by Barb Han
How far will US Marshal Nick Campbell go to protect his innocent witness?
US marshal Nick Campbell’s life is a lie. But when a devastating explosion nearly kills Sadie Brooks, the one woman who can put away a murderer, only the truth will keep her alive. Revealing his secrets connects Nick to Sadie in ways he never expected…and unleashes an attraction he can’t ignore.
Minute by minute, they race closer to justice but sink deeper into the crosshairs of a deadly criminal ring. To protect his witness, Nick has to gain her trust. But once he tastes the temptation of Sadie, he’s torn between breaking every boundary for a life with her…or breaking her heart and letting her go.
“What’s going on? Who are you really?”
Nick’s face was stoic. His jaw set. Determination creased his forehead now dark with ash. “You’re in serious trouble.”
“Start talking or I’m going to scream.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Or, better yet, take me home.”
“No can do. And you needed help.”
“Damn it, Nick, you’re creeping me out. You have to give me something more.” She didn’t know why he’d shown up. Nothing made sense. “At least tell me where you’re taking me. I deserve to know what’s happening.”
He kept one eye trained on the rearview mirror as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a badge. “I’m a US Marshal.”
All those times he’d stopped in the bakery and led her to believe he was flirting with her caused a red blush to crawl up her neck. A piece of her had enjoyed his attention, too. What an idiot. Was he monitoring her situation the whole time? “You’re a radiologist.”
His lips parted in a dry crack of a smile. “You don’t believe me.”
“Why didn’t you mention this before?”
“It would’ve blown my cover.”
WITNESS
PROTECTION
Barb Han
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barb Han lives in North Texas with her very own hero-worthy husband, has three beautiful children, a spunky golden retriever/standard poodle mix and too many books in her to-read pile. In her downtime, she plays video games and spends much of her time on or around a basketball court. She’s passionate about travel, and many of the places she visits end up in her books.
She loves interacting with readers and is grateful for their support. You can reach her at www.barbhan.com.
Books by Barb Han
1477—RANCHER RESCUE
1537—WITNESS PROTECTION*
*The Campbells of Creek Bend
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CAST OF CHARACTERS
Sadie Brooks—She had to ditch her former life to enter Witness Protection. Now that the man she helped put behind bars has escaped, she’ll walk away from another place, and the life she was finally building in Creek Bend. She must figure out a way to trust the man who shows up to help, even if doing so makes her more vulnerable.
Nick Campbell—This US Marshal, disguised as a nerdy work-at-home radiologist, shows up just in time to save Sadie from the criminal element who are close behind. But getting her to trust him is the tricky part, especially when his own past haunts him.
Luke Campbell—This FBI agent’s blood ties mean he will do whatever it takes to help Nick and Sadie.
Charlie—The US Marshal assigned to be Sadie’s handler turns up dead. Did he turn on her and give up her information to the criminal she put behind bars?
Malcom Grimes—This criminal has connections.
Deputy Jamison—The US Marshal supervisor’s name keeps coming up in connection with Sadie’s case.
William Smith—Nick’s boss and mentor is helping call the shots.
Burly—The lethal henchman of a hardened criminal who will stop at nothing to make sure Sadie’s life is erased.
Steroids—Another lethal henchman whose job is to track down and kill Sadie.
My deepest gratitude goes to the men and women of the US Marshals
Service for their many sacrifices. A heartfelt thank-you to my editor,
Allison Lyons, and my agent, Jill Marsal, because you make dreams
come true. I’m still pinching myself. Brandon, Jacob and Tori,
you guys inspire me every day. I love you with all my heart.
To my husband, John, you are the great love of my life.
And this is one heck of an adventure.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Excerpt
Chapter One
A clink against the back door of the bakery sounded again. Sadie Brooks lost her grip on the twenty-five pound sack of flour she’d held. It struck the floor and a mushroom-shaped cloud of white powder formed over the bag’s lip.
Creek Bend, Texas, was a far cry from Chicago, she reminded herself. No one from her past knew where she was. No one could hurt her. No one cared. And she was no longer Laura Kaye.
It was four-thirty in the morning in a town that rolled up the streets by eight. The noise was most likely a cat rummaging through trash. No big deal. Nothing scary.
“Only you and me are crazy enough to be up this early,” she said to her two-year-old rescue dog, Boomer, while forcing air in and out of her lungs. He didn’t so much as crack an eyelid. “And I think we both know I mean me.”
Working when everyone else slept suited Sadie just fine. She’d had very little use for daylight or people ever since she’d been kidnapped two years ago.
Yes, she still flinched at every noise. Constantly checked over her shoulder at the slightest peep. But she was always ready. Always expecting the worst. Always on guard. And yet, the past year had been peaceful. There was no reason to believe anything would change save for the all-too-real feeling in the pit of her stomach screaming otherwise.
Being constantly on alert felt a lot like parking and then leaving her high beams on. Pretty soon her battery would run out.
Boomer whined in his sleep. Her protector? Now that was funny. She’d rescued a big dog for protection. She got the Scooby Doo of golden retrievers. All he wanted to do was eat, and he wouldn’t scare away a cat. But he did make noise and his low-belly bark sounded fierce. Sadie figured it was good enough to make anyone think twice.
As she bent over to pick up the sack of white powder, another noise sent a chill skittering across her nerves. Boomer’s head cocked at the unmistakable snick of a lock. Her heart drummed against her chest.
Using the lock was good, right? That meant someone with a key was most likely standing on the other side of the door. She thought of Claire, her very pregnant boss who was her only friend. With her baby due any day, she would be asleep right now.
Boomer, shackles ra
ised, stalked toward the stockroom to investigate.
“It’s okay, boy.” She scoured the area looking for a weapon just in case. Was there anything she could use to defend herself? To protect Boomer? She moved toward the nearest counter.
A sparkle caught her attention. Light reflected from the blade of a knife. Her fingers shook as they curled around the black plastic handle.
Then everything went dark. No lights. It was too much of a coincidence to think the breaker could’ve been tripped. This blackout was on purpose.
Boomer’s low throaty growl nearly stopped her heart. It was the same noise he made when a stranger approached the lake house. Boomer had found an intruder. And they weren’t familiar.
His barks fired like a machine gun, rapid and ear-piercing.
Sadie’s adrenaline kicked into high gear. Her fight, flight or freeze response jacked through the roof. Every instinct inside her screamed, “Run!”
But she couldn’t.
She wouldn’t leave Boomer defenseless. Could she signal to him without giving away her location? No.
What about help? Her cell? Good luck finding her purse in the pitch-black.
She crouched and felt her way behind a rack filled with pastries. A hand covered her mouth. Her fingers, which had been curled around the knife handle, flexed cold air. She had been disarmed with frightening ease.
“Shh. Don’t say a word or they’ll hear you. Be very still.” A second ticked by before she recognized the voice as Nick Campbell’s. Why in the hell would a radiologist show up at the bakery in the middle of the night?
The last time a man took her by surprise she ended up spending two weeks in the ICU with facial lacerations and cracked ribs.
Determined to break free this time, she ignored the shivers running up her arms and bit Nick’s hand.
“I said, ‘be still,’ and don’t do that again,” Nick said. His deep, quiet tone was different. Dark and dangerous. Experienced. And she knew instinctively not to push him.
With a total stranger somewhere in front of her and Nick’s big frame behind her, she was trapped.
“I won’t hurt you,” he whispered.
What on earth was he doing here? And how had he gotten in without her noticing?
Boomer’s barks mixed with growls and intensified.
Before she could wrap her brain around what was happening, Sadie felt herself being hauled toward the front door. The recollection of being snatched in daylight two years ago flooded her. His behavior brought up horrible memories. No way would Nick Campbell abduct her. Not a chance.
But what, besides a feeling that she could trust him, did she know about Nick? His brown eyes and black hair were almost always covered by a ball cap and shades. His shoulders hunkered forward, masking his true height. She hadn’t fully realized his lethal potential until he stood behind her, his masculine chest flush with her back. She was five-foot-seven and he dwarfed her. He had to be more than six feet tall. Maybe six-one?
Neither his height nor his mannerisms had intimidated her before. She’d felt a sizzle of attraction, but then most of the women in Creek Bend seemed eager to get to know him better. With his forearm locked like a vise grip around her waist, she suddenly realized just how strong and buff he truly was.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she whispered, choking down the anger rising inside her.
“No time to explain.”
Hell if she’d wait. She wasn’t about to be caught with no means of self-preservation again. She wasn’t defenseless as she’d been before.
The first principle of judo was never to oppose strength to strength. Sadie shifted her weight enough to kick off the wall. She bucked, trying to throw him off balance while bracing herself to land on the painted concrete floor.
Didn’t work.
Strong as an ox, he’d anticipated the move and counteracted by placing his feet in an athletic stance and tightening his grip. “I’ll drag you out of here kicking and screaming if I have to, but we’ll most likely both be killed.”
“I can’t leave my dog. Boomer’s back there,” she said, hating how her voice quivered and got all shaky with fear. She’d sworn no man would make her feel defenseless again. She realized, on some level, he was there to help, but she could walk for herself.
She kicked and wiggled. His grip was too tight.
It surprised her that a nerdy work-at-home radiologist knew how to counteract her martial arts moves. He also knew the back of the bakery well enough to navigate in the dark. She couldn’t even do that without bumping into something and she’d worked there for a year.
Fighting was no use. She would bide her time and break free the second the opportunity presented.
“I’ll go back for him. Once you’re safe in the truck,” he said. “Trust me.”
She snorted. “Why? Because I know so much about you?”
“I can explain everything. Once you’re out of danger.”
Bright Christmas lights lit a cloudless sky. Once they were out of the building, she could see. Nick’s expression was that of soldier on the front line.
He tucked her in the truck and then closed the door. The lock clicked. Trust him?
The door handle didn’t work. She rammed the door. All that did was hurt her shoulder. Try again and there’d be a nasty bruise. There had to be another way. She banged on the window. “Hey!”
She tried to pop the lock. Nothing.
Spinning onto her back, she used a front kick to drive the heel of her foot into the door, praying she could find the sweet spot. No good.
She scrambled to the front seat. By the time she gripped the handle, she heard a horrific boom from the alley. The bakery caught fire. She couldn’t catch her breath enough to scream.
The world closed in around her, and her stomach wrenched. Boomer!
Shattered glass littered the sidewalk. Thick black smoke bellowed from every opening.
What was left of the front door kicked open and out strode Nick, coughing, with her hundred-pound mutt in his arms.
As soon as she got a good look at him saving her dog, her heart squeezed and a voice inside her head warned, Uh-oh.
Out of the ashes and burning timber, he moved toward her, carrying her dog as if Boomer weighed nothing. Nick opened the back door of the truck and gently placed the dog on the seat.
“What’s going on? Who are you really?”
There was something about his compassion with the animal, something nonthreatening about him that kept Sadie’s nerves a notch below panic.
His face was stoic. His jaw set. Determination creased his forehead now dark with ash. “You’re in serious trouble.”
Icy tendrils closed around her chest. “What are you doing here showing up out of nowhere like that? Who was coming in the back door?”
He started the ignition.
“Start talking or I’m going to scream.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Or, better yet, take me home.”
“No can do. And you needed help.”
“Dammit, Nick, you’re creeping me out. You have to give me something more.”
His determination was written all over his squared jaw. He had obviously saved her life. He wasn’t there to hurt her. She didn’t know why he’d shown up. Nothing made sense. “At least tell me where you’re taking me. I deserve to know what’s happening.”
He kept one eye trained on the rearview mirror as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a badge. “I’m a U.S. Marshal.”
Her brain scrambled. Where was Charlie? He was her handler. And what did Nick mean he was a U.S. Marshal? All those times he’d stopped in the bakery and led her to believe he was flirting with her caused a red blush to crawl up her neck. A piece of her had enjoyed his attention, too. What an idiot. Was he monitoring her situation the
whole time? She needed to call Charlie and find out what was going on. For now, it was best to ignore her embarrassment and play dumb. “You’re a radiologist.”
His lips parted in a dry crack of a smile. “You don’t believe me.”
“Why didn’t you mention this before?”
“It would’ve blown my cover.”
* * *
ANGER FLASHED IN Sadie’s big green eyes as her gaze darted around the vehicle. Her phone was her only connection to her handler, and it was just as lost as she looked. She turned her attention to him, glaring as if this was all his fault.
“Sorry about your cell.” He pulled a new one from the dash and handed it to her. The movement called attention to the bruise she’d put on the inside of his forearm when she’d tried to kick out of his grasp earlier. The memory of her slim figure and sweet bottom pressed against him stirred an inappropriate sexual reaction. Her flour-dotted pale pink V-neck sweater and jeans fit like a second skin over a toned, feminine body. Her fresh-baked-bread-and-lily scent filled the cab. “I didn’t have time to retrieve your purse.”
She looked at the phone as if it was a hot grenade. “Why should I trust you?”
Nick couldn’t blame her. Her world was about to be turned upside down again, and he sensed she knew on some level. “You don’t have a choice. I apologize for that.”
She recoiled, most likely remembering being forced away from the only life she’d known in Chicago two years ago. His surveillance told him she’d made a home in Creek Bend and a friend in her new boss. The two had become close. Claire and her baby were a surrogate family to Sadie. He didn’t like taking it all away again. He bit back frustration.
“Where are you taking me?” The fear in her voice was like a sucker punch to his solar plexus.
“Somewhere safe. Charlie’s dead.”
She gasped. Her shaky hand covered her mouth.
“How do you know? Did you...?”
“No. Of course not.” She’d been taught not to believe anyone but Charlie. He had no idea how she would react now. He’d have to keep a close eye on her during the ride. “I know this is a lot to digest.”