Love Inspired Suspense December 2013 Bundle: Christmas Cover-UpForce of NatureYuletide JeopardyWilderness Peril

by Lynette Eason

  The pain knifed through him again. He tried to talk, but only a sigh came out.

  “Hector swam out to Leland,” Antonia explained. “To give us time to escape.” She smoothed the hair out of Reuben’s eyes, fingers cool and gentle against his skin.

  “Oh, was that the truth?” Gavin raised an eyebrow. “I thought he was embellishing.”

  Reuben jerked. “He’s okay? You talked to him?”

  “Sure. He managed to get out of it with a couple of superficial wounds. We picked him up just before we busted Leland—and saved you two, I might add.”

  Reuben wanted to shout, to hug the skinny DEA agent, whose profile began to swim before his eyes. “My brother is alive.”

  “Yep. Alive and going to prison, but he says he’s okay with that. Even offered up his involvement in the drug deal a few years back. He’s going to prison, like I said, but his cooperation will help.”

  A medic arrived and began to peel back the remains of Reuben’s tattered shirt to assess the damage, followed by another with a stretcher. Reuben lay in a helpless lump as they ministered to him. He could not feel the pressure of their hands and soon even their calm, measured voices blurred into the background. The only thing his senses would hold on to was Antonia’s black eyes, staring into his, her lips moving in words he could not hear, stroking his forehead with fingers he could not feel.

  But those eyes…

  They were alive, and vibrant. He wanted to put his hand out and feel that satin cheek, to tell her one more time that he was the man who loved the pilgrim soul in her, who savored the shadows of her changing face.

  We’ve made it through the storm, he wanted to say. His mother had been right. There was no storm too big for God.

  Instead he stared into her eyes until the darkness crept into his own.

  *

  Minutes ticked into days. Antonia took turns pacing around the joyless hospital waiting room, alternating paths with Silvio and Paula. Interrupting the pacing were interviews with the police, rehashing every detail from her reckless swim into the ocean with the man on the Jet Ski, to the horrifying conclusion in the boathouse. She’d gone over an edited version with her sister, Mia, as soon as she’d been able to get hold of a borrowed phone. The phone buzzed again and Antonia picked it up.

  “Is Reuben okay?” Mia asked.

  “They’re still waiting to see if the fever breaks. The infection is a nasty one.”

  “I’m coming home.”

  Antonia sucked in a breath. “Really? When?”

  “Tomorrow. I’ve got enough for the red-eye. I need to—” Her voice broke off and after a steadying breath she continued, “I need to thank Reuben personally for saving your life.”

  Antonia sighed. “Reuben will be overjoyed to see Gracie.” She paused. “What are you thinking about? Hector?”

  Mia was silent for a moment. “He did terrible things, but knowing what happened, I think he really does love Gracie. When she’s old enough, I’ll make sure she knows her father made mistakes but he tried to do the right thing in the end. We’ll play it by ear when he gets out of prison.” Another pause. “So what about you and Reuben? Where do things stand with the two of you?”

  Where did they stand? She was filled with a deep and overwhelming gratitude that God had spared his life and hers, but her heart was such a jumble of emotion she could not discern what was posttraumatic shock and what was real. “I don’t know.”

  They ended the conversation with information about flights and preparations for Mia and Gracie to return to the old house. There would need to be cleaning done and supplies purchased for the little girl, storm damage seen to. It was a relief to put her mind to the prosaic details of daily living.

  She disconnected and let the quiet of the waiting room soothe her mind. Silvio and Paula had gone to stay with relatives, who graciously agreed to accept Charley the cat, also. At that moment, they were away for a short time, seeing to the details. A nurse exited Reuben’s room and gave her a wide smile.

  “Fever’s broken,” she said triumphantly. “He’s going to be right as rain. Might even get to go home soon.”

  Antonia closed her eyes, dizzy with relief.

  “You can go in and see him now,” she said.

  Antonia’s heart raced and her hands went cold. Now that he was safe, his life restored, she was left with the question Mia had raised. Pulse fluttering in her throat, she walked slowly into his room. He was asleep, face scratched and bruised, still pale, but with a flush of normal color returning.

  She leaned over the bed and studied him. Suddenly, all the emotions came crashing in, like the crushing waves of a hurricane, firing memories both happy and horrifying into her mind. Their life, their love, had exploded into shards of debris that presented itself to her now at such lightning-quick speeds her heart could not figure out how to respond.

  She leaned down and kissed him on the mouth, pressed her forehead to his and ran from the room.

  *

  Two days after his release from the hospital, Reuben stepped over the broken branches of his orange trees, savoring the cool air on his face. They’d been denuded of their leaves and though some were still standing like stalwart soldiers amidst the wreckage, the roots of the old Valencia poked from the earth, defeated.

  It was painful to see the seasoned trees, which had been so productive and vibrant, reduced to trash. It’s all right, he thought. I’m not defeated.

  With only a small twinge of pain from his ribs, he bent and dug a handful of earth, raising it to his nose and inhaling deeply the earthy scent of promise. He would rebuild the orchard and coax life from the ground again, with God’s help. The air would be filled with the perfumed blossoms and bejeweled with the lush color of oranges once more. The road would be hard and expensive, but he would travel it, somehow.

  Optimism fought with another emotion. His gaze wandered to the blue sky, and he wondered where Antonia had gone. He did not blame her for taking off. His choices and those of his brother almost got her killed. She’d probably fled from the hospital as soon as she was able, maybe even left Florida altogether, and that would be justifiable.

  He flung the soil to the ground and tried to figure out where to start. He was piling the broken branches as best he could into an enormous mound when Antonia appeared underneath the trees, just as if she were part of the orchard itself. The sun glossed her dark hair and pulled at the edges of her yellow dress.

  He was unable to speak.

  “Hi, Reuben,” she said.

  He came close slowly, tentatively, afraid that she might run or disappear somehow, evaporate like the clouds. “Antonia. How…how are you?”

  “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

  He shrugged. “Just sore. It will take me a while to get back to full steam.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “And you figured some manual labor would speed things along?”

  He laughed. “Hard work is good for the soul.”

  “Then you have a soul bigger than most,” she said before her face grew serious. “What did you decide to do? About Isla, I mean?”

  “I’m giving it up, but not to Garza. Deeding the land to the nature conservancy. No more hotels for me.”

  “How does that feel?” she asked softly, gathering her windblown hair. “Giving up your mother’s dream?”

  “I thought it would be devastating, but it hasn’t been that way. My mother’s real dream was for us to live an honest life. And I’m going to do that, here in my orchard. Hector can join me someday if he wants to.” He wondered if the mention of his brother’s name would upset her.

  “Hector turned out to have some of those honest qualities after all.”

  “Too bad he didn’t display them sooner,” Reuben said with a sigh. “It would have prevented a lot of heartache, but that’s between him and God.”

  “You can’t save anybody, can you?”

  “Nope. That’s His job, but I forgot that for a while.”

  She nod
ded. For a few moments they were silent, listening to the rustling leaves. “I know it’s rude and all, but I brought an uninvited guest.”

  “Who?”

  Gracie and Mia walked up the gravel road. When Gracie saw Reuben, she broke from her mother’s hand and trotted on chubby legs as fast as she could.

  “Uncle Booben!” she shouted.

  He swept her into a hug and clung to her, his heart nearly exploding, throat thick. “Gracie, I’ve missed you. I love you so much.”

  Gracie put her small hand on Reuben’s cheek and patted gently. “I miss you, too, Uncle Booben.” She put a tiny fingertip on the scratch bisecting Reuben’s forehead. “You got hurt.” She looked at him closer. “And skinny.”

  “And you got even more gorgeous since I saw you last. Did you grow a couple of feet?” He swung her around in circles until they were both breathless and dizzy, before he put her down.

  “Come here, Gracie,” Mia said. “Hold Mama’s hand and we’ll go see if the playhouse Uncle Booben made for you is still standing.” She looked at Reuben and took a deep breath. “Thank you for saving my sister. I was wrong to take Gracie from you. I’m truly sorry.”

  He opened his mouth to answer, to apologize again for his brother, for all that had transpired, but before he could summon up the words, she’d turned and walked away through the trees with Gracie.

  Reuben fought for composure as Antonia came near. “I thought…” He cleared his throat. “Thank you. I will never let anything happen to Gracie.”

  She took his hand then. “She’s going to grow up better having Uncle Booben in her life.”

  He sighed. “I hope so.”

  Antonia raised his hand and brushed his fingers to her lips, sending tingles spiraling through his body.

  “Back on the island,” she said, “when I thought I was going to die, I realized how much of my life was spent in anger and blame. I decided that was not what God meant for me, for my life. That’s not why He let me survive the storm, so I could go back to holding on to past hurts.”

  He could not help it. He pulled her close, close enough that he could smell her sun-warmed hair and feel the curve of her body next to his. “Nee, I’m sorry for…”

  With a trembling finger, she quieted him with a touch to his mouth. “I know. You told me you’re sorry, and so am I. We made mistakes, both of us, and that’s done.” Her hands fell to his shirtfront and she held them there. He knew she must be able to feel the wild beating of his heart. Something hopeful, joyful, tender lifted inside his soul.

  “I’m going to be a farmer, Nee, not a resort owner. Just a simple farmer because that’s what God made me to be.”

  Cocking her head she smiled. “There’s nothing simple about you, Reuben.”

  “I could say the same about you.” He stroked her hair. “You are wild and compassionate, beautiful because of what you’ve been through.” She shivered in his arms and he ran his palms over her shoulders, strong and soft at the same time. “I would do anything for you, go anywhere because I love you.” He offered up the words, bare and vulnerable, delicate as an orange blossom. “I’ll always love you.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “You won’t have to go anywhere. You’ll stay here, on your farm, and we’ll build it again, together.”

  Together. His friend, his love, the most precious creation he had ever been blessed to see. Reuben and Antonia. Together.

  “Can this be real?” he whispered, pressing kisses on her temple, her cheeks, her neck.

  “Yes, Reuben, it’s real,” she murmured back, raising her mouth and joining her life to his with a long, slow kiss. “I love you.”

  He let the joy shudder through him, the storm of emotion blowing away the past until nothing remained but the sun-kissed future that they would face.

  Together.

  *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from YULETIDE JEOPARDY by Sandra Robbins.

  Questions for Discussion

  1. What do you think is Reuben’s real motivation for trying to keep Isla afloat?

  2. Antonia finds beauty in the broken junonia shell. Are there things in our lives that become more beautiful when they are subject to trials? Explain.

  3. Is Reuben’s faith in his brother wise or foolish? Have you ever had to defend a family member accused of wrongdoing? How did you handle it?

  4. Reuben says, “You can’t force someone to love you.” How does the Bible define love? Share some examples.

  5. Reuben wonders who the real Hector is. Is it possible that Hector is both a devoted father and a criminal?

  6. Are all people deserving of forgiveness? What does God say on the subject?

  7. Hector is addicted to the power that comes with wealth. Why do some people crave positions of power in our society? What does God tell us we should crave instead?

  8. Do you believe that no storm is too big for God? What storms has He helped you through in your life?

  9. Orange growing is Reuben’s real passion. He believes God gifted him especially to do that work. What do you feel God gifted you to do?

  10. Have you ever stopped praying for something because you lost hope that God would answer? How can we come to terms with unanswered prayers?

  11. Judgment is God’s department. Why do we so often slip into making judgments about others? What is the cure for this problem?

  12. Leland is a psychopath, devoid of normal human emotion. What conditions do you think produce such a person? What can society do to deal with such a threat?

  13. Antonia is saddened by the ruined plover eggs that never became what they were meant to be. How does God comfort us when someone is taken young, before they can realize their true potential?

  14. Since God is the only one who saves souls, what is our call as Christians in this world?

  15. The power of a hurricane is mighty indeed. Have you ever experienced such a storm? Share about your experiences.

  Dear Reader,

  As I put the finishing touches on this book, the massive cleanup continues in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which battered the eastern United States in October 2012. Sandy left dozens dead, thousands homeless and millions without power. It was a hurricane, like many that went before it, that left widespread despair in its wake. Hurricanes, like earthquakes and floods and all manner of natural disasters, remind us how very fragile we are, powerless to control the world around us, at the mercy of whatever nature dishes out.

  Even as the reconstruction continues, we know there will be other disasters to follow. There will be another Sandy, or Isaac, or Charley, storms that will visit us in the guise of illness, financial hardship, death of a spouse or child, broken relationships. We know we will face our own personal storms on this dark and dangerous planet. So where do we find comfort? In the knowledge that this world is not the end, and even through the disasters, God is in control. He is preparing us for our journey home and most of all, He sent His beloved Son to walk with us through this life, a precious comfort, a harbor in the storm. I recently came across this quote from Pope John Paul II that spoke more eloquently than I ever could. I hope it blesses you today as much as it did me. “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people, and Hallelujah is our song.”

  I am grateful that you spent some of your precious time reading this story. I would love to hear from you via my website at www.danamentink.com. If you prefer to correspond by letter, my physical address is Dana Mentink, P.O. Box 3168, San Ramon, CA 94583.

  God bless,

  Dana Mentink

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story.

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  ONE

  The WKIZ-TV van skidded to a stop near the police cars blocking the entrance to the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge, and Grace Kincaid jumped from the vehicle before her cameraman had time to turn off the engine. The blue lights on the cruisers flashed in the cold December morning fog that drifted up from the Mississippi River below.

  She held up her identification badge, which hung from a lanyard around her neck as she ran toward the officers who stood beside the cars. “Grace Kincaid, WKIZ. I had an urgent message that a man who’s threatening to jump from the bridge wants to talk to me.”

  Captain Wilson, who she had interviewed once, pointed toward the middle of the bridge. “His name is Timothy Mitchell. Do you know him?”

  Grace’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “His son was a friend of mine in high school. He committed suicide on this bridge when we were seniors.”

  “We found that out,” he said.

  Grace’s mind raced at the possibilities of this story. The father of her high school boyfriend was threatening suicide on the same bridge where his son had died, and he’d asked for her. Stories like this came along maybe once in a career. If she handled this right, the video would make a good addition to her application when she decided to apply to the networks again. She had to handle this carefully if she was to have a happy ending to this story by getting Mr. Mitchell safely off the bridge.

  She turned to Captain Wilson. “Has he asked for anything else?”

  “Mr. Mitchell asked for you and Detective Alex Crowne, but he’s not here yet. You can wait here until he arrives,” Captain Wilson said.

  Grace groaned inwardly. Just what she needed. This story had just gotten a lot more complicated. She hadn’t seen Alex since the wedding of their best friends Laura Webber and Brad Austin six months ago, and he’d ignored her then. He would probably do the same thing when he arrived at the bridge because he still couldn’t stand to be near her. Instead of accepting his part in their failed romance, he had chosen to blame her, and she supposed he always would.