False Truth 6 (Jordan Fox Mysteries) Read online

  FALSE TRUTH 6

  A JORDAN FOX MYSTERY

  BY

  DIANE CAPRI

  WITH

  BETH DEXTER

  Presented by:

  AugustBooks

  Get Diane Capri Books FOR FREE when you sign up for her FREE newsletter.

  CLICK HERE: http://www.dianecapri.com

  Praise for

  New York Times and USA Today

  Bestselling Author

  Diane Capri

  “Full of thrills and tension, but smart and human, too.

  Kim Otto is a great, great character. I love her.”

  Lee Child, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Jack Reacher Thrillers

  “[A] welcome surprise… [W]orks from the first page to ‘The End’.”

  Larry King

  “Swift pacing and ongoing suspense are always present… [L]ikable protagonist who uses her political connections for a good cause… Readers should eagerly anticipate the next [book].”

  Top Pick, Romantic Times

  “…offers tense legal drama with courtroom overtones, twisty plot, and loads of Florida atmosphere. Recommended.”

  Library Journal

  “[A] fast-paced legal thriller…energetic prose…an appealing heroine…clever and capable supporting cast…[that will] keep readers waiting for the next [book].”

  Publishers Weekly

  “Expertise shines on every page.”

  Margaret Maron, Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Award Winning MWA Grand Master and Past President

  Also by DIANE CAPRI

  (Click each title to buy or download a sample)

  CLICK HERE for a complete list of Diane Capri Books on Amazon

  The Heir Hunter Series:

  Blood Trails

  The Jess Kimball Thrillers:

  Fatal Game

  Fatal Edge

  Fatal Fall

  Fatal Error

  Fatal Demand

  Fatal Distraction

  Fatal Enemy

  The Hunt for Jack Reacher Series:

  Deep Cover Jack

  Jack and Joe

  Jack in the Green

  Get Back Jack

  Don’t Know Jack

  Jack in a Box

  Jack and Kill

  The Hunt for Justice Series:

  True Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Fair Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  False Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Cold Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Wasted Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Secret Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Twisted Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Due Justice (Judge Willa Carson)

  Mistaken Justice

  Raw Justice

  For new release notification, to participate in a monthly $100 egift card drawing, free offers, gifts, and general information for members only, please sign up for our Diane Capri mailing list. We don’t want to leave you out!

  CLICK HERE to Join Diane Capri’s Mailing List

  Have you read all of Diane Capri’s books? Maybe it’s time to give them a try!

  CLICK HERE for a complete list of Diane Capri Books on Amazon

  False Truth 6 is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 Diane Capri, LLC

  All Rights Reserved

  Published by: AugustBooks

  Visit the author websites:

  DianeCapri.com

  BethDexter.com

  License Notes:

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Publisher’s Note:

  The publisher and author do not have any control over and do not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without express written permission from the publisher. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  eISBN: 978-1-940768-82-3

  Original Cover Design: Cory Clubb

  Digital Formatting: Author E.M.S.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Reviews

  Books by Diane Capri

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Cast of Primary Characters

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Excerpt from FALSE TRUTH 7

  More from Diane Capri

  Dear Reader

  About the Authors

  DEDICATION

  Thank you to some of the best readers in the world: Robbie B. (Eric), Janet Cline, Yvonne Cherry, and Sandy Smith (Bob Vetter, also known as “the Silver Fox”) for participating in our character naming giveaways which make this book a bit more personal and fun for all of us.

  Thank you also to all volunteers and supporters of Village Partners International, who work to help the people of rural Haiti help themselves.

  CAST OF PRIMARY CHARACTERS

  Jordan Fox

  Nelson Fox

  Brenda Fox

  Claire Stone

  Salvador Caster

  Clayton Vaughn

  Chelsey Ross

  Drew Hodges

  Richard Grady

  Patricia Neil

  Theresa Parma

  FALSE TRUTH 6

  CHAPTER 1

  Sabatier, Haiti

  Jordan’s uncontrollable shaking began the moment she saw Auntie Marie hit the ground.

  Mesrine’s strong, black arm had raised over his head. The machete arced down and sliced deep. Auntie Marie’s neck spurted blood in a pressure burst and then, after she fell, blood continued to pulse freely onto the grass.

  Jean Saint Louis charged Mesrine. They struggled. Mesrine’s machete arm rose and fell again. Saint Louis fell to his knees.

  Then, the Cessna rose above the trees and Jordan’s view was blocked. She saw nothing that happened after that. For the remainder of the short flight from Sabatier to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, Jordan stared straight ahead, unable to speak. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the silent, slow motion images on her eyelids.

  Had Jean Saint Louis been killed, too? Had he ruined Mesrine first?

  Jordan’s shaking hadn’t stopped by the time they landed at Port-au-Prince airport. The Cessna’s short taxi ended and the door opened. Silently, members of the medical missionary team deplaned, collected their bags from the cargo hold, and waited on the tarmac.

  She didn�
��t move. She felt weak. Dizzy. Frozen to her seat.

  “Jordan.” Dr. Chelsey Ross reentered the cabin and put her hand on Jordan’s forearm. “We have to go. We’ll miss our Miami flight. We don’t have much time to make it.”

  Jordan’s heart was already racing as if she’d just finished an Olympic sprint. And she knew it had been time to board their Miami flight before they’d even landed in Port-au-Prince. And she knew she needed to be showered and at work, in Tampa, by 2:30. But she couldn’t move.

  Dr. Ross leaned closer and lowered her voice so that only Jordan could hear. “We must get on the plane, Jordan. If the Tonton Moun Nui find us here, our fate will be the same as Auntie Marie. Get up. Let’s go.”

  She unbuckled Jordan’s seat belt and tugged gently on her arm.

  Jordan wanted to stand. She wanted to run and hide and never see the Tonton Moun Nui or Marcel Mesrine or Haiti again. But her legs refused to obey.

  Dr. Ross stepped outside and Dr. Eric Lee returned to the Cessna. He reached out with both hands, grabbed Jordan’s biceps and yanked, lifting her from her seat. The jolt was enough to allow her to put one foot in front of the other. He pulled again. She managed to climb out of the Cessna.

  Outside on the tarmac, Dr. Ross took one of Jordan’s arms. Dr. Lee held the other. They practically carried her the first few steps toward the terminal.

  After she started, rhythmic steps became possible again. The walking somehow freed Jordan’s voice from her dry throat. “I have to go back. Let me go.”

  “Keep moving.” Dr. Ross’s tone was hard and commanding.

  Jordan tried to wrest her arms free, but they simply gripped tighter. “We can’t leave Saint Louis there. They’ll kill him.”

  Dr. Lee jerked her arm. “He’s dead already.”

  Jordan stopped trying to turn around.

  “Tonton Moun Nui will kill you and the rest of us if we go back.” Dr. Ross kept marching away from Sabatier. “They’ll kill us right here if we don’t get on that plane.”

  What they said rang true. She couldn’t save Saint Louis from the Tonton Moun Nui. He’d said he could take care of himself. Jordan hadn’t believed him. She tilted her head back and looked skyward. God be with you, Saint Louis. He is the only one who can save you now.

  Jordan’s legs felt stronger. Walking calmed her heartbeat. She allowed Dr. Ross and Dr. Lee to lead her into the airport, where they boarded the half-empty Airbus A320 for Miami.

  She’d been reassigned to a seat several rows away from the rest of the team, which left her too much time to think about Auntie Marie lying bloody on the grass, and Saint Louis down, too, surrounded by Marcel Mesrine and Tonton Moun Nui.

  She now understood something of how he felt about failing Estelle Marcon.

  Saint Louis had said he could take care of his own. He’d been wrong.

  Jordan folded her hands, bowed her head, and prayed. It was the only thing she could do for Saint Louis and Auntie Marie now.

  Saint Louis had made only one request of her. He’d asked her to expose the Medicine Factory.

  That much she could do.

  CHAPTER 2

  Miami, Florida

  After five days spent out of touch at the edge of civilization in remote and lawless rural Haiti, Jordan let out a huge breath when her cell phone service kicked in on landing in Miami.

  While the plane taxied to the gate, she phoned home and put a smile in her tone. “Hi, Dad. So good to hear you.” Her voice threatened to crack. Jordan hadn’t been away from him overnight since her mother’s murder and his subsequent stroke. She’d been worried about leaving him home with her friend Amy Carpenter for company. Even though Amy was a social worker, and one of the most responsible people Jordan knew.

  “I’m just fine, Freckles.” He must have noticed her emotion. “Amy went out to run some errands, can you believe it? How dare she leave me home alone.”

  His joking brought unexpected tears to her eyes. She blinked them away. “I’m sure she’ll be back soon.” He was in good spirits. Which meant he was well. Something she never took for granted anymore.

  “She better bring a chocolate cake with her when she comes. Or else I’m throwing her out right after my daughter gets home from work tonight.” He laughed because he hated chocolate cake and Jordan loved it.

  More than chocolate cake, right this moment she loved his lame humor and quirky laugh. “It’s good to be back, Dad.” Jordan’s thick throat almost choked her.

  His tone became serious. “I love you, honey. I’m fine. But I’ve missed you.”

  “Me, too.” Jordan’s eyes teared up again and she put her sunglasses on to hide it. She pressed the mute button and cleared her throat and pressed it again. “I’ve got to run, Dad. I’m in Miami. I’ll go straight to work from the airport and I’ll be home after the news tonight. Don’t wait up, okay? I’ll see you in the morning. Love you,” she tacked on at the end before she hung up. That was as much as she could squeeze past her raspy vocal chords.

  The plane had reached the gate. Jordan deplaned and recovered control of her emotions during a quick walk to the newsstand where she bought another bottle of water. The Haiti trip had turned her body into a sponge. How long would it take to quench her thirst?

  She should have called her best friend Claire next. But, after the dramatic way their last call ended, she couldn’t summon the strength she’d need to do it. Calling Claire right now wouldn’t help either of them.

  The only thing Jordan could think about was Jean Saint Louis and Auntie Marie on the grassy airstrip in Sabatier, Haiti, at the mercy of the Tonton Moun Nui’s vicious leader. The Cessna’s harrowing departure had all of the medical missionary team frightened. Some were blaming Jordan.

  She understood. She blamed herself.

  Jordan drank thirstily from the bottle. She returned to the gate area and pulled out the phone again to sort through 546 new work emails. Good to know the real world kept on working while she’d been gone. Focusing on something besides Haiti for a while seemed like a good thing.

  She was still lost in sorting through the emails when the flight attendant’s final boarding call interrupted Jordan’s cell signal. The flight was sold out and the cabin was already full. If she wanted to get home today, she couldn’t miss this plane.

  She grabbed her things and rushed to board before the flight attendant could release her seat to a standby passenger.

  The Airbus 319 was hot and stuffy and smelled like the full load of 123 passengers had boarded too long before her. Jordan walked down the aisle with her boarding pass until she located her seat. When she found it, she saw she’d been placed beside Dr. Chelsey Ross, who had her head back and her eyes closed.

  Jordan slipped into the middle seat. The flight attendant closed the door and the plane moved away from the gate. She felt dirt from this morning’s dusty van ride caking her warm, sticky skin. Her eyes were gritty. For five days she’d been looking forward to a hot shower with plenty of soap and water. Too long after the engines started, cooled air eventually blew through the vents across Jordan’s sweat soaked face.

  She leaned closer to Dr. Ross. “I can’t believe—I didn’t mean—”

  “You heard Dr. Lee. He’s right. Auntie Marie is dead. Jean Saint Louis is probably dead, too.” Dr. Ross didn’t open her eyes, and her voice was colder than Jordan had ever known. “I hope you can live with that. Because I’m having trouble with it, myself.”

  Jordan sat back like she’d been slapped. She felt her cheeks burning and placed both palms on her face. She blinked to clear the tears that sprang to her eyes. She blinked again and again while she reached a shaky hand into her pocket and pulled out her sunglasses and slid them on for cover.

  She leaned her head back and said nothing more while she fought to regain composure. Jordan understood that her reactions and Dr. Ross’s rebuke were borne by emotional exhaustion. But mostly she’d freaked out because Dr. Ross had voiced what Jordan feared. She felt the weight of two deat
hs squarely on her shoulders. She’d collapse beneath that responsibility—Stop that! You’re not helping.

  After a while, Dr. Ross rested her palm on Jordan’s forearm. “Jordan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken so harshly to you.” She took a deep breath. “I’m worried about Saint Louis. Very worried. And I lashed out when I shouldn’t have. Please forgive me.”

  Somehow, Dr. Ross’s apology made Jordan feel even worse. She didn’t know what to do or what to say, which was probably okay since she couldn’t speak without blubbering, anyway.

  Jordan had only met Auntie Marie once, but she’d been kind and Jordan liked her immensely. She’d met Saint Louis only a few days ago, but she’d bonded with him through several shared dangerous experiences. He didn’t deserve to pay for her mistakes—Stop!