Arctic Christmas Ambush

by Sherri Shackelford

  He lifted a single cupcake with a single candle. “Happy birthday.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that.”

  “I’ll never get tired of saying it.”

  He’d insisted on packing the sled that day, and she soon understood why. He produced a thick wool blanket and spread it over the snow. Then he set out a tray along with a vase and a single rose. After that he retrieved a thermos of coffee and two mugs.

  Kara pressed her hands over her heart. “What else have you got in there?”

  He reached for her hand. “Have a seat.”

  She sat on the blanket, her legs tucked to the side. He sat across from her.

  She looked away, and when she looked back, Shane was holding a white-gold ring with a wooden inlay. The look on his face was unbelievably tender and heartbreakingly tentative. Almost unsure.

  Her breath hitched. “It’s beautiful.”

  “You told me you didn’t like to wear jewelry with raised gemstones at work. When I saw this, I thought you might like this instead.”

  She smiled, and her eyes filled with tears. “I love it. I love you.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” He cleared his throat. “I love what we have together, but I want more. I want a family. I want a family with you. I want a house filled with barking dogs and noisy children and a mudroom full of coats and boots. I want your beautiful butterscotch eyes to be the first thing I see in the morning, and the last thing I see at night. I want to love you when you’re happy and I want to comfort you when you’re sad. I want to marry you.” He tugged on his hat. “Now I need to know if you want that too.”

  “You have to mean it, you have to really mean it, because I want a big, messy life and I want you by my side. I want to love you until we’re old and feeble. So you have to be sure, really sure, this is what you want.”

  He slid the ring over her finger. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

  She laughed and her heart felt light, without the weight of shame and guilt weighing her down. She leaned forward and kissed him. “I also want to kiss you. A lot.”

  “I can get on board with that.”

  Their lips met again, and her heart thrilled at his caress. He slid his hands behind her back, pulling her even closer. Everything about him felt good and right. They didn’t stop kissing until Snowball started barking at them.

  They sprang apart with a laugh.

  Shane straightened. “Wait a second. You never answered me. Is that a yes?”

  Kara moved across the blanket and sat with her back against his chest. “Yes. As many stars as there are in the Alaskan skies, yes.”

  “You’re so beautiful.”

  She tweaked his beard. “You’re not so bad yourself. Is it too soon to ask if we can have a Christmas wedding?”

  “Are you afraid I’ll forget our anniversary?”

  “Never.”

  “Then absolutely. As long as you mean the Christmas in two days and not the one next year.”

  She tipped back her head and glanced up at him. “Do you think we can put something together that fast?”

  “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

  She snuggled close and silently thanked God for sending this man to her to love. He was her friend and the love of her life. He was home.

  She was home.

  * * *

  If you liked this story from Sherri Shackelford, check out her previous Love Inspired Suspense books:

  No Safe Place

  Killer Amnesia

  Stolen Secrets

  Available now from Love Inspired Suspense!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Holiday Stalker by Laura Scott. Book One of the True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn Christmas Anthology.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading Arctic Christmas Ambush! I hope you enjoyed Kara and Shane’s story. Alaska’s motto is North to the Future. The motto was chosen in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase Centennial and is meant to represent Alaska as a land of promise. What better place to set a story about self-discovery? Shane and Kara are challenged by the land and by each other to imagine a better future together.

  I love connecting with readers and would love to hear your thoughts on this story! If you are interested in learning more about this book—or other books and series I have written—I have more information on my website: sherrishackelford.com. I can also be reached by email at sherri@sherrishackelford.com, and snail mail, PO Box 116, Elkhorn, NE 68022.

  Happy reading!

  Sherri Shackelford

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  Find strength and determination in stories of faith and love in the face of danger.

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  Holiday Stalker

  Book One of the True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn Christmas Anthology

  by Laura Scott

  ONE

  Eden Chang hunched her shoulders and tucked her chin beneath the neckline of her bright red winter coat. Shivering in the cold dark night, she quickened her pace toward the Bay Ridge Avenue subway entrance.

  A scattering of fat fluffy snowflakes began to fall, bringing the promised white Christmas the meteorologists had predicted. Wreaths decorated the light posts with holiday cheer. Normally she loved snow, and the Christmas holiday, but not tonight.

  Not when she was being followed.

  Eden pressed a hand to her abdomen, holding the computer bag in place. She’d looped the strap over her shoulder beneath her coat. Resisting the urge to look over her shoulder, she walked faster. Her senses were on full alert, the hair on the back of her neck standing upright in alarm. The sooner she could get near crowds of people, the safer she’d feel.

  Lord, please guide me to safety.

  At the entrance leading down to the subway station, she hesitated. Should she risk turning around and go back to the mostly deserted Brooklyn K-9 Unit police station? Or take the subway to head home the way she’d planned? As the technical specialist for the Brooklyn K-9 Unit, she knew the subways had dozens of cameras, more so than what you could count on being available out on the street.

  Since their precinct happened to be a good six blocks away, and her train would be arriving shortly, she decided to head down to the subway. She quickly pushed through the turnstile. The area was well lit, the brightness making her squint. Seeing a small group of what she thought might be college students standing near one of the green pillars, she immediately walked toward them, hoping the mere proximity of others would scare off the guy trailing her.

  If only she’d gotten a better glimpse of his face. Dressed in black, with a dark cap covering his hair, and the collar of his black leather coat flipped up and hiding most of his face, she couldn’t say for sure who he was. She’d first noticed him about two blocks after leaving work but hadn’t thought much about it until she’d caught another glimpse of him still behind her on the next block. She’d taken a brief detour, thinking she’d lose him, but didn’t.

  There was no reason for anyone to follow her, yet she felt certain the guy behind her was Tayron Lee, a friend of her older brother, Ricky. Tayron, who preferred to be called Tiger and often called her brother Rat, gave her the creeps.

  Eden stood near the college students, glancing up at the camera mounted between the ceiling and the wall, before scanning the faces of the pedestrians coming through the turnstile and into the subway. So far, there was no sign of Tayron, or any other man dressed from head to toe in black. Holding her phone in her hand, she silently urged the train to arrive. When she heard the sound of its approach, her shoulders slumped with relief.

  Finally! S
he moved away from the students, turning to watch as the train slowed to a stop. Several people were standing near the doorway, waiting to come off, so she stepped back to give them room.

  A blur of movement caught the corner of her eye. She whirled around in time to see a dark figure jabbing his gloved hand toward her abdomen. The light bounced off something shiny.

  A knife!

  Before she could move or scream, the blade went deep through the puffy fabric of her coat, hitting the computer bag hidden underneath. For a moment the man seemed surprised at her non-reaction, then he jerked the knife out and instantly spun away, running back through the turnstile and up the stairs to the street.

  “Help! Stop him! He tried to stab me!” Eden found her voice, shouting above the din.

  The college students gaped at her while several other pedestrians looked around in confusion. A tall man with dark hair wearing a NYPD uniform and jacket came barreling out of the train, holding the leash of a tall black-and-gold dog wearing a K-9 vest.

  “Where did he go?” Maxwell Santelli, one of the transit officers from her K-9 precinct, lightly grasped her arm. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, the knife hit my bag, but he headed up the stairs to the street. Hurry!”

  “Stay here and wait for me. Come, Sam.” Max didn’t waste another second and ran after her attacker.

  Eden was conscious of the numerous people gawking at her. She glanced down at her coat, wondering if she had actually been hit, but thankfully there was no blood.

  The one-inch tear in her coat was the only evidence of the knife attack. Fingering the tear, she sent up a silent prayer, thanking God for protecting her.

  When she glanced up again, she realized several people were still staring at her.

  “I have a computer bag under my coat,” she announced to no one in particular. “The tip of the knife hit my bag. I’m fine, but my computer may not be.”

  A couple of people let out nervous laughs. Others looked relieved. One kid was using his phone to take a video.

  She scowled. “Turn that off.”

  The kid returned her gaze defiantly for a long second before slinking away.

  The seconds ticked by slowly as she waited for K-9 officer Max Santelli and his Rottweiler, Sam, to return. The fact that they were working late surprised her. Was there some sort of case he was dealing with that she wasn’t aware of? It would be unusual since she was the one with the ability to tap in to view all the security cameras, including those on the subways.

  Max. She shivered, only this time not from the cold. Of all the cops within their K-9 unit close enough to respond, why did it have to be him? Max Santelli was tall and muscular with dark hair, light blue eyes and a dimple that flashed in his left cheek when he smiled.

  Which frankly wasn’t often. Of all the cops she worked with, Max was the most reserved and serious of the group.

  And far too attractive for her peace of mind.

  “Eden?”

  She jerked her gaze up to meet Max’s. “Did you find him?”

  He grimaced and shook his head. “No, sorry.” His gaze dropped to the tear in her coat, a frown furrowing his brow. “You’re sure you’re not hurt?”

  “I had my computer bag beneath my coat.”

  “You always carry your computer bag under your coat?” Max took a moment to examine the tear made by the knife blade.

  “Yes. I have very expensive equipment and this way it makes it harder to steal.” She didn’t bring her work home, that would be against the rules, but being a computer geek, she always had the most expensive and up-to-date technology. She liked using her computer on her lunch break and wasn’t about to let it get ripped off by some lowlife.

  “I’m glad the blade didn’t cut you.”

  She nodded, but suddenly felt overwhelmed by the near miss. Her knees threatened to buckle, so she staggered over to the nearby bench and sat down, trying to understand what had just happened.

  She hadn’t just been followed, which was bad enough; she’d been stabbed. Why? Who would want to hurt her? Even Tayron, creepy as he was—with his knowing, leering grin—hadn’t ever given her the impression he wanted to kill her. He’d made it clear he wanted to date her, so why stab her?

  “Easy now, take a deep breath in and let it out slowly.”

  Max’s mesmerizing voice broke into her troubled thoughts and she found herself following his advice. He dropped into the seat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Sam, Heel,” Max commanded. The Rottweiler came over and dropped to his haunches beside them.

  The urge to lean against Max, absorbing his strength, was strong. She had to take several deep breaths before she could speak. “Thanks for coming to the rescue.”

  “Can you tell me what happened?” Max’s tone was low, gruff yet gentle at the same time. His nearness was distracting, his sandalwood scent strong, but she did her best to concentrate on providing the information he needed.

  “I felt someone following me for the past few blocks and debated whether to return to the precinct or keep going.”

  “Why were you working so late? It’s past ten thirty at night,” Max interrupted.

  “Why are you here this late?” She couldn’t hide the exasperation in her voice.

  “There’s been a rash of subway robberies,” Max admitted. “I was approved for some overtime.”

  She nodded, belatedly remembering that. “I have a lot of video I’ve been asked to review and it took longer than I thought. The point is, I knew someone was behind me on the street, but I didn’t expect him to follow me down into the subway station and stab me.”

  “I know.” Max’s arm around her shoulders tightened for a moment before he moved away. He shifted on the bench to face her. “Did you recognize him?”

  She hesitated and tried to bring the glimpse of the man’s face into her mind’s eye. Had it been Tayron? The collar and black scarf had hidden a good portion of his face. She couldn’t even say for sure what race he was. Tayron was Chinese, like her and her brother, and the only one she could imagine doing something like this, but to be fair, she’d been distracted by the knife. By the time she’d lifted her gaze to his face, the attacker had been turning away.

  “Not yet, but I’m sure I will once I have a chance to examine the subway video more closely.”

  “That sounds to me like you have a suspect who you think did this.”

  She sighed and grimaced. “Just a possibility. Tayron Lee is a friend of my older brother’s. He’s asked me out nonstop for the past year, used to show up at my apartment building until I moved six weeks ago. I wondered if he was the one following me. But to stab me with a knife? That’s extreme, even for him.”

  “Tayron Lee,” Max repeated. His serious expression didn’t reveal his thoughts. “Anyone else? Other secret admirers? Former boyfriends?”

  “No.” She briefly considered her three male friends from college. The four of them called themselves the Geek Quad, but couldn’t imagine one of her longtime friends turning on her. And none of the guys had ever asked her out. “I can’t imagine anyone doing something like this.”

  “Keep thinking about it. You may remember something else.” Max fell silent for a moment, then added, “I’d like to review the video with you.”

  “Sure.” He was, after all, the responding officer. She blew out a sigh. “Tomorrow will be soon enough. I’m not sure I’m up to looking at it now.”

  “I’ll escort you home.” Max stood and Sam sprang to his feet, too. “After giving the all clear for the train to resume.”

  He used his radio to communicate the information, then put his hand beneath Eden’s elbow as she rose to her feet.

  “That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine.”

  “Humor me.” When she nodded, he put a hand beneath her elbow. “Let’s go.”

 
Powerless to resist, she allowed Max to lead her onto the train. There was only one empty seat and he steered her toward it, choosing to stand before her, with Sam at his side.

  The Rottweiler was beautiful with his black-and-gold coloring, but he was a working dog, so she didn’t try to pet him. Yet she couldn’t help but smile at the idea of Sam meeting Charlie, her roommate Anna’s orange tabby cat.

  “Where do you live?”

  She shifted the bulky computer beneath her coat to a more comfortable position, then glanced up at him. “Sunset Park. I share a two-bedroom apartment with a friend.”

  He nodded. “That’s good. I’m glad you won’t be alone.”

  “Yeah, well, I am living alone for the next two weeks. Anna is skiing in Colorado with her family through the New Year.” It was part of the reason she’d chosen to work late. No sense rushing home to an empty apartment.

  Max scowled. “Do you have somewhere else you can stay for tonight?”

  She thought again of her three computer geek friends. Darnell Hicks, Tom Gellner and Bryon Avery. As much as they’d hung out in high school and college, gaming or surfing the net, honing their hacking skills, they weren’t the kind of guys she wanted to ask this kind of personal favor from. They were friends, but she didn’t want to live with any of them, even temporarily. “No. I’ll be fine.” She put on a brave face, even though she was nervous about being alone. Charlie the tabby would be there, but he wasn’t protective the way Sam and Max were.

  Weariness washed over her. Being recruited by the NYPD during college because of her technical skills had been exciting, the perfect way to honor her father, Kent Chang, a cop who’d served New York City for over twenty years before dying of cancer when she and Ricky were in college. Her mother, Louise, had died a year later, from what Eden privately believed was a broken heart.

  But working as the technical specialist for the Brooklyn K-9 Unit didn’t mean she was fighting crime on the front lines. Being in danger wasn’t something she was accustomed to, preferring to work behind the scenes in order to bring the bad guys to justice.