LITMIR.BIZ

      This book is dedicated to my beautiful mother,

       Mary Rose LeVelle, who has always been there for me.

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Alice Sharpe met her husband-to-be on a cold, foggy beach in Northern California. One year later they were married. Their union has survived the rearing of two children, a handful of earthquakes registering over 6.5, numerous cats and a few special dogs, the latest of which is a yellow Lab named Annie Rose. Alice and her husband now live in a small rural town in Oregon, where she devotes the majority of her time to pursuing her second love, writing.

      Alice loves to hear from readers. You can write her at P.O. Box 755, Brownsville, OR 97327. SASE for reply is appreciated.

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Luke Tripper—Once an FBI agent, “Trip” is now a reluctant rancher and “Daddy” to his orphaned niece and nephew. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect those he loves from the violence of his past.

      Faith Bishop—Still recovering from injuries sustained back in her hometown, she’s moved to Shay for solitude and quiet. What she’s found is terror and danger—and maybe the love of her life.

      Gina Cooke—The babysitter for Trip’s niece and nephew. Her mysterious disappearance sets everything in motion. Is she alive or is she dead? Who’s responsible?

      David Lee—Is this bodybuilder content to bully Faith or is he out for blood?

      Neil Roberts—An escaped serial killer with one thing on his mind—destroy the man who sent him to prison (and anyone else who gets in the way).

      Eddie Reed—What secrets does his shy manner mask? Will this mechanic come through when all else fails?

      Peter Saks—Gina’s boyfriend has a major attitude problem. He claims he loved Gina—did he love her to death?

      Police Chief Thomas Novak—This lawman doesn’t appreciate Trip’s experience. Is there more to his bluster than meets the eye?

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      Thanks to the fussy baby in the backseat and the rain pounding the truck cab, it was amazing Luke Tripper heard the shrill ring of his cell phone. He answered quickly, expecting to hear his foreman detailing yet another problem on the ranch. “Trip here.”

      The response was a gravelly voice Trip had assigned to his past. “What’s that racket?” his former boss demanded. Timothy Colby was the SAC of the Miami office of the FBI and he had the bark to prove it.

      A quick glance in the rearview mirror revealed tufts of reddish-blond hair, eyes squeezed almost shut, plump, tearstained cheeks and two new teeth that glowed like freshwater pearls. “That noise is a frustrated ten-month-old baby,” Trip said.

      “Say again? I can barely hear you.”

      “It’s Colin, my nephew,” Trip all but yelled. His raised voice did what his cajoling murmurs hadn’t been able to—Colin abruptly stopped crying. Into the relative quiet, Trip added, “What can I do for you, Mr. Colby?”

      “Miss the Bureau yet?”

      “I haven’t had time,” Trip replied.

      “I thought being knee-deep in babies and cows, you might miss the excitement, the danger—”

      “If you think infiltrating a group of terrorists is tricky, you’ve haven’t tried to raise two little kids,” Trip said. “And please, don’t get me started on ranching.”

      Colby laughed, or maybe he growled. The exact spirit of the noise was hard to define.

      A car in the other lane swerved too close and Trip accelerated out of the way. He’d witnessed a terrible accident on this very road just a few months before, when a bus driver suffered a heart attack and the bus careened off the highway. He had no intention of being part of one now. “Sir, I’m running late. If this is a social call, maybe I could get back to you later.”

      “Not just social,” Colby said, his voice sobering. “It’s about Neil Roberts.”

      Trip frowned. “What about him? He’s rotting away in jail.”

      “No. He got away during a prison transfer last night. Killed an officer in the process. Given your past relationship with this man, I wanted to give you a heads-up.”

      Special Agent in Charge Timothy Colby wasn’t the kind to overreact. The fact he felt it prudent to issue a warning went a long way with Trip. “Is there any word Roberts is headed in this direction?”

      “Not exactly, but he escaped on his way to Pelican Bay Penitentiary, down in California. All that stands between you and him is the state of Oregon.”

      Trip glanced back at his nephew again. The baby had snagged Trip’s beloved Stetson and was putting his new teeth to work gnawing on the brim. “What are you doing to get him back?”

      Colby detailed the combined police and FBI efforts to recapture Roberts and promised to stay in touch. They disconnected just as Trip took the exit into Shay.

      The grammar school was on the other side of town and traffic was a mess—made more harrowing by frantic Christmas shoppers with less than two weeks left. Trip drove with extra caution, knowing he was distracted by Colby’s news.

      Neil Roberts on the loose. Neil Roberts, the scum of the earth, the sludge beneath the mud. Trip didn’t want the brute within a thousand miles of his niece and nephew, or anyone else for that matter.

      Another glance in the rearview mirror revealed Colin had dropped the hat and was revving up for a new

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