* * *
Jo slipped behind the wheel of the old Chevy and started the engine. She rolled the windows down and turned on the radio before backing out of the yard. She took her time driving down the dirt road, dodging the potholes that had been there since the beginning of time, although she could’ve avoided hitting the bigger ones with her eyes closed. Nothing ever changed at the lake. Almost nothing.
She drove out of the colony and onto Lake Road. She continued down the hill that led to the Pavilion, but instead of heading toward the festival where Caroline and her friends had gathered, she made a sharp left turn and parked on the other side of the lake, far away from the crowd. She cut the engine and stared at the mountains covered in lush green trees. The water glistened under the bright blue sky. The sight was so beautiful, it took her breath away. It was something Kevin had said about her at one time.
He had to be out of the state by now, traveling west across country in his rig. She wondered how much time he’d have before he’d have to turn back around. It could be weeks, months, if he were lucky. With Patricia burying her daughter, there was no telling when she’d be ready to talk with the sheriff or how well she’d hold up as a witness.
Jo believed she had some time and in that time, she hoped she could find a way to forgive him. After all, she had come to terms with a few things about herself in the last twenty-four hours. She realized she was just as responsible as Kevin for Billy’s death. She may not have been the one who had pushed him into the lake, but she had pushed him in her own way. She had manipulated him with her body, using her sex to control him.
She had been irresponsible and selfish, enjoying both boys’ attention too much, rendering her incapable of choosing between them. She had been young and foolish thinking she could break the rules of love without anyone getting hurt. In the end, she not only hurt Billy and Kevin, but she hurt herself, too.
And Kevin had known all this about her. He had known her better than she had known herself. And in spite of it all, he loved her anyway.
She reached for the cell phone because, after everything, he should’ve known this too. She typed: I still would’ve married you.
After hitting send, she sped away, the volume on the radio high, music blaring. She would drive as far as it would take to get her message through.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KAREN KATCHUR lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. The Secrets of Lake Road is her first novel. Connect with Karen online at www.karenkatchur.com or sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
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
Chapter 22
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 47
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Press.
THE SECRETS OF LAKE ROAD. Copyright © 2015 by Karen Katchur. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Ervin Serrano
Cover photographs: dock by S_photo / Shutterstock; landscape by Mironov / Shutterstock; girls by Johnér / offset
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-06681-7 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-7470-1 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466874701
First Edition: August 2015