Lenora Worth - Proof of Innocence

INNOCENT FUGITIVE

Erin Eagleton has been on the run for months after her ex-boyfriend was killed in front of her. She escaped from the killer once, but the police consider her a prime suspect. She is determined to prove her innocence and bring down the real criminal…before he finishes the job. Her high school sweetheart, Capitol K-9 officer Chase Zachary, has been searching for her with his trusty police dog. Now that he’s found her, he vows to keep her safe at all costs. He’ll stop at nothing to reveal the truth—and to protect the woman he’s never forgotten.

Capitol K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.

She heard pounding footsteps coming toward her.

A dog’s woof caused her to stumble. Right into two waiting hands.

Erin started fighting, kicking and screaming as she tried to gain a foothold.

The dog started barking but stood back in a frenzied dance.

And the man holding her did something that surprised her and caused her whole world to tilt.

He shouted “Heel” at the big dog and then he called her by her name. “Erin? Erin? It’s me. It’s Chase.”

Erin stopped fighting, her fists relaxing against his solid chest, her gaze halting on the face she remembered so well. Her voice cracked, and she blinked to clear her head. “Chase?”

“It’s okay,” he said in a whisper. “You’re safe now, understand? You’re with me now, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

LENORA WORTH writes award-winning romance and romantic suspense. Three of her books finaled in the ACFW Carol Awards, and her Love Inspired Suspense novel Body of Evidence became a New York Times bestseller. Her novella in Mistletoe Kisses made her a USA TODAY bestselling author. With sixty books published and millions in print, she goes on adventures with her retired husband, Don, and enjoys reading, baking and shopping…especially shoe shopping.

Proof of Innocence

Lenora Worth

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,

And before honor is humility.

—Proverbs 18:12

To my fellow authors in this series: Shirlee McCoy, Terri Reed, Lynette Eason, Margaret Daley and Valerie Hansen. I love and appreciate all of you!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text INNOCENT FUGITIVE Erin Eagleton has been on the run for months after her ex-boyfriend was killed in front of her. She escaped from the killer once, but the police consider her a prime suspect. She is determined to prove her innocence and bring down the real criminal…before he finishes the job. Her high school sweetheart, Capitol K-9 officer Chase Zachary, has been searching for her with his trusty police dog. Now that he’s found her, he vows to keep her safe at all costs. He’ll stop at nothing to reveal the truth—and to protect the woman he’s never forgotten. Capitol K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.

Introduction She heard pounding footsteps coming toward her. A dog’s woof caused her to stumble. Right into two waiting hands. Erin started fighting, kicking and screaming as she tried to gain a foothold. The dog started barking but stood back in a frenzied dance. And the man holding her did something that surprised her and caused her whole world to tilt. He shouted “Heel” at the big dog and then he called her by her name. “Erin? Erin? It’s me. It’s Chase.” Erin stopped fighting, her fists relaxing against his solid chest, her gaze halting on the face she remembered so well. Her voice cracked, and she blinked to clear her head. “Chase?” “It’s okay,” he said in a whisper. “You’re safe now, understand? You’re with me now, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

About the Author LENORA WORTH writes award-winning romance and romantic suspense. Three of her books finaled in the ACFW Carol Awards, and her Love Inspired Suspense novel Body of Evidence became a New York Times bestseller. Her novella in Mistletoe Kisses made her a USA TODAY bestselling author. With sixty books published and millions in print, she goes on adventures with her retired husband, Don, and enjoys reading, baking and shopping…especially shoe shopping.

Title Page Proof of Innocence Lenora Worth www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. —Proverbs 18:12

Dedication To my fellow authors in this series: Shirlee McCoy, Terri Reed, Lynette Eason, Margaret Daley and Valerie Hansen. I love and appreciate all of you!

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

EPILOGUE

DEAR READER

Extract

Copyright

ONE

An urgent heartbeat pounded through Erin Eagleton’s temples each time her sneakered feet hit the dry, packed earth. She stumbled, grabbed at a leafy sapling and checked behind her again. The tree’s slender limbs hit at her face and neck when she let go, leaving welts across her cheekbones, but she kept running. The sun slid in a shimmering-gold descent beyond the trees to the west as dusk settled like a vivid red-orange blanket over the sticky, hot Virginia hillside. Soon it would be full dark and she would have to find a safe place to hide.

Winded and damp with a cold sweat that made her shiver as it snaked down her backbone, Erin tried to catch her breath. Did she dare stop and try to find another path?

The sound of approaching footsteps behind her caused Erin to stare through her nonprescription black-framed glasses into the growing darkness. Making a split-second decision, she took off to the right and headed deeper into the woods. She had to keep running until she came to a highway or a hideaway. But she was so tired. Would she ever be free?

Dear Lord, I’m so lost. I don’t know where to turn.

Memories of Chase Zachary moved through her head, causing tears to prick at her eyes. Her first love. Her high school sweetheart who now worked as a K-9 officer with an elite Washington, DC, team. A team that was investigating her.

From what she’d read on the internet and in the local papers, Chase had been one of the first officers on the scene that horrible night.

She’d thought about calling him a hundred times over these past few months, but Erin wasn’t sure she could trust even Chase. The last time they’d seen each other, on the very evening this nightmare had taken place, he hadn’t been very friendly. And why should he be kind toward her? He probably hated her for breaking his heart when they were so young.

But then just about everybody else along the Beltway and possibly even in the entire metro area surrounding DC hated her right now. Erin had been on the run for months. She knew running made her look guilty, but she’d had no other choice since she’d witnessed the murder of Michael Jeffries, and she’d almost been killed herself. The authorities thought she was the killer and until she could prove otherwise, Erin had to stay hidden.