Love Me Dead Read online

  Table of Contents

  DEAR READERS

  INDEX

  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

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  A PERFECT LIE

  THE NAKED TRILOGY

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  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. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the supplier and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at lisareneejones.com/contact

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination. www.lisareneejones.com.

  LOVE ME DEAD

  LISA RENEE JONES

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  DEAR READERS

  Thank you so much for picking up LOVE ME DEAD! Before you read on, I want to warn you that while this Lilah Love case will standalone over its own two-book duet, there is a rich history to Lilah's life you discover in the launch duet—MURDER NOTES and MURDER GIRL. You will enjoy the series in a more fulfilling way if you read that duet first, before moving onto the next case with LOVE ME DEAD.

  However, I do give you a glossary for a lot of key players in Lilah's past. I've tried to make sure new readers won't be too in the dark. I’m also including a brief recap (if you want a full thirty page recap, you can see that HERE), to familiarize yourself with where we left Lilah. So without further ado, please keep reading for said recap. If you have not read MURDER NOTES and MURDER GIRL, and don’t want those books spoiled please stop reading here, as I will be spoiling the outcome of that case…

  Lilah Love is an FBI agent with a crass attitude, a wide array of uses for the word “fuck,” a strong aversion to blood, and the ability to solve any crime that ends with a dead body. Any crime that is except the one that chased her away from the Hamptons years ago after being attacked. But she knows who the murderer is in that crime: it’s her. She murdered her assailant and her heir-to-a-drug-cartel boyfriend, Kane Mendez buried the body. What she still didn’t know was why? That is until bodies begin to surface with the same tattoo her attacker had, a call to her past that she just can’t ignore and resulted in her fateful return to the Hamptons. To her family. To the past she ran from. And most importantly, her return to Kane Mendez.

  She may have returned to the Hamptons, but Lilah is there only to solve the case, and be on the first plane back to LA as soon as possible. However, driving forces outside of her control have other plans. Lilah is greeted home to another dead body that fits the MO of the previous victims, and she’s also met with a taunting letter from someone she names Junior. Said letter alluding to a third party knowing what happened that night. The night Lilah killed. The night that changed her and Kane irrevocably. Speaking of, it’s not long before Kane himself is wrapped up in her case and trying his best to be wrapped up in her as well. But even he knows all too well there are no coincidences, and something far more sinister is going on with these murders that Lilah is working on.

  Try as she might, there is no separating her past from these current murders. They’re fully intertwined as Lilah soon finds out, and there’s only so much she can keep from her boss, Director Murphy, as she gets closer to more answers. These murders eventually lead Lilah to the discovery of the Society, a deep state-like organization set on masterminding government dealings behind closed doors and out of the public eye to their own benefit. It turns out both Murphy and Kane were aware of the Society long before Lilah was, and more shockingly, her father, former police chief, and now mayor of the Hamptons, is very much a part of the Society. And at the orchestration of Ted Pocher, one of the local leaders of the Society, Lilah’s father will be running for governor of New York to further implant the Society in the government. All of this information in regards to the Society, comes with the most horrifying revelation, that they were responsible for Lilah’s attack, and even her father knew about it. His only reply being when she confronts him with the ugly truth of her rape at the hands of the Society, is that she should be thankful they didn’t murder her. It’s clear as day, the life Lilah left here, is not the same one she’s returned to. The only true constant is Kane, but even with him, she can’t just fall back into the same routine so easily. He altered both of their lives the night he buried the body of the man she killed, and even though the attraction is still there, he’s still the heir to his family’s drug cartel, even though he’s the CEO of a very high-profile and legitimate oil company as well. And Lilah’s badge will always be between them when he’s that close to the wrong side of the law. It was a problem back then, and it’s a problem now. Only now, they also have to contend with Junior leaving more notes for Lilah in his taunting way, with Kane and Lilah no closer to figuring out his identity.

  Thankfully, Lilah was having more luck on the other side of things with her murder cases, but it was turning more dangerous the further she dug. Yes, the Society was responsible for the murders, and yes, the Society was responsible for her attack, but to what end? Her attack was simply because she was getting too close in a case she had been working. Having entered a tenuous house of cards, rather than having her eliminated, the Society had her raped to send her a message to back off. In much the same manner, only the endgame was death, the Society was sending a message to the victims in Lilah’s case. The victims were in the midst of trying to form a coup and take control of the Society, but those in power never gave them a chance to get close. This information comes from the elusive assassin, Ghost. He was thought to be the hired hand behind these murders, but informs Lilah and Kane that the Society has several assassins on their payroll and another one with the codename: The Gamer has been behind these killings. And there’s one more name on the list to be killed: Eddie Rivera. An old colleague of Lilah’s, the second son her father never had, and the husband to Lilah’s ex-best friend. As Lilah and Kane race to save Eddie, it’s alrea
dy too late. The Gamer has killed him, and coming up on the murder, Kane and Lilah scuffle almost to the death with him, but like most times with Lilah, the perpetrator is the one who ends up dead.

  Having had quite enough of just about everything and everyone, Lilah chooses to throw her badge away after The Gamer is killed. Nothing about her past or present is what it seems, and the only true constant in her life, Kane, will always be kept at a distance because of said badge. But while Kane may think she’s making an error in judgement, he’s going to give her time to think through everything she’s learned, and all the illusions that have been shattered. However, one person won’t let Lilah have any time to digest her new findings and altered reality: Director Murphy. No, he’s there, shoving her badge back at her, and tilting her world further on its axis.

  Alongside all of this drama, Lilah had also made connections between the Society and Hollywood. Hollywood, the industry in which her mother used to work. Her mother who died in a plane crash several years ago. Only Murphy informs Lilah that not only was he in a relationship with her mother when she died in that plane crash, he also thinks it was intentional and orchestrated by the Society. And the Society is officially ingrained in every aspect of Lilah’s life, she has no choice but to take Murphy up on his demand that she stay in New York and join his new task force that will be at face value exactly what she has always done: catch killers. But they will also have a singularly unique, and under the radar goal of getting the dangerous people who are in power, out of power.

  Upon acceptance of her placement on the new task force, she moves more permanently to an apartment in New York. When she arrives, Murphy has delivered a case file on The Gamer for her to look over, he may be dead but that case is far from over, and a cold case of a serial murderer who goes after call girls. When she steps out for pizza Ghost waylays her. Seemingly enamored by the fact that she was able to do what he was not, kill The Gamer. He says she intrigues him and he owes her one.

  As she arrives back home she finds a note. A note from Junior: M is for Miss me? I missed you. D is for Disappointed. He’s not for you. This city is not for you. S is for sorry. You are going to be so so so so so so so sorry. W is for warning. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. But before she can dig deeper Murphy calls. The locals needs her help. They have three dead women and an active serial killer. She reminds him that they have one of the best profilers in the world, her old mentor. Murphy replies with he knows, because that’s who requested her presence on the case. And so Lilah gets ready to be faced with one of the only people in the world, other than Kane, that she can’t hide from. Only this man has yet to see the monster Lilah fears lives inside her.

  And that’s where we pick things back up…

  INDEX

  Lilah Love (28)—dark-brown hair, brown eyes, curvy figure. An FBI profiler working in Los Angeles, she grew up in the Hamptons. Her mother was a famous movie star who died tragically in a plane crash, which caused Lilah to leave law school prematurely and eventually pursue a career in law enforcement. Lilah’s father is the mayor in East Hampton; her brother is the Hamptons’ chief of police. She dated Kane Mendez against her father’s wishes. She was brutally attacked one night, and Kane came to her rescue, somewhat, and what unfolded that night created a secret between the two they can never share with anyone else. This eventually causes Lilah to leave and take the job in LA, away from her family, Kane, and that secret.

  Kane Mendez (32)—brown hair, dark-brown eyes, leanly muscled body. He’s the CEO of Mendez Enterprises and thought to be the leader of the cartel that his father left behind when he was killed. But Kane claims his uncle runs the operations, while he runs the legitimate side of the business. Lilah’s ex from before she left for LA. He found her the night of her attack and shares that secret with her.

  Director Murphy (50s)—gray hair, perfectly groomed. Former military. Lilah’s boss. The head of the LA branch of the FBI. Sent Lilah to the Hamptons to follow the assassin case.

  Rich Moore—blond surfer-dude looks, blue eyes. Works with Lilah. He and Lilah were sleeping together until Rich wanted more and Lilah called it off.

  Jeff “Tic Tac” Landers—Lilah’s go-to tech guy at the FBI.

  Grant Love (57)—blue eyes, graying hair. Lilah’s father, the mayor, and retired police chief of East Hampton. A perfect politician. Charming. He’s being groomed by Ted Pocher to run for New York governor.

  Andrew Love (34)—blond hair, blue eyes. Lilah’s brother and the East Hampton police chief. Andrew is protective and seems to be the perfect brother. The problem is that he’s perfect at everything, including being as macho and as bossy as their father. There’s more to Andrew than meets the eye.

  Lucas Davenport—tall, looks like a preppy version of Tarzan. A very successful and good-looking investment banker, he has taken to hacking in his spare time. He is a cousin of sorts to Lilah and Andrew. His father was the stepbrother to Lilah’s father. His father was also known to be with Lilah’s mother, Laura, on the night they both disappeared in the plane crash. He flirts mercilessly with Lilah, seeing as they’re not blood-related, but she always shoots him down.

  Greg Harrison—Lilah’s old partner from the New York Police Department. Currently in a lot of hot water with Internal Affairs over an incident that may or may not be of his own making. He was partnered with Nelson Moser prior to being put on leave by IA pending further investigation but has been working independent security with Moser in the meantime.

  Nelson Moser—a lowlife police detective who offended Lilah on numerous occasions before she moved to Los Angeles. She is not very fond of him, and the rumor circulating about him is that he’s a dirty cop.

  Laura Love—Lilah’s mother. Famous actress. Died four years ago in a horrific plane crash. She infamously portrayed Marilyn Monroe in an Oscar-winning performance. Much mystery still surrounds her death and will be a recurring issue throughout the series.

  Ted Pocher—billionaire CEO of the world’s fifth-largest privately held conglomerate, Pocher Industries. Has taken a liking to Lilah’s father in hopes of furthering her father’s political career. He tried to do business with Kane and Mendez Enterprises but was turned down because of his rep for shady business deals.

  Beth Smith—blonde, tall, thin. The new medical examiner in Suffolk County. Lilah’s friend from back in the day. Beth is working one of the assassin murder cases.

  CHAPTER ONE

  It’s a fucking disaster, a downpour of epic proportions, the mother of all storms, that came out of nowhere. The kind of storm that demands you hunker down in the company of Cheetos, strawberries, coffee and/or booze. The latter choice, at least for me, depending on how irritated I am at the world at the time. The kind of storm that makes you want to do those things inside and by a fire. Not here, walking the Manhattan streets, with no umbrella, on my way to a crime scene. I pull the hood of my rain jacket lower, down to my brow and round the corner to find a carnival of uniforms, flashing lights, and an ambulance that will be the ride to the morgue. Rarely am I called in when the victim lives to talk about the crime. Dead bodies are my thing. They talk to me. I understand them. Those who are still living and breathing, not so much.

  My cellphone rings, and I halt, digging it from my field bag that rests at my hip. Glancing at my caller ID, I find Kane’s number, when he’s supposed to be on a plane, jetting off on the kind of business we don’t talk about but we pretend is something it’s not. Kane and I are both masters of pretending to be something we’re not. Me, an FBI agent who would never cross the line. Him, nothing more than the CEO of Mendez Enterprises, a company deeply rooted in oil, not the man who took over the Mendez cartel when his father died. He damn sure didn’t take on the Society, the deep state that secretly runs our government as some might call them, and force their retreat, even if only for the moment, with nothing but oil money. I decline the call, shove my phone back in my bag and start walking again. I can’t walk onto the crime scene feeling like I’m as
transparent as Kane makes me feel, and I can’t think about the war we’ve managed to enter with the Society, at least not with this particular crime scene to think about.

  Nothing about me being called in on this case, a suspected serial killer’s involvement or not, makes sense, not when that request, per Director Murphy, my pain in the ass judgmental boss, came from my old mentor, Roger Griffin. Roger’s NYPD. I’m FBI. I’ve never known that power hungry, grumpy old man to ask for agency assistance. Hell, he doesn’t ask for help at all, and he doesn’t need it. He’s so damn good at what he does that he can look into the eyes of a killer and see a killer when someone else might see Mary fucking Poppins. I don’t know what he saw in me when he snapped me up so many years ago and started training me. I just know that I don’t want to know what he’ll see now.

  Cutting across the street, I beeline toward the yellow tape establishing the police perimeter, flashing my FBI badge at an NYPD ran site, and I don’t stop walking, my strides steady right up until the point that I’m standing outside the building that is the crime scene. Fortunately, there’s a small overhang taking the beating of the storm for me now, so I yank my hood down while watching an officer and his muddy boots enter the building. I step in front of Carl, the beat cop who just let that happen, a cop I’ve known from years back when I worked at the local NYPD.

  “Lilah fucking Love,” he greets, because this is my home base, this is where I got my start before relocating to LA with the FBI. Everyone here knows that I like the word fuck. The word fuck fucks with people. If there was a book about my life, it would be called “Lilah Fucking Love Says Fuck You.” And then all those delicate people who get their feelings hurt easily would go away, thank you, Jesus. Unfortunately for Carl, before we’re through here, he’s going to be one of the people I offend. “Heard you were in LA working for the FBI,” he says.