Authors: Maggie Thom
Captured Lies
Captured Lies
by
Maggie Thom
Caspian Wine
Series
Book One
She was
kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it...
Her
life was a lie!
Bailey
knew her upbringing wasn’t normal but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. At
29, she finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that
of her childhood.
Then suddenly her mother dies, leaving a gaping
hole and a discovery that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private
investigator is to be believed, her life is a lie.
Using
the skills she learned on the streets, Bailey travels back through a sketchy
and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of
those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making
it difficult to discover not only the secrets of her mother’s past but that of
a family claiming she is theirs.
Everyone seems to have a story... but who’s telling the
truth? And who wants her dead? Is Guy part of the solution? Or part of the
problem?
To discover the facts, she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit,
lies, and secrets, dating back over thirty years.
But can she do it
in time...
"First, I have to say that
this was one of
the most exciting and heart stopping stories I have read in years.
I
think this author is fabulous. I could not believe how well this book was
written..."
Long and Short Reviews
First Edition: Published October 2012 (revised February 2014)
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and
incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used
fictitiously and any resemblance to actual people, alive or dead, business,
establishments, locales or events is entirely coincidental. Any references to
real events, business, organizations or locales are intended to only give the
fiction a sense of realism and authenticity.
Cover Design ©2012 digitaldonna.com
©Copyright 2014 (2012) Glenna Mageau
All Rights Reserved.
Edited by: Janice Spina (www.jemsbooks.com)
Sue Swift (www.sueswifteditor.blogspot.com)
Published by Quadessence Solutions
ASIN: B009RPTFIC
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to
share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for
each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it or it was
not purchased for your use only, then please go to an online bookseller and
purchase your copy there. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this
author.
You may also want to read Book Two in the Caspian Wine
Series, Deceitful Truths
.
Acknowledgements
Thank you - to my husband (Gerry) and children (Jazmine and
Zackary)... whose endless support and patience, for my constant need to write
and their belief that this was possible... to my sisters - who’ve given me the
feedback I need, the support to keep going and the kick to keep on track... to
my friend Bev - for her reviews and suggestions, endlessly there for me, always
making me laugh. To Sue Swift (sueswifteditor.blogspot.com) for her editing and
plot analysis. To Donna at digitaldonna.com for the beautiful cover. You’ve all
played a part in making this a success... :)
Here’s what people are saying about Captured Lies....
“Just finished your book, Captured Lies and WOW!
You
had me crying and laughing and tense
and.... Wow. I could not put the book
down.....”
Helen Dougherty
“Being an avid reader, I always have a book on the go. If
a book does not grab my interest within the first two chapters I am not likely
to continue reading it.
“Captured Lies” had me hooked from the first page
.
I had a hard time setting it down. I resisted the urge to flip to the last page
to find out how it ended, (but boy did I want to) and was not disappointed....”
Sharol
“When looking for a book to read, the title needs to grab
my attention, then of course the first few pages of the book. I need to get
hooked. Yours certainly did that for me. When I first started to read your
book, I thought I knew the direction of the story line. I didn’t realize how
much power and greed would direct the lives of the people in the story. I guess
I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that regardless of wealth or social
class some people always seem to feel threatened by the circumstances in their
life.... I don’t think there are too many people who have the chance to read a
friend’s first novel so I am appreciative that I was given an opportunity to do
so. I truly enjoyed your book.”
B Yantha
“Captured Lies is a great read.
I
was so captivated
and drawn into the story
. I could not put it down. I had to know what
happened next.”
Alisa G.
From
the Toronto Star, Saturday, February
14, 1983
Two-day old Cassidy Jane Lefevre was
stolen from Gracefield Hospital, snatched from the nursery between 1:00 and
3:00 a.m. The hospital is cooperating with the official investigation.
Cassidy’s parents, Bottle-Up magnates Gina and Daniel Lefevre, are devastated
at the loss of their first child. Five million dollars is offered for the
return of their baby. There are no suspects but there are a few people of
interest, including a missing nurse.
In the past year, four newborns
have been abducted from hospitals in Quebec and Ontario. Is there a black
market?
Mary scanned the rest of the
five-month old article. It sounded so ugly. Some people were so desperate for a
baby they didn’t know where else to turn. Kids deserved parents who’d love
them, not keep them as prizes. Rich people were all the same.
“Excuse me. Would you like
something to eat or drink?”
Mary looked blankly at the
stewardess. “Something to drink… oh… no. No. I’m fine, thank you.” Mary folded
the clipping and stuffed it in the brown envelope she’d propped beside her hip,
shuffling the baby to her other arm.
“She sure is cute.” Smiling, the
stewardess tilted her head, opened her mouth and clicked her tongue.
“Well, thank you. I think she is
too. She’s a beauty. My best…g-grandchild yet.” Mary looked down at the baby
sleeping in her arms, then back at the stewardess. She beamed at her. “Aren’t
you just the sweetest thing to say so? Thank you. It means a lot when others
notice what I think is true.”
“What’s her name?”
Mary’s hand shook as she patted
her carefully coiffed, dull gray hair. Her scalp itched but she didn’t dare
scratch. The wig would no doubt shift, so she restrained herself, glad the
charade was almost over. “C-candy.”
“Ooohhh. Sweet.”
“How about you? Do you have
kids?”
“No.”
“Oh, that’s a shame. Why, I bet
you’d be the best mom ever. It would sure be the cutest tyke too. You with your
blonde hair and blue eyes.”
“Thanks.” She grinned at Mary
before shifting her gaze to wink at the baby. “Sorry but I’ve got to keep
moving. Excuse me.”
The stewardess’ eyes darted from
Mary to the man beside her. Mary leaned on the armrest between them, closing
the distance. His head whipped around to stare at her, his shoulder bumping her
cheek. She smiled indulgently at him before shaking her head and shrugging her
shoulders. The stewardess nodded in acknowledgement, rolling her eyes as if
saying, “Men.”
Mary took a deep calming breath,
reminding herself that this was almost over.
As soon as the attendant moved
off, asking others what they wanted, Mary sat upright. She looked around; her
gaze met a pair of blinking, owlish green eyes, partially hidden by streaky
lenses that looked as thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle. She pursed her lips
as she frowned at her seatmate. He nervously pushed up his glasses before
sticking his nose into the stack of papers in his hand. Rooting through the
pages scattered over his tray and the empty seat beside him, he was soon
oblivious to her.
Mary had been tempted to ask him
to scoot over so she’d have more space for the baby but was glad she hadn’t.
Better that people think they’re together. She almost reached out and rubbed
the smudge of makeup she’d left on the shoulder of his blue shirt. Absently,
she gently patted her hand over her face, hoping that the wrinkles that had
taken hours to make hadn’t been disturbed. Her pale face powder felt a bit
creased, just like it was supposed to. She relaxed a tad.
Mary shifted the baby to the side
so she could reach under the seat in front of her. The infant cried out. “Hold
on.” She snagged the diaper bag and stuffed the paper inside. “All right. All
right. Do you have to wake up screaming all the time? Cripes, you’re worse
than…my… youngest ever was. And man, could she scream.” She stifled a groan at
her near-mistake. She’d be so glad when this pretend stuff was over. She
grabbed the pacifier and plopped it into the baby’s mouth, who gave a mulish
look before starting to suck on the rubber stopper with the suction of a
vacuum.
The plane jerked, hard. Mary
clutched the baby to her chest as she whipped her head around trying to see
what was going on. The man beside her dropped his chest onto the tray table,
arms splayed wide, securing all his paperwork. He tilted his head and his
bulging green eyes met her glance.
The voice came over the speaker.
“We’re experiencing some turbulence. Everyone please return to your seats and
fasten your seatbelts.”
Mary looked out the window. Gray
clouds, low-hanging and heavily laden, filled her view. Lightning streaked by,
followed by a loud rumble. The plane jerked and shuddered.
Passengers screamed and shouted.
The stewardesses flung out instructions as they raced down the aisle, checking
on everyone. “Please remain calm. We’re going through some rough weather. Stay
seated and ensure your seatbelts are secure. Put your tray tables in the upright
position.” The instructions were thrown out so fast they were almost
incomprehensible.
More booming and cracking shook
the plane like it was having a grand mal seizure. The aircraft dropped nose
down. They were descending. Rapidly… too rapidly. The stewardesses swayed and
scrabbled, grabbing seats, staggering as they pulled themselves down the aisle
heading to strap themselves in. The plane bucked. People screamed.
Mary slammed forward, smacking
her head on the seat in front of her. The baby shrieked with terror. Mary
forced herself back, glancing at the infant in her arms. “Shh, baby. Shh. We’ll
be all right.”
Papers flew around like frantic
birds despite her seatmate’s attempt to catch and hold them. Ignoring him, she
looked out the window. The sky was a blur of ominous black lit up to a
gun-metal grey every now and then by a flash of lightning. She wasn’t sure what
dropping out of the sky looked like but she figured this was it. It reminded
her of a ride at the fair, where the floor fell out from under her as she’d
spun around in a drum. She’d taken that ride only once and only because she’d
been teased into it. And the ride had been hell. She’d puked her guts out when
she’d gotten off. Now, the lurching of her stomach gave her the same sensation.
She swallowed hard.
The grubby, green-eyed passenger
turned and regarded her with a solemn gaze. “We’re going to die.” Another passenger
had started to pray. Everyone seemed to realize what Mary had; the chances of
survival were slim.
“I’m going to go to hell. I know
it.” Mary hugged the baby to her chest. “But you don’t have to go with me. I
made a promise that I’d look after you. And I will.” She grabbed the diaper
bag, unzipped it and threw its contents onto the floor. She stuffed the
screaming infant into it.
“Give me your blanket and
pillow.” Mary elbowed the man beside her.
He tilted his head sideways.
“Give me your blanket and
pillow.”
He blinked and continued to stare
at her blankly.
“Give me one of your books!”
He jerked upright and grabbed one
of his manuals from the seat on the other side of him, clutching it like a
treasure.
She ripped it out of his hands.
He looked at her owlishly for a few seconds before again collapsing
protectively over his papers, still spread over the lowered tray table.
She looked down and tear-filled
blue eyes blinked up at her. The baby’s bottom lip was trembling. In the five
months Mary had the baby she’d never before felt a tug in her heart. Amazed at
what fear would do to her, she shook off the feeling and tucked the screaming
baby into the diaper bag. She hugged it close against her well-padded belly,
glad that she was carrying some extra protection her taut stomach couldn’t
provide. She curled herself around the crying infant and held the hard-cover
book in front, providing the most protection she could. Her arms were rigid,
the muscles screaming in protest as she held on, as though a tornado was trying
to tug the baby away from her.
“Mother of God, I hope you can
hear me. I know it’s been forever since we talked. But what’s twenty-eight
years between friends? I know I was supposed to on many occasions but I didn’t
figure you were there for me when I needed you, so why bother.” Fear crawled up
her throat, choking her. She coughed. “This is different. I know I’ve taken the
wrong path... many times. But please don’t hurt this baby. She’s innocent.
Something I haven’t been in a long time. Don’t hold that against her. Take me,
keep her safe. She might actually have a chance to be something.”
Screaming... yelling... fear... anger...
the dashing of hopes and dreams. Prayers filled the cabin. The lights
flickered. The engines howled. Thunder boomed and lightning cracked. The plane
shivered violently.
“Holy Mother of God. Holy Mother
of God. Holy Mother of God.” Mary chanted over and over. She wanted to say a
prayer but couldn’t remember any, even though she’d been forced to spend hours
locked in a small room to recite prayers. The nuns had been convinced that was
the only way she’d learn, yet none of it came back to her.
Mary kept her head tucked,
refusing to let in to the temptation to peek out her window. She didn’t want to
see ground rapidly rushing up to meet them. “John. I’m sorry, big brother. I
screwed up... again. This is my fault.”
The baby screamed and Mary vainly
tried to comfort her.
And then everything went black.