by Laura Scott
“I know,” he agreed. “And it’s taken almost dying for me to realize that you were right all along about forgiveness. If God can forgive my sins, then I have no choice but to forgive the man who took Jeremy’s life. And to forgive myself. For the first time in years, I’m at peace.”
“We’ll be your family now,” Leah said, resting her head on his shoulder. “I was so afraid to open myself up to love again, but somehow loving you makes me feel stronger instead of scared. You’ve taught me to be strong, Isaac.”
“You were always stronger than you gave yourself credit for,” he pointed out. “And you won’t be sorry,” he added solemnly. “I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’m so blessed to have you and Ben in my life.”
“That goes double for me and Ben,” she murmured.
Isaac turned to pull her more firmly into his arms.
And sealed their agreement with a kiss.
EPILOGUE
“Hi, Ben. How was school today?” Isaac asked as the boy raced into Leah’s house.
“Supercool! One of the girls in my class got sick and threw up all over, so we didn’t have to do any math!”
Isaac coughed to hide a laugh. “It’s not cool that the girl was sick, Ben,” he corrected.
“I know, but still, no math!”
Isaac shook his head with a wry grin and glanced at the clock. They had only a couple of hours until Leah got home from work. He’d been spending his days here, helping her with Ben, since Isaac was still on medical leave from work. Griff hadn’t fired him, especially after Sharkey turned up at the hospital. And after his arrest they managed to close several open cases that were all related to the illegal gun scheme.
“Ben, listen, I want to talk to you for a minute, man-to-man,” Isaac said.
“Okay.” The boy followed him into the living room.
“Ben, I love your mom,” Isaac began.
“Me, too,” Ben said.
Isaac suppressed another chuckle. “Ah, that’s good. I love your mom and I want to ask her to marry me, but I need to know if you’re okay with that.”
Ben scrunched up his face. “Are you going to keep kissing her?” he complained.
“Yes, I’d like to.” He wasn’t about to compromise that much. “But if I married your mom, I’d also be your dad.” Isaac couldn’t believe his future rested in the hands of an almost six-year-old.
“A real dad?” Ben asked, his eyes widening. “You’d live here with us and stay here forever and ever?”
Relief bloomed in Isaac’s chest. “Yes, I’d live here with you and your mom forever and ever.”
“Yay!” Ben jumped up from the sofa and rushed over to hug him.
Isaac held him tight and knew that he’d passed the first hurdle. Now he only needed to convince Leah.
“What if she says no?” Ben asked, pulling away with a frown.
“Then I’ll keep asking until she says yes,” Isaac assured him. “Now listen, here’s the plan, okay?”
Ben giggled once he’d heard it. “Okay!”
* * *
Leah came home from work, exhausted but happy, because they’d saved a life in the trauma bay. They couldn’t save them all, of course, but there was no better feeling than when they did.
“Isaac? Ben? I’m home,” she announced as she stepped inside.
There were candles and three place settings of her best china on the dining room table. A bouquet of flowers sat between the candles, featuring orange blossoms, her favorite.
“What’s the occasion?” she asked, making her way into the kitchen, where Isaac was stirring something tomato based on the stove. “Did you get cleared to go back to work on desk duty?”
“Next week,” he confirmed. He drew her into his arms for a warm kiss. “Welcome home.”
Leah blushed and pulled away from him, glancing around for Ben. “I hope you’re not letting him play video games,” she warned.
“No, he’s cleaning his room. Ben, come and say hello to your mom,” Isaac called. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”
She could get used to coming home to a man cooking her dinner and could admit to herself that she missed Isaac when he left every night to return home. She was grateful to have him throughout each day, but as soon as he went back to work, the pampering would end and they’d see even less of each other. “Smells delicious,” she commented.
“Ben said your favorite meal was spaghetti.”
She laughed. “Yes, and it just so happens to be Ben’s favorite, too.”
“Sit down at the table. I’ll bring everything in,” Isaac said.
“All right.” She brushed another kiss across his lips and then headed into the dining room. She sat down and smiled as Ben came into the room.
“Hi, Mom.” He greeted her with a hug.
“Hi, yourself,” she teased, kissing the top of his head before letting him wiggle free.
“We have a surprise for you,” Ben announced as Isaac brought in a bowl of pasta.
“Wait a minute, Ben,” Isaac warned. “I don’t have everything ready yet.”
“Hurry up,” he said impatiently, hopping from one foot to the other.
Leah frowned, wondering what was going on. The two men in her life had cooked up some sort of surprise, but what? It wasn’t her birthday, or Ben’s, although his was less than a month away. But was it Isaac’s? She was horrified that she didn’t know and made a mental note to ask.
“Here’s the spaghetti sauce and the garlic bread,” Isaac announced as he set the items on the table. “Now, Ben.”
Her son came over to her left side, while Isaac knelt beside her chair on the right. When she saw the small velvet ring box in Isaac’s hand, her heart tripped and stumbled in her chest.
“Mom, will you marry Isaac? Please?”
Isaac audibly sighed. “Ben, you were supposed to let me ask her first,” he pointed out gently.
“Oops. Sorry.”
“Leah, will you please marry me?”
“Yes, Isaac, I’d love to marry you.” She blinked away tears as he slid the diamond ring onto her finger.
“Yay, now I have a real dad!” Ben exclaimed.
Leah smiled and allowed Isaac to draw her to her feet and pull her close.
“And I’ll have an amazing family,” Isaac murmured before he lowered his head and claimed her mouth with his.
She kissed him back, thankful that God had given them both a second chance at love.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from SHATTERED HAVEN by Carol Post.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to my new miniseries SWAT: Top Cops! Over the years we’ve heard so many terrible tragedies related to mass shootings, and I wanted to honor the brave men and women who risk their lives to keep the rest of us safe. Meeting some of our local SWAT team members in person gave me the idea to write a miniseries about them.
Under the Lawman’s Protection is the third book in the series. Isaac Morrison has a special talent for being a hostage negotiator, but still lives with the guilt of not being able to save his young son. When a friend asks for help in protecting his sister, Leah Nichols, and her five-year-old son, Ben, Isaac arrives just in time to prevent them from being kidnapped at gunpoint. After a second attempt on Leah’s life a few hours later, Isaac is determined to do whatever possible to keep her and Ben safe. Leah has guarded her heart for years, since her husband died. Can Isaac and Leah put their painful losses aside to rejoice in finding love a second time around?
I hope you enjoyed reading Isaac and Leah’s story. I’m always thrilled and honored to hear from my readers, and I can be reached through my website at www.laurascottbooks.com, on Facebook at Laura Sc
ott Books and on Twitter, @laurascottbooks.
Yours in faith,
Laura Scott
Questions for Discussion
In the beginning of the story, Leah is determined to keep her distance from Isaac because he’s a cop and her father died in the line of duty. Do you think her fear is irrational? Why or why not?
Isaac comes from a troubled past and doesn’t think he’s good enough for a woman like Leah. Describe how faith could help Isaac deal with his past in a better way.
Leah wants Isaac to help her brother, Shane, but Isaac believes that his first priority should be to keep Leah and Ben safe. Discuss a time when you were torn between two emotional choices.
Isaac begins to pray when he’s faced with a dangerous, life-threatening situation. Discuss a troubled time in your life when you might have turned to prayer for support.
Isaac soon believes that a dirty cop might be responsible for the danger threatening Leah and Ben. Discuss a time when someone close to you betrayed your trust.
Isaac learns to have faith in God and accepts that his dead son is in a much better place. Describe a time when you lost someone close to you and how you helped deal with that loss.
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.
Enjoy four new stories from Love Inspired Suspense every month!
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ONE
Allison Winchester lay stock-still, every muscle tight with apprehension.
Something had awoken her. A noise. Different from the usual creaks and groans of the old Victorian.
But all was quiet. Was it her imagination? The remnants of a dream?
She eased into a semi-upright position and propped herself on her elbows. A full moon cast its silver glow into the room, the lace curtains making shadowed patterns on the furnishings. The door was closed, her robe hanging from a hook on its back. Next to the bed, two shams and a half dozen throw pillows lay stacked in the upholstered chair with a stuffed Garfield perched on top. Everything was exactly as she had left it. A sliver of tension slid away.
Then it came again. A rattle. Like someone trying to jimmy a window. The tension ratcheted up again, and she lay frozen, ears straining in the silence that followed. When the rattle resumed, she had no doubt. Someone was trying to break into her house.
She sprang from the bed and snatched her cell phone from her purse. As she finished punching in the three numbers, the crash of breaking glass shattered the still night. Panic raced up her spine and settled in her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs. Disjointed prayers circled through her mind, along with frantic commands—lock the door, hide, grab Tom’s gun. When she was finally able to breathe again, her ragged gasp echoed in the spacious room.
Then another sound registered—a calm female voice.
“Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?”
“Someone’s in my house.” Her voice was a raspy whisper.
The dispatcher continued her soothing tone. “Help is on the way. I’m staying on the line until they arrive.”
Allison tiptoed to the door and silently turned the lock. Downstairs, heavy footsteps thudded against the polished hardwood floors. Her intruder wasn’t even trying to be quiet. She clutched the phone more tightly and pressed it against her ear, that soothing voice her lifeline to safety.
The footsteps hesitated, and for several moments, she forgot to breathe. Then a new noise shattered her already frayed nerves—the creak of the bottom step. Renewed panic spiraled through her. Lord, please help me.
“He’s coming upstairs.” Where were the police? What was taking them so long?
She drew in a shaky breath. Probably less than a minute had passed since she had first placed her call. But she wasn’t going to wait helplessly while a possible killer made his way toward her room.
She backed away, eyes still glued to the door. If he wanted to come in, the lock wouldn’t stop him. One solid kick, and the door frame would splinter. She propped the phone against her ear with one shoulder and opened her T-shirt drawer, cringing at the scrape of wood on wood. There hadn’t been any more creaks. Maybe he had abandoned his plans for coming upstairs. But she wasn’t taking a chance.
Her fingers scrabbled along the bottom of the drawer, reaching for what had lain untouched since she moved to Cedar Key two years ago. When her hand made contact with cold steel, trepidation warred with relief. Holding something so lethal just didn’t feel...safe. She had outgrown her youthful klutziness. But she still didn’t feel confident handling a weapon.
Now wasn’t the time for such reservations.
“I’m getting my gun.” She kept her voice low.
“Help is on the way. Just stay put.”
“Believe me, I will.” No way was she leaving the room. At least until the cops arrived and the intruder was cuffed.
She propped the phone against her shoulder and inserted the loaded clip, hands shaking. Then she waited, weapon trained on the door, her finger poised on the trigger.
According to Tom, the pink Glock was a perfect ladies’ gun. He’d bought it for her a month before he was killed, insisting she keep it with her. He’d even tried to teach her how to use it.
She should have paid more attention. But she hadn’t seen the need. She lived in an upper-class New England neighborhood, separated from the unsavory elements of society. And blind to the unscrupulous activities of her husband. Those same activities had left her a widow at age twenty-four. Tom had needed the gun worse than she had.
A siren sounded in the distance and screamed closer. Her breath spilled out in a relieved sigh. “They’re almost here.”
She moved to the side window and looked out over the small yard that lay along the west side of her house. She wouldn’t be able to see the police. But the reflection of flashing lights in the window of her neighbor’s bungalow would signal their arrival.
A second later, the siren stopped. A figure appeared from the back and charged across her side yard at a full run. Within moments, he had disappeared behind the hedge bordering her neighbor’s backyard.
She laid the weapon on the dresser, disconnected the call and grabbed her robe from the back of the door. The intruder was probably long gone, but she needed to tell the police what she saw. She hurried down the stairs, then crossed the small foyer.
As soon as she stepped onto her front porch, she stopped short. A Cedar Key police cruiser sat in her front yard. But the officer wasn’t alone. He had already apprehended the suspect. He had him pinned against the side of the car and was cuffing him.
She cinched the belt on her robe more tightly and started down the porch steps. The officer turned and nodded a greeting. It was Hunter Kingston. He had somehow managed to catch the intruder and drag him back to the cruiser before she could get down the stairs and out the door. Hunter was good, but she didn’t know he was that good.
He looked her up and down. “Are you all right?
“Yeah, I’m fine. He didn’t come upstairs. I’m guessing your siren scared him away.” She cast a glance at the suspect. “You can bet I won’t forget to set the alarm again.”
One edge of Hunter’s mouth turned up. He obviously recognized her comment for what it was—a threat to the intruder. She had never considered installing an alarm system, had never felt the need.
The stranger turned when she spoke. In the glow of the nearby streetlight, he
was an imposing figure, even with his hands secured behind his back. A Guy Harvey T-shirt stretched taut over a muscular chest, and massive arms spoke of hours in the gym. With the close-cut hair, firm set of his jaw and sense of authority he exuded, he didn’t fit the image of a common burglar. He looked more like a military guy. Or a cop.
His eyes shifted from her back to Hunter. “What’s going on?”
“Someone broke into this lady’s house.”
“It wasn’t me. I already told you, I was chasing my dog.”
His tone was nonchalant, the concern she would expect to see absent. Either he had a lot of confidence in his ability to talk his way out of trouble, or he had been through enough arrests that the thought of spending some time in jail didn’t faze him.
Hunter didn’t appear to be buying his story. “At four a.m.?”
“Since three thirty, actually. He saw a cat and took off. I’ve chased him all over this side of Cedar Key.”
“Where are you staying?”
“Cedar Cove Marina, on my boat. I just arrived this afternoon.”
“I’m going to have to bring you in for questioning.” Hunter opened the back door of the cruiser and guided him around it.
Now the stranger’s eyes did fill with concern. “I need to find my dog. He’s a young Doberman, answers to Brinks. He won’t hurt anybody, but he’s probably halfway to the mainland by now.”
“We’ll keep an eye out for him.” Skepticism filled Hunter’s tone.
Allison pursed her lips. Something wasn’t right about the whole scenario. Hunter would have to be Flash to have covered that much ground by the time she made it outside. She couldn’t identify the intruder. Between the clouds obscuring the moon, the oak that shaded a good portion of her side yard and the distance from the streetlight, it was too dark.
But she knew where he had come from and which direction he had gone.
“Hunter, wait.” She held up a hand. “Where was he when you saw him?”
