Act of Valor

by Dana Mentink

  She looked up from her saucepan and eyed his progress. “Stop immediately,” she blurted.

  “What?” he demanded. “This rolling is perfect.”

  He had rolled the circle of dough into a colossal sheet of paper-thin pastry.

  She could not hold back a giggle. “It’s gigantic. It’s supposed to fit a nine-inch pie.”

  He surveyed his work. “Well, you didn’t tell me that.”

  “Do I have to tell you everything?” When she reached for the rolling pin, he surprised her by circling her waist, pulling her close and turning her away from the pastry-covered counter.

  “Yes, you do. You have to tell me everything, every little thing that’s on your mind, not just the stuff that you think it’s okay to say.”

  She stared. “I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”

  “You’re my best friend, Vi. There is no better qualification than that.”

  She wriggled in his arms. “Qualification for what?”

  He turned her around then so she could see the engagement ring he’d placed in the middle of the dough. A white gold band set with a sparkling oval-cut diamond winked at her from its pastry background. It made not the slightest bit of sense no matter how long she ogled it. “Zach...”

  He rocked her gently around so she would look at him again and away from the enigma. “I know, you think I’m stubborn and I break stuff and I don’t admit when I’m wrong.”

  “Well, yes.”

  He laughed. “That’s why I need a tough woman, a best friend who’s not afraid to stand up to me.” His smile trailed away and the expression left in its wake was tender and tremulous. “That’s why I need you.”

  Need was the last word she’d expected from Zach Jameson. “You need me?”

  He nodded. “In ways I never realized before.”

  “But you... I...we’re friends. Aren’t we?”

  “Absolutely, best friends and we’ll stay that way, but I finally figured out that it’s not enough. I’m a really slow learner, but I get there eventually.” He blew out a breath. “I love you, Vi. I want to marry you.”

  Something was taking place, something as monumental as an avalanche, as wide as a windswept sea, but she could not let her brain believe it. She felt desperate to back away from the dream unfolding before her. He spoke of love, for her, for them both, but she’d always loved him and he hadn’t felt the same and it had been soul-crushing. She could not, must not, allow this fantasy to ruin either of them. “I... If this is about what I said, Zach...”

  He grinned. “That you’d never find someone like me? Well you won’t, and I’ll never find anyone else like you, either.”

  “This is silly.” She tried to push him away but he held her fast.

  “You’re gonna listen, Vi, so stop wiggling,” he said again, a glint flashing through the sapphire of his eyes. “I’m the guy who’s known you since you skinned your knees falling off your bike. I’ve raced you around the block, and trounced you, I might add. I helped you bandage your dolls and walked you home from school when you got sick in the lunchroom and I took care of the guy who teased you about it. And I let you bandage and splint me until I was mummified when you were working on your scout badge.”

  She opened her mouth to answer but he put a finger to her lips.

  “And I’m the guy who knows that deep down you are a world-class lady who is beautiful, loyal and faithful and who’s gonna pray for me and our future kids even when we’re too stubborn or broken to do it ourselves.”

  “Our future kids?”

  He pressed his nose to her cheek and whispered. “Yeah. I’m thinking five, but I could round up if you want.”

  She could only gape at him as a tingling started up in her chest and spread throughout her limbs, lovely and light, like joy itself.

  When he picked up the ring and slid it onto her flour-streaked finger, she had to blink against a wash of tears. Then he kissed her pinkie. “I’m that guy who will love you.” He kissed the tip of her ring finger. “And take care of you.” He kissed the next fingertip, and the next. “And drive you crazy and break your dishes.” And then he kissed the top of her thumb. “And try my hardest every single day of my life to make you happy.”

  Dream or reality? How could it be the truth? Her pulse was thrumming so fast it radiated a frenetic pounding through her entire body, shaking her to the core, weakening the walls she’d built around her heart.

  And then he sank to his knee on the floor, stirring up a cloud of flour that he’d spilled there.

  “You’ll ruin your clothes,” she whispered.

  “Oh yes, and break your crockery as we’ve discussed, but Vi, I will promise you right now that I will never break your heart. Will you marry me, Vi? Will you?” His expression clouded for a moment. “It won’t be easy for a while, a long while, not until we catch Jordy’s killer and find Snapper and even then...” He cleared his throat. “I have a lot of healing to do.”

  She touched a hand to his cheek, stroked a finger over the strong line of his jaw, soaked in the mingled joy and pain in his eyes. Joy and pain; there would be plenty of both ahead. This gorgeous, precious, darling man, the one whom she’d loved since she was a girl, her best friend, her defender, her love, had laid his soul bare and vulnerable at her feet. He looked at her with a love so true and pure that she knew it would last a lifetime. Finally, she allowed herself to believe, and bliss settled down on her with gossamer wings. She dropped to her knees next to him, there on the floor, and wrapped him in an embrace. “I love you, Zach. You were always the right one for me. Let’s get married.”

  He shouted and squeezed her tight, his knees skidding on the floured floor.

  “Just like Jordy always thought we would,” he said, voice cracking only once as he found her mouth for the kiss she’d been waiting on her whole life long.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed Act of Valor, look for Finn’s story, Blind Trust, coming up next, and the rest of the True Blue K-9 Unit series from Love Inspired Suspense.

  TRUE BLUE K-9 UNIT:

  These police officers fight for justice with the help of their brave canine partners

  Justice Mission by Lynette Eason, April 2019

  Act of Valor by Dana Mentink, May 2019

  Blind Trust by Laura Scott, June 2019

  Deep Undercover by Lenora Worth, July 2019

  Seeking the Truth by Terri Reed, August 2019

  Trail of Danger by Valerie Hansen, September 2019

  Courage Under Fire by Sharon Dunn, October 2019

  Sworn to Protect by Shirlee McCoy, November 2019

  True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas by Laura Scott and Maggie K. Black, December 2019

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Lone Star Standoff by Margaret Daley.

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  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed meeting Zach, Violet and Eddie, the beagle. It was great fun to write about their adventures in the big city. Beagles are pretty fascinating animals. Their name comes from the French and means “wide throat” or “loudmouth,” which is fitting due to their irrepressible baying. Originally, beagles were bred to be very small dogs, small enough to fit in a pocket, but now they range in size from fourteen to sixteen inches tall. President Lyndon Johnson owned two beagles named Him and Her. The Department of Homeland Security employs a “Beagle Brigade” to sniff out contraband in agricultural products.

  While Eddie is the canine star, his handler, Zach, and Violet risk their lives to take some drug dealers off the streets. They have to come to terms with their own weaknesses and erroneous perceptions of each other to realize that they were meant to be together. Their futu
re is bright because God has helped them to be best friends before they will become husband and wife. What a perfect recipe for a relationship!

  I hope you have enjoyed this next installment in the True Blue K-9 series. The saga unfolds in the next book as the hunt for Jordan Jameson’s killer continues. You can be sure that there will be thrilling twists and turns ahead for the K-9 officers and their incredible dog partners! As always, I love to hear from my readers. If you’d like to contact me, you can find me on the usual cyber stops (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and via my website at www.danamentink.com. There is a physical address listed on my website for those who prefer to correspond by mail. Thank you again for coming along on this journey. God bless you, friends!

  Sincerely,

  Dana Mentink

  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 six new stories from Love Inspired Suspense every month!

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  Lone Star Standoff

  by Margaret Daley

  ONE

  District Judge Aubrey Madison left her office at the courthouse, her brain pounding against her skull. The jury was finally chosen today in her current trial—a trial that could propel her into the limelight, a place she’d rather not be. At least for the weekend, she could relax and enjoy time with her twins. They meant everything to her.

  “Good night, Bill,” she said to the deputy sheriff at the rear entrance.

  “Judge Madison, I’ll walk you out tonight.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but you need to guard the door.”

  He smiled. “I know. Part of the extra security for the Villa trial. I can keep an eye on the entrance and walk you to your car.”

  Aubrey sighed. Bill took his job seriously. “I know. That’s why I parked near the entrance, so you wouldn’t have to go so far.” She stepped outside, where the sunset painted the sky with beautiful shades of red and yellow. “How are you doing?”

  He slowed his pace, his forehead wrinkled. “I guess okay, Judge Madison.”

  She stopped and turned toward Bill, a large man with a slight potbelly. “I know what you’re going through. My husband died two years ago. I’m here if you need to talk about your wife’s death.”

  “Thanks.” His face tensed, and he started walking again. “You have enough to deal with.”

  At the end of the sidewalk to the parking lot, Aubrey glanced at Bill. “I can take it from here. My car is right over there.”

  The deputy sheriff scanned the area then nodded.

  She strolled the short distance to her car. The warmth from the spring day had already faded, and the chill in the air made her shiver. She slid behind the steering wheel and pulled out of her parking space. As she headed toward the exit of the lot behind the courthouse, reserved for people who worked inside, she passed Bill and waved.

  When she arrived home a short time later, she punched the garage-door opener then drove inside and parked next to her mother’s car. She didn’t know what she would have done if her mama hadn’t insisted on coming to stay with her at least until Camy and Sammy went to elementary school. Two years ago when her husband was murdered, Aubrey had to go back to work because of Samuel’s sudden death. Their savings had all been wiped out by medical bills when the twins were born early. She’d always intended to return to work, but not until they were in elementary school. Instead she’d run for the judge position six months later.

  Not wanting to dwell on a past she couldn’t change, she hurried into the house, the scent of beef and onions permeating the place. “What’s for dinner? It smells great.”

  Her mother pulled out a casserole dish from the oven and set it on a burner. “My lasagna. Camy and Sammy helped me.”

  “Where are they?” Aubrey wondered how messy the kitchen had been after her twins’ “help.”

  “When I heard your car pull into the garage, I had them go wash their hands. How did it go today?”

  “Long, but the two attorneys have finally settled on a jury.”

  “Just in time for the weekend.” Her mother brushed a stray strand of black hair behind her ear.

  “Yes. I threatened to continue late into the night if they didn’t.” Aubrey put her briefcase and purse on the desk nearby. “I’d better go check on my kids. It’s too quiet. They’ve had enough time to wash their hands.”

  Aubrey left the kitchen and walked upstairs and down the hallway toward her twins’ bedrooms at the end. The light from the bathroom beckoned her. Giggles resonated down the corridor. That sound usually meant she would have to spend time cleaning up whatever mess her rascals had made. She hurried her steps.

  When she entered the bathroom, she looked down at the puddle of water the twins were standing in. She stared at Camy and Sammy, drenched from head to toe. She pressed her lips together, suppressing the laugh at the sight of her soggy children. That would only encourage them. “Who won the battle?”

  They each pointed at themselves.

  “Who started it?” Aubrey asked, trying to put on her stern face.

  “He started it,” her daughter immediately said.

  “I dinna.” Sammy stomped his foot, and water on the floor went flying, hitting Aubrey’s pants.

  After the serious day she’d had in court, her children’s antics actually lightened her mood. She still fought her smile and remained calm. “Don’t move.” She marched down the hall to the linen closet and grabbed several bath towels, then returned to her children, still standing where she’d left them. Even though they were twins, they were like night and day. Camy had dark hair and eyes like Aubrey and her mother, while Sammy took after his father’s side with light brown hair and hazel eyes.

  She gave each child a towel. “Mop the floor with these then put them in the tub.” Leaning her shoulder against the doorjamb with her arms crossed, she watched her four-year-olds do the best job they could. When they finished, she stepped to the side. “Put on some dry clothes, then bring the wet ones back here and place them in the tub, too.”

  Heads down, the twins left the bathroom.

  After they disappeared into their bedrooms, she completed the cleanup, then headed back to the kitchen.

  “What happened?” Her mama brought the casserole dish to the table and set it down on a hot pad.

  “The usual. No doubt the water fight started out innocently but quickly morphed into an all-out battle. They’re changing clothes.” A moment later Sammy came into the room with a ragged T-shirt on backward. She refrained from saying anything, but the sight of what he was wearing reminded her of what she’d done at lunch today. She snatched up her keys and headed for the door to the garage in the utility room. “I forgot something in the trunk of my car.”

  When she stepped into the garage, a faint rotting odor wafted to her. She neared the large trashcan and lifted the top. It was empty because the garbage had been picked up earlier tha
t day. But as she neared the rear of her car, the smell grew stronger. She clicked the car trunk’s button on her key fob, and the lid popped up. The nauseating scent engulfed her. She looked down at a large, dead brown rat lying next to a shopping bag from the store she’d visited at lunchtime.

  She froze. The dead rat definitely hadn’t been there earlier today. Rats and snakes were her two fears. How did it get into her trunk? When was it put there? And why?

  Fear blanketed her as she thought of her current trial—a top drug cartel lieutenant faced a first-degree murder charge.

  * * *

  Texas Ranger Sean McNair entered his house and tossed his car keys into a bowl in his kitchen near the door to the garage. Another shipment of drugs had slipped through his fingers today. He felt it in his gut. His tip hadn’t paid off. He was too late to stop the drugs from coming into the United States, and his recent suspicions about the Port Bliss Police Department had been confirmed. Someone had warned the Coastal Cartel about the raid.

  He made his way to his deck overlooking the water between the Texas mainland and South Padre Island. Gripping the railing, he leaned against it, relishing the cool, late-spring breeze laced with the scent of the sea that always calmed his frustration. A seagull flew over Sean’s home, heading for the island.

  Frustration churned his stomach. He was one of three people covering a large area of the southernmost tip of the state. Everything pointed to a cartel thug murdering the Texas Ranger before him, but he had no concrete evidence to prove the case. The fallen Texas Ranger had a wife and two babies—who were left without a father. He hadn’t known Samuel Madison other than by his reputation of being a good law enforcement officer. When Sean had been moved to Company D to replace the slain fellow officer, he’d met the man’s wife. The look of despair in her dark brown eyes still haunted him, even after two years.

  He’d asked to be transferred, especially with the Coastal Cartel firming its base of operation in the area over the past few years. Someone in the cartel was responsible for his brother’s disappearance. In his gut, he knew that Jack was dead. But he and his family needed closure on what had happened to him.