The Christmas Rescue

The Christmas Rescue
Laura Scott

Don't look! When Kayla Wilson finds a body in Lake Michigan, she shields her daughter's eyes and calls the police. But not before spotting a stranger lurking in the woods - watching her . And when her bed-and-breakfast is broken into, she knows the man is after her.Coast Guard officer Rafe DeSilva is sure the attacks are related to his current case - a crime ring operating in the Great Lakes. He will do whatever is necessary to keep Kayla and her daughter, Brianna, safe…while holding them at arm's length. Until Brianna is kidnapped, and Rafe puts everything on the line for a Christmas rescue.

“I’d like to stay for a few days, Kayla. Just in case this intruder tries again. I’d like to stay in the same room he tried to break in to, if possible.”

She wished she didn’t need Rafe’s help, but she couldn’t turn down his offer. Her daughter Brianna’s safety had to be first and foremost. After all, wasn’t that the main reason she’d called him? She’d known he’d take charge.

Keep them safe.

“If you’re sure,” she said, meeting his gaze. She was thankful Ellen had agreed to stay with them for a while, too, so that she could take Rafe up on his offer.

“I’m sure.” He smiled, and suddenly she remembered all too clearly those moments when he’d caught her close in his embrace.

She swallowed hard and glanced away. She could only hope that allowing Rafe to stay wasn’t a huge mistake on a personal level.

For Brianna’s sake. Or her own.

LAURA SCOTT

grew up reading faith-based romance books by Grace Livingston Hill, but as much as she loved the stories, she longed for a bit more mystery and suspense. She is honored to write for the Love Inspired Suspense line at Steeple Hill Books, where a reader can find a heartwarming journey of faith amid the thrilling danger.

Laura lives with her husband of twenty-five years and has two children, a daughter and a son, who are both in college. She works as a critical-care nurse during the day at a large level-one trauma center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spends her spare time writing romance.

Please visit Laura at www.laurascottbooks.com, as she loves to hear from her readers.

The Christmas Rescue

Laura Scott

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

—Psalms 1:6

This book is dedicated to my brother Mike, his wife, Karlene, and their daughters, Brianna and Michaela, with love.

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

LETTER TO READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ONE

“Mommy? What’s that red thing floating in the lake?”

Kayla Wilson glanced in the direction her five-year-old daughter, Brianna, indicated. The bright sunlight reflected blindingly off the water. Kayla squinted and raised a hand to shade her eyes.

Something red bobbed up and down in the water. She shivered. Not something. Someone. A body. A bloated, dead body. Lying face down, partially snagged on the rocky shore of Lake Michigan.

She sucked in a harsh breath and clutched Brianna close, turning her daughter away from the grotesque sight. She fumbled for her cell phone, her fingers trembling as she dialed 911.

“What’s the nature of your emergency?” the dispatcher asked.

“There’s a—d-dead body floating in the lake, about a mile north of Pelican Point.” Kayla didn’t like the idea of her daughter listening to the conversation, but there was nothing she could do.

“A dead body?” Brianna echoed in a high-pitched squeak, tightening her grip on Kayla’s waist.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’ll be fine,” she murmured reassuringly.

“We’ll send a squad. Do you have any reason to suspect you’re in danger?” the dispatcher asked.

Suddenly apprehensive, Kayla swept a glance around the area. This section of the lakeshore was usually deserted in December. She and Brianna had wandered north from Pelican Point, away from the memorial that had been recently placed in honor of her dead husband, Jeremy.

Her gaze landed once again on the dead body. She was hardly an expert, but considering the decomposition she could see from here, she suspected the body had been in the water for a while.

“No, I don’t think there’s any danger,” Kayla assured the dispatcher.