Sweet Little Lies (11 page)

“Hell, no, LT. You’re back on the job, so are
we.”

“But you’re not on today. Go on ahead.”

“No way,” Marcus said. They lined up shoulder
to shoulder, a wall of testosterone and insistence. She knew better
than to fight. They were all just as happy as she was to be back
together.

“I’ll drive,” McKenzie offered.

She smiled at them, then turned to Baldwin.
“Well, aren’t you coming, too?”

“What, the Nashville police want the help of
a profiler?” he teased, his green eyes flashing.

“Of course we do. Come on then, let’s go.
We’ll have to take two cars.”

They drove up West End, McKenzie in the lead,
Taylor and Baldwin following. Getting to Green Hills at this time
of day was difficult at best, the traffic stop-and-start, so
McKenzie was leading them through the back roads. Up West End, then
left on Bowling, through the gloriously wooded neighborhoods, wide
green lawns, large homes set far back from the main streets.

Many of the houses were decorated for
Halloween, some professionally, with complete horror tableaus on
their front yards: Black-and-orange twinkling lights and tombstones
and full-size mummies—some crafted with the obvious hand of a
child—fake spider webs and friendly ghosts. On the corner of
Bowling and Woodmont there was a large inflatable headless
horseman. It was starting to get dark, and there had been rain
earlier in the day. Fog rose in wispy streams from the lawns. A few
jack-o’-lanterns had been lit, their insides glowing with sinister
comfort.

Acknowledgments

I would like to extend my warmest thanks to
the following people: Del Tinsley, JB Thompson, Chuck Sambuchino,
Bryon Quertermous, Duane Swierczynski, Tribe, Lee Child, Dave
White, Laura Benedict, Pinckney Benedict, Sandra Ruttan, BJ Bourg,
Juri Nummelin, Patti Abbott, Steve Weddle, the authors of KILLER
YEAR, the authors of FIRST THRILLS, the authors of SURREAL SOUTH
II, the authors of DISCOUNT NOIR, Rob Siders, who helped with all
the technical parts, my dear agent Scott Miller and of course, my
darling husband. Everyone on this list has played a part in the
success of my short stories, and I wouldn’t have this collection
without them.

About JT Ellison

JT Ellison is the bestselling author of the
critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson series, including All The
Pretty Girls, 14, Judas Kiss and The Cold Room. Her novels have
been published in 21 countries, and she was named “Best
Mystery/Thriller Writer of 2008” by the Nashville Scene.

Ellison grew up in Colorado and moved to
Virginia during high school. She is a graduate of Randolph-Macon
Woman’s College and received her master’s degree from George
Washington University. She was a presidential appointee and worked
in The White House and the Department of Commerce before moving
into the private sector. As a financial analyst and marketing
director, she worked for several defense and aerospace
contractors.

After moving to Nashville, Ellison began
research on a passion: forensics and crime. She has worked with the
Metro Nashville Police Department, the FBI, and various other law
enforcement organizations to research her books.

Her short stories have been widely published,
including her award winning story “Prodigal Me” in the anthology
Killer Year: Stories to Die For, edited by Lee Child, “Chimera” in
the anthology Surreal South ’09, edited by Pinckney Benedict and
Laura Benedict, and “Killing Carol Ann” in First Thrills, edited by
Lee Child.

She is the bi-monthly Friday columnist at the
Anthony Award nominated blog Murderati and is a founding member of
Killer Year, an organization that was dedicated to raising
awareness for the debut novelists of 2007.

Ellison is a member of several professional
writing organizations, including International Thriller Writers,
Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America. She has
an active following on Twitter under the name @Thrillerchick, and a
robust Facebook community.

She lives in Nashville with her husband and a
poorly trained cat.