Innocent Target

by Elisabeth Rees

  “No,” she gasped, as he tightened the cord. “Stop.”

  Frank’s jaw clenched and spittle gathered at the corners of his mouth as he put all his strength into choking her life away. Kitty’s vision began to fade. She kicked and struggled, and one of her knees made contact with Frank’s groin, causing him to double up in pain. She took her chance and scrambled from beneath him, then ran into the kitchen.

  Yanking open the cellar door, she dashed through, slammed it shut and threw the dead bolt. After racing down the stairs, she started pressing the panic alarm button over and over.

  “Please, Ryan,” she gasped while pacing the floor. “Please come quick.”

  Then the bullets started pounding the door, one after another, creating an incredible noise inside the small space. She knew the door was reinforced, but had no idea how long it would hold.

  The bullets suddenly stopped and she held her breath, waiting for something else to happen. Then a key turned slowly in the lock, sliding the heavy-duty mechanism. Only one other person aside from her had a key. The door creaked open to allow a shaft of light to fall on the stairs, a light shining in the darkness.

  “Kitty, are you there?”

  She let out her breath in one big exhalation and ran to the sound of Ryan’s voice. There he was, at the top of the stairs, and she jumped into his arms, wrapping herself tightly around him. Lying on the floor of her kitchen was Frank, blood pooling beneath his prone body and his hands cuffed behind his back.

  “You’re okay,” Ryan said into her neck. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you’re okay.”

  She didn’t want to let him go.

  “I’ve been torturing myself imagining the worst,” he said, pulling away and cupping her face in one hand. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Kitty. You know I love you, right?”

  She nodded, tears blocking her ability to reply aloud.

  He didn’t seem to mind her lack of verbal skills and continued to speak for the both of them. “And I think you love me, too?”

  Again, she nodded as the tears streamed down, hot and wet. She heard sirens in the distance, heading their way, and she knew that her home would soon be full of officers and paramedics. She and Ryan didn’t have much time together before mayhem took over.

  “Yes, I love you, Ryan,” she said, resting her forehead against his and lacing their fingers together. “I think we might just be made for each other.”

  Then she planted her lips on his and the whole world melted away.

  EPILOGUE

  Kitty fixed the banner onto the wall while Ryan held the stepladder firm.

  “There,” she said, holding his hand to descend to the floor. “All ready for Dad to come home.”

  She stood back and read the homemade banner aloud, relishing each syllable. “‘Welcome Home.’”

  Behind her, Ryan snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. “You’ve done a great job with the decorations. Harry will love it.”

  “I hope so,” she said, letting her head fall back on Ryan’s chest. “I can’t believe this day has finally come.”

  For the past three months, Ryan had been her rock, supporting her and guiding her through the legal process of launching an appeal against her father’s conviction. When Frank was charged with multiple murders, including Molly’s, Kitty had been approached by Sarah from the Comanche Times to break the story. The publicity it generated had propelled her journalistic work into a different league, and she was now being courted by national newspapers. Her name was becoming synonymous with a dogged determination to uncover the truth.

  With the help of a great lawyer working on a pro bono basis, they had secured Harry’s release from prison, and Frank was incarcerated. After recovering from his gunshot wound, he had been refused bail and had taken a plea deal, agreeing to life in prison to avoid the death penalty.

  Ryan brought his lips to Kitty’s ear and spoke gently. “There’s something you should know. Shane telephoned a little while ago to tell me that Frank suffered a stroke last night. He’s not expected to make it.”

  Kitty didn’t know how to feel about this news. Frank deserved to pay for his crimes, but there was no doubt that his death would make it easier for Buzz and Sheila to move on with their new lives in Georgia. And Tommy would finally be rid of the last vestiges of his father’s toxic influence, perhaps able to live a normal life at last.

  “At least he led the police to the sites of the girls he murdered,” she said. “He lived long enough to give their families some closure.”

  Frank had admitted to killing a total of fifteen girls, far more than anyone could have anticipated. He was a monster in their midst and she doubted that many residents of Bethesda would mourn his passing. Those who had previously treated Kitty with contempt now turned that bitterness toward Frank, and she had received numerous apologies. The most surprising one came from Carla, whose admission of wrongdoing was accompanied by a huge bouquet of flowers.

  “It’s almost time for us to leave,” Ryan said, collapsing the ladder and stowing it away in the hallway closet. “You ready?”

  Kitty took one final look around the room, festooned with decorations welcoming her father back to the home he hadn’t seen in too long.

  “I’m ready,” she said. She reached out to Ryan and held both his hands. “Thank you. I’d never have made it this far without you.”

  “You got it the wrong way around,” he said. “When I met you, I was carrying a lot of anger, and you showed me how to leave it behind. I’m not the same bitter person that I was when I met you. I should be thanking you.”

  “This is like a mutual appreciation society,” she said with a laugh. “Let’s just say we both helped each other.”

  He glanced at the clock on the mantel. “What time is your dad due for release?”

  “Two o’clock.”

  “I’ll get something from my room and be right back.”

  He disappeared into his apartment and Kitty stroked Shadow, who was weaving his way between her ankles.

  “Today is a good day,” she said to him as he purred happily. “We’re coming home with somebody special.”

  “Okay, let’s go,” Ryan said, reappearing in the hallway with a sly smile on his face.

  “What did you just go and get?” she asked him, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “You look like the cat that got the cream.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Nothing, huh?”

  “I can’t show you until I talk to your father,” he said. “I like to do things the traditional way.”

  “Oh,” she said, realization dawning. “So we might have a double celebration tonight?”

  “We might,” he replied, opening the door onto a bright and sunny day. “Let’s wait and see.”

  She stepped onto the porch, planting a kiss on his cheek as she passed him. “Why don’t we stop at the grocery store and buy a big party cake?”

  “I’m one step ahead of you. I put one in the fridge already.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, and I kind of invited a few folks over to join us later. I thought it would be nice.”

  “You invited people over?” she asked with surprise. She hadn’t entertained guests at the house in a long time. “Who?”

  He began to list people on his fingers. “Shane, Nancy, Paul, Joe, Carla...”

  “Carla’s coming?”

  “Yeah. She said she’d bring her homemade cobbler.” He clearly couldn’t read Kitty’s shocked face. “Is that okay?”

  She smiled. “Of course. This is our community, right? And we have to forgive and move forward. Besides which, Carla’s cobbler is legendary.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have also asked to come along,” he said hesitantly. “I wasn’t sure if that would be okay. I said I’d get back to them.”

&n
bsp; A well of emotion bubbled inside Kitty. After spending so long outside the social circle of the town, she found the thought of being welcomed into the arms of Bethesda once again was wonderful. And Ryan had organized it all, even managing to bridge the biggest of divides.

  “I’d be overjoyed to see them,” she said. “And so would Dad. I can’t believe you managed to invite all these people without me finding out.”

  “It wasn’t easy, believe me. Even the sheriff said he’d drop by a little later on.” Ryan gave an eye roll that spoke a thousand words. “He’s keen to get started on my campaign for the sheriff’s election.” He laughed. “But I told him that I won’t talk business today. Today is all about you and Harry.”

  “You’re amazing,” she said. “You’ll be the best sheriff this county has ever had. I love you.”

  “And I love you, too, but enough with the mutual appreciation society. Let’s get going.”

  She stepped out into the sunshine and raised her head to let the rays bathe her face. This was what it meant for light to shine in the darkness.

  She had been delivered.

  * * *

  If you liked this story from Elisabeth Rees, check out her previous books:

  Caught in the Crosshairs

  Lethal Exposure

  Foul Play

  Covert Cargo

  Unraveling the Past

  The Seal’s Secret Child

  Available now from Love Inspired Suspense!

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Shattered Trust by Sara K. Parker

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for choosing to read Innocent Target. I hope you enjoyed the story.

  Kitty is a heroine whom I admire greatly. She stands alone, defying her critics and remaining strong in the face of adversity. We could all take a lesson from Kitty and fight for those who are oppressed, imprisoned or written off as unworthy. God has given us a voice. We should use it to defend the weak, even if others do not always agree with our stance.

  Initially, Kitty and Ryan had a conflict that could not be overcome. But as soon as Ryan softened his heart and let go of his preconceptions, he was able to see Kitty’s father as a man rather than a monster. It was satisfying to see him grow in faith and compassion through the story.

  I look forward to welcoming you as a reader again.

  Blessings,

  Elisabeth Rees

  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.

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  Shattered Trust

  by Sara K. Parker

  ONE

  It wasn’t the first time anyone had been stood up at the altar, but it would be the only time Natalie Harper was.

  She was perfectly capable of being happy alone, and she would be.

  Inhaling the briny sea air, she stared hard into the darkening sunset along the horizon, willing herself not to give in to the flood of humiliation that kept pressing in on her. Plenty of women had walked this same path before her. Thousands of dollars and months of planning wasted on a romantic waterside ceremony and festive reception—and no groom in attendance. But she was probably one of only a renegade few who dared to flee the aftermath and embark on a solo honeymoon. It felt just a little bit selfish now that she was lying on a pristine beach, the sky painted vibrant colors as the sun set along the Riviera Maya.

  Night was falling quickly, and up and down the beach, most people had already deserted their loungers and cabanas and headed back to their hotels. Natalie knew she should, too. She twisted around to scan her surroundings, to assure herself she was truly alone. The nearby loungers sat empty, dilapidated sand castles the only sign that anyone had been there at all. The scene should have been peaceful, but the darkness beyond made her uneasy. Staring hard into the shadows, Natalie saw no signs of movement, nothing to account for the goose bumps rising on her arms.

  Turning back to the fading sun, she reasoned with herself that her uneasiness was a product of fear, not proof of a lurker in the shadows. She’d fought that anxiety for close to twenty years now, and she knew it well. She forced herself to relax again and try to enjoy the solace, even if she didn’t particularly enjoy solitude or beach vacations.

  Her fiancé had chosen the location, and Natalie had gone along with the plan. If she’d had her way, they would have rented a cabin somewhere along the Shenandoah River, hiked quiet wooded paths and just enjoyed being together.

  She didn’t often get her way, though, and reserved her battles for the issues that truly mattered—right versus wrong, life versus death, milk chocolate versus dark.

  In the end, a resort in Mexico versus a cabin in Virginia wasn’t an argument worth having, so she’d let it go.

  And then... Kyle Paxton had let her go.

  She stopped her thoughts in their tracks. She had seven more days to process all that had happened and decide how to move on. Tonight, she didn’t want to think.

  She didn’t want to think about her string of failed relationships or Kyle’s poorly timed cold feet. She didn’t want to think about facing her family’s well-meaning sympathy, returning the mountain of wedding gifts waiting for her at home or unpacking her lonely boxed-up apartment. Taking a sip of her now-lukewarm strawberry lemonade, her gaze caught on the gaudy engagement ring on her finger.

  She didn’t want to think about the ugly ring, either—a knock-off of the $1.4 million original worn by her friend and rising actress, Julianna Montgomery, last year at the Golden Globes. Julianna hadn’t won best actress, but her red carpet look had captured the world’s attention—from her body-skimming midnight blue gown to her wildly expensive jewelry, including the ring. Now Natalie stared down at the replica, its one-carat marquise diamond flanked by an army of teardrop sapphires jutting around the center like the sun’s rays, and wondered why she hadn’t handed it straight back to her fiancé. She’d hated it, but hadn’t had the heart to tell him, or the willingness to think about what his choice of rings meant.

  Natalie liked quiet, elegant things, timeless styles, understated beauty. The pretentious ring only symbolized how little her fiancé truly knew her...and how much time and energy Natalie had poured into a relationship with someone who didn’t care enough about her to learn her tastes.

  She glared down at the ring, the setting sun glowing in the depth of its stones. Maybe the first step to moving forward with new dreams was letting go of the old ones—the turnkey house in the heart of Baltimore, the pretty yard and the porch with flower baskets hanging from its eaves. The kids, the dog, the minivan. Were those even her own dreams in the first place? They had all been wrapped up in the copycat ring and Kyle’s empty promises, both of which had fallen far short of her expectations.

  Twisting the too-tight band, she struggled to shimmy it
over her knuckle. It had been a snug fit from the start, but the beach heat had caused her fingers to swell slightly. She’d considered dropping the ring off to be resized at her friend’s jewelry shop, but Hannah was already struggling to keep up with orders while her dad fought stage four glioblastoma. Natalie didn’t want to add to the burden, but she didn’t want to hurt Hannah’s feelings by bringing the ring somewhere else. It wasn’t really a problem, anyway, except for whenever she tried to take it off. She finally released her finger from its grip and held the ring between her thumb and forefinger, her attention straying to the endless black water beyond. It seemed the perfect place to toss it, the cloud-dimmed moon a silent witness to her rejection of all the ring had come to symbolize.

  But Natalie’s practicality won, as it usually did, and instead she stuffed the ring into her shorts pocket. Maybe she could sell it and pay her dad back some of the money he’d wasted on the wedding that hadn’t happened.

  A whisper of movement sounded behind her and she sat up in her chair, her feet settling into the still-warm sand. Large umbrellas shadowed clusters of vacated lounge chairs. Still empty. Every one of them. But darkness had fallen and she couldn’t see far beyond her solitary spot. A shifting shadow sent her pulse leaping, but she blinked and it was gone. Had she imagined it? It didn’t matter. Natalie had stayed too long.

  She shoved her feet back into sand-filled flip-flops and tucked her book and sunscreen into her bag. All the while, she scanned the lonely beach, straining to hear anything unusual above the splash of the waves along the shore behind her.

  Nothing, but she felt hunted, and that scared her.

  Hurriedly, she bent to retrieve her towel, but as she straightened, a dark form emerged from behind a pair of loungers just yards away. Her breath caught in her throat and for one second, she froze, the towel dropping from her hand. And then the man lunged toward her, a knife glinting in his hand. Natalie screamed, swiveling away and taking off across the beach, all energy focused on the outline of the hotel against the moonlit sky.