Hand Grenade Helen: The Scarlet Chronicles, #2

By Liliana Hart

Fans of the New York TImes bestselling Addison Holmes Mystery Series will love this spin-off featuring Scarlet Holmes and her adventures as a spy during World War II.

 

Scarlet Holmes has a new mission—parachuting into enemy territory and delivering detonation devices to SOE agents on the ground. But her contact is a man who isn't swayed by her beauty and wit, and she's sure he can't be trusted. But the mission isn't one that can be accomplished alone, and Scarlet learns sometimes it's better to trust the devil you know. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Liliana Hart
• Release date: Jun 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201694517

Liliana Hart

Liliana Hart is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than forty titles. Since self-publishing in June of 2011, Liliana has sold more than four million ebooks. She’s appeared at #1 on lists all over the world and all three of her series have appeared on the New York Times list. Liliana is a sought after speaker and she’s given keynote speeches and self-publishing workshops from California to New York to London. When Liliana and her husband aren’t spending time with their children, they’re living the life of nomads, traveling wherever interests them most.

Book preview

Hand Grenade Helen

Hand Grenade Helen

The Scarlet Chronicles

Liliana Hart

7th Press

Also by Liliana Hart

JJ Graves Mystery Series

Dirty Little Secrets

A Dirty Shame

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

Down and Dirty

Dirty Deeds

Dirty Laundry

Dirty Money

A Dirty Job

Dirty Devil

Playing Dirty

Dirty Martini

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Addison Holmes Mystery Series

Whiskey Rebellion

Whiskey Sour

Whiskey For Breakfast

Whiskey, You’re The Devil

Whiskey on the Rocks

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Whiskey and Gunpowder

Whiskey Lullaby

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The Scarlet Chronicles

Bouncing Betty

Hand Grenade Helen

Front Line Francis

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The Harley and Davidson Mystery Series

The Farmer’s Slaughter

A Tisket a Casket

I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus

Get Your Murder Running

Deceased and Desist

Malice in Wonderland

Tequila Mockingbird

Gone With the Sin

Grime and Punishment

Blazing Rattles

A Salt and Battery

Curl Up and Dye

First Comes Death Then Comes Marriage

Box Set 1

Box Set 2

Box Set 3

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The Gravediggers

The Darkest Corner

Gone to Dust

Say No More

Contents

Acknowledgments

Ada Mae

Hand Grenade Helen

Doubloon

The Train Station

Ada Mae

The Suitcase

Marriage

The Plan

Ada Mae

Bacon Grease

The Sirens

Ada Mae

The Invitation

The Party

The Escape

The Train

Ada Mae

Front Line Francis

Addison Holmes Excerpt

About the Author

Also by Liliana Hart

Copyright © 2021 by Liliana Hart

All rights reserved.

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Published by 7th Press

Dallas, TX 75115

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All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

To Ellie - On to the next chapter in life! I’m so proud of you, and being your mom is a privilege. You’ve become an incredible young woman, and you astound and amaze me every day.

Acknowledgments

I could not do what I do without an amazing team and support system helping me. The business of writing has become a family affair, so a huge thanks to Scott, Ava, and Ellie for brainstorming and research. And thanks to Max, Jamie and Graham for the hugs that keep me going.

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Thank you to my cover designer, Dar Albert at Wicked Smart Designs for knocking it out of the park with these gorgeous covers. Thanks to my editors, Imogen Howson and Ava Hodge, for always making my books better. And last, but not least, thanks to Scott for being the best partner, husband, sounding board, and all-around get stuff done guy. I love you like crazy.

Ada Mae

Present Day

There were those who made it to the end of their days, only to realize they’d squandered the gift of life they’d been given. They had no legacy, no family to speak of, and their bitterness welled up inside of them like soured wine.

For Scarlet Holmes, the word regret wasn’t in her vocabulary. Life was meant to be lived, and when things started to free-fall and spiral out of control, it was important to know when to pull the chute before going splat into the ground. She’d avoided a lot of splats in her lifetime, but she’d had a couple of close calls too—closer than she cared to admit.

The fire crackled in the hearth and the wind howled against the windows—the old panes straining against vicious winter gusts. The sounds reminded her of her childhood, though the house had never been filled with laughter or the smell of freshly baked cookies like it had tonight. Her childhood home had been filled with strife and anger, her father a tyrant obsessed with money, and her mother dissatisfied and obsessed with finding love wherever she could.

It had been far too long since Scarlet had spent a Christmas Eve in Whiskey Bayou. Most of her holidays were spent on cruise ships in a tropical paradise, trying to blot out the memories with mimosas and soft serve ice cream.

But for some reason, Whiskey Bayou had called her home. The more shocking thing was that she’d decided to stay. If she was being honest—and she was when it suited her—this was probably her last trip home, at least on this leg of life’s journey. Her bones were tired, and her brain was sharp enough to know that tired bones and a sharp brain brought nothing but misery.

She blew out a sigh and shuffled across the creaky hardwood floor, not sure why she was feeling so maudlin. It was probably the holidays. She’d never liked them much. Holidays were for family, and family had always been in short supply. Her brother had managed to have a son before he’d gone off to war and gotten himself killed, so the Holmes name lived on. And his descendants were as stubborn, ornery, and courageous as he’d ever been.

Scarlet lowered herself into the rocking chair next to the fire and eyed the decanter of whiskey sitting on the round marble within arm’s reach. God bless Verna. She’d even put out a clean glass and filled the bucket of ice to the rim.

Verna’s mother, Odette, had been the Holmes’s housekeeper when Scarlet was a little girl, and she’d asked Verna to take on managing the house after Scarlet’s parents and brothers had died. Verna had lived in the house since she was a baby, so it was as much hers as it was Scarlet’s, but Verna always made sure everyone was taken care of.

Scarlet poured herself a drink and then looked around at the space that had been the nursery during her childhood. The third-floor rooms had been where she and her brothers had spent most of their youth, and she could still see the yellow-striped wallpaper and identical white iron bed frames lined against the wall.

When the house had been left to her as the only remaining heir, she’d spent part of the fortune she’d inherited removing the constant reminders and memories of what the house had been. She’d updated and renovated and redecorated until it didn’t even look like the same house on the inside. And she’d kept the third-floor suite for herself, having never felt comfortable in her parent’s suite on the second floor, where her niece and her husband were currently sleeping.

She’d even added an elevator some fifty years before—the very first home elevator in Whiskey Bayou. Which had been an excellent idea. It turned out climbing three flights of stairs made entertaining gentleman callers difficult, especially when the caller could only carry her to the second landing without having a heart attack.

Scarlet’s lips flattened at the memory and she shook her head. They certainly didn’t make men like they used to. During the war, every man she knew could have carried her up and down the stairs without breaking a sweat.

The rocker creaked back and forth, her toes only touching the ground enough to set the rocker in motion. And then she