It was the kind of morning where you never wanted to die, but if you did, you would die happy. Except happiness was inside with Frost, and this, she remembered, was the other world.
Tabby crossed the empty street. Her car was parked on the opposite side. She unlocked it and got inside and sat in the gloom. She slid in the key, but she didn’t turn on the motor or the radio. Not yet. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her chest and breathed in and out. She checked the mirror, which showed nothing behind her, and she studied her own green eyes as if they belonged to a stranger.
A minute passed.
Then two.
She couldn’t wait any longer. She had to do it.
Tabby reached under the front seat, took out a cell phone from its hiding place, and dialed the number.
“Identification,” the woman on the other end answered in a cool, alert voice, as if she’d been awake for hours.
“Van Ness,” Tabby said.
“Password.”
“35415.”
“Status.”
“Golden Gate.”
“Report,” the woman inquired.
“Tell Lombard I’m on the inside,” Tabby replied.
Acknowledgments
I work with a great team of people to bring you my Frost Easton novels.
Jessica Tribble at Thomas & Mercer led the way at every stage of making this book happen, from the initial proposal through the editorial work, production, and marketing strategies. She is what every author wants in an editor. It’s been a great pleasure working with Charlotte Herscher on all the Frost books. Charlotte has a special gift as a developmental editor for helping an author see exactly what works and what doesn’t in an early draft. Laura Petrella spots details as a copyeditor that no one else does. I’m a bit of a fanatic for turning in a clean book, but Laura always catches things I miss! The entire team at T & M are amazing professionals, and it’s a privilege to work with them.
My first reader on every book is my wife, Marcia. She is wonderful at challenging my preconceived notions about the characters and the story, and she makes sure that my vision for the book makes it onto the page. My other advance reader is Ann Sullivan, who adds her own extremely helpful perspective on the first draft. Marcia and Ann both play a huge role in shaping the books.
My agent in New York, Deborah Schneider, has been a determined ally and advocate for the last fifteen years. I’m always grateful to her and her colleagues for helping me navigate the world of publishing.
Of course, I am especially grateful to you, the readers, for coming along with me on this ride and for taking Frost Easton, Jonathan Stride, Cab Bolton, and my other characters into your hearts. Thank you!