Carol Steward - In His Sights

Edgar asked, wrapping an arm around her. “Your heart is beating like crazy.”

Dee pushed herself away from him as she inhaled the scent of his spicy aftershave. “I’ve just been…” She couldn’t tell him she’d been reading about him. Let alone daydreaming about working together.

“You were just what?” He studied her intently. “Are you sure you’re okay, Dee?”

She tried to shake it off. Between the phone call she’d received and feeling that someone had followed her into the library…and thinking about Edgar, there were plenty of things to be shaken up about.

REUNION REVELATIONS: Secrets surface when old friends—and foes—get together.

Hidden in the Wall—Valerie Hansen (LIS#84) January 2008

Missing Persons—Shirlee McCoy (LIS#88) February 2008

Don’t Look Back—Margaret Daley (LIS#92) March 2008

In His Sights—Carol Steward (LIS#96) April 2008

A Face in the Shadows—Lenora Worth (LIS#100) May 2008

Final Justice—Marta Perry (LIS#104) June 2008

To Carol Steward, selling a book is much like riding a roller coaster—every step of the process, every sale brings that exhilarating high. During the less exciting times, she’s busy gathering ideas and refilling her cup. Writing brings a much-needed balance to her life, as she has her characters share lessons she has learned, as well.

When she’s not working at the University of Northern Colorado, you can usually find her spending time with her husband of over thirty years, writing and thanking God she survived raising her own three children to reap His rewards of playing with her adorable grandchildren.

Throughout all the different seasons of life, God has continued to teach Carol to turn to Him. She has also learned to simplify her life and appreciate her many blessings—His gift of creativity, sharing her love for God with readers and setting an example of what God can do when we say, “Yes, God, take me, shape me, use me.” To find out more about Carol’s slightly crazy life and her books, visit her Web site at www.carolsteward.com.

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Special thanks and acknowledgment are given

to Carol Steward for her contribution to the

REUNION REVELATIONS miniseries.

Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in

me you may have peace. In this world you will have

trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

—John 16:33

To Val, Shirlee, Margaret, Lenora and Marty,

my coconspirators—my light in the shadows.

You’re the greatest!

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

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Something had to be wrong. The caller ID showed her sister’s number, and Lauren knew not to call her at work.

“Deandra Owens, how may I help you?” she answered out of habit. “Sorry, Lauren. What’s up?”

“It’s happening again, Dee. There’s another warning on the Web site.”

Dee hadn’t heard Lauren this frantic in weeks.

“Log on the site, now,” her sister demanded. “Hurry!”

Dee swung her chair to the computer and moved her mouse to pull up the site. “Magnolia Falls: Where Are They Now?” scrolled to the top of the computer monitor and the photograph from the reunion began to load. “Where?”

“Someone put a picture of the group at the reunion on there,” Lauren said.

“I did,” Dee said with a sigh of relief.

“Yes, on the home page, but, it’s in the blog now—with flames burning over it.”

“You can’t be serious!” Her mind raced to the angry posts they’d received in the guest book. Dee stared as the blog loaded, her pulse racing. She scrolled through the comments, then came to the digitally altered photo posted by Anonymous and gasped. “Who would do this?”

“The police never even figured out who sent that entry last month.”

Dee looked for some clue, ignoring her sister.

“The one telling us that someone on campus isn’t who they seem to be.”

“Yes, I remember,” Dee said. “I’m—”

The fear in Lauren’s voice returned. “We have to do something.”

The police hadn’t given the Web site much attention, claiming pranks and inappropriate postings were pretty common on any public site. Dee stared at the photo in disbelief. Who would have such anger toward those at the reunion?

“Dee…”

“Where are you, Lauren?”

“I’m at Seth’s with Jake. Seth has a late appointment today.”

Lauren had had enough scares in the recent months. Dee didn’t want to see it start all over again. “Stay put and lock the doors.” Dee looked up to see, Edgar Ortiz, the assistant director of admissions in her doorway, pointing at his watch. “Thanks for calling. I’ll call you back after the press conference.”

“Dee, you ready?” The handsome Brazilian made her heart flutter, even when she wasn’t under stress.

“Just a minute, Edgar. I need to fix a little problem right away.” Her hands were shaking.

He stepped to her side. “Can I help?”

“No, thanks, it’ll just take a minute.”

“We’re in a hurry. The police need a minute to prep you.” He leaned closer, making her nerves that much worse.

“I’ll be right there, just hold them off for a minute. You know, work your charm.”

He cleared his throat and headed for the door. “You’re the charmer. That is why we hired you.”

Dee highlighted the name of the picture and all of the Java script that went with it, then read the options she had for removing the data from the blog: “Remove Locally” or “Remove locally and from server.” She tried to reason out which would keep it so the police could trace it. One option would keep it on her computer, but remove it from the site. The other would remove it from everywhere. Dee moved the mouse to “Remove Locally” and thought it through again before clicking the button.

“Dee, come on.” Edgar paused as he stepped through the door, his voice full of annoyance.

She jumped and with one slip of the wrist, she hit the wrong button and everything was gone.

Edgar leveled her a stare and she felt the emptiness in the pit of her stomach. Temporary or not, every day they were together they always seemed to be needling each other.

She picked up her notes and rushed out the door after him. “Someone’s posting harassing messages on the Web site again, and thanks to you, I just lost the evidence.”