LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Oh, dear. I didn’t even offer to help.” Leah clasped her hands together, worry creasing her brow.

      Mark reached out and caught her fingers. She jumped, almost pulling back before catching herself. Staring down to where he’d grabbed her hands, his darker ones covering her pale skin, she realized how long it had been since a man had actually held her hands.

      “No reason to be nervous,” he said. “That’s a bad habit of yours, clasping your hands whenever you’re worried.

      She swallowed, reminding herself that Mark worked for the sheriff. As handsome and attractive as he was, she had to get a grip on herself. She couldn’t let her guard down.

      Forcing herself to relax, she smiled gently at Mark. “I’ll remember that,” she said.

      CHERYL WOLVERTON

      grew up in a military town, though her father was no longer in the service when she was born. She attended Tomlinson Junior High School and Lawton High School, and was attending Cameron when she met her husband, Steve. After a whirlwind courtship of two weeks they became engaged. Four months later they were married, and that was over seventeen years ago.

      Cheryl and Steve have two wonderful children, Christina, sixteen, and Jeremiah, thirteen. Cheryl loves having two teenagers in the house.

      As for books, Cheryl has written nine novels for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired line and is currently working on new novels. You can contact Cheryl at P.O. Box 207, Slaughter, LA 70777. She loves to hear from readers.

      A Husband To Hold

      Cheryl Wolverton

      

www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MILLS & BOON

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      For thou art my rock and my fortress;

       therefore for Thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

      —Psalms: 31:3

      Dedicated to my mother-in-law, Phyllis,

       and my father-in-law, Mr. Wolverton, aka John.

       Thanks for your wonderful son.

       He’s a rare treasure. Also to Dottie Ramsey,

       one of the best teachers I’ve ever met.

      Acknowledgments:

      To the Zachary Police Department. My kids

       have grown up with you guys and you’re the best.

       Thanks for the job you do and thanks

       for being there to use in a purely fictional way.

      Thanks also to my wonderful gentle editor,

       Patience Smith, who takes time to tell me how she

       feels about my stories, and works with me to help

       me grow. You are a treasure, dear one, whom I hope

       to have a long time! And to my agent, Deidre.

       Thanks for representing me! And always to

       my husband, Steve, and my kids, Christina and

       Jeremiah (though if you are an English teacher at

       Zachary High or Northwestern Middle,

       you don’t know they’re my kids!).

      Contents

      Prologue

      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

      Chapter Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Epilogue

      Letter to Reader

      Prologue

      September, 1994

      “Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust…”

      Leah Hawkins heard the words as she stared at the casket before her. It was over, done with, finished.

      She wanted to cry, but the tears would not come. She was still too much in shock over what she’d discovered about her husband only three days ago when the person had showed up at her door.

      “…an honorable man who served as one of our city’s finest…”

      Honorable? She stared at the coffin as the preacher rambled on. She had thought her husband honorable. Everyone in church had thought him honorable. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been a deacon. Even Zachary’s finest had thought him honorable or he wouldn’t have been a police officer.

      “…commit him now to a heavenly father…”

      Commit him to God? Leah could only hope God would have mercy on his soul. How she prayed God would have mercy. She hoped. She prayed, but she could not cry.

      The horrible tales backed up with evidence told by the person on that awful day still filled her mind.

      “…and we finally ask, Almighty God, that You find the murderer of this fine respected citizen, this loving husband and father, this upright Christian…”

      Leah’s heart beat faster. Looking down at her husband’s still, peaceful face she thought, the pastor can pray for someone to find your murderer, Bobby, but I already know who murdered you.

      She knew. And so did one other person.

      Glancing up, her gaze riveted to the man standing at the opposite end of the procession. He was a man in uniform, wearing gloves, teary eyed and in mourning with the others around him. A pall-bearer, he was well-known himself. The press had interviewed him about her husband’s death. They had no details, except he’d been killed in the line of duty. The murderer had covered all tracks well, except for one small detail.

      One person besides her knew who the murderer was.

      Her husband’s partner.

      Dan Milano.

      She had proof of the murder.

      And he suspected it.

      What would he do? Would he come after her for

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