The Witness

ALSO BY NORA ROBERTS
    Honest Illusions
    Private Scandals
    Hidden Riches
    True Betrayals
    Montana Sky
    Born in Fire
    Born in Ice
    Born in Shame
    Daring to Dream
    Holding the Dream
    Finding the Dream
    Sanctuary
    Homeport
    Sea Swept
    Rising Tides
    Inner Harbor
    The Reef
    River’s End
    Jewels of the Sun
    Carolina Moon
    Tears of the Moon
    Heart of the Sea
    The Villa
    From the Heart
    Midnight Bayou
    Dance Upon the Air
    Heaven and Earth
    Face the Fire
    Three Fates
    Chesapeake Blue
    Birthright
    Remember When
    (with J. D. Robb)
    Key of Light
    Key of Knowledge
    Key of Valor
    Northern Lights
    Blue Dahlia
    Black Rose
    Blue Smoke
    Red Lily
    Angels Fall
    Morrigan’s Cross
    Dance of the Gods
    Valley of Silence
    High Noon
    Blood Brothers
    The Hollow
    The Pagan Stone
    Tribute
    Black Hills
    Vision in White
    Bed of Roses
    Savor the Moment
    The Search
    Happy Ever After
    Chasing Fire
    The Next Always
    WRITING AS J. D. ROBB
    Naked in Death
    Glory in Death
    Immortal in Death
    Rapture in Death
    Ceremony in Death
    Vengeance in Death
    Holiday in Death
    Conspiracy in Death
    Loyalty in Death
    Witness in Death
    Judgment in Death
    Betrayal in Death
    Seduction in Death
    Reunion in Death
    Purity in Death
    Portrait in Death
    Imitation in Death
    Divided in Death
    Visions in Death
    Survivor in Death
    Origin in Death
    Memory in Death
    Born in Death
    Innocent in Death
    Creation in Death
    Strangers in Death
    Salvation in Death
    Promises in Death
    Kindred in Death
    Fantasy in Death
    Indulgence in Death
    Treachery in Death
    New York to Dallas
    Celebrity in Death
    E-BOOKS BY NORA ROBERTS
    C ORDINA’S R OYAL F AMILY
    Affaire Royale
    Command Performance
    The Playboy Prince
    Cordina’s Crown Jewel
    T HE D ONOVAN L EGACY
    Captivated
    Entranced
    Charmed
    Enchanted
    T HE O’H URLEYS
    The Last Honest Woman
    Dance to the Piper
    Skin Deep
    Without a Trace
    N IGHT T ALES
    Night Shift
    Night Shadow
    Nightshade
    Night Smoke
    Night Shield
    T HE M AC G REGORS
    The Winning Hand
    The Perfect Neighbor
    All the Possibilities
    One Man’s Art
    Tempting Fate
    Playing the Odds
    The MacGregor Brides
    The MacGregor Grooms
    Rebellion/In from the Cold

 
    G. P. P UTNAM’S S ONS
    New York

G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
    Publishers Since 1838
    Published by the Penguin Group
    Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA • Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) • Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England • Penguin Ireland, 25 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd) • Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd) • Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd, 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi–110 017, India • Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd) • Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
    Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
    First published in the United States of America by G. P. Putnam's Sons 2012
    Copyright © 2012 by Nora Roberts
    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any
    printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy
    of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Published simultaneously in Canada
    is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.
    ISBN: 978-1-101-58036-3
    Printed in the United States of America
    Book design by Meighan Cavanaugh
    This is a work of fi ction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product
    of the author's imagination or are used fi ctitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons,
    living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
    While the author has made every eff ort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
    ALWAYS LEARNING
    PEARSON

For Laura Reeth
    Master of details

 
    The barb in the