Copyright © 2001 by Brenda Gunn and Shannon Richardson
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, including electronic, mechanical, or any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to:
New Horizon Press
P.O. Box 669
Far Hills, NJ 07931
Gunn, Brenda and Richardson, Shannon
Deadly Deception: A True Story of Duplicity, Greed, Dangerous Passions and One Woman’s Courage
Library of Congress Control Number: 00-132568
ISBN-13 (eBook): 978-0-88282-522-9
New Horizon Press
2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 / 5 4 3 2 1
If you do good, good will be done to you;
But if you do evil, the same will be
Measured back to you again.
– Fables of Bidpai
Dedicated to every woman
who has had to fight for her life
and the sacrifices it cost her.
– Brenda Gunn
To my loving family,
Gene, Danielle, Justice and Ashton,
who have sacrificed so much
to support me during my writing career.
– Shannon Richardson
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1 The Perfect Man
Chapter 2 “Till Death Do Us Part”
Chapter 3 A Capsule of Peace
Chapter 4 A Nest Egg
Chapter 5 Monday Morning
Chapter 6 The Carnival
Chapter 7 A House in the Country
Chapter 8 A Fiery Plan
Chapter 9 Of Suspicious Origin
Chapter 10 Insurance
Chapter 11 Bad Business
Chapter 12 The Honeymoon Is Over
Chapter 13 Suspicions
Chapter 14 The Hunt
Chapter 15 Sour Melody
Chapter 16 Spoiled
Chapter 17 Red Light Special
Chapter 18 Lovesick
Chapter 19 Anniversary Waltz
Chapter 20 A Bad Omen
Chapter 21 Confessions
Chapter 22 No Idle Conversation
Chapter 23 A Doubtful Future
Chapter 24 A Call in the Night
Chapter 25 Proof Positive
Chapter 26 In Her Own Hands
Chapter 27 Watch and Wait
Chapter 28 No Protection
Chapter 29 Of Dreams, Delusions & Nightmares
Chapter 30 Fatal Deceit
Epilogue
She was lying on a pristine white sandy beach on the island of St. Martin. It was one of those deliciously hot and sunny Caribbean days, when the aquamarine sky shone like a jewel. Brenda was lying on her back and Glen had brought her an icy Piña Colada to drink.
Suddenly, just as she opened her mouth to take a sip, the gentle wind whipped up, making the beach umbrella beside her sway back and forth spraying sand. Startled, Brenda began to choke.
Her coughing woke her. The Caribbean faded. She opened her eyes but couldn’t see anything through the billowing clouds surrounding her. Her chest began to ache and another severe bout of coughing overtook her. She tried to sit up and catch her breath. That’s when she knew this wasn’t a dream and they weren’t clouds at all, but smoke. The temperature was rising in the room. The smoke grew thicker, leaving a bitter, acrid taste in her mouth.
Wet with perspiration, Brenda felt a trickle of sweat run into the corner of her mouth. It was salty, but her mouth was so parched from the heat that any moisture was welcome. She tried to look around her bedroom, but smoke stung her eyes. She couldn’t see anything. Which direction is the door? Wait! If it’s smoky in here, the fire isn’t from outside the house. I need to find the window so I can get out!
Why did she feel so groggy? What had she drunk last night? It was only one glass of wine. Struggling to her feet, Brenda felt around for the edge of the bed. If she could follow its perimeter, she’d find the window. It was getting tougher to breathe. Her chest hurt, her eyes stung and she was getting weaker by the moment.
Brenda held her hand in front of her face but couldn’t see it through the smoke. This must be what it’s like to be blind. Unable to see, she collided with the wall. She hadn’t realized how dependent she was on her sight. I’ve never been so disoriented, she thought. I have to picture the room in my mind, she told herself. But she couldn’t get her mind to function. It’s as if I’ve been drugged. She tried to pull herself together and felt along the wall, hoping to find some landmarks, but if there were any, she missed them.
She decided the best thing to do was continue following the wall. When she got to the door frame, she realized she’d gone in the wrong direction. The door itself felt like a hot iron. Wafts of black smoke pungent with the smell of charcoal filtered under it, and she could hear timbers crackling and popping on the other side. I
