Jane M. Choate - High-Risk Investigation

FATAL TRUTH

Finishing the investigation that got her parents killed is reporter Scout McAdams’s top priority—even with someone threatening her life if she doesn’t drop it. But she’ll reluctantly accept former army ranger Nicco Santonni as her bodyguard...on one condition. He can’t try to stop her from uncovering the truth her true-crime writer mother was searching for, despite the danger. Though the pretty—and stubborn—journalist may not want a bodyguard, Nicco knows she needs one, and he aims to shadow Scout’s every move. But while Nicco may use every tactic to keep the killers at bay, when the truth proves deadlier than they ever imagined, will they live to tell the tale?

JANE M. CHOATEdreamed of writing from the time she was a small child when she entertained friends with outlandish stories complete with happily-ever-after endings. Writing for Love Inspired Suspense is a dream come true. Jane is the proud mother of five children, grandmother to seven grandchildren and the staff to one cat who believes she is of royal descent.

Also By Jane M. Choate

Keeping Watch

The Littlest Witness

Shattered Secrets

High-Risk Investigation

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

High-Risk Investigation

Jane M. Choate

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08063-7

HIGH-RISK INVESTIGATION

© 2018 Jane M. Choate

Published in Great Britain 2018

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.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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She was in trouble.

The firm set of Nicco’s mouth told her he was angry with her.

Scout went on the offensive. “Say something. Anything.”

“You handled yourself today. But what’s going to happen when you find yourself in a situation you can’t handle?”

A dozen retorts came to mind. She rejected all but one. “I can’t stop living my life because of some threats.”

“You could have been killed.”

And then she understood. He’d been afraid. For her.

“I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“Nothing is worth your life. Nothing. Including this investigation.”

Scout wanted to protest, but she didn’t want to destroy the fragile peace that hovered between them. “I’ll be more careful. I promise.”

“I don’t want you to just be careful. I want you to stay alive. Because next time...”

Nicco let the words trail off. He didn’t need to speak them. The silent warning echoed in her head.

Next time the job wouldn’t go unfinished. It’d end with her death.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for joining me on another journey. I love writing about courageous men and women like Nicco and Scout. Their love path was a tortuous one as they battled enemies motivated by greed and power. In the end, love and truth won out.

Courage, like heroes, comes in all flavors. Some of the most courageous men and women I know are those who fight cancer. My mother and my sister fought ovarian cancer with humor and resolve and, most of all, faith. In spite of this, the cancer won, or at least it did on this earthly sphere. But I know it does not triumph beyond the grave. I remind myself of that when I am grieving and comfort myself with the knowledge that I am separated from them for only a brief time.

Nicco and Scout also lost loved ones. Like me, they grieved, sometimes unbearably so, and they searched for ways to continue living. When their strength faltered, they relied upon the Lord and found in Him the strength and the will to go on.

I pray that you can turn to the Lord in whatever battles you face.

With gratitude for His love,

Jane

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

—Isaiah 41:10

To my mother, Georgia Sampson McBride, and to my sister, Carla Sue Berger, each of whom waged a valiant fight against ovarian cancer, and to all the women and those who love them who battle this disease.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

Extract

ONE

Nicco Santonni yanked at the too-tight collar of the starched white shirt. The tuxedo, a rental, felt like a straitjacket that at any moment might strangle him. He’d take a flak jacket or even the shalwar kameez—the traditional Middle Eastern baggy, pajama-like trousers paired with a long cotton tunic—over the monkey suit, but tonight’s job dictated formal wear.

He had as much use for a tuxedo as he did for the glitz and glamour of the ballroom at Savannah’s premiere hotel, but a bodyguard went where his client did and tonight that meant showing up for a charity fund-raiser.

He’d arrived early for the event. Another operative was watching the client in the hours before the gala began. Ranger to the core, he’d wanted to survey his surroundings. He didn’t like being taken by surprise. Constructing a grid pattern of the ballroom came first, followed by identifying any likely spots for a sniper attack. He didn’t expect to use his expertise in explosives or hand-to-hand combat tonight, but an operative for S&J Security/Protection never knew what he or she would be called upon to do.