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

by Lynette Eason

  Shay allowed her gaze to drift to Aiden. “What if he won’t see me?”

  Aiden cocked a smile. “He will. If he could see you right now, he’d know like I do that you’re better off being with him. Besides, I think this whole thing has probably changed him in ways he doesn’t even realize yet. I have a feeling. Ever get one of those?”

  Warmth moved over her cold heart. Rick liked to use that phrase, too. He’d asked her the same thing. She had a feeling, all right, when it came to Aiden’s troublesome brother. For the longest time she’d tried to ignore it, but she was done with trying to push away love.

  Rick had seemed happy to see her when they’d pulled him out of that gorge and stabilized him. Almost as if his life had depended on knowing she was nearby and safe. But that was just fanciful thinking on her part. Or was it?

  Shay blew out a breath. Aiden stood and held his hand out. She placed hers in it and he led her to Rick’s room but kept her hidden behind him. She peeked around and saw that Rick was asleep.

  Her heart stuttered at seeing him like that, all banged up, his leg raised in traction and tubes sticking out of him. He’d been through so much— Was it really the time to confront him about a future with him?

  *

  There was that voice again—familiar, feminine and loved.

  Rick couldn’t seem to open his eyes. He’d been dreaming about Shay and he didn’t want that dream to fade. For the first time in a long time he’d had a good dream. He hadn’t woken up in cold sweats or terror or in a defensive move, holding his weapon.

  Maybe he’d finally overcome his nightmares.

  Then he remembered he was still in the hospital bed, and the drugs had probably kept his nightmares at bay.

  I wonder…

  He turned his head to the sound of her voice and languished in the dream. He thought he was addicted to that voice. To her. Rick forced his eyes open and looked into her mountain-blue irises, that perfect face framed by short, spunky auburn hair, and suddenly he couldn’t breathe.

  Somewhere behind him, his heart rate spiked on the monitor. Shay’s eyes widened. “Rick? Are you okay? I need to get help. Nurse!” she called. She slid from the chair to stand, to leave, but Rick reached out and caught her hand.

  “I’m okay.” He smiled.

  Shay slowly sat back down, scooting the chair closer. She ran her hand down his cheek. “Please, don’t shut me out. Don’t tell me that you’re not good for me.”

  His throat constricted. He knew what she was saying to him without so many words. She wanted a future with him. Same as he did with her. But he was still afraid of hurting her. Maybe he’d gotten past the worst of the night terrors, but that didn’t mean all his problems were over. “Are you sure?”

  She smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I’m sure.”

  He’d let the nightmare go. Maybe he could let some of his doubts go, as well. “Good. Because I don’t think I can live without you by my side.”

  It took a few seconds for her mind to wrap around that one—he could tell. Understanding finally swelled in her eyes, permeated her face. “Is that a proposal, Mr. Savage?”

  The heart-rate monitor went crazy again. “It is. I want you as my wife, to have, hold and…protect.” He tugged her close, surprised he had enough strength in him, and ran his fingers through the red hair that drove him crazy. Bringing her face near, inching her lips closer, he kissed Shay long and hard. The depth of the love he felt for this woman astounded him. He would no longer keep it hidden inside because he was afraid.

  “Are you sure this isn’t just the painkillers talking?” she asked.

  “I’ve known you for two years,” he said. “Tried to stop thinking about you for two years. From the first moment I saw you, I had a feeling….”

  *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from CHRISTMAS COVER-UP by Lynette Eason.

  Dear Reader,

  Shay and Rick are sent on a journey that turns into much more than either of them expected. Sound familiar? The extreme circumstances force each of them to face issues from their past. The protective barriers they’ve built over a lifetime to guard themselves are knocked over and out of the way. Often it’s through trials that we learn to overcome. Through trials that our faith in God grows, as well as our faith in each other. Such is the case for Rick and Shay in Wilderness Peril.

  Romans 5:3–5 says: “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

  While I was writing the last couple of chapters and then finally typed the last line, the song “Overcome,” as sung by Jeremy Camp, was drifting through my thoughts and heart, and I could almost believe that Rick was singing along. I pray the Lord speaks to your heart through this story, and for His blessings in your life.

  I love to hear from my readers. Please visit my website, www.elizabethgoddard.com, to learn about how you can connect with me.

  Blessings!

  Elizabeth Goddard

  Questions for Discussion

  1. Shay was an aircraft mechanic, which is a male-dominated field. Have you experienced, or do you know someone who has experienced, working in a career dominated by the opposite gender? Discuss.

  2. Could you relate to Shay’s need to fit in with her fellow male employees? Why or why not?

  3. Rick held a traumatic experience from his past deep inside, so much so that it always seeped out the cracks at the wrong time and place. Has there ever been a struggle in your life that you tried to work through by yourself? How did you deal with it?

  4. Shay and Rick have worked together for two years and knew each other to a certain point. Add to that, Shay knew he held something inside, and she was afraid to trust him completely. Have you ever known someone with a secret that made you uncomfortable? How did you handle things?

  5. Shay was pushed past her comfort zone when she traveled to the Alaskan bush. What activities would move you out of your comfort zone? Discuss.

  6. Although Rick’s brother didn’t show up for their meeting, he believed in his brother and knew that he must be in trouble, despite the fact that Aiden had a past as an unreliable person. Do you know someone you struggle to count on? Why or why not?

  7. In the story, Rick thought about the fact that during his experiences as a marine, he turned to God, but his brother, Aiden, eventually turned to alcohol. Discuss why you think some people turn to God when they go through struggles and others to substance abuse.

  8. When Rick’s brother, Aiden, didn’t show up at their meeting place, Rick didn’t immediately think the worst of him. He didn’t stop believing that his brother would find a way to overcome his troubles and find his way to God. Can you relate to Rick in this? Why or why not?

  9. Buster Kemp was a man who dug himself deep and had to pay off a debt to dangerous people or die. He was following in his grandfather’s footsteps, carrying on the family legacy, if you will, of gambling away a fortune he didn’t have. Unfortunately, he dragged more people into his death trap. Have you ever known anyone like Buster in this regard? Discuss how bad habits, whether they run in the family or not, can devastate lives.

  10. Rick saw Shay as the company aircraft mechanic, as a tough, hard-as-nails woman, because that was what Shay held up for everyone to see. Do you think Rick would have respected her less if she’d been more willing to reveal her softer feminine side at the Deep Horizon hangar? Why or why not?

  11. Discuss how you view men and women, and society’s norms when it comes to gender-based roles in employment.

  12. At
the mining camp, Rick and Shay were coerced into cooperating. They didn’t really have a lot of choice, though action movies would have us believe Rick could have simply snatched up a weapon and shot his way out of the camp. How well do you think Rick and Shay handled things? What would you have done differently?

  13. Has there ever been a time when you were in an unbearable, no-win situation? What did you do?

  14. How did you feel when Rick shot the man who was about to shoot Shay? Do you think he did the right thing?

  15. In the end, Rick stayed behind so that his brother and the woman he loved could escape. Rick was ready and willing to give his life for others. He was a hero. Have you ever known a real hero? Talk about the heroes in your life.

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story.

  You enjoy a dash of danger. Love Inspired Suspense stories feature strong heroes and heroines whose faith is central in solving mysteries and saving lives.

  Enjoy four new stories from Love Inspired Suspense every month!

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  ONE

  Keys clutched in her left hand, Detective Katie Randall stared at her vandalized front door. She hadn’t noticed it when she’d pulled into the drive; she’d been too busy thinking about her sister’s cold case and the man who’d been assigned to help her work on it. Lucy had disappeared fourteen years ago from her front yard and it was time Katie and her family found closure.

  Now she’d come home to this.

  She’d parked in the drive and grabbed her stuff from the car, still thinking about canceling the meeting she had coming up in about five minutes.

  It was only when she’d gotten closer to the house that she’d seen the splintered wood around the doorknob. And the Christmas wreath lying on the porch.

  The hair on the nape of her neck spiked, and she stepped back. She set her briefcase and keys on the porch. The chilly December wind found its way under her collar, and she shivered as she mentally flipped through her options at lightening speed.

  Her nerves tightened, muscles bunched. She pulled her weapon from her shoulder holster as she backed down the steps of the porch. With her left hand, she snagged her cell phone from the back pocket of her khaki slacks and pressed the speed dial number for Jordan Gray, the man she was supposed to meet in less than five minutes. She couldn’t let him walk into a potentially dangerous situation without some warning.

  He answered on the third ring. “Almost there.”

  “Don’t pull in the drive. Someone’s either been in my house or is still there.”

  “Give me thirty seconds.”

  “I’m calling for backup. I’ll be inside. Mariah might be here and need help.”

  Mariah Sims, Katie’s friend and roommate. Mariah usually got home before Katie.

  She hung up on his protests and orders to wait for him. Hesitating, she debated whether or not to call her partner, Gregory Lee, but decided Jordan, a former FBI agent, would be able to handle this just as well as Gregory.

  And he was closer. She dialed 911 and within seconds had backup on the way. Once the address went out, every officer within a ten-mile radius would be on her doorstep.

  She made her way up the porch steps again. Christmas lights lined the railing. Katie stood to the side of the broken door and nudged it open. “Mariah? Are you here?”

  Silence greeted her call.

  Katie whispered up a silent prayer for Mariah’s safety.

  She glanced over her shoulder as Jordan’s car edged to the curb in front of her neighbor’s home. He climbed out, weapon in his hand as he jogged over to stand beside her. She’d hired him through Finding the Lost to locate her missing sister. The Finding the Lost organization, founded by skip-tracer Erica James, specialized in locating missing people. From private investigators to contracted FBI agents to police detectives, a plethora of talented men and woman worked tirelessly to help others reunite with lost loved ones.

  Katie had hired the organization and then had second thoughts about doing so when she discovered who would handle her case. Jordan Gray. She knew him slightly because of her connection to Erica, his boss, but hadn’t realized Neil Gray was his brother. The brother who’d been killed in a jail cell after Katie arrested him for drunk driving.

  Before she had a chance to tell Jordan she’d decided she couldn’t work with him, he’d called fifteen minutes ago to let her know he was on the way to her house.

  He was ambushing her and she hadn’t been able to put him off. Now she was glad for his presence. She gestured to the open door. “Will you cover me?”

  He didn’t waste time chastising her for not waiting on him. “What’s the layout?”

  “Foyer leads straight into the great room. Two bedrooms and a bath to the right, kitchen and dining to the left. My bedroom is also to the left behind the garage.”

  “I’ll go right, you go left.”

  Katie stepped into her house and caught her breath. Chaos greeted her. Cushions pulled off her couch and slashed. Bookcase overturned and coffee table shoved on its side. The Christmas tree she and Mariah had decorated lay on its side, ornaments crushed from one end of the room to the other.

  A thud from the back of the house caused her to stiffen and shoot a glance at Jordan. “You hear that?” she whispered.

  “Yeah. Where’d it come from?” He kept his voice low.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Is your roommate here?”

  “She usually parks in the garage, but I don’t know if her car’s in there or not.” She would have checked before entering the house, but the windows for the garage had blinds on them. And they were closed.

  Katie moved farther inside, sidestepping the mess. Jordan went right, weapon in front of him.

  Katie passed the open-area kitchen on her left, rounded the breakfast bar and stepped into the hallway. To her left was the utility room, to the right the half bath and the exit to the back porch that ran the length of the house.

  The half bath sat empty. All that was left was her room and bath. Her room looked like the great room area: destroyed.

  She ignored the anger at the invasion and headed back to join Jordan.

  “Freeze! FBI!”

  Katie did for a brief second before she realized the yell wasn’t aimed at her.

  A crash. Running footsteps.

  A dark-clothed figure raced past the doorway where she stood and into Mariah’s bedroom, with Jordan on his heels. Katie bolted after them.

  The intruder leaped over the bed and wrenched the French doors open. Jordan followed and Katie turned to race from the bedroom, back into the great room and out onto the back porch.

  The French doors swung open and the figure halted when he realized Katie had him cut off. She pointed her weapon. “Freeze! Police!”

  He obeyed for a millisecond, then vaulted over the railing. Again Jordan followed while Katie spun and took the steps two at a time to the yard, where Jordan tackled the man. Sirens screaming, three cruisers pulled up to the curb.

  *

  Jordan ducked as a fist swung around toward his face. As the intruder’s punch met air, Jordan pulled back his right arm and let his knuckles crunch against the guy’s jaw. Dazed, the fight drained from the man, and he lay on his back panting, glaring as the sting of the hit faded.

  With her gun in her right hand, Katie used her left to toss a pair of handcuffs to Jordan.

  “Let us know if you need help.”

  Jordan looked up to see three officers, guns drawn, ready to jump in. He sucked in a lungful of a
ir. “I think we got it.”

  Katie walked over and continued to cover the man until Jordan had him on his stomach, hands cuffed behind his back. “You have the right to remain silent…” Katie read him his rights as Jordan patted the man down. Finding no weapon, he rose to his feet.

  When she was finished, she looked at the officers. “This will just take a minute, then he’s all yours. She shoved her intruder over to the steps of the porch. “Sit.”

  Jordan watched the man obey. Reluctantly and with narrowed green eyes that glinted with anger.

  Katie looked at Jordan. “You’re not FBI. Why’d you identify yourself as such?”

  He felt a flush start at the base of his neck. Then gave a small shrug even as the shadows danced across his mind. He pushed them away. “I am again as of last month. Simply doing some consulting work with them.”

  “Oh.”

  He spread his hands, palms up. “They asked.”

  “Right. Well, that should make my lieutenant happier.” Jordan knew her lieutenant hadn’t been too keen on Katie having access to her sister’s files, but he had finally caved, especially when she’d explained that she was hiring an outside organization to help. He’d been intrigued by the idea and finally agreed as long as she kept him updated. And worked the case on her own time. As far as Jordan could tell, she’d kept to that promise.

  She stared at him a moment longer, then turned her frown at her intruder. “Who are you, and what were you doing in my house?”

  His gaze lowered to the badge on her belt. “You’re a cop?”

  “I am.”

  “And you’re FBI?” He directed his question to Jordan, who gave a sharp nod.

  “Figures.” He clamped his lips and looked away. Jordan decided the guy was younger than he’d originally thought. Maybe in his mid-twenties.

  “Your name?” Katie demanded.

  “Wesley Wray.”

  “What were you looking for, Mr. Wray?” Jordan asked.