Click on image to enlarge.

	Regular				Club
You Pay:	$4.95				$4.21

eBook Category: Mystery/Crime/Suspense/Thriller
eBook Description: When Laura Radburn's tenant, Crystal Mar, is murdered, Laura finds herself unexpectedly appointed as legal guardian of Crystal's 4-year old child. Shortly after she takes Karma in, Laura begins receiving death threats. Is someone after the child--or is Laura herself the target? The appearance of a handsome stranger, Dane Lanford, leads Laura to suspect he may be the father of the child--and a cold-blooded killer.

eBook Publisher: The Fiction Works, Published: http://www.fictionworks.com, 2004
Fictionwise Release Date: April 2004

10 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [1.1 MB], eReader (PDB) [342 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [336 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [298 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [268 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [320 KB], hiebook (KML) [741 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [365 KB], iSilo (PDB) [277 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [345 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [399 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [449 KB]
Words: 100680
Reading time: 287-402 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

"Death Blow is a gripping tale of a brutal murder whose only witness is a four-year-old child. This chilling storyline takes plenty of twists and keeps you guessing until the very end. Fans of mystery/suspense will enjoy this latest novel by Loretta Jackson and Vickie Britton; it is a winner!"--Tracy Farnsworth, Ivy Quill Reviews

Mommy said they would move soon, but Karma liked the old house near the river, the huge rooms, the open back yard that led to big rocks and shady trees along the riverbank.

"Dinner is almost ready, Dolly." Karma's long, dark hair had escaped its careful bow. "Oh-oh!" Mud splattered across her clean, white T-shirt as she carefully shaped and patted a mud pancake into one of the chipped saucers. She offered it to the smiling doll, who waited patiently by cups of water filled from the outside hose at the end of the lawn. The make-believe party made Karma's stomach rumble and she glanced toward the distant porch, wishing Mommy would call her in for supper.

She had been outside a long time. Mommy had sent her out to play while she finished her sculpture. Karma thought of the scary mountain lion with its menacing, yellow eyes emerging from the stone.

The sun was sinking low in the sky. Frogs and crickets called from the river's edge. Soon it would be dark. Karma slapped at a mosquito, which circled the bare skin of her legs. It was time to go in. Why hadn't her mother called? A while ago, she thought she had heard voices. Had someone come to visit?

Karma glanced down at her soiled shirt and hoped Mommy wouldn't be angry. She rose, wiped grimy fingers on the back of her shorts and moved toward the house.

The child peered in through the sagging screen door, stopping when she did not see what she expected to see ... her mother at the worktable of the screened-in porch, putting the last touches on the mountain lion. The first thing that caught her eye was the blood.

Karma's wide eyes followed the spattering trail into the kitchen. Mommy lay sprawled upon the floor like a great broken doll, her eyes staring, her black hair soaked in a pool of darkness.

"Mommy?" Karma tried to whisper but the words stuck in her throat like a piece of swallowed glass.

In the flash of an instant, through the screen door, she saw a shadowy form bend over her mother's still body. Blood dripped from the jagged object clenched in his hand.

Heart pounding in fear, Karma turned and ran. She felt the sting of thorny branches whipping her legs as she fled the yard and stumbled toward the river.

Her secret place! If only she could reach it, she would be safe!

Imagined footsteps pursuing made Karma lose her footing and trip upon an upturned root. She put out her hands to catch herself, felt the sting of dirt and pebbles graze her palms, the searing pain as her forehead struck hard against a sharp rock.

Dazed, she scrambled frantically to her feet again.

Near the river, she found her secret place, an overhanging shelf of rock with an opening just large enough for her small body to fit inside. She shrank into it and for a long time crouched motionless.

Karma's forehead throbbed. Dampness matted her hair. She touched the sore place; her hand came away wet and sticky.

Darkness was falling. How long had she been there? Karma was afraid of the dark. Tears blinded her eyes. She wanted to go back, but she was afraid. She began to rock back and forth.

She knew something very bad had happened to Mommy. She whimpered into the darkness. Her own sounds frightened her, like the strange mewlings of some terrified animal.

She was still rocking, arms clasped tightly together, when they found her.

Karma was barely aware of the eyes invading her terrible solitude. In spite of the darkness, the eyes seemed to reflect the surrounding green. They were nice, kindly eyes in a pretty face encircled by tangled tresses of blonde. Mommy's friend. Lara!

"Over here!" Lara gasped. "She's bleeding!"

More footsteps. Karma heard a man's deep, anxious voice, felt gentle hands reach out to her, coaxing her from her hiding place. Strong arms lifted her. She remembered the feel of those arms, the pleasant scent of him, like leather and spice. Karma stifled a sob and clung to the man's broad shoulders, feeling the warmth of him, the safety.

Whispering soothing words of comfort, he carefully inspected her forehead. It stung where his large hand pressed against Karma's feverish skin.

Karma drew in a shuddering breath and began to cry. "I want Mommy! Where is my mommy?"

The woman broke the stillness, but not to answer her question. "Are you all right, Karma? Did you fall?"

"Were you in the house?" the man demanded.

Karma buried her face against his shoulder. She could not answer--but a scream sounded that she hadn't intended to make.

"This is very important," Lara spoke. "Was someone there with your mother?"

In her mind, Karma pictured the shattered mountain lion. She saw the gleaming eyes, the snarling lips, and the jagged edge where part of it had broken away.

The man's grip on her loosened. Eyes, almost black, seared into hers. "Who was in there? Did you see him?"

The dark figure she had seen clutching the lion wavered before her mind. Through the screen door Karma had momentarily glimpsed his face as he bent over her mother's body ... distorted lips, cold eyes, angry like the mountain lion's.

With cheek pressed hard against the man's shirt, Karma struggled to remember. But a protective shield rose up in her mind, blocking his image. She could see his form crouched over her mother's body. But as he raised his head toward her his features melted into a dark, gaping void. The emptiness slowly filled with the snarling lips and the glittering eyes of the shattered mountain lion.

And the killer had no face.