PRAISE FOR
DEBRA WEBB
“Striking Distance by Debra Webb is a fast-moving, sensual blend of mystery and suspense…I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
—New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard
“…brims with tightly woven suspense around every corner, and twists and turns abound. Webb moves effortlessly between two very diverse romances and masterfully keeps the reader on the edge until the last page.”
—Romantic Times on Striking Distance
“Webb reaches into our deepest nightmares and pulls out a horrifying scenario. She delivers the ultimate villain for our computer-driven world—a techno sadist. Fortunately, she also gives us a battle-scarred hero who is still willing to fight and a loyal heroine who believes in justice.”
—Romantic Times on Dying to Play
“A chilling tale that will keep readers turning pages long into the night, Dying to Play is a definite keeper.”
—Romance Reviews Today on Dying to Play
Colby Conspiracy
Debra Webb
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the world of the Colby Agency. The Colby stories are very dear to my heart and I hope you will enjoy this one.
For five years now I’ve been fortunate enough to write stories about Victoria Colby and her staff of fine private investigators. I have worked hard to make each and every character as real and true to reader expectation as possible. Last year, Harlequin and I brought you the story of James Colby Jr.’s return (Striking Distance). Many, many of you wrote to me to tell me how very much you loved this story. Your letters and e-mails meant a great deal to me. Telling Jim’s (aka Seth’s) story the way it needed to be told was something I had hoped to be able to do. I have you and Harlequin to thank for that amazing opportunity.
Now I am pleased to bring you Colby Conspiracy. This story will give you a close-up insight into the more human side of Victoria and her private world. As always when I write a story, I hope to send you on an edge-of-your-seat ride that will touch every emotion. Oh, and and don’t forget the bonus features—I’ve written something very special for you there!
Best to you,
This book is dedicated to all the readers who have followed this marvelous journey with me from the beginning with the very first Colby Agency story. Thank you so much for coming back over and over again. I hope that I will never disappoint you and that we will venture into many, many more Colby Agency stories to come. Cheers!
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
BONUS FEATURES
CHAPTER ONE
THE RAIN had stopped. Victoria Colby-Camp stood near the massive window, staring out at the shimmering downtown city lights reflected in the inky black of the Chicago River. This wasn’t really the best time for her to be distracted. There were more hands that needed to be shaken, more affirmations of gratitude that should be made. Only an hour ago, she had received her second prestigious award as Chicago’s Woman of the Year, but she couldn’t help being drawn away from the glitz and the glamour and toward the unknown and the darkness shrouding the city she loved.
No matter that she stood in the mammoth marble lobby of the R. R. Donnelley Building, with its ancient Greek and Roman architecture, or that hundreds of silk-and sequined-clad guests mingled around her. She could feel the subtle shift…the ever-so-slight change in the very atmosphere of her happy but fragile world.
She had every right to be ecstatic. After half a lifetime of hoping and praying, she finally had her son back, alive and growing stronger every day. Jim scarcely reflected even a hint of the Seth persona that had ravaged his life from the age of seven until just one year ago. Great strides had been made with therapy and the love of the woman who had somehow managed to touch his battered heart.
Tears welled in Victoria’s eyes when she thought of all that Tasha had done to save Jim, to bring back the man, as well as the boy, who had barely managed to survive behind the ugly mask of a killer named Seth. Victoria smiled and blinked the tears away. Jim and Tasha had set a date for their wedding. All that Victoria had hoped for was finally coming to fruition.
“My dear, this is no place for the guest of honor to be hiding out.”
Victoria turned at the sound of the familiar male voice belonging to the man she loved. He was the other long-awaited wish come true in her hard-won battle for happiness. The man she had loved and admired from afar for so very long was now her husband. Emotion tightened her throat. Though a part of her would always love James Colby, the father of her son, her heart now belonged fully to this man…to Lucas Camp.
She smiled, gloried in simply admiring his handsome, however rugged, face for a few seconds before she answered. “I just needed a moment to myself.”
The heart-stopping smile that he reserved just for her spread across her husband’s face. “This is your night, Victoria. You deserve this honor and more. Come.” He folded her arm around his. “Let’s have another toast to the Woman of the Year.” He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. “To my lovely wife.”
Victoria allowed Lucas to lead her back into the midst of the festivities. She smiled, offered the expected gestures and comments with all the grace required of a woman in her position, but part of her could not let go of the nagging instinct that everything was about to change.
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