Double Cross

by DiAnn Mills

After checking in at the airport, she stared at her boarding pass and wished it held her married name: Mrs. Francis Shepherd. Their next trip would show them as husband and wife.

  Security moved like the traffic they’d left behind. In the crowd, everyone’s personal space was invaded, and some people responded with hostility. Taryn stepped into a long, winding line, and Shep wrapped an arm around her waist. Oh, she loved her new life. He blew her a kiss while loading his shoes and personal belongings into a bin. If cravings like these occupied her mind for the next fifty years, how would she ever get any work done again?

  Once they walked through the body scanner and gathered their things, they wove through the crowd and on toward the gate. The predawn coffee caught up with her. With the urgency, she pointed to the women’s restroom. “Do I have time for a quick stop?”

  “Sure. My fault since I filled your cup twice to wake you. Let me have your carry-on, and I’ll wait here.” His smoldering look could have melted the wings off a jumbo jet.

  “I’ll hurry.”

  “No problem. The future’s ours.”

  Rushing inside, she noted six women ahead of her, one with two children. Shep had a tendency to be impatient with time constraints, but she’d be miserable on the plane if she didn’t wait her turn. Her iPhone notified her that she had fifteen minutes before boarding time.

  Finally a stall opened and she hurried in. While she was drying her hands, a thunderous explosion shook the floor. A crack snaked up the wall. Then another. The mirror shattered, breaking her image into shards of glass.

  She screamed and swung toward the entrance. Before she could take a step, the ceiling collapsed. Amid dirt and fallen tile, moans filled the air like a nightmare that refused to end. The walls creaked, metal and concrete shifting . . . falling.

  Muffled groans alerted Taryn to her impaired hearing from the blast. Trembling, she bent to check on a young woman sprawled at her feet. Blood seeped from a head wound, and Taryn couldn’t detect a pulse.

  Debris rained on her. Something crashed against her head, sending her spiraling into darkness.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  Laurel has been trying to let go of the guilt she feels over what happened when she put Morton Wilmington in prison five years ago. Does Laurel ever release her guilt? How? Can guilt be a good thing or lead to a good consequence? If you were in Laurel’s shoes, what steps would you take to turn the guilt into something good?

  As a police officer, Daniel is used to taking charge and finding the answers himself. Why is he so reluctant to work with the FBI? Is his attitude justified? Why or why not? What makes him change his mind about interagency cooperation?

  Daniel’s grandfather, Earl Hilton, lives with Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects more than 5 million Americans and their caregivers. Is there someone in your life who has received this diagnosis? What sort of day-to-day challenges do caregivers face? How can you show love and compassion to dementia patients and their families?

  In this novel, the FBI has spent years investigating a scam targeting the elderly, and Laurel feels desperate enough to bargain with a criminal, even offering to shorten his sentence if he cooperates. What’s behind her motivation for making such a plea? Is this a reasonable risk for her to take? What are the potential pitfalls in her plan?

  Have you or someone you love ever been robbed or taken advantage of in some way? How did it change your life or theirs? What precautions can you take, or advise your loved ones to take, to avoid a scam like the one in the story?

  Morton Wilmington claims to have turned his life around since being imprisoned. Would you have trusted him initially? Is there a point where your feelings toward him begin to change?

  Abby Hilton is a woman of action, facing challenges with faith and resolve. But “the more she trusted [God], the more the devil tossed her way.” Have you found this to be true in your own life? What do you do when the circumstances before you threaten to overwhelm you?

  From an early age, Laurel was told that one day she would have to surrender to her need for God. What are some of the false gods people hold on to before reaching their breaking points? What have you held on to in your life and what was your breaking point?

  After years of silence, Daniel comes to a crossroads in his relationship with his mom. Does his conversation with her go the way you expected it to? How does Daniel honor God in what he says?

  As a teenager, Abby ran away from home and straight into a horrible situation. Eventually she had the courage to escape from her living nightmare. What lessons does Laurel take away from Abby’s past? Are you living with the consequences of a bad choice, or do you know someone who is? What encouragement can you find in Abby’s story?

  In chapter 44, Daniel dismisses the idea that he should be working as a detective. He says, “Right now this is what God wants me to do. . . . My significance is in being available for whatever’s needed.” Describe a time when you could say this about your life. Have you ever said no to an opportunity that, to an outsider, seemed like a no-brainer? What did you learn from that experience?

  At the climax of the story, Laurel is caught in the crosshairs of a showdown. Were you surprised by what happened next? Do you believe the motives behind the actions were genuine?

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DIANN MILLS is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She currently has more than fifty-five books published.

  Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol Award contests. DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2014 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

  She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. Visit her website at www.diannmills.com and connect with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DiAnnMills), Twitter (@DiAnnMills), Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/DiAnnMills), and Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/DiAnnMills).