Love Inspired Suspense April 2015 #1

by Terri Reed

  Taking the file and hugging it to her chest, she said, “I’ll do that.”

  Tomorrow Juan would be in her life for good. Now if only she could figure out what to do about Adam. Should she risk his rejection and tell him that she loved him? Or should she sacrifice her heart’s desire and let him go to Colorado as he planned?

  She prayed God would give her a clear sign of what she should do.

  *

  Several hours later that night, Lana sat on the couch in her sister’s—now her own—town house too keyed up to sleep, yet exhausted from the events of the day. Brooke had driven her home and stayed for a bit before leaving. A patrol officer sat in his marked car outside. The alarm was set.

  In the morning she’d drive out to rural Virginia and bring Juan home.

  She should be happy. She was happy. Happy that she and Juan would build a life together. Happy that she had her job back.

  Mr. Floyd had called earlier to make sure she intended to come back to work soon. Of course. Only she needed a few more days to get Juan settled in. Mr. Floyd agreed and said he wanted to resume plans for the American Heritage collection exhibit.

  All good stuff. Then why was she so glum?

  Adam hadn’t come by or called. She’d thought he would, if only to tell her about Mark’s interrogation.

  The phone rang. She jumped and snatched up the receiver.

  “Hello?”

  “It’s Adam.” His deep voice rumbled in her ear. Warmth infused her body. He hadn’t forgotten about her.

  “Hi, I was hoping you’d call. I have news. Juan is mine.” Excitement vibrated in her voice.

  “That’s wonderful.” The sincerity in his tone made her smile. She tucked her feet beneath her on the couch.

  “How did it go with Mark?”

  Adam let out a mirthless laugh. “The guy’s a piece of work. But he won’t be bothering you again.”

  “And the real security guard?”

  “He was found alive in his apartment. Mark had followed him home, tied him to a chair and then stole the uniform.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief to know the man hadn’t died because of her.

  “Turns out Mark was the shooter on the bridge and at the courthouse.”

  “He was always a good swimmer. I had no idea how good.”

  “And he was the one who ransacked your apartment. Apparently, he and the doorman, Rob, work out at the same gym. Officers are picking up Rob as we speak.”

  Though the news about Rob was shocking, his involvement made sense. “But why trash my apartment? What did Mark hope to accomplish?”

  “I asked him that, too. He just wanted to terrorize you.”

  “Well, he accomplished that. Mark had been taking steroids, hadn’t he? How else could he have bulked up so quickly?”

  “Yes. He’s going to jail for a long time for attempted murder, assault, robbery and possession of controlled substances. He had cocaine and steroids on him.”

  Shaking her head in disbelief at all Mark had done, she said, “I thought he was on something. Did he tell you who paid him and why they wanted me dead?”

  “He doesn’t know who hired him. He was offered money to steal the arrow and frame you. Killing you was Mark’s idea. Revenge for leaving him.” Adam’s tone made it clear he was disgusted by Mark. “The person who hired him just wanted you out of the way, not dead.”

  Relieved to hear that, she asked, “How was Mark supposed to get the arrow to his employer?”

  “Burner phones were used. The number he had for his employer is no longer working. He must know Mark is in custody.”

  “Someone went to a great deal of trouble to try to keep me from gaining custody of Juan. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “We’ll keep digging until we find out who was behind hiring your ex-husband and why. But the main thing is their plans didn’t succeed. And Mark won’t be bothering you again. He’s going to jail for a long time.”

  “What if the person tries tonight to keep me from taking custody of my nephew?” Suddenly the walls closed in on her, making the shadows threatening. Chills prickled her arms.

  “Ace and I are on guard,” he said. “No one is coming near you. The plan to keep you from gaining custody of Juan failed. The threat against you is likely over but we’ll still provide you with protection until that’s guaranteed.”

  She tucked in her chin. “You’re on guard?” She rushed to the front window. Sure enough, Adam’s SUV was parked at the curb in front of the patrol car. He waved.

  “Come in,” she said into the phone.

  “You should rest.”

  She bit her tender lip to keep from blurting out her feelings. “Will you come with me tomorrow to pick up Juan?”

  “Of course.”

  She smiled and let the curtain drop back into place. “You need to go home. There’s a patrol officer here. I’ll be fine.”

  “Let Ace stay with you tonight,” Adam said.

  There was no hesitation in accepting the offer tonight. “Perfect.”

  She ran to the door, punched in the security code, got the green light, then unlocked the bolt and pulled the door open. Ace and Adam stood on the porch.

  He opened his arms. She flew into his embrace. His hands tangled in her hair. She lifted her face, her gaze searching his eyes. The intensity there made her tremble. She rose on tiptoe and placed a kiss against his mouth. He tightened his hold but his lips were gentle as he returned the kiss. After a breathless moment, they parted. He cupped her cheek in a gesture she found endearing.

  “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “You promise?”

  He held her gaze, making her heart pound. “I do.”

  To Ace, he said, “Guard Lana.”

  The dog moved to Lana’s side.

  She let Adam walk away, back to his vehicle. Ace leaned into her thigh. Her hand went to his sleek head and rubbed the black fur.

  Her heart wept because she wanted so much more from Adam than protection. She wanted his love. But she couldn’t ask him to sacrifice his plans for her. “What are we going to do without him, Ace?”

  The dog didn’t answer. But Lana didn’t have an answer, either.

  *

  The next day, Adam, Lana and Ace traveled in Rosa’s luxury sedan, a car most housekeepers couldn’t afford, which now belonged to Lana—to the All Our Kids foster home safe house. Adam could tell Lana was nervous. She fidgeted in the passenger seat. Ace sat in the back of the sedan with his nose out the cracked window. Next to the dog was a car seat where Juan would ride.

  Adam hoped Juan wouldn’t be freaked out by Ace. It could go either way.

  They pulled into the foster care driveway. Cassie came out carrying Juan in her arms. Her assistant, Virginia, followed with a tote bag.

  The handoff happened quickly.

  Cassie gave Juan a kiss and placed him into Lana’s arms. “You’ll be in good hands, little buddy.”

  Lana beamed and hugged Juan close. His arms snaked around her neck and he laid his cheek on her shoulder. Adam could tell the boy already loved his aunt. And why wouldn’t he? Lana was wonderful, caring and generous. She was going to be a great mom. She’d make a great wife.

  His heart flipped over. His pulse raced. He held back the emotions rising to the surface. Now was not the time to deal with all that. They had a drive ahead of them and then Lana and Juan needed time to settle in. He couldn’t burden her with his feelings. Not when he wasn’t sure what to do about them.

  The drive back to DC went quickly with little midday traffic. Juan was fascinated by Ace and the dog was clearly smitten. Ace had his head in Juan’s lap. Juan patted his neck and giggled when Ace licked his leg.

  When they reached the town house, Adam intended to leave once Lana and Juan were inside. He loitered in the foyer watching Juan toddle to his toys. Lana joined Adam. The content smile on her pretty face warmed his heart.

  “You’re happy,” he said.

  “Extremely.�
�

  “Good. You both deserve to be happy.” And he meant it.

  He only wished he could be a part of their happiness. But he couldn’t ask her to leave DC. His transfer waited. His life in Colorado waited. Yet, he couldn’t picture what that life would be like now. The desire to return to his hometown was strangely absent.

  The thought of leaving Lana behind tore him up inside. An ache of sadness laid siege to his heart. An unfamiliar flustered feeling gripped him deep in his heart.

  Lana turned to look at him. “What about you, Adam?”

  “Me?”

  “Are you happy?”

  The question wove a ribbon around his heart.

  Juan ran up and wrapped an arm around their legs, hugging them tight. Ace barked. Juan let go and chased after Ace.

  Adam’s mind finally accepted what his heart already knew. He loved her with every fiber of his being. The future loomed ahead, only now he couldn’t imagine a life anywhere but where she was.

  But did she feel the same? Only one way to find out.

  He gathered her hands in his. “I could be happy.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Oh?”

  A lump formed in his throat. He pushed past the trepidation of risking his heart and said, “I love you, Lana.”

  Her lips parted. Her eyes widened and a building joy filled her face. “I love you.”

  Happiness exploded within his chest. “You do?” He captured her in an embrace.

  “I do.”

  She pulled back to look at him with determination in her eyes. “Juan and I could move to Colorado. I’m sure I can find a job, maybe with the library.”

  “I’m not transferring.” The words came out of his mouth almost of their own volition, but he knew he wouldn’t take them back.

  Her dark eyes lit up. “Really? You’ll stay in DC?”

  He cupped her cheek with his palm. “Only if you’ll marry me.”

  She let out an audible gasp. “For real?”

  He laughed. “For real.”

  “Yes!”

  “Yes,” Juan repeated.

  Adam scooped him into his arms. “Yes.”

  Lana embraced them both. With crystal clarity he realized he’d found a home, a place to set down roots, not in a location, but in a person. Lana.

  He closed his eyes and sent up a prayer of thanksgiving for the many wonderful blessings God had provided.

  *

  If you liked this CAPITOL K-9 UNIT novel, watch for the next book in the series, TRAIL OF EVIDENCE by Lynette Eason.

  And don’t miss a single story in the CAPITOL K-9 UNIT miniseries:

  Book #1: PROTECTION DETAIL

  by Shirlee McCoy

  Book #2: DUTY BOUND GUARDIAN

  by Terri Reed

  Book #3: TRAIL OF EVIDENCE

  by Lynette Eason

  Book #4: SECURITY BREACH

  by Margaret Daley

  Book #5: DETECTING DANGER

  by Valerie Hansen

  Book #6: PROOF OF INNOCENCE

  by Lenora Worth

  Keep reading for an excerpt from SECRET REFUGE by Dana Mentink.

  Dear Reader,

  Part of the fun of writing is the research. And researching K-9 handlers and their partners gave me a huge appreciation for both the human and the dog. The amount of training and discipline is enormous and very specialized. Canine teams are valuable assets to law enforcement and used for criminal apprehension, building searches, area searches, evidence detection, narcotics or explosive detection, tracking missing persons, tracking fleeing persons, crowd control and for promoting favorable public relations. As a dog lover, I am fascinated with the many ways dogs help law enforcement. That’s why I jumped at the chance to write this book.

  I hope you enjoyed the second installment in the Capitol K-9 Unit continuity. K-9 Officer Adam Donovan and his partner, Ace, met art curator Lana Gomez under stressful circumstances. Things only became more chaotic and dangerous as it became clear someone wanted Lana dead. With Ace’s help, Adam and Lana were able to defeat the bad guy, and at the same time fall in love. Their story ended, but there are so many layers to the mysteries surrounding Michael Jeffries’s murder and Erin Eagleton’s disappearance—and what really happened to Rosa Gomez? Look for more books in the Capitol K-9 Unit series to find the answers and fall in love with more K-9 dogs and their handlers.

  Until next time, may God abundantly bless you,

  Terri Reed

  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 six new stories from Love Inspired Suspense every month!

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  ONE

  The handprint showed clearly in the dust on her driver’s-side window, as if someone had leaned there to look inside Keeley Stevens’s Jeep.

  Who would be looking inside her aged vehicle? Nothing worth stealing in there.

  The outline on the glass blurred as she washed the imprint away with the hose.

  His face, Tucker’s face, rose from the shadows of memory. Her sister’s murderer. He had long fingers like that.

  “Knock it off, Keeley,” she told herself. It was purely melodrama. She never should have watched that black-and-white mystery movie marathon the night before. The handprint was the work of a teen messing around, no doubt the kids she’d hassled earlier in the week. Or maybe her paranoia had taken root the morning before, when she’d noticed the long-haired man watching her from across the street as she gassed up her car. He was too far away to see clearly. Just a guy enjoying a smoke. Normal. She would not let a teen prank and her own nerves undo her. And no more mystery marathons. Strictly the cooking channel. Maybe she’d learn how to make something with more than three ingredients.

  When the rinsing was complete, she loaded up her Jeep and drove out of town, heater turned on to high to fend off the early-spring chill. It had to be the cold that made her skin prickle, because she would not allow fear to nest in her soul. Once she did, it would lay down roots and conquer her. Keeley would not be conquered. Ever. But still the feeling that started when she saw the long-haired man remained alive in her stomach, somewhere down deep.

  Had Tucker returned?

  I murdered your sister, and now it’s your turn, she imagined him saying.

  “Toughen up, girl,” she muttered to herself. Tucker was no doubt hiding from the cops in some faraway city. He’d murdered LeeAnn nearly two years ago, only two months after his parole agent had allowed for the removal of his tracking bracelet. Ironic, since he’d never been incarcerated for anything other than car theft, not a violent offender. No, not violent, until the day he’d smashed in LeeAnn’s skull and stuffed her body into the trunk of his car, intending to flee.

  And if he had made a successful escape? Would she ever have known what had happened to her sister? But LeeAnn had been able to send one frantic text before he killed her.

  Tucker. Help me.

  Keeley recalled the icy fear that had gripped her body as she’d dialed the police that day. They hadn’t been able to save LeeAnn. Tucker had crashed the car into a pond, escaped custody and gone on the run.

  Nowhere near.

  Tucker was just a bad memory, but what if she did come face-to-face with him one day?

  Keeley ground her teeth. He would be the one to lose.

  *

  No good news ever came at three o’clock in the morning. Mick Hudson knew that from his days as a marine in Iraq and his years as a parole officer in Portland. He cracked an eye open, rolled over and snatche
d up the old phone on the second ring before it could wake his father.

  “Mick?” the voice said.

  “Who wants to know?” His usual hospitable greeting. Whoever had broken the still of the small house tucked deep in the secluded bird sanctuary in the Oregon mountains did not deserve courtesy. Yet.

  “It’s Reggie.” A dry chuckle. “You’ve been in the woods so long you can’t recognize a civilized voice? Retirement hasn’t mellowed you.”

  Mick sat up. Reggie Donaldson had been his supervisor when he was a parole officer, before the murder had torn his life apart. “What’s going on?”

  Reggie sighed. “Ever the one for charming small talk.”

  “You want small talk, you don’t call at three in the morning.”

  There was a long pause. Mick braced himself for the news. Whatever it was, it was going to hurt. “My sources say Tucker Rivendale’s been spotted in Oregon.”

  Mick’s heart jumped up into a higher gear. “When?”

  “Yesterday. I made some calls and the cops are on it, but so far no arrest. Small town. They don’t have the resources. They said they would contact you for info, but I knew you’d rather hear it from me.”

  “Where you figure he was heading?”

  Another long pause. “I could be wrong.”

  “You usually aren’t. Where?”

  Reggie blew out a breath. “If I had to guess, I’d say he’s on his way to Keeley Stevens’s place in Silver Creek.”

  A slow roar started up in Mick’s ears. Tucker Rivendale was the one he’d misjudged, the man he’d vouched for who’d murdered Keeley’s sister, LeeAnn. Mick’s error had cost LeeAnn her life. He flashed for a moment on her wide grin, the way she would greet everyone from postal worker to parole officer with a hug. With her arm around Tucker, they were an adoring couple, or so he’d thought, right up until the moment he’d learned that Tucker had killed her.

  “Mick? You still there?”

  He forced the answer past dry lips. “Yeah.”

  “Just thought you’d want to know. I knew you were going to catch wind of it, so better to hear it from me.”

  Oh, yeah. He wanted to know, all right.

  “You’re not going to do anything risky, are you? I’m headed up there, and it’s better for you to stay away,” Reggie said, betraying the smallest hint of excitement in his voice.