From Nora Roberts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Villa and Carolina Moon , comes a classic tale — a searing novel of twisted passion and lethal cunning, available in hardcover for the first time. Superstar mystery novelist Grace McCabe needs to unwind after a grueling book tour, and visiting her sister, whom she hasn't seen in months, seems the perfect solution. But Grace is surprised to find the fastidious Kathleen living in a grungy Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Kathleen, reeling from a bitter divorce and the loss of her son, is saving every penny of her teacher's salary to hire a hotshot lawyer for a custody battle. Then Grace discovers that Kathleen is boosting her income with an unlikely profession: as an at-home phone-sex operator. Known as Desiree to the clients of Fantasy, Inc., Kathleen is living life on the edge. Yet how dangerous could it really be? With the ironclad anonymity the agency guarantees its employees, could anyone ever track her down? Grace finds out one cherry-blossom-scented night when she comes home to find her sister dead, strangled with the cord of her "special" phone. Suddenly Grace's life turns into a scene from one of her own books — the horror, the tight-lipped police, the shattered survivor. Only this time the survivor is Grace herself. But she isn't waiting around for the police to catch up with the killer. Instead she creates a daring trap to lure the killer to her. Her plan goes against every coolheaded instinct of Detective Ed Jackson, the lead investigator on the case. He's read all of Grace's books and might have been the perfect consultant for the one she's working on, though in this real-life murder, she's the last complication he needs. He's determined to keep Grace out of harm's way, but it's too late. Her trap has already worked. She has aroused the attention of a brilliant madman, and now nothing may be able to protect her from the murderous lust that drives this killer down a path of ecstasy laced with death. berts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Villa and Carolina Moon , comes a classic tale a searing novel of twisted passion and lethal cunning, available in hardcover for the first time. Superstar mystery novelist Grace McCabe needs to unwind after a grueling book tour, and visiting her sister, whom she hasn't seen in months, seems the perfect solution. But Grace is surprised to find the fastidious Kathleen living in a grungy Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Kathleen, reeling from a bitter divorce and the loss of her son, is saving every penny of her teacher's salary to hire a hotshot lawyer for a custody battle. Then Grace discovers that Kathleen is boosting her income with an unlikely profession: as an at-home phone-sex operator. Known as Desiree to the clients of Fantasy, Inc., Kathleen is living life on the edge. Yet how dangerous could it really be? With the ironclad anonymity the agency guarantees its employees, berts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Villa and Carolina Moon , comes a classic tale — a searing novel of twisted passion and lethal cunning, available in hardcover for the first time. Superstar mystery novelist Grace McCabe needs to unwind after a grueling book tour, and visiting her sister, whom she hasn't seen in months, seems the perfect solution. But Grace is surprised to find the fastidious Kathleen living in a grungy Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Kathleen, reeling from a bitter divorce and the loss of her son, is saving every penny of her teacher's salary to hire a hotshot lawyer for a custody battle. Then Grace discovers that Kathleen is boosting her income with an unlikely profession: as an at-home phone-sex operator. Known as Desiree to the clients of Fantasy, Inc., Kathleen is living life on the edge. Yet how dangerous could it really be? With the ironclad anonymity the agency guarantees its employees, Nora Roberts , one of today's most successful and best-loved novelists, is the author of Night Shield , Heart of the Sea , and a host of other bestsellers. She lives in Maryland. Brazen Virtue By Nora Roberts Random House Large Print Publishing Copyright ©2001 Nora Roberts All right reserved. ISBN: 9780375431128 Chapter One The plane banked over the Lincoln Memorial. Grace had her briefcase open on herlap. There were a dozen things to be packed away, but she stared out the window,pleased to see the ground rushing up toward her. There was nothing, as far asshe was concerned, that was quite the same as flying. The plane was late. She knew that because the man across from her in seat 3Bkept complaining about it. Grace was tempted to reach across the aisle and pathis hand, to assure him that ten minutes in the scheme of things really didn'tmatter so much. But he didn't look as though he would appreciate the sentiment. Kathleen would be complaining too, she thought. Not out loud or anything, Gracemused as she smiled and settled back for