Sarah Varland - Alaskan Christmas Cold Case

Christmas Under Fire...

The Ice Maiden Killer is back.

For years, a serial killer has eluded authorities—and he’s set Alaska state trooper Erynn Cooper in his sights. Erynn’s only chance at survival is to trust Moose Haven police chief Noah Dawson with her life and the truth about her past. But with Christmas quickly approaching, Erynn and Noah are running out of time to catch the murderer…before Erynn becomes the next victim.

SARAH VARLANDlives in Alaska with her husband, John, their two boys and their dogs. Her passion for books comes from her mom; her love for suspense comes from her dad, who has spent a career in law enforcement. When she’s not writing, she’s often found dog mushing, hiking, reading, kayaking, drinking coffee or enjoying other Alaskan adventures with her family.

Also By Sarah Varland

Treasure Point Secrets

Tundra Threat

Cold Case Witness

Silent Night Shadows

Perilous Homecoming

Mountain Refuge

Alaskan Hideout

Alaskan Ambush

Alaskan Christmas Cold Case

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Alaskan Christmas Cold Case

Sarah Varland

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09761-1

ALASKAN CHRISTMAS COLD CASE

© 2019 Sarah Varland

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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Text to speech

“Erynn, get down!”

Noah’s shoulder slammed against Erynn as she heard the gunshot. Pain exploded in her wrist, which she’d fallen on. Noah was shielding her with his body.

Willing to die so she wouldn’t have to. Just like her dad.

A sob choked Erynn’s throat, but she was powerless to move. “Where is he?”

“On top of one of the buildings.”

Another shot, this one close enough that the broken sidewalk sprayed pieces of concrete in her direction, hitting her on the arm.

“We’ve got to move. You can’t get shot because of me.” He just couldn’t.

“We need to run. See the bushes to the right?” They’d known each other long enough, Erynn guessed, that their minds were in sync enough that they moved as one toward cover.

He’d almost gotten killed. Because of her. Grief pressed in, suffocated her with its weight.

To think she’d been close to hoping maybe she and Noah could talk about what they’d avoided discussing or confronting about their feelings for so many years.

She couldn’t now.

Couldn’t ever.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

—1 John 4:18

To my family. I’m so thankful for all of you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

Extract

About the Publisher

Someone had been watching her. All morning, maybe even for the last few days. Goose bumps would run down Erynn Cooper’s arms at the oddest time. In the grocery store, while she was walking from her truck in the parking lot to the trooper building in the mornings...

And she was afraid she knew who. He—or she—had been responsible for five deaths already, six counting her father’s.

She’d always known he would come for her.

Erynn closed the door behind her, debated locking it, but knew that wasn’t why she was in town. She was not running; she was simply trying to live her life, fill her dad’s shoes in any way she could by bringing criminals to justice, helping people feel safe. And keep her ears out for any leads on the cold case that had led to her dad’s death.

Most days she felt like she could barely fill half of one of Mack Cooper’s shoes. Why had he been the one to die so young?

And what would her life have been like if he hadn’t? She wouldn’t have become a trooper, Erynn didn’t think, but what would she have been?

She’d never had the chance to consider it, not really.

She sat at her desk, shoved aside the little Christmas tree her partner had apparently added while she’d been home sleeping, and poured herself a cup of coffee. She had already told him she wasn’t big on Christmas decorations. Apparently he didn’t care. Every day this week it had been something new. First twinkling lights, then snowman stickers on the windows. Now the tree. Erynn shook her head and took a sip of coffee, startling as her phone chimed the arrival of a text message.

Noah.

You weren’t at the diner last night. Everything okay?

Almost every Saturday night the two of them, along with some friends, played board games at the diner while drinking bad coffee and talking about their weeks. She hadn’t wanted to go last night since yesterday had been odd and she’d felt out of place all day, like something was wrong.