by Chris Taylor
He leaned in closer, his expression earnest. “Please believe me when I tell you it wasn’t your fault. Nobody forced Allison to take drugs. Nobody forced her to barter her body. Not you or anyone could have changed things. The only person who had that power was Allison and as far as we know, she wasn’t so inclined.”
Zara clung to his words, wanting to believe them, needing to believe them. She could only imagine the weight of guilt her father felt. She had to stay strong for both of them, and for little Brittany too.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I needed to hear that. The saner, objective part of me knows what you say is true. I need to pay attention to that part and do my best to ignore the guilt that wants to undermine all that I know is real.”
Lane brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “I love you so much, Zara. It kills me to see you unhappy. It kills me to know your family has put you in this position, but I want you to know, I’m here for you. I’m in your corner. Now and forever, or at least, for as long as you want me.”
She stared at him and her heart picked up its pace. “W-what are you saying?”
He held her gaze for long moments in silence. Finally, he broke it. “Zara, will you marry me?”
“M-marry you?” she stammered. “A-are you sure?”
He smiled a little uncertainly. “Of course I’m sure. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life taking care of you. I… I’m hoping you feel the same.”
Joy blossomed from deep down inside her and lightened the weight in her heart. Her lips quivered and then broadened into a wide grin. Fresh tears sparkled in her eyes.
“Of course, I do. I’ll love you until I die. Like I told you before, I fell in love with you the moment you stepped inside Brittany’s bedroom.”
Lane frowned. “Then, why are you crying?”
She hiccupped again. “They’re happy tears, silly.”
Moving closer, Lane took her in his arms. His lips met hers and he kissed her until he’d stolen her breath. She returned the kiss, hoping he could feel the depth of her love: love that had snuck up on her and devoured her until she couldn’t imagine a life or a world without him in it.
EPILOGUE
Two months later
Zara collected the dirty clothes out of the laundry hamper and carried them through to Lane’s washing machine. Even something as mundane as doing the laundry brought a smile to her lips these days. She and Brittany had moved in with Lane the same day he’d proposed, unwilling to spend even another night in the house they’d grown up in. Not only was it now a crime scene, but every room in the beautiful mansion brought nothing but bad memories.
It was fortunate Lane had a spare room. After what her little sister had gone through, Zara was never going to leave the girl with relatives. Zara still felt appreciative whenever she thought about how Lane had immediately insisted Brittany come and stay with them.
Both her father and Allison had been charged with attempted murder. Both of them had pleaded not guilty. Both of them were on remand, awaiting a trial date. Zara still couldn’t believe how quickly her perfect family had been torn apart at the seams, ripped into so many pieces it was no longer recognizable and would never be put together again.
She was just so glad Lane’s family had embraced her and Brittany so warmly and without judgement. Just as she’d guessed, Lane’s mother was a remarkable woman. Intelligent, kind and astute, she’d given Zara her blessing, telling her that the only thing that would make her happier than discovering her son had finally found himself a wife was to be told there was a grandchild on the way. Zara had blushed, but Lane’s smile had lit up the room and she’d secretly hoped they’d have news of that kind before too much time passed. Brittany would be thrilled, too. She’d love having a baby around.
The sound of her cell phone ringing interrupted her reverie. Dumping the laundry on the floor near the washing machine, she hurried into the living room and collected it from the coffee table. Glancing at the screen, she recognized Ellie’s number and smiled. Over the past couple of months, they’d become very good friends. They’d bonded over their shared experiences during a traumatic time in their lives and were both more than ecstatic that things had turned out all right.
Through an unspoken agreement, they both tried hard to keep the girls’ lives as normal as possible—well, as normal as they could be in the circumstances. Ellie was a former police officer and she understood the need for consistency. Brittany’s counselor agreed. The sooner her life went back to the way it was, as far as possible, the quicker her recovery. Maintaining her friendship with Olivia was just one of the ways to achieve it.
Zara was glad her sister had found such a good friend and one who could understand all that she’d been through. It helped to have someone her own age to talk to, especially during times when she felt the adults just didn’t understand.
Zara wasn’t kidding herself into believing she could be everything to Brittany and she was more than happy for the counselor and Brittany and even Ellie to play a role in her sister’s recovery. Brittany had even opened up to Lane, and about that, Zara couldn’t be happier.
She answered the call from Ellie with a smile on her face.
“Hi, Ellie. What are you up to?”
“Zara, I’m so glad I caught you. I just had to tell you. The picture’s gone.”
“The picture’s gone?” Zara repeated in confusion.
“Yes, the picture. Olivia and Clayton and I sat down and talked. We…we told her about her mother, the truth about how she died. There were a lot of tears and she was upset that we hadn’t told her earlier, but the end result was, the picture’s gone and it was Olivia who took it down.”
Ellie had confided in Zara about Ellie’s despair over Olivia’s obsession with her late mother. Knowing the young girl had at last taken steps to embrace Ellie in her life, Zara could well understand Ellie’s relief.
“That’s fantastic news, Ellie. I’m so glad. Now you and Olivia will have the chance you needed to bond, really bond. And I’m so glad she knows the truth. It’s always better that way.”
“You’re right. We probably should have told her earlier, but there never seemed to be a right time. First, she was too young to understand and then later, she seemed so obsessed with Lisa—neither Clayton or I knew what to do.”
“Well, I’m just glad it’s worked out for everyone.”
“You and me both. Olivia and I finally have a chance to really connect. It’s what I’ve always wanted and I think, deep down, it’s what she wants, too.”
“You’re lucky it turned out so well.”
“Yes, I am. We all are—Olivia, Clayton, even the boys. Our household’s so much happier. We’re all in love with each other again. It’s a nice feeling.”
Zara smiled. “Yes, it is.”
Ellie sniffed then cleared her throat. “Now, enough about me. Tell me about the wedding plans. How are they coming along?”
“Everything’s coming together beautifully and I’m so thrilled you’ve agreed to be my matron of honor. Britt’s beyond excited about being a bridesmaid. It’s makes her feel so grown-up. I’m sad that Dad won’t be allowed out to walk me down the aisle, but one of Lane’s brothers as agreed to take on the role.”
“That’s great, Zara. I’m so pleased things are working out.”
Zara’s phone beeped to indicate an incoming call. She glanced at the screen. Her smile widened. Lane.
“Sorry, Ellie. I hate to interrupt, but Lane’s trying to call me. Do you mind if I call you back?”
“Of course not, silly! Answer the call. I’ll hear the rest of the details later.”
After issuing a quick good-bye, Zara ended one call and picked up another. Her smiled got wider at his opening line.
“Hello, beautiful. What’s my favorite girl up to?”
“Oh, you know. Doing laundry, chatting on the phone. I have a very busy schedule.”
Lane laughed. “Well, I’m just glad I managed to pers
uade you to take some time off work. There’s no way you could keep up those hours and plan a wedding—and I, for one, am counting down hours until I can call you my wife.”
A surge of love flooded through her and tears of joy pricked her eyes. Although she’d never want to experience those horrific few days all over again, she’d always be profoundly grateful that it had meant meeting and falling in love with Lane. Apart from her friendship with Ellie, he was the only good to have come of the whole awful time.
Wiping at the moisture in her eyes, she answered him. “It can’t come soon enough for me, either and talking about work, I’m thinking about a career change—or at least, a change in direction.”
“Really? I thought you loved being a lawyer?”
“I did. I do, but I want to do more than succession planning and haggling over the terms of a lease. I want to make a difference; a real difference. I want to be a child advocate.”
“Wow, that’s a change, all right.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea?” she asked a little worriedly. “After what happened to Olivia and it should have been Brittany… I want to work with the Department of Family and Community Services and the courts. The pay would be a whole lot less, but I’m guessing the job satisfaction would make it more than worthwhile.” She paused to catch her breath and suddenly realized how important this had become to her and how much she wanted Lane to understand.
“Too many kids are living their lives in fear and uncertainty, governed by drug addicted parents who care for nothing but their next fix. I want to help those kids. I want to give them a voice. I want to show them that they matter.”
She waited for Lane’s reply feeling slightly apprehensive. When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with emotion.
“Do you have any idea how special you are? How loving and kind and just so darn good? How did you ever end up in my life? I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I thank God every day that you’re mine.”
Tears of happiness coursed down Zara’s cheeks and there was nothing she could do to stop them. “I love you, Lane Black,” she sobbed. “I love you with every fiber of my being. The way we met might have been far from ideal, but if I was given the choice of wiping those awful days and nights from my memory or losing your love, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Right back at you, darling. Right back at you.”
NOTE TO READERS
I do hope you have enjoyed reading Lane and Zara’s story. Please feel free to leave a review for The Ransom. Every review is very much appreciated and I thank you for taking the time to leave one.
Click here to sign up for my newsletter if you would like to receive news on upcoming Munro Family stories, release dates, book launches and other snippets. I love to receive feedback from my readers. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] Let me know who your favorite Munro family member is.
The Defendant—Book Eight in the Munro Family Series is the next book in the Munro Family Series and is Chase and Josie’s story.
Here’s a sneak peek:
Detective Sergeant Chase Barrington has never forgotten the girl he fell in love with in high school. He and Josie Munro planned to marry as soon as they’d graduated. But fate stepped in and Chase made the painful decision to end it without telling Josie the truth…
When twelve-year-old Daniel Logan witnesses the rape of his mother, he grabs a gun and shoots the perpetrator dead. Chase attends the scene and Daniel’s arrested and charged with murder.
A decade after graduating high school, child psychologist Josie Munro has recently returned to her hometown. When she’s appointed by the court to provide a report on Daniel’s mental capacity, it’s inevitable that she runs into the detective on the case. Unaware of the real reason why Chase ended their relationship, her anger and grief from all those years ago immediately rise to the surface.
With no choice but to carry on and complete the task she’s been given, she determines to keep Chase as far away from her as possible and get the job over with as quickly as she can.
But things aren’t that easy. If her report proves Daniel knew that shooting the perpetrator was wrong, his matter will proceed to trial. If he’s found guilty, he’ll face considerable jail time.
As Josie gets to know Daniel through therapy sessions, she realizes he knew exactly what he was doing: He meant to kill his mother’s rapist and he’s not at all sorry. She’s torn between doing what the law requires of her against what her heart knows is right. She’s also conflicted over her feelings for Chase. She wants to hate him, but she can’t.
Will she follow her head or her heart?
* * *
The Defendant will be released on 15 March, 2015 and is AVAILABLE NOW for pre-order from Amazon.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As usual, no book comes into being without a lot of help and support by my friends and family. A world of thanks must go to my friend and fellow author Angela Bissell, critique partner extraordinaire, and a girl who loves the Munro family as much as I do.
To Pat Thomas, the best editor in the world. I love working with you. You turn my humble offerings into something truly amazing. I couldn’t do it without you.
To Alisha of damonza.com, thank you for yet another fantastic cover. To my sister, Nicole Guihot, thank you for your excellent editorial comments and suggestions. Nic, I hope you like the final result.
To Grace Anselmo, a quirk of fate has brought us together and I now can’t imagine writing a Munro Family story without your input. Thank you for all of your suggestions. They are highly valued.
To Detective Superintendent Michael Kilfoyle, thank you once again for all of your technical expertise. Any mistakes are wholly my own.
To Amy Atwell and her dedicated staff of miracle workers at Author EMS who are so much more than book formatters. Amy, once again, heartfelt thanks for working your magic.
To the fantastic writer organizations such as Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of New Zealand for all the help, support and encouragement they offer new and aspiring writers, including me.
To my readers, thank you for your support and love for the Munro family. Your encouragement and enjoyment make this journey all worthwhile.
And lastly, to my friends and family, especially my husband and children. Thank you for putting up with late dinners and even later conversations as I’ve emerged day after day from the sometimes scary but always enthralling world I’ve created on my computer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Taylor grew up on a farm in north-west New South Wales, Australia. She always had a thirst for stories and recalls writing her first book at the ripe old age of eight. Always a lover of romance and happily-ever-afters, a career in criminal law sparked her interest in intrigue and suspense. For Chris to be able to combine romance with suspense in her books is a dream come true.
Chris is married to Linden and is the mother of five children. If not behind her computer, you can find her doing the school run, taxiing children to swimming lessons, football, ballet and cricket. In her spare time, Chris loves to read her favorite authors who include Richard North Patterson, Sandra Brown, Kathleen E Woodiwiss and Jude Devereaux.
You can find out more about Chris and sign up for her newsletter at her website:
http://www.christaylorauthor.com.au
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https://twitter.com/christaylorbook
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2015 by Chris Taylor
(All Rights Reserved)
LCT Productions Pty Ltd
18364 Kamilaroi Highway, Narrabri NSW 2390
ISBN. 978-1-925119-13-8 (Ebook)
ISBN. 978-1-925119-14-5 (PRINT)
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. The scanning, uploading, and distributi
on of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
The Ransom is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
