Liar, p.1
Liar!, page 1
Books by Fern Michaels
On the Line
Fear Thy Neighbor
Santa Cruise
No Way Out
The Brightest Star
Fearless
Spirit of the Season
Deep Harbor
Fate & Fortune
Sweet Vengeance
Holly and Ivy
Fancy Dancer
No Safe Secret
Wishes for Christmas
About Face
Perfect Match
A Family Affair
Forget Me Not
The Blossom Sisters
Balancing Act
Tuesday’s Child
Betrayal
Southern Comfort
To Taste the Wine
Sins of the Flesh
Sins of Omission
Return to Sender
Mr. and Miss Anonymous
Up Close and Personal
Fool Me Once
Picture Perfect
The Future Scrolls
Kentucky Sunrise
Kentucky Heat
Kentucky Rich
Plain Jane
Charming Lily
What You Wish For
The Guest List
Listen to Your Heart
Celebration
Yesterday
Finders Keepers
Annie’s Rainbow
Sara’s Song
Vegas Sunrise
Vegas Heat
Vegas Rich
Whitefire
Wish List
Dear Emily
Christmas at Timberwoods
The Lost and Found Novels:
Secrets
Hidden
The Sisterhood Novels:
19 Yellow Moon Road
Bitter Pill
Truth and Justice
Cut and Run
Safe and Sound
Need to Know
Crash and Burn
Point Blank
In Plain Sight
Eyes Only
Kiss and Tell
Blindsided
Gotcha!
Home Free
Déjà Vu
Cross Roads
Game Over
Deadly Deals
Vanishing Act
Razor Sharp
Under the Radar
Final Justice
Collateral Damage
Fast Track
Hokus Pokus
Hide and Seek
Free Fall
Lethal Justice
Sweet Revenge
The Jury
Vendetta
Payback
Weekend Warriors
The Men of the Sisterhood
Novels:
Hot Shot
Truth or Dare
High Stakes
Fast and Loose
Double Down
The Godmothers Series:
Far and Away
Classified
Breaking News
Deadline
Late Edition
Exclusive
The Scoop
E-Book Exclusives:
Desperate Measures
Seasons of Her Life
To Have and To Hold
Serendipity
Captive Innocence
Captive Embraces
Captive Passions
Captive Secrets
Captive Splendors
Cinders to Satin
For All Their Lives
Texas Heat
Texas Rich
Texas Fury
Texas Sunrise
Anthologies:
Home Sweet Home
A Snowy Little Christmas
Coming Home for
Christmas
A Season to Celebrate
Mistletoe Magic
Winter Wishes
The Most Wonderful Time
When the Snow Falls
Secret Santa
A Winter Wonderland
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Making Spirits Bright
Holiday Magic
Snow Angels
Silver Bells
Comfort and Joy
Sugar and Spice
Let it Snow
A Gift of Joy
Five Golden Rings
Deck the Halls
Jingle All the Way
FERN MICHAELS
LIAR!
www.kensingtonbooks.com
Table of Contents
Also by
Title Page
Copyright Page
PART ONE
Chapter One - How It Started
Chapter Two - The Family Nightmare
Chapter Three - The Rescue and Beyond
PART TWO
Chapter Four - A Piece of Furniture
Chapter Five - The Invitation
Chapter Six - Big Plans
PART THREE
Chapter Seven - Putting It All Together
Chapter Eight - The Big Day
Chapter Nine - Alone At Last
Chapter Ten - Fact-Checking
Chapter Eleven - The Reckoning
Epilogue
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2023 by Fern Michaels.
Fern Michaels is a registered trademark of KAP 5, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
The K with book logo Reg US Pat. & TM Off.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023930888
ISBN: 978-1-4201-5560-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-4129-5
First Kensington Hardcover Edition: June 2023
PART ONE
Chapter One
How It Started
1983
Chad Pierce Sr. hit the lottery the day he met Camille. Figuratively speaking, that is. He had been on the sailing team in college, and once a year he and his pals would meet up somewhere for their annual bacchanalian reunion. That particular year it was Newport, Rhode Island, during the America’s Cup match. Even into his late twenties, Chad still enjoyed carousing and drinking until the wee hours of the morning. That is, until he spotted the lithe, stunning woman leaning on the railing of the yacht club veranda. Her gaze was on the sunrise as wisps of her bangs gently caressed her face. Her white silk scarf floated with the breeze. Chad was gobsmacked. She reminded him of Michelle Pfeiffer in that stupid, sophomoric movie The Hollywood Knights. It wasn’t because of the character she had played. It was because she shared that same striking, understated beauty.
Chad slowly moved off the lounge chair that had served as his bed. He was lucky no one had spotted him sleeping, rather recovering, from a night he could barely remember. He looked down at his rumpled clothes, sniffed at his armpits and jerked his head away in disgust. But that woman. He had to meet her. He looked around for a porter or someone who might know the lady’s identity and who might be discreet enough not to run him off the property. He spotted a steward setting up tables for brunch. He riffled through his wrinkled Bermuda shorts, hoping he still had some cash in his pocket. Fortune smiled on him, and he pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. He waited until the steward was within loud whispering range and he could see the man’s name tag.
“Psst. Selwyn.”
The man was startled but quickly noticed Chad pressing his finger to his lips, indicating he should say nothing. Chad motioned for the steward to come closer. Once out of the woman’s line of sight and earshot, Chad pulled Selwyn to the side. “Sorry, old man, but could you tell me who that lovely young lady is?” Chad made sure to reveal Andrew Jackson’s face on the proffered bill. He then apologized for his appearance. “A night out with the boys. You understand.”
Selwyn had seen his share of misbehaved, spoiled and often drunk young men. Newport was rife with them. Especially in the summer, during yachting season. Selwyn also knew to remain invisible, never directly interacting with the clientele unless they needed something. Rarely did any of them offer him money for information. He hesitated, but remembered that the young man had been hanging about the night before with several other men dressed in similar regalia. He gently pulled the bill from Chad’s fingers.
“That would be Camille Atherton Tindale. A very nice young lady.” Over the years, Selwyn’s Caribbean accent had softened but the singsong cadence remained refreshing and comforting. When addressed, he always made things sound easy, with a nod and an “absolutely” or “no problem” followed by “right away.” He continued. “She often comes here early in the morning. She likes to feed the ducks.” He grinned at the disheveled young man, eyeing Chad up and down. “If you want to have the pleasure of her company, I might suggest a shower, a shave and a fresh set of clothes.”
“Right.” Chad was appreciative of the man’s kindly straightforwardness. “Can you tell me where she lives?” Chad had immediat ely recognized the Tindale name. A very wealthy family.
“Oh, no. That would not be correct, but what I can do is tell you that she and some of her friends are planning a little party this evenin’. Some kind of celebration. Six o’clock, if I am correct in my recollection.” He pointed to his head.
Chad grabbed the man by both shoulders. He wanted to give him a big kiss. “Thanks, old chap!” Chad patted him on the shoulder and skedaddled to go clean up his act and figure out a way to meet the very beautiful, very rich Camille. It would take a bit of finesse, but that was one thing Chad was extremely good at. Charm, poise and skill. When he smiled, his green eyes sparkled and the dimple in his left cheek made him even more appealing. He could make you believe you were the only person in the room and you had his full, undivided attention. Yes, his demeanor could charm the pants off anyone . . . and it had. Many times. But this time . . . this time it was different. There was something special about that woman, her wealth notwithstanding.
* * *
Chad had grown up in an upper-middle class family on Long Island. They were well-to-do enough to enjoy a summer house in the Hamptons, which was where he had learned to sail. He attended a state college, graduated and began working at a local bank. But his family’s finances were nowhere near Camille’s. Not even close. Because he had grown up privileged enough, it was easy for him to navigate his way around the elite, and he made it a point to surround himself with rich friends. While he couldn’t afford a $975 pair of Brunello Cucinelli boat shoes, he could pull off the $295 two-tone Sebagos. The salmon shorts and Polo shirts were easier to match as long as he was wearing his Burberry belt. A signet ring and Seiko sports watch finished off the package. Luckily, he had packed enough for the long weekend and had another set of clothes waiting for him at his friend’s house, where they were staying. Next, he had to convince his buddies to stop at the Conanicut Yacht Club for cocktails. It didn’t take much to talk his friends into another night of debauchery. He simply wouldn’t mention his real intentions for fear they might derail his plan.
That evening Chad and his three friends arrived at the yacht club at around five thirty. They gathered around the large patio bar, Chad positioning himself so he could keep an eye on the arriving patrons. His heart sank when he saw Camille enter with another man. This was going to be more difficult than he’d imagined. But then Camille gave the man a peck on the cheek and he proceeded to another table, where a lovely young woman greeted him with a more substantial kiss. Chad thought he was going to break out in a sweat.
“What’s up, mate?” Chad’s friend Steve elbowed him.
“Uh, nothing. I thought I recognized someone.”
Steve chuckled. “Yeah, last night was a doozy. Took me all day to sober up.”
Chad gave a snicker. “You got that right.”
“Speaking of last night, where did you end up?” Steve asked, recalling not seeing his pal guzzling copious amounts of coffee that morning with the others.
Chad indicated one of the lounge chairs on the side of the veranda.
Steve howled. “Man, you are too much. What happened to that babe you were hitting on?”
Chad stared into his glass of Scotch and chuckled. “I have no idea.” He looked up to see Camille greeting three female friends. From what Chad could gather from all the hugging, it appeared they hadn’t seen one another for a while. He tried not to stare at the group of women. They all seemed to be around the same age except for one, who may have been slightly older, but not by much. He noticed Selwyn carrying a champagne bucket over to their table. Clearly it was some kind of celebration. Selwyn looked in Chad’s direction and gave him a very subtle nod. When the cork popped, the women gave a dainty cheer and applauded as Selwyn poured each of them a glass.
Chad was careful not to stare, but it wasn’t easy. Camille was wearing a silk Georgian floral dress, her hair pulled back with a matching ribbon. Chad was keenly aware that his timing had to be impeccable. But he also didn’t want to lose his nerve. It was now or never. He extricated himself from his buddies, snapped a gardenia from one of the planters and casually walked toward the table where the women were sitting.
“I beg your pardon, ladies.” That smile of his stopped them in their tracks. He gave a slight bow with one hand behind his back. “My name is Chad Pierce. I realize this is quite unconventional, but I couldn’t help noticing how stunning you are.” His eyes locked with Camille’s. He pulled his arm around and presented the flower to her. “Please excuse my impertinence, but if you could do me the honor of joining me for dinner one evening, you would make me the happiest man on the planet.” He quickly cleared his throat. “That is, if you are so inclined and not attached to anyone else, although I would find that extremely hard to believe.”
Camille smiled up at him and extended her hand. “Camille Tindale. I am pleased to meet you. And yes, this is a bit unconventional.” The other women were chuckling. “But how do I know you aren’t a serial killer?” Camille’s friend Elle snorted, trying to keep the champagne from flying out of her nose.
Chad was deadpan. “I can give you a copy of my dossier, or would you prefer a chaperone?”
“I think we should invite Mr. Pierce to join us.” Elle looked at the other women. “That way we can all assess the situation.” She, too, was deadpan.
“Oh, I wouldn’t think of barging in on your dinner,” Chad said politely.
“Ah, but you already have,” Camille said slyly. She looked at her companions. They shrugged in agreement.
Chad flashed that smile again. “I am with a few of my sailing mates.” He nodded over to where his buddies stood with their mouths agape.
Elle was the next one to speak. “Then I think we should make this a party. What do you say, girls?”
“Sure!” Maureen raised her glass.
“Sounds like fun!” Liza chimed in.
“Why not?” Camille replied.
“Really, ladies. I sincerely do not want to impose on your dinner.”
Elle was the first to answer. “Not at all.”
Chad looked around. “I’ll talk to Selwyn and have him move us to another table. Excuse me for a moment. I’ll rally the troops.”
He motioned to Selwyn and explained the party was expanding, and could he please find a space that would accommodate them? Eight in all. Chad was also astute enough to slip him another twenty.
“No problem, sir. Will do it in a jiffy.”
Chad then went over to his buddies, who were still in a state of shock. “Gentlemen, we have been invited to join those lovely ladies for dinner.”
“Wait. What?” Drew asked.
“You heard me.” Chad then lowered his voice. “These are very influential women, and they seem to be in the mood for fun.”
“Only you, Chadster.” Larry used his nickname for his friend. “Well, I’m in the mood for some fun, too.”
“I’ll pick up the check and we can divvy it up later,” Chad added.
“Oh. Trying to impress the lovely blonde?” Larry asked.
“Indeed.” Chad winked, paid the bar tab, and they moved to the table Selwyn had arranged. Introductions went around the table, along with more champagne and laughs.
The evening went swimmingly. Elle explained how the women had met in Europe while Camille was on an art tour. Elle had led the tour group. Before they left Paris, the women promised to get together over the summer. That made for interesting conversation as the men were also having a reunion of sorts.
The talk continued long after dessert was served, one of the subjects being who might win the big race. Of course, everyone was rooting for the defender, the Liberty from the New York Yacht Club, but the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s Australia II was making a good show of it. They had tied the race at three wins each.
Chad slipped his credit card to Selwyn, hoping he wouldn’t be over his limit. Something like that could ruin everything, so he excused himself and followed the steward into the main hall. “If there is a problem, I don’t want anyone to know,” Chad said sheepishly.
