Never Tell (28 page)

Authors: Alafair Burke

BOOK: Never Tell

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I
continue to be grateful to the many people who labor behind the scenes to support my work and bring it to readers. I have known my agent, Philip Spitzer, since I was twelve years old. He and his wife, Mary, and daughter, Anne-Lise, are my surrogate New York family and biggest champions. His colleagues Lukas Ortiz and Lucas Hunt round out the posse, making the Spitzer Literary Agency the Jerry Maguire of book agencies.

Thank you, also, to the incredibly supportive and professional crew at HarperCollins: Amy Baker, Erica Barmash, Jonathan Burnham, Heather Drucker, Mark Ferguson, Michael Morrison, Danielle Plafsky, Nicole Reardon, Jason Sack, Kathy Schneider, Leah Wasielewski, and Lydia Weaver. Special thanks to my editor, Jennifer Barth, who has been with me from the beginning and continues to push me at every stage to write the best book I can write. She represents the very best in publishing, and I’m forever appreciative to have her on my side.

Thanks as well to Ed Cohen, retired NYPD Sergeant Edward Devlin, Jen Forbus, Jonathan Hayes, McKenna Jordan, Ruth and Jon Jordan, NYPD Detective Lucas Miller, Erin Mitchell, and Richard Rhorer. Thank you, Duffer, for lending your name and image to the Duffer Awards. (Check Google. Trust me.)

And, finally, thank you to my husband, Sean Simpson. If I were to write down all the mushy stuff I feel for you, my readers might never forgive me.

A Special Note to My
Readers

I
try to
block out all the doom-and-gloom forecasts for the future (or lack thereof) of
books, reading, publishing, and, gosh, even literacy. But I know enough to
realize how lucky I am to have my words moved to paper pages and digital screens
so I can tell my stories to you. And I know enough to understand that wouldn’t
happen without your tremendous and often vocal support. Every writer thinks he
or she has the very best readers, but I surely do.

I’ve gotten to know many of you through my Web
site, Facebook, and Twitter. Writing is a solitary activity, but I’m not a
solitary person. Where I used to pop into the hallway for quick comedic relief
back at the prosecutors’ office, I now pop onto the interwebs to chat with many
of you when I need a little break. My thanks go to Holden Richards at Kitchen
Media, Steffen Rasile at SRA Design Studios, and Catherine Cairns of Cairns
Designs for their technical assistance in creating an interactive, online
community.

Some readers have gone the extra mile by serving as
an online kitchen cabinet, helping me think through decisions like
Never Tell
’s title, character names, and the details
of Jess’s reality television choices. For their helpful (and fun) comments
during the writing of
Never Tell,
I thank the
following readers: Adele Sylvester, Alan Williams, Alice Wright, Allison Freige,
Amber Scott Guerrero, Amy Fleer, Amy Hammer, Amy Nagdeman, Amy Turner DeSelle,
Andrea Napier, Andrea Stacy Kirk, Andrew Kleeger, Andy Gilham, Andy P. Barker,
Angie Burton, Angie Thomas-Davis, Ann Abel, Ann Hyman, Ann Rousseau Weiss, Ann
Smith, Ann Zerega, Anne Ward, Anya Rhamnusia Gullino, April Smith, Arllys
Brooks, Art Battiste, Barb Finnigan, Barb Lancaster, Barb Mullen Gasparac,
Barbara Bogue, Barbara Detwiler, Barry Nisman, Becky Decker, Becky Rathke, Ben
Small, Beth Rudetsky, Betsy Steele Gray, Bettie Kieffer, Beverly Bryan, Bill
Amador, Bill Hopkins, Bill Horn, Bill Strider, Bob Briggs, Bob Fontneau, Bob
Horton, Bonnie Spears, Brantley Watkins, Brenda K. Gunter, Brenda LeSage, Brian
Corbishley, Brian Highley, Brian Rosenwald, Bruce DeSilva, Bruce Southworth, Bud
Palmer, Carl Christensen, Carl Fenstermacher, Carla Coffman, Carol Clark, Carol
Johnsen, Carol O’Gorman, Carole M. Sauer, Caroline Garrett, Cele Deemer, Celeste
Libert Mooney, Charlene Wigington Hulker, Charlie Armstrong, Charlotte Creeley,
Cheryl Boyd, Cheryl Thompson, Chevy Stevens, Chris Cooper Cahall, Chris
Hamilton, Chris Knake, Chris La Porte, Chris Schuller, Christine McCann,
Christopher Zell, Chuck Bracken, Chuck Palmer, Chuck Provonchee, Chuck Stone,
Cindy Current Griffin, Cindy Spring, Cindy Whitson, Clair Leadbeater, Connie
Meyer, Connie Ross Ciampanelli, Cyndie Lamb, Cynthia Poley Parran, Dana Lynne
Johnson, Danielle Holley-Walker, Dannii Abram, Danny Nichols, Daphne Anne
Humphrey, Daryl McGrath, Daryl Perch, Dave Hall, Dave Kinnamon, David Bates,
David Greensmith, David McMahan, David Michael Lallatin, David Stine, Dawn M.
Barclay, Deb Sturgess, Debbie Clark Trolsen, Debbie Hartley Holladay, Debbie
Hoaglin, Debbie Rati, Debi Kershaw, Debi Landry, Debi Sussman, Debra Eisert,
Debra Manzella, Deda Notions, Dee Hamilton-Worsham, Denise Berger, Denise
Sargent, Denise Shoup Andersen, Diane Donceel McDonald, Diane Griffiths, Diane
Howell-Arp, Dick Droese, Dolores Melton, Don Lee, Dru Ann L. Love, Dudley
Forster, Edward Foster, Elaine Meehan, Elaine Meehan, Elena Shapiro Wayne,
Elizabeth Julia, Elizabeth Salisbury Anderson, Ellen Blasi, Ellen Montroy Doe,
Ellen Sattler Harpin, Ellen Wills Bailey, Elyse Dinh, Erin Alford, Erin
Mitchell, Etienne Vincent, Faye DeBlanc, Fran Burget, Francena Parthemore, Frank
Guillouard, Fred Emerson, Fred Littell, Fred Pat Heacock, Garry Puffer, Gayle
Carline, Gene Ruppe, Georgia Whitney, Glen Manry, Glenda Voelmeck, Glenn
Eisenstein, Gretchen Gfeller, Hailey Ellen Fish, Hayden Wakeling, Heidi Moawad,
Helen Carlsson, Ilene Ratcheson Ciccone, Ilene Renee Bieleski, Jackie Denney,
Jackie Schmidt Welcel, Jacqueline May, James R. Bradbrook, Jan Wilberg, Jana
Johnson, Janet Lindh, Janice Gable Bashman, Janie McCue Lynch, Janine Grondin
Brennan, Jay Drescher, Jeanne Adcox Lockett, Jen Forbus, Jen Mullins Keae, Jenet
Lynn Dechary, Jennifer Abelson Whitney, Jennifer Ellis Lindel, Jennifer Irvin,
Jennifer Little Beck, Jennifer Mueller, Jennifer Murtha Kountz, Jerrica Furlong,
Jerry McCoy, Jill Fletcher, Jill Porter Connell, Jim Boylan, Jim Cox, Jim Lewis,
Jim Snell, Jimbob Niven, Jo Ann Nicholas, Jo Boxall, Jo Scott-Petty, Joan Long,
Joan Lumb, Joan Moore Raffety, Joan Nichols Green, JoAnne Rosenfeld, Joe Carter,
Joe Shine, Joey Mestrow, John Buckner, John Chester, John F. Armstrong, John
Jones, John K. Peterson, John Karwacki, John P. Eperjesi, John Thomas Bychowski,
Jon Schuller, Jordan Foster, Jordana Leigh, Josh Lamborn, Joyce Joyner, Joyce
Wickham, Juaan Prescott Gibbs, Judith McCarrick, Judy Bailey, Judy Gehrig, Judy
Jongsma Bobalik, Judy Lambert Watson, Judy Waren Bryan, Jules Davies-Conjoice,
Jules White, Julie Ebinger Hilton, Julie Kosmata Elliott, Karen McNeel Meharg,
Karin Carlson, Karla Davis Glessner, Kate Wood, Kathleen Andrews, Kathleen
Geiger, Kathy Collings, Kathy Goodridge Poulin, Kathy Sammons, Kathy Schmidt,
Kathy Vraniak Aldridge, Katie Blackmon, Kaye Wilkinson Barley, Kayla Painter,
Kelly A. Gunter, Kestrel Carroll, Kim Baines, Kimberley Stephenson, Kristy Knox
Taylor, Lance D. Carlton, Lance McKnight, Laura Aranda, Laura Bostick, Laura
Piros McCarver, Leah Cummins Guinn, Leann Collins, Lee Walton, Leigh Sanders
Neely, Liam Moloney, Lincoln Crisler, Linda Gilmer, Linda Hanno, Linda J. Myatt,
Linda Jaros, Linda Maxine Williams, Linda Napikoski, Lisa Bergagna, Lisa Fowler,
Lisa Wilcox, Liz Patru, Liza Kosiadou, Lois Alter Mark, Lola Troy Fiur, Louis
Brunet, Louise Maughan James, Lovada Marks Williams, Lynda Pendley Bennett,
Lynelle Russell, Lynn Ashworth Peters, Lynn Comeau, Lynn Hirshman, Lynne Dalton,
Lynne M. Lamb, Lynne Victorine, Marc Davey, Margaret Franson Pruter, Margie
Watts Iverson, Marie Horne Jackson, Marion Coro, Marjorie Tucker, Mark Gould,
Mark O. Hammontree, Marlyn Beebe, Martha McConnell Greer, Martha Paley
Francescato, Martha Stephenson La Marche, Martin Cook, Martin Treanor, Martyn
James Lewis, Mary Geary, Mary Hohulin, Mary Phillips, Mary Stenvall, Mary
Thompson Bullock, Maryann Mercer, Matt Foley, Matthew Jeanmard, Maureen Lennon
Kastner, Maureen Wiley Apfl, Mauricia Sledd Smith, Melissa Costa, Michael Bok,
Michael Charles Woodham, Michael Gallant, Michael Honeybear Cotton, Michael Ma,
Michele Hendricks, Michelle Goad, Michelle Pabon Pharr, Michelle Phillips, Micki
Fortenberry Dumke, Mike Forehand, Mike Houston, Mike Newman, Mitch Smith, Monica
Niemi, Nancy A. Nash Coleman, Nancy M Hood, Nancy McCready, Nancy Rimel, Naomi
Waynee, Nils Kristian Hagen Jr., Pamela Cardone, Pamela Jarvis, Pamela
Pescosolido, Pamela Picard, Pat Neveux, Pat Winfield, Patricia Hawkins, Patricia
Medley, Patsy Green, Patti James Anderlohr, Patti MacDonnell, Patti O’Brien,
Patty Hudson, Patty McGuire Moran Kilkenny, Paul Hansper-Cowgill, Paul W.
Stackpole Jr., Paula Rossetti, Pepper Goforth, Perry Lassiter, Pete Sandberg,
Peter Robertson, Peter Spowart, Phil Messina, Phillis Spike Carbone, Rand Hill,
Rebecca Turman, Rebecca Woodbury, Rhonda Tate McNamer, Richard Fox, Rick Miller,
Robert Carraher, Robert Hartman, Robert Ray, Roger Vaden, Ronda Smittle Aaron,
Rosemary Lindsey, Russell Meadows, Ruth Mariampolski, Ruth Miller Blackford,
Ryan Dorn, Sabine Pilhofer, Sal Towse, Sally Channing, Sammi-Rexanne
Huskisson-Bonneau, Sandra Jean Krna, Sandra Speller, Sandy Cann, Sandy Holcombe
Olson, Sandy Maines, Sandy Plummer, Sandy Schwinning Hill, Sara Baldwin, Sara
Glass Phair, Sara Gremlin, Sara Weiss, Sarah Pearcy, Scott Irwin, Shanna White,
Shannon Keane English, Sharon Brown, Sharon Faith Graves, Sharon Woods Hopkins,
Sherri Young Coats, Sherrie Saint, Sheryl Cooper, Sheryl Ditty Hauch, Shirley
Anderson Whitely, Sita Laura, Soules Wanderer, Stacy Allen, Stella Mullis,
Stephanie Angulo, Stephanie Doherty Rouleau, Stephanie M. Gleave, Stephanie
Smith, Stephanie Stafford Roush, Stephen Burke, Sue Christensen, Sue Hollis, Sue
Smith Stewart, Sue Stanisich, Susan Connolly, Susan Cox, Susan Dineen Kritikos,
Susan Feibush Braun, Susan Ferris, Susan Jarrett Carey, Susie Cowan Hudson,
Suzanne Abbott, Tammy Helms Baker Meyers, Teri James, Terry Butz, Terry Parrish,
The Signal Grill, Thomas C. McCoy Jr.
, Tirzah Goodwin,
Tommye Baxter Cashin, Tonett Mattucci Wojtasik, Tony Sannicandro, Tori Bullock,
Tracey Edges, Tracy Nicol, Trena Klohe, Victoria Waller Ranallo, Viola Burg,
Wallace Clark, Wayne Cunnington, Wayne Curry, Wayne Ledbetter, Wendy Brown,
Wendy Burd-Kinsey, Wendy Weidman, Will Boyce, Will Swarts, William Bruner, and
William Penrose.

About
the Author

A
lafair
Burke is the best-selling author of seven previous novels, including the
stand-alone
Long Gone
and the Ellie Hatcher series:
212
,
Angel’s Tip
,
and
Dead Connection
. A former prosecutor, she now
teaches criminal law and lives in Manhattan.

Visit
www.alafairburke.com

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www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive
information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

Also by Alafair Burke

Long Gone

T
HE
E
LLIE
H
ATCHER
S
ERIES

Dead Connection

Angel’s Tip

212

T
HE
S
AMANTHA
K
INCAID
S
ERIES

Judgment Calls

Missing Justice

Close Case

Credits

Cover design by Amanda Kain

Cover photo montage © Getty Images (Woman) and Shutterstock (Wall)

This book is a work of fiction. The
characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and
are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons,
living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

NEVER TELL
.
Copyright © 2012 by Alafair Burke. All rights reserved under International and
Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have
been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text
of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted,
downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any
information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether
electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express
written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST
EDITION

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
Data has been applied for.

ISBN: 978-0-06-199916-1

Epub Edition © JUNE 2012 ISBN:
9780062097088

12 13 14 15 16
OV
/
RRD
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Publisher

Australia

HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

http://www.harpercollins.com.au

Canada