When Ruth Butler escaped Texas for a sleepy seaside village in the south of England, it was to rescue her infant daughter from the perverted demon she had married. But after ten peaceful years her daughter Annie disappears.

Not far away, a madman has been trying in vain to turn back time. When Ruth turns out to be a dead ringer for his mother, the voices in his head haunt him day and night. The only way to stop his mother’s nagging is to kill her all over again.

Ruth must rely on her instincts and the ally she finds in an undercover detective who’s in town on unrelated business, but neither can search for Annie’s kidnapper openly. Nevertheless, the trail leads from a faceless body in Annie’s clothes to a smuggler’s cave, where the killer drains his victim’s blood an ounce at a time. But he’s got a special purpose for little Annie. He is patient. He will wait–until her mother comes to save her.

Deadly Thyme is created by R.L. Nolen, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.

Deadly Thyme

   Mrs. McFarland had provided an impromptu lunch. She didn't normally provide lunch to her guests, much less guests of guests, so Jon was grateful for the cold meats and toast that she had set out with her usual, unflappable energy. Trewe and Perstow were eating as Jon pushed his untouched lunch away. They had spent the evening and night garnering forces, comparing notes, and assigning tasks. After four hours of sleep they were ready to start again. 


   It had been three weeks since Jon had stumbled after Tavy on the coastal path, when Chelsea led them to Victoria Benton's body dressed in Annie's clothes. Today was another inquest. The condiment jars rattled when Jon's fist hit the table.


   Perstow stopped munching to stare at him. "Sar?"


   "Do policemen go mad with inactivity?"


   "How is it," Jon demanded, "someone like the postmistress could get away with keeping such a thing quiet for so long?"


Chapter 48