Dirty Dozen
A J.J. Graves Mystery
Liliana Hart
Also by Liliana Hart
JJ Graves Mystery Series
Dirty Little Secrets
A Dirty Shame
Dirty Rotten Scoundrel
Down and Dirty
Dirty Deeds
Dirty Laundry
Dirty Money
A Dirty Job
Dirty Devil
Playing Dirty
Dirty Martini
Dirty Dozen
Dirty Minds
Addison Holmes Mystery Series
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Sour
Whiskey For Breakfast
Whiskey, You’re The Devil
Whiskey on the Rocks
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Whiskey and Gunpowder
Whiskey Lullaby
The Scarlet Chronicles
Bouncing Betty
Hand Grenade Helen
Front Line Francis
The Harley and Davidson Mystery Series
The Farmer’s Slaughter
A Tisket a Casket
I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus
Get Your Murder Running
Deceased and Desist
Malice in Wonderland
Tequila Mockingbird
Gone With the Sin
Grime and Punishment
Blazing Rattles
A Salt and Battery
Curl Up and Dye
First Comes Death Then Comes Marriage
Box Set 1
Box Set 2
Box Set 3
The Gravediggers
The Darkest Corner
Gone to Dust
Say No More
Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
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
Epilogue
Dirty Minds
About the Author
Also by Liliana Hart
Copyright © 2021 by Liliana Hart
All rights reserved.
Published by 7th Press
Dallas, TX 75115
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
To Scott—How did I get so lucky? You support my dreams and keep me stocked with Milk Duds. You love Jesus, me, and our children sacrificially, and anyone who knows you sees how special you are. Our future is bright and blessed. Love you, XOXO
Acknowledgments
Getting a book to publication takes an amazing team of people. I’m fortunate to have had these people in my corner for years.
To my editors—Imogen Howson and Ava Hodge for always making me better.
To my cover designer—Dar Albert for always blowing me away with your talent.
To my children—You’re all so special. You have gifts and abilities beyond measure, and I’m excited to see what God has in store for each of you.
To Scott—thank you for answering a ridiculous amount of law enforcement questions and acting out weird scenarios with me. Any mistakes are mine alone.
To my readers—We made it to book 12 in the series! Thank you for continuing the journey with me and allowing me to do what I love. I have the BEST readers in the world!
Because I could not stop for death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves and immortality.
Emily Dickinson
I am prepared to meet my Maker.
Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
Winston Churchill
Prologue
The killer watched intently from the balcony as the curtain fell and the crowd erupted into applause. It had been a mediocre performance at best, but for local theater he supposed it could have been much worse.
The Curtain Call was doing a five-day production of the great Oscar Wilde play Lady Windemere’s Fan. He could only assume that Mr. Wilde would have taken his leave at intermission to go enjoy a nice port and cigar instead of suffering through the occasional botched line and flat attempts at humor.
But Juliet had been perfect. Juliet—even her name was perfect. Like a tragic heroine in a long-ago play, she played the role of Lady Windemere brilliantly.
The velvet curtains opened again and the cast came to the stage to take their final bows. He stood with the rest of the crowd, his white gloved hand grasped tightly around the gold lion’s head on the end of his walking stick. He put on his top hat and adjusted the burgundy satin scarf around his neck, and then he pulled the watch from the small pocket in his vest to check the time. Timing was everything.
He was dressed like the others in the room, though there had been a few who’d ruined the scene by not dressing in appropriate attire. The Victorian festival in Newcastle was always a community favorite. People came from all over Virginia to attend, and they dressed in period pieces of the times. Restaurants changed their menus and there were concerts and events each night.
He’d been waiting for this week for months. This was the beginning of it all. Tonight the first domino would fall, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop them. His planning and execution would be flawless. Perfection was everything.
The excitement rose up in him so swiftly he had to catch his balance so he didn’t fall back into his seat. He locked his knees and stared at Juliet, willing her to look in his direction. He wondered if she saw his face, if she’d know he would be her end.
He was enraptured by her beauty—the translucent quality to her skin, the lush blond curls, and the wide eyes that shone emotion all the way to the back row of the theater. There was an innocence there, even though he knew it was all an illusion. She was anything but innocent.
Just like Lady Windemere, Juliet had become dissatisfied with her husband and searched for a lover elsewhere. She was a whore. And those who sold their bodies had to be punished.
He excused himself past the patrons sitting to his left and exited the row, making his way swiftly down the stairs and out the side door before things became too crowded and he couldn’t get into position. He’d watched and searched and planned for months, until the scene played out in his head like a movie.