Laura Scott - Wrongly Accused

A DESPERATE FATHER

Only one thing matters to Caleb O’Malley: his daughter. Framed for his wife’s murder, Caleb’s only wish is to see his little girl. But Noelle Whitman, his daughter’s foster mother, isn’t buying his plea of innocence until bullets start flying and they’re running for their lives. Staying one step ahead of the real killer proves nearly impossible, but former SWAT cop Caleb will risk everything to keep them safe. Because now there is nothing more important than Noelle and his daughter—not his freedom, not even his life.

SWAT: Top Cops—Love in the line of duty

“I can’t stand the thought of my daughter being afraid of me,” Caleb whispered.

“She’s not,” Noelle whispered back. “After all, she let you hold her in the pool, remember?”

He shook his head. “She wanted to swim so badly I think she would have let anyone hold her.”

Noelle sank down into the chair next to him, unable to refute his logic. “She needs a little time, that’s all.”

He lifted his gaze to hers. “Maybe I can find a safe place for the two of you to stay for a while. Then I’ll head off on my own to try and figure out who’s trying to kill me.”

For some odd reason, Noelle found she was beginning to believe Caleb was in fact innocent of the crime he’d been accused of.

But knowing that didn’t reassure her the way she thought it would.

Because whoever had tried to kill Caleb outside her house was very likely still looking for him. And she was deeply afraid that the killer wouldn’t hesitate to take the life of a woman and child, too, if necessary.

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, 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.

Wrongly Accused

Laura Scott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.

—Isaiah 61:8

This book is dedicated to Pat and Ted Iding.

Thank you for all the wonderful years you’ve loved me as one of your own.

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

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

EXTRACT

ONE

Caleb O’Malley’s stomach knotted painfully at the thought of seeing his daughter, Kaitlin, for the first time in over a year. Since the day he’d been sent to jail for a crime he didn’t commit.

He parked his beat-up truck in front of the fourth house from the corner and killed the engine. Taking a deep breath, he shoved his car door open and forced himself to get out and walk up the sidewalk to the front door of Noelle Whitman’s house, trying not to resent the woman who’d been his daughter’s foster mother while he’d been behind bars.

To be honest, it was his own fault he hadn’t seen Kaitlin in so long. At first, he’d thought he’d be let out as soon as they realized he was innocent. But then week after week passed by, and he’d grimly realized there was a very real possibility he’d be found guilty. At that point, he’d been unable to bear the thought of having his young daughter see him in jail.

He’d been shocked to hear from his lawyer that the case against him had been dropped due to the strange disappearance of the eyewitness. And deeply glad to know he was free at last.

He rapped sharply on the door and waited impatiently for the Whitman woman to answer.

He squinted against the harsh glare of the summer sun. After not being in the sunlight for so long, he enjoyed the warmth soaking into his skin, even though the temperature was hovering at a steamy ninety degrees.

His lawyer, Jack Owens, had promised to let Ms. Whitman know Caleb was on his way to pick up Kaitlin, so there was no reason for her not to be here. Hard to believe that he’d only been out of jail for a few hours. His release had been so sudden he hadn’t had time to make plans. It was Friday and once he picked up Kaitlin, he’d go home and take the weekend to figure out how to start their life over again.

He lifted his hand to knock again at the exact moment the door swung open, so he pulled back his hand just in time. The woman standing before him was much younger than he’d anticipated, probably barely thirty, with reddish-gold hair and fair skin. She was dressed casually in a green short-sleeved sweater and calf-length blue jeans. In her arms was his five-year-old daughter, wearing a pretty pink dress and pink barrettes clipped to her glossy chin-length blond hair. She clutched a small stuffed giraffe to her chest.

The minute Kaitlin saw him she dropped the giraffe, wrapped her arms around Noelle’s neck and burst into tears. “Nooo, I don’t wanna go wif Daddy!”

His stomach tightened painfully as his worst nightmare played out in front of him. Ms. Whitman held Kaitlin close at the same time she took a step back, a wary expression on her face.

“You’d better come in,” she said over Kaitlin’s sobs. He stepped forward and bent down to pick up the giraffe.

A split second later, he heard the crack of a rifle and the soft thud of a bullet hitting the doorframe of the house, inches from where his head had been.

“Get back,” he shouted, barging into her house with the finesse and strength of a bull, before slamming the door behind him.

Another bullet pierced the door, followed by yet another. He covered Noelle’s body with his as he practically pushed her toward the relative safety of the kitchen.

“What’s going on?” Noelle asked hoarsely, her green eyes wide with fear as he shoved her down behind the island. He hated the way Kaitlin’s crying grew louder.

“We have to get out of here.” There wasn’t time to explain what he didn’t even understand himself. He had no clue why someone was shooting at him, but right now all that mattered was getting out of here in one piece. He lunged for the keys he saw lying on the counter and mentally visualized where the garage was located. “Does that door lead out to the garage?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go.”

“No! Wait! We have to call 911!” She shrank away from him, pressing herself against the island and curling protectively around his daughter.

He hesitated, trying to think rationally. He didn’t trust the police, but if he left on his own would the shooter follow him and leave Ms. Whitman and Kaitlin alone?