Sam chuckled, amused by the man’s balls. “I don’t think so. You seem to forget I’m the one who pushed so hard to investigate you. Do we have a deal?”
“Well, hang on a second. What’s to protect me when another cowboy from your team decides to pick up where you left off? You and I both know that’ll happen.”
“Nothing. But that’s not my problem. I’m backing off, resigning, and with that, all my knowledge of you and Dan McKenzie disappears. This current investigation is now down the toilet.”
“Marcie. Such a sweet, lovely girl. I could never get past her granny. Tried a few times. That woman, I swear she’d go to battle with the devil himself to protect her Marcie. You must really love her.” Lance rocked forward and leaned on his desk. “I’m in a generous mood today. Mr. Thomas, please return Agent Carre’s weapon and escort him to the door.” Lance’s man handed Sam his Glock and then directed him to leave. Lance Silver never looked up. “Mr. Carre, enjoy your retirement.”
Chapter Forty-nine
Marcie sat on the edge of a moss-covered bank, admiring the sculpted rocks sloping down toward Scotty Bay. Puffy white clouds filled the clear blue sky; they were really moving. The wind had picked up. Maple and fir trees rustled and swayed their lovely pastel shades of green, orange, and yellow. What a fine fall day to take in Mother Nature’s glorious changes—to really clear away the confusion and bring some clarity to my busy mind, thought Marcie. She breathed deeply as she looked down on the bubbling water splashing over the rocky shore.
Diane didn’t join her. She must have sensed Marcie’s need for space, so she lingered by the borrowed sedan. Sam had taken her truck when he went out earlier. Maybe he too needed some clarity. Who wouldn’t after the drama they’d lived through the last few days—hell, for that matter, since she landed in his path in New Orleans?
Gravel rustled behind her, and a truck door closed. She didn’t need to look back. She could feel his warm approach from anywhere.
“The mist is rolling in.” He hunched down, wrapping his arms around her.
Marcie touched his arm and felt his possessive, loving hold sink right into her. “Diane called you?”
“She knew I’d worry, finding you both gone from the cabin.”
She leaned her head back against Sam’s shoulder, struck by the peaceful feeling that everything was going to be all right. “I’m glad she did. We better go before we can’t see anything.”
Sam all but lifted her. His solid arm surrounded her waist, pulling her so close that not even a breeze could find space to separate them. She wouldn’t remember what the small detail was that made her look, but when she glanced out onto the bay, the view was impaired by the thickening mist. Then a window opened, with blue sky and Jerome’s golden hair blowing in the wind. He smiled, on the deck of his ship, with his darling Isabel beside him. Then he was gone.
She looked up at Sam. He watched the same spot on the bay.
“Wow, look at how thick the fog is,” he said.
And she knew, for her and Sam, they’d won.
Chapter Fifty
Marcie watched Sam through the front window as he threw a tennis ball to the fluffy golden retriever, who frolicked and raced to fetch the fuzzy ball. They needed to leave soon. Sam had booked them a beachfront resort down in Mazatlan.
“Here’s your tea. Sit down, child, before you fall over.” Sally placed a steaming mug on the driftwood coffee table, which she’d made from scraps that floated in from the ocean. She gripped Marcie’s hand and led her to the sofa, giving her arm a gentle shake. “Marcie, you listen to me. I can see you fretting over what’s past, but you need to let it go. You’ve been handed a precious gift. Take it. Go on vacation with your new man. Come back and build a life together. And never forget your gift.
“Now that you’re listening and following the light, you already know your gift has returned. It’s getting stronger, and when you come back all rested and tanned, it’ll be time to resume your teaching. I’m happy for you, and you should know that your granny’s smiling down on you. You got a good man there, the right man—the man you asked for. You accomplished quite a feat, whether or not you realize it. You broke a destructive cycle that had been repeating for generations. That dark entity didn’t get you or Sam; although it tried. New guides and angels come to us all the time, as we need them, to teach us and guide us on our divine path. You won. You both did. Now finish your tea—you have a boat to catch.”
“Sally, who’s my real father? Jerome said you’d help me find him.”
Sally pulled on her cream sweater and strode to the window, watching Sam and her fluffy companion bouncing through the piles of fallen leaves. “When you get back, child, and settled with your man. After you resume your teaching, it’ll be time. Then I’ll help you find him. Now, go with God and remember the words of our native forefathers about the battle that wages inside each of us. Do you remember, Marcie? One is evil. It’s fear, anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, competition, and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, friendship, respect, sharing, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. Do you remember who wins?”
“Yes, I do. The one you feed.”
Marcie left the warm, cozy cottage without another word. Her heart felt at peace for the first time ever. Sam turned to her when she stepped off the porch and watched her in his soft, loving way that turned her knees to jelly. Words weren’t necessary when a man could say it all with a look. She was everything, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the whole world to him. His face lit up in the easy way she’d come to recognize, over the past few days, since he’d tendered his resignation to the DEA. His walk was lighter, as if he’d shed every one of his burdens. He skimmed his fingers up and around her jaw, and his eyes sparkled with humor.
Sam helped her into the truck. Before he could close her door, she cupped his cheek and traced her finger over the pink nick on his chin, a casualty from shaving that morning.
“What is it?”
“Do you ever wonder what cost we pay for the choices we make, if it’s fate or something we created?”
He frowned. “I’m not sure how to answer that, hon.”
“You don’t need to. I think the answer will come.”
Sam leaned down and kissed her cheek and then her lips. “I have faith that it will. Now, let’s go to Mexico.”
THE END
Next in Walk the Right Road Series, LOST AND FOUND. A 2013 ‘Readers Favorite Award Winner.’
--“LOST AND FOUND is one of the best romantic suspense books I have read this year! I will forewarn you, you will need a box of tissues and a punching bag while reading this dynamic tale.” Romance Junkies
--“A heart-rending tragedy of grand magnitude, faced by one innocent family against whom it seemed the whole world had rallied. It will pull you into the thick of the action, and not let you go until the final page.” Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite
--“It starts with a heartrending description of every parents’ worst nightmare, and keeps the suspense and drama level high all the way through.” Loves Reading
--“If you want to read a book that will make you think about the depth of relationships, this is the book. What would you do for the person you love?” KitKat
--“Growing up I have always been a fan of books that contain messages and stories that can relate to real life situations. This definitely covered both of those and more. There were parts where I wanted to curl up with a box of tissues and keep reading and then others I was too caught up in the book I just couldn't put it down.” Reviewer – Nicole
--“This is one of the best books that I've read in a long time. It was a page turner a thriller from page one until the very end.”
A hit and run.
A deserted country road.
A parents worst nightmare.
On a warm fall morning in Ga
rdiner, Washington, Richard and Maggie celebrate happy couple Sam and Marcie's return. What happens next changes their lives forever. A hit and run driver on a deserted country road, and Richard and Maggie suffer a parents worst nightmare.
Now a year later Maggie McCafferty struggles to put her life back together...hiding her pain with outrageous behavior and her own secret she's unwilling to share. Until her friends step in and her strong willed soon to be ex-husband sets out to bring Maggie home-- the only way he knows. Just as Maggie begins to trust again, Dan McKenzie calls after disappearing for over a year. But now he's back. And instead of Richard coming clean with the truth of their involvement, Richard digs himself in deeper, with mounting debts, a partner who refuses to buy him out--secrets shared only with Dan. Until one night a mysterious 911 caller witnesses a fight and Richard shooting Dan. But when the police arrive at the deserted construction site the only evidence of a crime is a pool of blood, and a surveillance video.
Under mounting pressure from the police Richard's arrested and interrogated -except fiery secretive Richard is adamant he was home all night. In this bizarre twist of fate, Sam, Marcie and Diane work against the clock and wonder how well they really know their evasive friend. With Maggie by his side, Richard stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Richard didn't do it, where is Dan? And who is the mysterious 911 caller?
Walk the Right Road Series in order:
THE CHOICE
LOST AND FOUND
MERKABA
BOUNTY
BLOWN AWAY, THE FINAL CHAPTER
"Genius at weaving a story of love and redemption"--Amazon Reviewer –Kyblondern
"There was not a human emotion I did not go through while reading this book. I will forewarn you, you will need a box of tissues and a punching bag while reading this dynamic tale."-Romance Junkies
LOST AND FOUND: A Hit and Run—A Deserted Country Road—A Parent’s Worst Nightmare.
MERKABA: Everyone thinks he’s dead, and that’s exactly how he needs it to stay. But the mysterious dark-haired beauty has secrets of her own and could ultimately be his undoing.
BOUNTY: Most cops have a past, a past they can speak of, a past they can share …But not Diane
BLOWN AWAY, The Final Chapter: Imagine that the man who's been the source of all your misery shows up on your doorstep. Imagine this man wants your forgiveness for every bad thing he's done to you and your friends. Would you believe him?
Or grab all the books in this sizzling romantic thriller in one collection. Walk the Right Road: The Complete Collection.
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Lorhainne Eckhart’s books have been described as Longmire meets old-school Dallas, and she recently received the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Award for Romantic Suspense for her title Lost and Found. With over thirty titles under her belt, she is frequently a Top 100 bestselling author in multiple genres, such as romance, western, and mystery/suspense. She has written multiple series, including The Outsider, Walk the Right Road, The Wilde Brothers, Saved, and her most recent addition, The Friessens: A New Beginning.
Lorhainne lives on sunny Salt Spring Island with her family, where she is working on her next novel.
Lorhainne Eckhart loves to hear from readers!
Contact at
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @LEckhart
Facebook: LorhainneEckhart
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Links to Lorhainne Eckhart’s Booklist
The following titles are available in electronic format. Please scroll down for the links or visit my website at www.LorhainneEckhart.com for available retailers.
The Outsider Series
The Forgotten Child (Brad and Emily)
A Baby and a Wedding (An Outsider Series Short)
Fallen Hero (Andy, Jed, and Diana)
The Search (An Outsider Series Short)
The Awakening (Andy and Laura)
Secrets (Jed and Diana)
Runaway (Andy and Laura)
Overdue (An Outsider Series Short)
The Unexpected Storm (Neil and Candy)
The Wedding (Neil and Candy)
Or grab all the books in this sizzling romance series in one boxed set collection, The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection.
The Friessens: A New Beginning
The Deadline (Andy and Laura)
The Price to Love (Neil and Candy)
A Different Kind of Love (Brad and Emily)
A Vow of Love, A Friessen Family Christmas
Or grab all the books in this romantic family saga in one box set collection. The Friessens: A New Beginning, The Collection
New from The Friessens in 2015
The Reunion – Available April 28, 2015
The Wilde Brothers
The One (Joe & Margaret)
The Honeymoon, A Wilde Brothers Short
Friendly Fire (Logan & Julia)
Not Quite Married, A Wilde Brothers Short
A Matter of Trust (Ben & Carrie)
The Reckoning, A Wilde Brothers Christmas
Traded (Jake) – Available March 31, 2015
Unforgiven (Samuel) – Available August 11, 2015
Walk the Right Road Series
The Choice
Lost and Found
Merkaba
Bounty
Blown Away: The Final Chapter
Or grab all the books in the Walk the Right Road Series in one boxed set collection:
Walk the Right Road: The Complete Collection
The Saved Series
Saved
Vanished
Captured
Available just in time for Christmas: The Saved Series: The Complete Collection
Box Sets & Collections
Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series Volume 1
Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series Volume 2
The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection
Walk the Right Road: The Complete Collection
The Saved Series: The Complete Collection
The Friessens: A New Beginning, The Complete Collection
Young Adult Christmas
The Gift
A Father’s Love, Illustrated
Available on Audiobook
The Deadline
The Price to Love
Saved
The Forgotten Child
A Baby And A Wedding
Fallen Hero with Bonus Short Story, The Search
The One
Lost and Found
What else is new in 2015? Look for these Single Titles from Lorhainne Eckhart
One Night, Available June 30, 2015
His Promise, July 7
He Came Back, October 27, 2015
Loving Christine, A Christmas Romance, November 24, 2015
Copyright Information
Danger Deception Devotion
COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2015, All Rights Reserved.
THE ONE COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2013, All Rights Reserved
THE FORGOTTEN CHILD COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2011, All Rights Reserved
THE DEADLINE COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2014, All Rights Reserved
SAVED COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2013, All Rights Reserved
Originally titled The Captain’s Lady
COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2008, The Captain’s Lady, All Rights Reserved
THE CHOICE COPYRIGHT © Lorhainne Ekelund, 2011, All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchas
e it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design: Steven Novak
Contact Information: [email protected]
Editor: Talia Leduc, Robert Reed, Kristen Weber, Leandra Hanes
ISBN: 9781928085300
Danger Deception Devotion The Firsts Page 102