantic suspense and women's fiction

  "Alexa Verde skillfully weaves elements of drama, intrigue, and romance with an inspirational thread. I really enjoyed River of Danger and can't wait for more stories in this exciting series!"- Britney Adams, Buzzing About Books

  River of Danger

  By

  Alexa Verde

  RIVER OF DANGER

  By Alexa Verde

  Prequel in the Secrets of Rios Azules Series

  Amazon Kindle Edition

  Copyright © 2015 by Olga Grun writing as Alexa Verde

  All rights reserved.

  Editing by Amy Knupp

  Cover art by Webmark

  Digital formatting by L.K. Campbell

  By payment of the required fees, you have been granted a non-exclusive and non-transferable right to access and read the text of this eBook. No part of this eBook may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now or hereinafter invented without the express written permission of the copyright owner.

  Please Note

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

  The reverse engineering, uploading, and/or distributing of this eBook via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American copyright conventions.

  About River of Danger

  Dallas reporter River Montenegro returns to her hometown, Rios Azules, in south Texas to aid her father, a constantly recovering alcoholic. After the notorious Smiling Killer strikes close to her home — and her own neck, River grudgingly accepts help from her childhood friend and first love, who unknowingly crushed her heart.

  When his formerly awkward school buddy is being stalked and attacked, local newspaper editor and town favorite Jacob Forrester decides to protect River. Falling for River, who blossomed into a confident, beautiful woman, Jacob is also eager to take their friendship to a different level. But River always made it clear she wouldn't stick around.

  Scarred and scared, River has fled to the big city lights once. But she's stronger now. The homegrown killer better be prepared because not all Rivers run…

  River of Danger is a prequel to the Secrets of Rios Azules Series, followed by Book 1, Color of Danger. The series is set in Rios Azules, a small Texas town where rivers and emotions run deep, and the richest family in town has a fine taste for food, jewelry, and murder. Each book is a complete inspirational romantic suspense and can be read as a stand-alone. Each book in the series features one of five childhood friends – a group once nicknamed Danger Girls – finding love amid danger to her life, her heart, and her faith.

  This book is dedicated to my parents. I love you.

  Chapter One

  The car leaned heavily to the right and swerved on the two-way road.

  River Montenegro wrapped her fingers around the steering wheel tightly, struggling to keep control of her car. Her life depended on it. Gathering all her willpower, she gently pressed on the brakes and prayed.

  Dear Lord, please save me.

  The metal scraped against the asphalt, producing a screeching sound that grated on her raw nerves.

  Please! I’ll be a much better person from now on.

  That was one loaded promise. But the view of a tire and a rim rolling in front of one’s car could have that effect on a person. And judging by the way her car had shaken like a lifelong smoker and had swerved, they belonged to her vehicle.

  River gritted her teeth, gave the brake pedal a workout, and fought hard not to end up in the oncoming traffic. By some miracle, she managed to stay in her lane. Furious honking of passing cars pierced the air. Palm trees rushed past her, and she shuddered at the thought of hitting one of them. At least there were no houses on either side of the road, so she didn’t risk driving into a family having a peaceful dinner on a beautiful summer day. Or surprising somebody in a bathtub.

  “Stop! Please stop!” she whispered, as if her car could hear her.

  The screeching of metal against the asphalt almost made her ears bleed, but there was no way to block the sound.

  Somebody wanted her dead.

  Tires didn’t fall off cars by themselves.

  Her body went limp. River breathed fast and hard, as if she’d run a marathon in front of a train. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

  If she didn’t manage to stop soon, she’d make it to the bridge. Losing control of her car there meant falling into dark, deep waters. River gripped the steering wheel even tighter. It vibrated and moved in her hands, like a snake struggling to get away. The night when she’d faced death once before flashed in her mind, a sharp blade pressed to her throat, the metallic scent of her own blood hanging in the air.

  Aren’t you scared, River? Aren’t you very, very scared?

  Wincing, she got rid of the soft voice in her head and the memories.

  “Lord, please forgive me. Please help me,” she whispered.

  Cold drops formed on her forehead and trickled down her face, but she couldn’t wipe them off, couldn’t release the wheel. She held on to it, though her palms were clammy with cold sweat as well.

  She was not going to die today.

  Determined, River eased on the brake. Somehow, someway, she managed to slide to the shoulder. The tires whispered against the gravel and then the grass when she brought the car to a complete stop.

  For several seconds, she couldn’t move, see, or draw a single breath. Her mind was blank, as if unable to comprehend she was still alive.

  “Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

  Still trembling, River looked in the rearview mirror. Whoever had messed with her tire could be following her. But no cars had stopped so far.

  She knew she should call for road service to replace her tire. Judging by the sign she’d passed not long ago, she was close to her sleepy hometown, Rios Azules, in south Texas. So it wouldn’t be long until somebody would come to her rescue. But her hands were shaking, and as soon as she fished out her cell phone from her purse, it slipped and fell to the floor.

  River dropped her head on her hands and let herself dive into a quick oblivion.

  A knock on the window brought her to reality. She jerked up. How could she let herself zone out that way? Somebody had obviously unscrewed her tire, most likely at the last gas station where she’d gone to get coffee and her favorite beef jerky. That person could be knocking at her window now!

  River ducked and reached for her purse, where she carried a .38 caliber pistol, a habit ever since she’d been attacked. She gathered her willpower to stop her fingers from trembling.

  “Are you all right? Can I help you?” inquired someone with a deep baritone laced with worry. “River?”

  She tensed and relaxed at the same time. She’d recognize that voice from a million voices.

  Jacob Forrester.

  Okay, so she wasn’t about to be shot. But she was so not ready for this encounter. As always, her heart palpitated at the sound of his voice.

  River glanced into the rearview mirror, but the only car visible at the side of the road was a black truck, which seemed to belong to Jacob. She let the gun go but kept the purse close. Of all people to drive on this road,
it had to be her high school crush who’d never considered her more than a little buddy.

  She glanced in the mirror again, this time to check her appearance. Sure enough, her long dark hair was a mess, her crimson lipstick was smudged, and the black mascara rivers were drying on her cheeks. She cringed. Just the way she wanted Jacob to see her.

  The knock became louder.

  “River! What happened to your tire? Open the window please!”

  She unwrapped her fingers from her purse and rolled down the window. A combination of the scents of hay, car fumes, and Jacob’s spicy cologne teased her nostrils.

  “I want to see you.” He opened the door, his blue eyes concerned.

  I want to see you.

  Years ago, she’d been so eager for him to see her, to notice her, to like her. How pathetic. A popular boy, he’d surely never thought of dating the scrawny, bespectacled, miserable teen she’d been then. It had been strange enough that they’d become friends, especially considering he’d been the son of the town doctor and she’d been the daughter of the town drunk.

  Smiling, he offered his hand, but River shook her head. She’d never completely gotten him out of her system, so she couldn’t risk his touch. She reached for her travel bag and placed it on the ground. With her purse already tucked in under her arm, she leaned forward, hurrying to get outside.

  Earth slid from under her feet as she stumbled, and River ended up in Jacob’s arms.

  Her breath hitched. So much for not risking his touch. Her body welcomed his embrace, warm and strong, just the way she remembered it. Even better now. He held her close, moved his hand over her hair, slowly and gently. Warm waves of apprehension rushed through her body. For a minute, she welcomed the feeling.

  Then another memory, dark, abysmal, another touch, threatening, forceful, jerked her out of the moment. Her lungs constricted, making it difficult to breathe, and she eased herself out of Jacob’s embrace. It had been a different man, a different touch. Still a reminder to never drop her guard. Like she had right now.

  “Don’t do that. Could you give me a ride, though? Please?” She slid her hand inside the purse to feel the cold, smooth comfort of the gun with trembling fingers.

  “Of course, I’ll be happy to give you a ride. But don’t do what?” He picked up her travel bag, led her to his truck, and opened the door for her. “Not let you fall? Not welcome you home?”

  When he put it that way, she did sound rude. River sighed. “I didn’t mean to be ungrateful. Thank you for stopping and helping me.” She took the passenger seat in his truck, still shaking inside.

  His truck smelled of leather seats and Jacob’s cologne. The scent alone made her want to hide her face on his shoulder and believe that everything would be all right. Like when she’d been a teen and her father had been drunk once again.

  But that had been before Jacob broke her heart, like he’d done with so many hearts in Rios Azules. And he hadn’t even noticed it.

  Jacob dropped her blue travel bag in the back, started the engine, and drove off.

  Loosening her leopard-print scarf that seemed to be tight around her throat, River took her time observing him. In some ways, he looked like the picture in her yearbook: a charming dimple on his chin, dark brown hair that fell into his baby-blue eyes, and one thing she hoped would never change about him — a smile that was at the same time open and full of mischief.

  She also noticed the changes: more earned wisdom in his eyes, more self-assuredness in his posture, and more experience weighing on his broad shoulders. His more muscled frame no doubt made the female population of the town drool. She’d heard he’d dated on and off, including her best friend Mari Del Lobo. River dismissed a small sting of jealousy. So far, there was no wedding band on his left hand, but him being married, engaged, or downright unavailable was none of her business.

  Bottom line, he looked handsome, as always. And she looked like a mess.

  River hurried to run a brush through her tousled hair and glanced at herself in her compact powder mirror. She got rid of the black mascara rivers with the help of a couple of tissues. At least her honey-colored eyes sparkled, probably due to shed tears. Thankfully, her blouse and slacks still looked clean.

  Looking on the bright side, the current River was still a huge improvement from her picture in the yearbook. Glasses, thin hair, braces, acne, cheap shoes, and secondhand clothes that had done nothing to improve her appearance in her teenage and high school years. Apparently, all it had taken for her skin to clear, her hair to quit falling out, or her bones to stop sticking out had been several years of reduced stress in Dallas. Finding the right makeup, clothes, and contact lenses had been easy.

  What did he think of her now?

  Jacob reached for his cell phone and called the tow service for her car.

  “You’re such a gentleman. Always ready to help a damsel in distress. Still coming to my rescue.” She checked the rearview mirror again. So far, they didn’t have a tail.

  “I’m here to serve you.” He touched the tip of an imaginary cowboy hat. “By the way, you look beautiful. You’ve changed a lot since the last time I saw you.”

  River smiled, pleased. “Good change, I hope?”

  “You’ve matured and blossomed. You look gorgeous. Big-city life agrees with you. But you also look…cautious. Always on guard.”

  She didn’t want him to ask her the reasons for that, so she opened her phone, scrolled down to “Dad,” and pressed the green phone button.

  Her father picked up after the second beep, his voice tired and anxious. But he did sound sober, and that was a surprise. “Hija?”

  “Hi, Dad. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Sighing, she disconnected before he could reply and hid the phone close to the gun. She had to remember that her father was a kind, hard-working, and honest man. When sober… Sometimes she had to remind herself why she had to love and take care of a person who hurt her on a regular basis.

  Jacob turned to her and met her eyes. “You’re glancing around all the time. You check the rearview mirror more times than I can count. What are you afraid of?”

  “Who says I’m afraid of anything?” River squared her shoulders. But Jacob was right. She’d changed since the time she’d left Rios Azules. The new River faced her problems head on. She needed to visit the last gas station she’d been at. Nobody could mess with her tires without facing the consequences. She could ask the clerk if he’d seen something suspicious, talk to the owner, and weasel her way into getting to watch the security tapes.

  “Why did you come back to Rios Azules?” Jacob’s question interrupted her musings. “You don’t seem to visit often. Or were you just avoiding me?”

  “I wasn’t exactly avoiding you. I just spent all the time of my visits with friends.”

  His blue eyes darkened. “Once upon a time, I was one of them. Okay, never mind. Danger Girls?”

  “Exactly.” River smiled at the nickname their little group had received in school, due to her friends. The founding member of the group, Lydia Velasquez, had gone through a short-term rebellious streak; Mari Del Lobo had always been a troublemaker; and Julia Morrison had been the biggest heartbreaker in school. The nickname had stayed even when two shy girls — River Montenegro and Soledad Sokolova — had joined the group.

  “Well, this mini-vacation wasn’t planned. After his rehab, Dad decided to return to Rios Azules.” She’d been looking after him since she’d been seven, and it didn’t look like it was ever going to change. Her shoulders slumped under the heavy burden.

  “He made another one of his permanent decisions to stop drinking, didn’t he?”

  “Twenty-third time should be a charm, right?” River chuckled without mirth. If only her father had stayed with her in Dallas, where she’d be able to look after him. She’d even reduced her workload during brief periods between his rehabs. “Otherwise, I’d be in Dallas now. Enjoying a big-time reporting career.” She couldn’t help feeling a bit proud. She’d made something out of herself.

  “No girls’ night out? Martinis and margaritas?” Jacob asked carefully.