Betrayed by Silence (Book 5: Peach Blossom Romantic Suspense Series) ebook

Sixteen years ago, my world fell apart. My boyfriend Alex disappeared right after we were crowned homecoming king and queen. We never found him or a dead body, and my heart was broken. Everyone convinced me I should move on.

I married a talented man named Jeremy. He was a good husband and an excellent father to our three children, but I never fully recovered from losing Alex. Still, my kids and I were devastated when Jeremy was electrocuted one stormy night.

Imagine my surprise when I delivered a floral arrangement to the new owners of Alex's old home, and my "dead" high school sweetheart answered the door!

He made a life for himself as a successful architect, and he's back in Peach Blossom to settle his parents' affairs. Their deaths have unearthed a web of deceit going back to Alex's childhood, when his father was framed for an embezzlement scheme that destroyed the Peach Blossom Inn and Cafe.

We both struggle with old feelings, but we agree to work together navigate our past, uncover a chilling truth, and fight to protect our community.

Can we rekindle our love amidst the shadows of betrayal?

"Betrayed by Silence" is my story of getting a second chance at love, unwavering faith, and the enduring power of forgiveness. Join Alex and me on this suspenseful journey through the heart of Peach Blossom.

The nightmare repeated itself, a haunting loop etched in Danielle Henderson’s memory since age six. Shadowy figures swaying. Paper fluttering. A single word spoken, elusive and incomprehensible. The haunting whisper of a woman – or an alien from outer space – floating through the Oklahoma breeze. Something about lizard sandals.

She awoke as she had many times since childhood. Gasping. Covered in sweat. Echoes of the dream fading, but leaving her nauseous. The compulsion to run persisted. Instead, she rose from bed and started breakfast for her three children.

Within minutes, the lure of pancakes drew six-year-old Oliver into the kitchen. His tiny fist rubbed blue eyes that never lost their glimmer of wonderment. Not even on that horrible day eighteen months ago when Danielle shared heartbreaking news: “Daddy died during the storm last night. A downed power line electrocuted him.”

Unlike his siblings, Oliver had not quite been five and hadn’t fully understood the concept of death. He interpreted the news as Daddy had moved to Heaven, but he kept asking if God would allow Daddy to come home for their nightly routine of bedtime stories. As he’d matured during the past year and a half, her youngest had accepted the finality of his father’s death.

Now, as Oliver rubbed sleep from his eyes and struggled to climb onto the stool, he aimed a cheeky grin toward his mother. “Mom, I need those magic blue eyes we found at the store yesterday. Then I can be a superhero and save the flower shop.”

Danielle’s heart twisted at her youngest child’s concern for their finances.

Nine-year-old Kimmi, the typical middle child with a bent for taking care of her brothers, rushed into the kitchen and helped Oliver get onto the stool. “You’re already a superhero, Oliver. Let me help you conquer the breakfast bar mountain.” She slid a cartoon-themed placemat in front of each of them.

Danielle set plates of pancakes onto the placemats.
“Daddy always made happy faces on our pancakes.” Kimmi fiddled with a bead on the bracelet she and her father had made together, a faraway look in her downcast eyes. Kimmi had refused to take the bracelet off since the accident that took her father, and Danielle noticed the elastic cord was beginning to fray.

Kimmi poured syrup on her and Oliver’s pancakes.
“I miss him too, Kimmi.” Danielle lightly touched the bracelet. “Maybe we should restring this so you don’t lose any of the beads.” To keep her voice from trembling, she dabbed her finger into a pool of syrup and let the sweetness overpower her guilt about the state of the family business.

“Okay.” Kimmi’s eyes brightened.

“Oliver, thank you for your concern about the flower shop, but let me take care of the business, okay? You worry about paying attention at school today. I don’t want another report of joke telling during art class.”
Oliver gave a thumbs up, his mouth stuffed with pancakes, a dab of syrup running down his chin.
Danielle turned toward the staircase. “Lucas! Time to get up.”

Nothing.

Danielle stormed up the steps, her patience wearing thin. She knocked on the twelve-year-old’s door, the relentless bass beat of his music vibrating on the floor. The moment she crossed the threshold, the overpowering stench of dirty socks hit her.

“I’m not going to school. It’s stupid.” Lucas didn’t bother peeking out from under his disheveled nest of blankets.

Danielle sucked in a sharp breath, pushing down her frustration at the steady decline of her son’s attitude and turning the music off. Just two months ago, he would have been out of bed by now, an easy smile lighting up his face, a glimmer in his sea-blue eyes. Back then, he’d embraced the mantle of “man of the house,” anxious to help the family in any way he could. Now, defiance was his default setting. Missing that smile – a replica of his father’s – sent a fresh wave of grief crashing over her, a grief as sharp as the memory of her late husband.

But Danielle wouldn’t let it drown her. Her son’s struggle, whatever the cause, wouldn’t diminish her resolve to be the mother he needed, even if he didn’t see it now.

Hands on her hips, she approached him. “Yes, you are.” She threw the covers off her son, revealing a sand-colored mess of hair and a defiant expression.

His eyes met hers, a mix of rebellion and something deeper, something vulnerable. “Why bother? The robbers destroyed us. Life is meaningless.”

That stopped her in her tracks, forcing her to soften her tone. “Because. Life doesn’t stop for our problems, Lucas. We’ve got to keep moving forward, even on the hard days.” She gathered the dirty laundry scattered across the floor, stuffing the rancid garments into an overflowing hamper. “You may not see it now, but we’re the Henderson family, and we’re all stronger than you think.”

She ignored a pinch of doubt, at the same time wondering how much longer her confident façade would last.

Plucking a shirt from a pile that blocked the closet door, she hesitated before daring to sniff. It carried the scent of mountain mist laundry detergent, not sweat. She tossed it to him. “Get dressed. The bus will be here any minute.” She returned to the kitchen.

Lucas made it down as his mother finished putting the breakfast plates into the dishwasher, the aroma of pancakes lingering in the air.

Danielle pulled his lunch out of the refrigerator.

“What’d you make for lunch?” He slung his backpack onto a stool.

“How about, ‘Good morning, Mom. Thanks for making me lunch.’”

He cut her with a scathing look, repeated her words, and stared down into his backpack with lines creasing his forehead.

It occurred to her that her son’s attitude had changed after she sent him to the shed for tools to fix the lawnmower. She could still picture him entering as a boy hanging onto hope, but exiting with a scowl similar to the one he wore now. She’d blamed herself for putting too much responsibility on his shoulders before he was ready. Familiar concern crawled up her spine. “Please tell me what’s bothering you, son.”

He rolled his eyes. “Nothing’s bothering me.”
A worn journal caught her eye as she placed his lunch into the backpack. Partially open, the pages contained unfamiliar handwriting. She reached for it. “What’s that?”

The school bus arrived, its brakes squeaking on the road out front. Oliver and Kimmi ran out to it, the screen behind them pounding against the frame, followed by the bus door scraping open.

Lucas swatted his mother’s hand away from his backpack, then toyed with a thread on the baseball glove that was attached on the outside. He looked deep into her eyes, reminding Danielle of someone with sins to confess. Exhaling a long, sorrowful breath, he zipped the pack without so much as a glance up. “It’s nothing. Just something I found.”

The bus driver honked, and Lucas raced outside.
While watching Lucas, a whisper from her nightmare ricocheted through Danielle’s brain. Lizard sandals. As often happened when she remembered those words, a subtle aroma of lilies wafted through the kitchen. But they had no lilies. Not in the house. Not in the garden. Only at the shop.

She needed to go to work, but, instead, continued watching Lucas.

As he swaggered to the last seat, a knot of unease tightened Danielle’s stomach. He flashed a smile at a group of new friends – their dark clothes too big, their laughter too raucous. A stark contrast to the clean-cut friends of the past – the ones at the front of the bus. Lucas handed out high-fives before sitting, but the gesture seemed forced, uncomfortable. The vehicle drove away with Lucas staring at Danielle through his window.

***

An hour later, Danielle parked her green Highlander in her usual spot in the lot next to Peach Blossom’s town square. Confusion about how to deal with Lucas’ attitude had bounced around in her head during the drive, but she shifted now to focus on the trek ahead. In the past, Danielle had enjoyed swinging her car door open and sniffing the intoxicating peach fragrance that permeated the air this time of year.

No more.

While reaching for her backpack, she lamented the extra weight that the robbery – three months and one day ago – had forced her to carry. Sitting quietly, she closed her eyes to dispel the unwelcome images of arriving at Buds and Blossoms that day. Intruders had destroyed the entire inventory she’d spent the last of her husband Jeremy’s life insurance money to purchase.

With one sneaker-clad foot on the asphalt to ground herself, she breathed in for a count of ten. Held it for ten seconds. Exhaled while attempting to savor her surroundings.

The ever-present scent in the air gave her an idea that might lighten the mood at home that night. After her noon delivery, she’d buy some of the delightful peach bread from Peach Blossom Orchard. Several places in town now carried it. Conjuring up the cinnamon scent, she let it overpower the lingering lily aroma that continued to puzzle her.

A grunt escaped as she heaved the backpack onto her shoulders, longing for the dainty designer purse she used to carry. The robbery had wrought havoc on her life, prompting a shift in her daily routine to safeguard her family’s well-being. Muscles developed from lugging around a bag containing her laptop, cash, pepper spray, and a stun gun. More than giving her physical strength, she had seized control by keeping all things business-related with her at all times.

Taking her keys from the ignition, she hovered her thumb over the top of a small can of pepper spray attached to the ring.

Before venturing across the red bricks of the town square, her gaze darted around the surroundings. Prior to the robbery, she’d scrolled through her phone messages during this stroll. Now, her phone stayed in her jeans pocket as she watched every movement and shadow. At the central fountain, she stopped to inspect the path ahead through the spray. Seeing no danger, she followed the tempting scent of yeast and coffee to Grinders, two doors down from her store.

The previous morning, she’d lacked the funds for her customary morning indulgence. Instead, she had flashed Lucy, the owner and Danielle’s closest friend, a wistful grin and a wave as she walked by. Today, she pushed the door open and smiled at the welcoming jingle of the overhead bell.

“Good day yesterday?” A congratulatory sparkle filled Lucy’s hazel eyes. In her mid-forties, with a wrinkle-free, glowing complexion and a dark braid draped over her left shoulder, no one would guess the woman was ten years older than Danielle.

“Yes, very. And today promises to be even better.” Danielle allowed herself to bask in the knowledge of how proud Jeremy would be of her.
Lucy grabbed a bag adorned with the Grinders logo, the image of steaming coffee catching Danielle’s eye. “The usual?”

With a nod from Danielle, Lucy gave a playful wink, unleashing a soft chuckle as she snapped the sack open. “Like I have to ask.” She plucked a fresh blueberry muffin from the crate behind her. The action released a delightful aroma that reminded Danielle of the town’s generosity to her family.

Lucy glanced back. “Hey, Dani, how’s about takeout from Hometown Pantry for lunch today? We could eat out by the fountain. I hear Barbara’s brought back her Local Bounty Stack to honor springtime.” She turned to hand the pastry to Danielle, then pivoted to make a vanilla latte.

“As much as I’d love that, I have a delivery at noon. Vivian’s welcome gift to the new owner of the Reynolds place.”

“Hmm. That conniving old coot is up to something. I feel it in my bones.” Lucy stepped around the counter, gave the latte to Danielle, and pulled her into a bearhug. “You know I’d still give you these no matter what, right?”

Danielle held her muffin and coffee high while leaning into the embrace. “Yes. I love you like the sister I never had, but I pay my way.” She gave her friend a peck on the cheek.

Lucy pulled back and stared into Danielle’s eyes. “Wouldn’t it be just like Vivian to …”

“Don’t go there.” Danielle knew what Lucy was thinking.
Alex Reynolds had been Danielle’s high school sweetheart. They’d never found his body after he disappeared right after they’d accepted homecoming king and queen crowns at the senior prom. Danielle’s friends and family had convinced her that death was the only way he’d leave like that.

She attempted a confident smile but felt it droop. “Alex is dead. His father just died. One of our town’s generous leaders wants to welcome the new owners of the house where Alex grew up. That’s all.”

Lucy flashed a knowing grin. “Vivian always has an agenda. Report back about whoever it is she wants you to meet, will ya?”

“You betcha.” Danielle left Grinders, allowing the sweet scent of her treat to brighten her walk.

Gone were the days when she swung the door to her shop open without a glance. She no longer inhaled the bouquet inside while shouting, “Mornin’, Buds and Blossoms.” Instead, she inched open the door, checking for intruders. Assured of her safety, she ventured in, placing her treats on the counter beside the register and the backpack on the shelf below.

She moved the stun gun to a concealed holster at the small of her back, scanning under the workbench Jeremy had built for her the week before he died. Then she moved to every corner of the shop, the storage room, her office, and the restroom. Certain no one lurked anywhere, she put the cash away and nibbled on the muffin while headed to her office. She set her computer on the desk, turning it on while admiring the coat tree in the corner.

Crafted by Jeremy’s skillful hands with a chainsaw, the coat rack resembled a tree trunk. A smile played on her lips, and she leaned back, soaking in memories of watching him work.

Her gaze moved to the family photo on the corner of her desk. She kissed her fingertips and touched her late husband’s image. “Hello, love. Are you proud of what our children and I have made of our little hobby flower shop?” Not that she’d had any choice after his accident.

While staring at the photo, it struck her that Lucas looked more like his father every day. Kimmi’s gentle spirit showed in her angelic smile. Oliver, as usual, had goaded them all into laughing throughout the photo session. His antics and sense of humor had gotten the family through many of the dark days since Jeremy’s death.

Whispering a prayer for each of her children, she asked for their safety, protecting their hearts, and for a sense of joy throughout the day.

Her focus landed on the contented smile Lucas had worn for the picture. She placed a finger on her son’s image. “Please behave yourself today. I can’t make another trip to the principal’s office.”

It was time to get to work. The mayor would arrive soon for the arrangement he’d ordered for a friend’s birthday. She suspected Lucy was that friend but continued to wait for Lucy to mention it.

And she didn’t want to reveal her embarrassing morning routine of searching for intruders to anyone. Not the mayor. Not Lucy. No one.