Deadly Deception by Cade Brogan
Hear the first chapter of the audiobook for Deadly Deception by Cade Brogan @ka_cade_writes narrated by Emily Beresford on this episode of Book Clips, the mini podcast where authors and narrators give you a taste of a book with a short snippet.
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Synopsis
Three die in a psychiatric hospital.
A triple homicide.
A contagion, deadly and mysterious, is the killer’s weapon of choice.
A dart flies.
A woman dies in the shower, her neck punctured.
A homicide, hours from Chicago.
Poison, deadly and concocted, is the killer’s weapon of choice.
As her city teeters on the verge of panic, Detective Rylee Hayes is forced to divide her attention between two killers – one whose actions could result in a global pandemic and the other, an old nemesis, whose next target is her fiancée.
And the clock ticks down….
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Transcript for Today’s Show
Please note this transcript has not been edited and is automatically generated meaning certain words will be incorrect.
you are listening to book clips a mini podcast in which authors and erasers do readings from novels check out the show notes for the synopsis and by links for this book deadly deception Riley haze thriller book 2 written by Kade Brogan narrated by Emily Beresford prologue five years ago Addison labored into her cumbersome suit equipped with tubing and a respirator she wore the work attire of a virus hunter she was in West Africa exploring remote caves searching for the next great deadly pathogen hoping to discover the next great miracle cure be ready in a minute take your time her business partner responded Gordon was a handsome man in his late 40s tall dark and strong a man from whom she’d hoped for more than a business partnership two dates and one decade later she’d resolved to settle for co-ownership of a struggling biotech company new day pharmaceuticals traveling the world working by his side to outsmart pathogens at this place in her life it was good enough did you check your batteries I forgot but I will now Edison responded checking the dial two-thirds charged maybe we should go back so you can top it off we won’t be down that long Edison countered turning to have him check her seals knowing that they made the difference between health and exposure Gordon stepped onto the second rung of the dangling wooden ladder his head shaking slowly Addison smiled allowing her gaze to linger for a moment what can I say I’m a risk-taker yeah and it’s gonna get you in trouble someday Gordon responded the last sliver of daylight vanishing with his next step downward not if I can help it she responded sweeping her net through the dark to catch their first specimen a long-fingered Vesper chapter one cold-hearted bitch killed him Riley said looking up she killed her parents I tell ya she got him to cash in their savings turn over the proceeds from the sale of their home and she killed him her eyes narrowed rubbing the back of her neck why am I the only one who can see it it’s as clear as day I tell ya see what the newly hired detective asked removing her sunglasses and joining the conversation she was a clean-cut biracial woman 28 years old wearing pleated trousers and a blue oxford she had her hair trimmed neatly into a boy cut that your new partners stuck in a loop same loop she’s been in for months rich said collecting Joanna Grey’s file from Riley’s hand Hayes has it in her head that this doer is still alive alive and racking up victims even when a mountain of evidence says differently here see what you think I read about this case Clare said opening the file jacket showed up on the front page of our local paper I’m not surprised Riley said it made national attention stayed there for weeks that and the doer Joanna gray came from around your area funny how things work out Clare said when I read that article I never dreamed I’d be moving here found her car at the bottom of the Illinois River if I remember right with a big old blood-stained piece of the Dewar’s shirt snagged on the driver’s window rich said Blass probably shattered when the car hit bottom or maybe grace smashed it trying to get out blood doesn’t mean she’s dead Riley countered for all we know the bitch left it for us left it so we’d think the crash killed her see what I mean rich sad stuck in a loop probably would be too if the doer tried to kill my wife in me and I thought she might try again he extended his hand don’t think we’ve been formally introduced he said rich winters on the clock for two more hours pleasure Clare responded shaking it firmly you were off the day I interviewed burn in some benefit time rich said unbothered by the fact she’d interviewed for his position glad you stopped by before I got out of here I’m sure Hayes and I will be talking about you from time-to-time and glad i’ll have a face to put with your name you have big plans Claire asked for retirements I mean camping rich answered hardly been for ages and plan to make up for it he slit his palm over his head might just go from one campground to another never return to pavement and skyscrapers that’s what he says now Riley interjected but he’ll tire of it just wait and see don’t think so rich set turning her way you love shy town in this job way more than I do you’ll be back Riley said you’ll be back begging for reinstatement before this season comes to an end he’ll be back you’ll see you’ll be back because being a cop’s in your blood just like me guess we’ll see won’t we rich said dropping into his seat well I should be going Claire said returning the file to Riley see you in the morning with next to no experience as a homicide detective and all of what she did have from working in a highfalutin Boston suburb she’d be lucky if she could do the job yeah Riley said in the morning friendly enough rich commented watching the muscular woman banter her way through and out of the bullpen and folks seemed to like her I suppose Riley said but being likable doesn’t mean she’s right for the job no rich said but it doesn’t mean she’s not the room smelled of coffee yeast and cigarettes that next morning as it did on any other morning I brought bagels Claire announced taking a second to take in her new partner as she stepped into their pod and strawberry cream cheese low-fat she added taking a sip of latte that’s nice Riley said looking up for a fraction of an instant but we usually pick up day-old from the donut shop she was a masculine woman lean and fit with olive colored skin her deep brown hair was feathered above her eyebrows so I gathered Claire responded having noticed the open box complete with dried out samples I just thought I’d do something a little different she tilted her head you know doing my part to break the cop stereotype Reilly nodded yeah well I guess if the guys don’t like them you can take him home with you tonight yeah I guess I can Clare answered stepping around to look over her shoulder the bullpen was set up so that partners faced one another so what are you working on what I always work on first thing Reilly answered the grey case one of these days I’m gonna catch the bitch her breath blew across the pages of her file she’s gonna slip up and when she does I’m gonna be there to slap on cuffs fresh pair of eyes Clare offered holding her hand out palm up yeah sure Reilly responded handing her the file need a fill-up she asked tipping her mug for the last drop no I’m good Clare answered too much caffeine makes me jumpy helps me focus Reilly responded stepping off when she returned she emptied three packets of sugar into steaming black coffee Clare cocked her head spot Pepa’s yeah Reilly responded smiling as she looked at the graphic on her mug my stepdaughter well my almost stepdaughter her school sells him as a fundraiser she’s in the marching band a drummer high school no middle Riley said reaching into her back pocket and opening her wallet this is Abby she pointed to the image of a clean-cut biracial adolescent sporting a boycott she marched in the Macy’s parade this year her brown eyes took on a sparkle did a pretty good job if I might say so myself I’ll bet she did Clare responded studying the adjacent photograph and this one is that you and your fiance yeah that’s us Riley said smiling taken last summer at our engagement party she’s a pretty woman Clare commented good-looking family thanks Riley responded how about you you have anyone no Claire said pausing for a long drink of latte just me and my little dog she released a breath when the phone rang sending them out on what could be a triple homicide chapter two so what do you think Riley asked dropping in on the passenger side think about gray I mean you think she is dead or alive alive Clair responded zipping through a parking lot and across four lanes of traffic with lights but no siren Riley lifted an eyebrow checking her seatbelt as they jockey between two cars she’s too conniving to be dead Clair went on glancing over and back to the road good grief we had her dead to rights she shook her head her upper lip curling slightly no a woman like that she doesn’t manage to kill an officer slip away unnoticed and then just happened to die in a car crash on a way out of town no she’s not dead she’s very much alive yep my sentiments exactly Riley responded and I can’t help but think she’s coming back maybe already has you know to try to finish what she started Claire nodded darting between a semi and a garbage truck not caring that the semi driver laid on his horn she’s cocky enough to try that’s for sure cocky bitch will probably get right back under our nose thinking we’re not gonna catch her but we will you just watch before you know it we’re gonna be slapping on the cuffs she smiled looking over and I didn’t just say that to make you like me I like you already no you don’t yes I do Riley responded it’s just that rich and I well we worked together for a long time I know you did Claire responded exiting the expressway going 20 over the speed limit and I respect that I respect it but he’s on his way to Georgia and you and me well we’re partners now and I think it’ll work a whole lot better if you try to like me at least a little Riley cocked her head her chin tucked down I don’t dislike you Robbins maybe not Claire responded but you don’t like me you don’t think I’ve got what it takes to do the job but I do she stopped when the light turned red changing the subject so the hospital we’re going to wasn’t it the one that was built in the mid-1800s her eyes narrowed the one that used to be the county and seen asylum what are you a trivia champ or something no Claire said shrugging her shoulders I just read that’s all when the light turned green she moved forward and the white economy sedan followed her around the corner it turns up ahead right Claire asked turning on her signal yep Riley said on Oak Park she smiled slightly for just moving here you know your way around pretty well studied the map studied it until I knew it backward and forward Riley nodded gilt slicing through the bottom of her stomach like a sharp knife through warm butter as the psychiatric facility came into view it was a familiar pain one that she’d endured since elementary school since her mom’s first hospitalization there she should have visited more often should have kept better track of her through the years she couldn’t help it that she was mentally ill but seeing her seeing the crazy in her eyes it made it too real can’t wait to hear what took them so long to call us yeah you and me both Riley answered must have seen something on the autopsy that’s all I can figure I tried to get him to go into specifics on the phone but he wouldn’t he just kept saying he wanted to talk in person as she prepared herself to work a case involving poison her thoughts swept back to the previous summer to Johanna Grey’s face her eyes bulging from their sockets to the burn of the poison slithering through her veins robbing her lungs of oxygen to Kenzie sobbing as she cradled her in her arms Hayes Hayes you all right yeah I’m fine her eyes widened coming up on the grounds what the hell what the hell is right Clare mumbled don’t think I’ve ever seen that many wearing hazmat syn one location except maybe in an apocalyptic thriller so much bright yelloww made the scene seem like a movie set almost surreal gotta be something contagious but if it is then it’s not a homicide and if it’s not a homicide then why’d they call us guess we’ll know soon enough guess we will ID please yeah right here Riley responded displaying her badge detective Hayes she nodded toward Claire and my partner detective Robbins staging areas over there the suited man said directing them toward a biohazard bubble erected some distance from the main door dr. Walter Matthews Riley continued he’s expecting us it’ll be a while he responded been a busy morning you know how about you go on over and take a seat if you go in you’ll have to suit up and that’s where you’ll do it I’ll call him let him know you’re here Thanks appreciate it not sure I like the idea of going somewhere I have to suit up Claire commented falling one step behind her not thrilled about catching some virus either suits are airtight Riley a short looking over her shoulder got nothing to worry about Yeah right I’ve read articles it only takes a hole the size of a pinprick for you to catch something stay back if you want I’m not staying back Riley smiled okay so you’re just whining yes ma dass I’m just whining the Sun was at its highest point in the sky when the cdc’s man in charge stepped inside the protective enclosure sorry to keep you waiting he greeted not a problem Riley responded good to see you again they’d first come to know one another back when he’d worked at the CDC’s quarantine station and she’d walked a beat on the shores of Lake Michigan what was it ten years now she nodded toward Claire my new partner detective Robbins oh that’s right the small-boned man responded winters retired he had a bald spot on the top of his head wore glasses and had bright blue eyes he exchanged pleasantries with Claire noticed her Boston accent and asked about Rich’s retirement plans he headed off that next morning for Pine Mountain Georgia Riley answered plans to keep moving for a while I know you’ll miss him Riley pursed her lips nodding slowly yeah I will played golf in Pine Mountain once he continued nostalgically Callaway Gardens beautiful course Riley chuckled softly don’t he’ll be playing golf no I’d say not if I had to guess he has a campsite at the FT Roosevelt State Park yep plans to do some geocaching his new hobby good for him he said his eyes taking on a sparkle two more years and I might just do some myself Riley made a face her voice lifting an exaggerated disappointment now you’re retiring I’ll have my thirty years in he responded and the older I get the more I realized that there’s more to life than work especially when there’s next to no recognition of the sacrifices you make for it he had the look of a man who on this day felt the weight of the world on his shoulders Riley pushed dread out of her mind knowing that one day ken’s would want her to turn in her badge leave law enforcement if when that day came what in the world would she do with herself she took a breath fully expanding her lungs so what have we got initially he began it looked like a foodborne bacterium Claire scribbled a note like Salmonella or ecoli similar he answered Clostridium perfringens it’s a pathogen found in raw meat and poultry and since all three had what appeared to be undercooked portions of meatloaf for dinner the initial assumption was that it was the culprit but after the first autopsy Riley said the Emmie realized it wasn’t and that’s when they called us Walt nodded and us so the virus is contagious Claire said her eyes narrowing but you guys think the exposure was intentional it was the only reason she could think of that they’d have notified both the CDC and her division extremely contagious he responded and yes he continued with a breath we believe the exposure to have been intentional at least with regard to the first three victims Claire lifted her pen the first three victims yes the patients he responded the subsequent four were mental health technicians all but one fired between the time the Emmy called it in and your arrival that quick Riley asked her mouth falling open I thought patient zero was just found this morning she was he responded shaking his head viral strains they get stronger each year superbugs Clare commented similar and that both are quite deadly he responded but superbugs are actually bacterial infections that have become resistant to antibiotics over time but what we’re dealing with here he continued is a viral infection the distinction between the two is that antibiotics are effective against bacteria but they’re never effective against viruses so developing a vaccine is the best option containing it and developing a vaccine or the only options he responded when a virus enters the body it invades cells taking over their replication machinery viruses need living hosts to multiply without them they won’t survive he shook his head it’s beyond me why someone would intentionally release this monster on the population he swallowed looking off the way it sweeps through the body I’ve never seen anything like it not in this country he pinched the skin at his throat his voice becoming deadly quiet and we thought a bola was bad with its 90% fatality rate ter god help us so if this thing spreads Riley said we’re all dead meat is that what you’re saying there would most certainly be potential for an explosive outbreak an outbreak that could make our fight to contain a bola look like a walk in the park so we’re dead meat an Ebola vaccine was found to be effective during a recent West African outbreak he responded and we’re optimistic that so there’s hope but while you work on a vaccine the ones who get this virus are all dead meat that is what you’re saying we have the building under quarantine he said and we’re hoping to contain the outbreak but it’ll be an uphill battle as long as we’ve got the doer exposing people Reilly responded can you talk a bit more about the intentional piece I can he said sliding a building diagram across the table and pointing to a patient room at the center of a second-floor hallway so the first victim was found here he moved his finger pointing to a patient room at the center of a third-floor hallway and the second victim was found here he moved it again pointing to a patient room at the center of a fourth floor hallway and the third victim was found here he looked up Paul expired during the night in their beds within minutes of one another Riley’s eyes narrowed without having any contact she picked up the paper studying the diagram without having any contact he responded Claire jotted notes talking out loud no contact on different wings and on different floors Reilly released a breath her brow furrowed and each victim sealed off from the others by airtight doors she moved her finger along the sketched corridor how about ventilation separate systems he said pointing to the diagram interesting Reilly responded fingering back her hair but not that surprising Claire commented not with the size of the structure no not the number of systems Reilly responded but if you’re the doer wouldn’t it have been easier to do three in a row deadly deception Reilly Hays thriller book two written by Kade Brogan narrated by Emily Beresford you have been listening to book clips check out the show notes for the synopsis and by links for this book
