Title: Fatal Witness
Author: Michelle Godard-Richer
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Book Blurb:
Jessica opens her bedroom window in the middle of the night to catch a breeze, but instead, she witnesses something that will change the course of her life forever—her neighbor, David, loading his wife’s body onto the back of his truck. She soon learns David knows what she saw and will stop at nothing to eliminate the only witness to his crime.
With her young son Bryce in tow, Jessica flees across the border to Montana. She discovers her first love, Jon Kent, is back in town after an early retirement from the FBI. But he isn’t the only one in town. David surfaces to unleash hell on Jessica and everyone she loves.
Excerpt:
Jessica rolled over and squinted at the red numbers on the alarm clock. She groaned. Two thirteen in the morning. Sleep evaded her night after night with the bed too empty beside her. In four short hours, she’d need to get ready for work and get her eight-year-old, Bryce, ready for school. Her nightgown clung to her damp skin and bunched underneath her side.
She climbed out of bed, then twisted the blinds open. Blinking as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the streetlights, she lifted the window. She leaned on the sill and inhaled the fresh, cool breeze blowing in from the Rocky Mountains to her home in Cochrane, Alberta.
Something scraped on the asphalt off to the right like chalk on a chalkboard. She gritted her teeth. The neighbor’s truck sat empty in the driveway beneath her window, yet the sound persisted. After a few seconds, it stopped, replaced by footsteps.
The lamppost shone on her neighbor, David as he came around the corner of his house. He wore a dark, long sleeve shirt, dark jeans, a black toque and gloves. He lowered the tailgate of his truck and folded the tonneau cover back, then walked into the middle of the street with his back to her.
Fine hairs stood on Jessica’s arms. David’s presence always set her on alert, and this behavior only served to reinforce her belief—something wasn’t right with that man. Jessica never understood what his wife, Sarah, saw in him. With her sweet personality and innocent looks, she could do so much better.
Jessica’s instincts screamed: turn away, go back to bed, and forget this odd behavior. But curiosity froze her in place, eyes locked on the scene in front of her.
David pivoted and turned.
Jessica crouched beneath the window frame, not daring to move. The streetlight might illuminate her shadow and give her away. The last thing she needed to do was draw attention to her nosiness.
After a few long minutes of torture, his footsteps echoed on the pavement, coming closer and closer, then stopped in front of her house.
Air burst in and out of her lungs and stars clouded her vision. She forced her lungs to take in more air, expanding all the way, before exhaling.
His steps moved farther and farther away, then the scraping sound resumed.
Jessica stood and peered outside.
David came around the corner of his house with his back to her, hunched over, dragging something large rolled in a white plastic tarp tied with a rope around the middle. He dropped his load then swiped at his forehead with his shirt sleeve. His thick arm muscles strained as he picked up whatever was rolled inside the tarp and dragged it along the driveway to his truck.
He hoisted the bundle over his right shoulder and grunted while using his momentum to flip it onto his truck. The truck bed bounced. A limp, bloody arm came loose from the tarp. The streetlight reflected off its white skin, illuminating a large butterfly tattoo on the inside of the forearm.
Jessica covered her mouth to stifle a scream. She’d recognize that tattoo anywhere. His wife lay wrapped in that tarp. Bile rose in the back of her throat. She swallowed it down. Her friend Sarah needed her help.
She grabbed a pen off the night table and scribbled the license plate number on her arm, then picked up her cell phone and dialed 911. The line remained quiet as the call went through.
David raised his tailgate, picked up a purse and a black duffle bag from the ground, and tossed them on top of Sarah without a second glance. He unfolded his truck bed cover and secured it, hiding her from view.
Jessica’s called connected. The line rang once, then twice. Hurry! Hurry! Please, answer!
She could do nothing to stop David as he rushed around to the driver’s side and opened the door. If only someone would come on the line. Before climbing in, he turned back towards Jessica’s house. She crouched under the window.
Her heart thudded hard against her ribcage, threatening to jump out of her chest. He’d almost caught her watching twice. She needed to be more careful. The truck door slammed shut, and the engine sparked to life. She kneeled and peeked over the edge of the window, clutching the phone to her ear.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Fatal Witness has an overall 4.8 review average on Amazon and received a 5+ review from popular book site N.N. Light’s Book Heaven
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $45 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs December 18 – December 31, 2023.
Winner will be drawn on January 2, 2024.
Author Biography:
Michelle Godard-Richer is an award-winning thriller and horror author with an Honours Degree in Criminology from the University of Ottawa. She was named Best Canada Author of the Year by N.N. Light’s Book Heaven and earned a Crowned Heart from Ind’Tale Magazine.
Her fascination with crime and human behavior, combined with a lifelong passion for the written word, led her to realize a childhood dream of becoming an author. She enjoys crafting strong protagonists and diabolical villains with realistic and believable characteristics while making their lives as complicated and dangerous as possible.
When she isn’t writing, you’ll find her in the garden or with her nose in a book. She lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta with her husband, two children, four dogs, and a cat.
Social Media Links: