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Whispers in the Shadows: A Dark Night Thriller, #1
Whispers in the Shadows: A Dark Night Thriller, #1
Whispers in the Shadows: A Dark Night Thriller, #1
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Whispers in the Shadows: A Dark Night Thriller, #1

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When a family tragedy rips a young woman from her quiet existence, only two things give Delia any solace: steely determination, and the butcher's son. Well, that and the ominous whispers that warned her of impending danger throughout her childhood.

Years later, violent conflicts and machinations of war shape the headstrong young woman and her far-flung soldier into people they don't even recognize anymore. Though Delia finally finds her true self in the arms of an unconventional lover, danger is closer than ever before.

The whispers in the shadows have never been more urgent. Soon, the ties of her violent past will collide with everything she holds dear.

Readers' Favorite Book Reviews says, "Author Jason LaVelle's distinct ability to meld fiction with truth is the definition of Stephen King's quote: "Fiction is a lie. GREAT fiction is the truth within the lie." The story is maximum entertainment, a real page-turner, but it is also an eye-opening exposition of how love, persecution for sexual preferences, psychological abuse, desperation, war, murder and the spiritual unknown affect lives."

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS the first book in the "A Dark Night Thriller" series. This romance-turned-thriller/horror novel, which offers just a touch of the supernatural, will keep you at the edge of your seat in suspense. [DRM-Free]

"If you love biopic type stories that drag you into the life of a character and becomes a highly addictive ride you can't put down, this story is perfect. Dealing with sensitive issues in the timeline from love, murder, persecution for sexual preferences, and the role of woman in society during world war events. This is one story that will suck you in and keep you wondering what is going to happen next." ~ Voracious Reviews

"This is a story that says many things, not only is it a great supernatural thriller but it also shows what psychological damage abuse, desperation and war can cause to a person. It speaks to us of the beauty of love, of having the courage to follow your heart and of being true to yourself despite what others may think. It is tastefully written and the fact that the characters, Delia and Alice, were based on real people makes this book all the more interesting, even if the actual story is fiction." ~ Rabid Reader

 

LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 10, 2018
ISBN9781622534531
Whispers in the Shadows: A Dark Night Thriller, #1
Author

Jason LaVelle

Jason LaVelle is an author and photographer from West Michigan. When he’s not spending time with his beautiful wife and four children, LaVelle works at a veterinary clinic, helping animals of all kinds. With his two pugs, Dragon and Mr. Sparkles, his Chihuahua, Mari, and his annoying dachshund, Lady, he pretty much lives in a zoo. After he’s done playing with the pugs and tucking the kids into bed, he ventures down into the basement, where his umbrella cockatoo, Bella, whispers in his ear like a demonic muse, forcing him to explore the paranormal world inside his mind.

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    Book preview

    Whispers in the Shadows - Jason LaVelle

    Copyright

    www.EvolvedPub.com

    ~~~

    WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS*

    A Dark Night Thriller – Book 1

    Copyright © 2018 Jason LaVelle

    Cover Art Copyright © 2018 D. Robert Pease

    *Original Copyright © 2014 under the Title: DELIA

    ~~~

    ISBN (EPUB Version): 1622534530

    ISBN-13 (EPUB Version): 978-1-62253-453-1

    ~~~

    Editor: Jessica West

    Interior Designer: Lane Diamond

    ~~~

    NOTE:

    The song (referenced in this book), Tip-Toe Through The Tulips With Me, was originally written by Al Dubin and Joe Burke in 1929, and was adapted and performed by Nick Lucas.

    ~~~

    eBook License Notes:

    You may not use, reproduce or transmit in any manner, any part of this book without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews, or in accordance with federal Fair Use laws. All rights are reserved.

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

    ~~~

    Disclaimer:

    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or the author has used them fictitiously.

    Books by Jason LaVelle

    A DARK NIGHT THRILLER

    Book 1: Whispers in the Shadows

    Book 2: The Cold Room

    Book 3: The Dark of Night

    ~~~

    DYING WORLD CHRONICLES

    Book 1: Pathosis

    Book 2: Ecocide

    ~~~

    www.jnlavelle.com

    ~~~

    What Others Are Saying about Jason LaVelle’s

    WHISPERS IN THE SHADOWS (formerly Delia):

    ~~~

    If you love biopic type stories that drag you into the life of a character and becomes a highly addictive ride you can’t put down, this story is perfect. Dealing with sensitive issues in the timeline from love, murder, persecution for sexual preferences, and the role of woman in society during world war events. This is one story that will suck you in and keep you wondering what is going to happen next. ~ Voracious Reviews

    ~~~

    This is a story that says many things, not only is it a great supernatural thriller but it also shows what psychological damage abuse, desperation and war can cause to a person. It speaks to us of the beauty of love, of having the courage to follow your heart and of being true to yourself despite what others may think. It is tastefully written and the fact that the characters, Delia and Alice, were based on real people makes this book all the more interesting, even if the actual story is fiction. ~ Rabid Reader

    ~~~

    I absolutely could not put this book down! This isn’t usually a genre that I read, but this author captivates my attention. ~ A. Fogerty

    BONUS CONTENT

    We’re pleased to offer you not one, but two Special Sneak Previews at the end of this book.

    ~~~

    In the first preview, you’ll enjoy the First 3 Chapters of Jason LaVelle’s THE COLD ROOM, the second book in the A Dark Night Thriller series.

    [BOOK COVER COMING SOON]

    ~~~

    OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

    FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

    A DARK NIGHT THRILLER Series at Evolved Publishing

    In the second preview, you’ll enjoy the First 2 Chapters of K.M. Hodge’s award-winning RED ON THE RUN, the first book in the exciting The Syndicate-Born Trilogy series of futuristic crime thrillers.

    ~~~

    OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

    FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

    THE SYNDICATE-BORN TRILOGY at Evolved Publishing

    Dedication

    For my family, you are my whole world.

    Table of Contents

    Title Page

    Copyright

    Books by Jason LaVelle

    BONUS CONTENT

    Dedication

    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

    Chapter 19

    Chapter 20

    Chapter 21

    Epilogue

    Author’s Note

    Special Sneak Preview: THE COLD ROOM by Jason LaVelle

    Acknowledgements

    About the Author

    More from Evolved Publishing

    Special Sneak Preview: RED ON THE RUN by K.M. Hodge

    Chapter 1

    A gunshot woke Delia from sleep. Her eyes flew open as the loud crack roared through the house, and she bolted upright in bed. She wore a long linen nightshirt, but gooseflesh raced across her body.

    The shot came from within the house. She knew because, on occasion, her father had to put down one of the animals outside, which produced a muffled sound. This one sounded like it came from downstairs; the very walls had vibrated with its force.

    She jumped out of bed.

    Heavy footfalls stomped up the stairs, adding a thumping bassline to the echoes from the gunshot still ringing through the house. A confusing noise filled her head, the type of sound a windstorm made against her bedroom window.

    Moments later, a scream bellowed up the stairs and found its way to her room.

    She recognized the voice immediately, though something about it sounded terribly wrong.

    Her father never screamed like that. His voice was usually soft and kind. A mere word from him offered hope and compassion. Not tonight, though. Tonight, he sounded strained and angry.

    Delia! Delia, come here!

    She hesitated for only a moment, then her feet moved toward the bedroom door.

    What’s wrong with him?

    Her hands shook, but she reached for the door handle anyway. As she pulled the door open, her father burst into the room.

    His haggard face frightened her, his eyes wide against his leathery skin. He wore filthy jeans and a white t-shirt stained with dark red splotches.

    Is that blood?

    Delia’s breath hitched in fear.

    Go sit on the bed! Anger and something else tinged her father’s normally kind voice.

    Delia obeyed, though she moved slowly, unsure of every step. Where did that gunshot come from, Daddy?

    You sit there quietly. Her father fumbled with the shotgun. He pulled a shell from one bulging pocket and attempted to load it into the weapon.

    Where’s Momma?

    Sit quiet, ya hear me? His clipped words came out loud as he concentrated on the gun.

    Something cold and dark settled in the pit of Delia’s stomach. She trembled as she repeated, Where’s Mother?

    The shell her father was fumbling with finally slid into place with a loud click, and he sighed with relief.

    She’s with our heavenly Father now, Delia. He smiled sadly and cocked the shotgun. But don’t worry, we’re going to see her soon. Then he advanced on her.

    She felt lightheaded with panic but, strangely, her senses sharpened.

    The father she adored took a step toward her and raised the shotgun with trembling arms. The smell of gunpowder mixed with the dirty tang of steel in the air.

    Making a split-second decision, she leapt off the bed and dove directly for him, but she wasn’t trying to reach for his gun—she wanted to escape. With a spectacular, waterless swan dive, she threw herself into the empty space between his legs, trying desperately to get to the blocked doorway.

    She made it halfway through before he slammed them shut against her. His legs clamped down against her hips. Delia, you mind me now! This is for your own good!

    She ignored him, using all her strength to pull her slender body out from under his grip. Though he tried to pin her in, she wriggled free and shot down the hallway to the stairs.

    Delia! he screamed madly behind her. He came after her with an uneven lope, but because he was so much bigger, for every two steps she took, he only had to take one.

    She made it down the steps without stumbling and somehow made it to the front door. As she reached for the handle, another shot filled the air. She dropped to the ground just as a shot blasted the top of the wooden door into splinters. She pinned herself to the floor for a moment, long enough to see the body of her mother lying motionless on the living room floor.

    Momma, she whimpered.

    Fear and heartache clawed their way into her chest and her breaths came fast and hard. Her father had lost his mind. He intended to murder her, and his steps followed closely on the staircase.

    Loading the gun had taken him a while last time, and he now plodded down the staircase as if lost.

    She had a chance—a slim one—but if she ran, she just might make it to safety.

    Delia jumped up and grabbed the door handle. With one last look at her mother’s body, she swung open the door and bolted out into the night.

    She ran through the backyard toward the field. A glance over her shoulder revealed her father exiting the house. She had to make it to the field before he caught up to her. She could hide in the tall wheat. The great moving sea of pale yellow loomed in the darkness ahead. She kept running, not pausing for a moment when the long stalks of wheat brushed against her arms and face.

    Her farm girl’s feet were tough and calloused, so the rough clay underfoot didn’t hurt. She stopped once, thinking she would hide, but her father came crashing through the wheat in her direction, so she ran as fast as she could—the way she did at school when she was trying to win a race, which she always did. Tag had always been her favorite game, but now she played for her life. She didn’t know if she could outrun her father, whose breathing was getting louder behind her, but she had to try.

    Her life depended on it.

    She ran to the only place she knew, to her only hope. Her aunt and uncle lived on the other side of the field, in a small house with a large yellow barn. Uncle Don lived on the short side of the 200-acre wheat field. Even in the dead of night, his barn loomed ahead in her mind, a safe haven of bright yellow, a beacon of hope—as long as she didn’t tire out before making it through the mile of dark field in front of her.

    Delia! her father called in a panting voice, already tiring.

    So was she. Delia’s lungs burned with effort, but after being in the field for five minutes, she finally spotted the big sodium light on the top gambrel of Uncle Don’s barn.

    Delia, stop right now!

    She wanted to stop. Her lungs were on fire now and her feet felt sticky. She didn’t know if the stickiness was from the soft earth or if they were bleeding. The broken stalks of wheat that lay on the ground were razor sharp, and must have been cutting her feet, but her mind focused only on getting to her uncle’s house before getting shot.

    What if he kills Uncle Don, too?

    She couldn’t worry about her uncle right now; she just had to get there before her father killed her. A moment later, another shotgun blast rang out, and hot buckshot grazed her arm. Blood immediately flowed from the wound, and she almost stumbled in horror and shock.

    He shot me! My own daddy shot me! He shot me!

    She pushed on. A wave of nausea churned in her stomach and she vomited in her mouth. With no choice but to continue, she spat out what she could and swallowed the rest, batting away the tears streaming down her cheeks. She had almost made it through the mile of dense wheat field. The light on the barn grew brighter.

    Behind her, Daddy cocked the shotgun again.

    Then, in mid-stride, Delia burst out of the wheat field and broke into a dead run with all of the strength she had left.

    Her father fell out of the field a moment later. Stop running right now, Delia! You’re going to see your mother! We’ll all be together!

    Delia was only a dozen yards from the back porch of the house when she hit the knee-high manure-spreading cart. In the black of night, the dark red hunk of metal had been invisible. She ran straight into it, cartwheeled over the top, and landed on her shoulder. Her vision blurred momentarily, and she gasped to suck in a breath, only to start screaming as her father reached her.

    You, he huffed, need, another deep breath, to mind your father.

    Delia couldn’t hold back the tears. They poured from her eyes as she sobbed uncontrollably. Why, Daddy? Why do you want to kill me?

    Not kill you, darling, he said in a soft tone. I’m saving you. He raised the shotgun and pointed it at her face. Close your eyes, honey. We’ll be with your mother soon.

    John! A booming voice rang out over the yard.

    Delia looked past her father and saw Uncle Don, carrying a long rifle, hurrying toward them. At almost sixty years old, Don was much older than his brother. A massive man, he stood six-foot-five and easily weighed three hundred pounds. Everyone liked and respected Uncle Don.

    Go back inside, Donald. This is no business of yours! This is my family business.

    John! Goddammit, brother, don’t make me put a bullet in you. You get away from that little girl right now.

    You don’t understand, Don.

    I do. We’ve all had hard times. We’ve all hit rock bottom at some time or another. All we can do is keep on trucking, keep fighting the good fight.

    Missy is dead.

    Jesus, Don whispered. Let your daughter go, John. We can take care of her.

    No one’s taking care of her but me. I told you, Don, this is family business.

    Delia’s dad turned back to her and cocked the shotgun’s hammer.

    A bullet blew out the front of his chest, showering Delia with a heavy spray of blood as

    her daddy fell to the ground.

    Uncle Don walked over and stood above him. "She is my family."

    Chapter 2

    One wouldn’t appreciate a funeral on a nice day, but the dark gray skies and drizzle of rain that fell on the small group made the occasion especially dismal. John and Missy Jensen—not well-known but not reclusive, either—had gone to church every Sunday and always exchanged friendly handshakes with their fellow parishioners. Only twenty or so mourners showed up at the internment. Delia stood a few feet in front of her aunt. She stared ahead at the twin coffins sitting next to two holes in the ground.

    Behind her, Aunt Deb spoke to a friend of the family—not loudly, but Delia heard every word nonetheless. Not that any of the gossip surprised her. Her aunt and uncle had been as forthcoming as they could be.

    So, you decided to keep the girl then?

    We did. Donald just couldn’t put her out after all she’s been through.

    Where will she sleep?

    We bunked her in with Lilly. They get along all right, considering.

    Has she said much about what happened that night?

    She hasn’t spoken at all.

    About her father or not at all?

    She hasn’t spoken at all, Judy, not a single word. She doesn’t cry. She doesn’t complain. She doesn’t speak at all. It’s like the whole thing has made her go mute.

    My goodness.

    Indeed. The child went through something horrible and I’m not sure that she’s going to be okay.

    You think the crazy might run in her blood?

    I hope not. We’ll watch her carefully. The bank was taking the farm from John. He’d been struggling for years and, apparently, the loan man finally had enough. Said they were going to take the land, the farm, the house, the animals, everything. He wouldn’t even be able to keep his truck when they were done with him.

    It’s really no wonder he went off his rocker, I suppose.

    Aunt Deb shook her head. It’s a very sad business. Those bankers don’t care who they’re hurting.

    Why didn’t he come to you for help? Surely, Donald could have helped in some way. That’s not to say it was your responsibility, of course.

    Just before Don shot him, John told him no one was going to be taking care of his family but him. We’re supposin’ he thought that if he couldn’t take care of his family, they were better off dead.

    My Lord, he truly was crazy, wasn’t he?

    Uh-huh.

    The First Presbyterian Church sat quietly in the distance. From the small house next to it, the pastor emerged and walked toward the cemetery where they waited.

    Women, a deep voice growled under his breath. Quiet yourselves, now. Be respectful of the dead in this place.

    I’m sorry, Don.

    Don’t go spreading this business around further. The girl is going to have a rough enough go of it.

    Uncle Donald had saved her. He worked hard and made a good living as a veterinarian and farrier. They’d paid off the mortgage on their house years ago.

    The pastor made it over to the fresh gravesite and greeted them all. He took the time to softly shake Delia’s hand and offered her a well-practiced condoling smile. Then he spoke about life and death. He talked a little about God’s fury, then about redemption. He spoke about forgiveness for a long time. He reminded them that God alone should be the judge of any man.

    Remember, my good people, that we have lost two of our flock today, but that there is still one of that family remaining, one that will need all of the kindness and support we can offer.

    Self-conscious, Delia flushed as all the eyes of the congregation turned to her.

    Remember that a child especially needs warmth in times of cold, and mercy in times of heartache. The pastor gave Delia another small smile.

    A prick of emotion welled up in her chest. She tried to choke it down, but it kept coming up, threatening to overflow from her eyes. She pressed her hands against the side of her face and tried to concentrate on anything else but this.

    As the priest continued to speak, two men lowered her mother’s casket into the cold black hole.

    Delia hiccupped silent little sobs. She tried to muffle the sound because she didn’t want them to think her weak. She wanted them to see her as strong. Nevertheless, the tears came and she could do nothing to restrain them. Hurt and abandoned by the parents she loved, Delia’s heart overflowed with grief. Her breathing became ragged and she took great heaving gasps. Even then, she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs.

    An arm settled around her, and the rich smell of leather soothed her. She looked up and Uncle Don peered down at her, with his meaty arm holding her next to him. Even for a tall girl she barely came up past his large stomach

    He turned Delia in to face him, and held her close to his body.

    Delia buried her face against him.

    He spoke softly. There, no one can see your tears now.

    The tears poured. After a few moments, a large circle of Delia’s tears grew on Don’s plaid button-down shirt.

    Embarrassed, Delia couldn’t stop the flow, her chest heaving and hitching with effort.

    As the grave men pulled up the ropes from her mother’s lowered casket, he held her. Soon, her father would make his way down into the ground as well.

    Delia eventually regained control of her breathing, and the tears stopped coming. She wiped the back of her hand over her face and turned away from Don.

    Her father’s casket began its descent.

    She felt great anger towards him, but more than that—confusion. Why would everything have been so bad without the farm, anyway? Her mother had always said, Home is where the heart is. They could have gone anywhere as long as they were together. But her father had to go and ruin it.

    Images from that night overwhelmed her: her mother on the living room floor; her gray, lifeless face; and the puddle of blood surrounding her.

    The emotions rose again. More tears formed.

    Then a warm hand took hers. The new hand was soft and little.

    Uncle Don still stood on one side of her with

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