Hope White - Christmas Undercover

FATAL CHRISTMAS

FBI agent Sara Vaughn believes a group of pharmaceutical businessmen are engineering drugs with deadly results. Her boss won’t approve a sting operation, so she goes rogue—following the suspects on a hike in the Cascade Mountains to record evidence. But when Sara witnesses them murder one of their own, they target her. Saved by a handsome volunteer mountain rescue worker, Sara at first suspects Will Rankin is another bad guy hunting her. But when the widowed father of two risks everything to save her, she knows that Will is all that’s standing between her and seeing Christmas morning.

Echo Mountain: Saving lives and finding love in the mountains of Washington State

“Why do you think someone wants to harm you?” he asked.

“I witnessed a crime.”

They turned a corner and he stopped short.

“What?” She looked around him.

A stranger was coming out of Will’s cabin.

“Do you recognize him?” she said.

“No.” He motioned to a nearby tree. “Hide back there. I’ll check it out.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“Or simply a hiker lost in the mountains. Kinda like you.” Will smiled and nodded toward the tree. “Go on.”

“Maybe you should take this.” She offered him the gun.

An odd smile creased his lips. “Thanks, but you keep it.”

She nodded and watched him walk away, shielding herself behind the tree. From this vantage point she could watch the scene unfold, not that she had a great escape plan.

Suddenly, a gunshot echoed across the property.

An eternal optimist, HOPE WHITEwas born and raised in the Midwest. She and her college sweetheart have been married for thirty years and are blessed with two wonderful sons, two feisty cats and a bossy border collie. When not dreaming up inspirational tales, Hope enjoys hiking, sipping tea with friends and going to the movies. She loves to hear from readers, who can contact her at hopewhiteauthor@gmail.com.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

— Romans 15:13

This book is dedicated to Mark Jamieson of the Seattle PD, who generously answers my many questions.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text FATAL CHRISTMAS FBI agent Sara Vaughn believes a group of pharmaceutical businessmen are engineering drugs with deadly results. Her boss won’t approve a sting operation, so she goes rogue—following the suspects on a hike in the Cascade Mountains to record evidence. But when Sara witnesses them murder one of their own, they target her. Saved by a handsome volunteer mountain rescue worker, Sara at first suspects Will Rankin is another bad guy hunting her. But when the widowed father of two risks everything to save her, she knows that Will is all that’s standing between her and seeing Christmas morning. Echo Mountain: Saving lives and finding love in the mountains of Washington State

Introduction “Why do you think someone wants to harm you?” he asked. “I witnessed a crime.” They turned a corner and he stopped short. “What?” She looked around him. A stranger was coming out of Will’s cabin. “Do you recognize him?” she said. “No.” He motioned to a nearby tree. “Hide back there. I’ll check it out.” “It could be dangerous.” “Or simply a hiker lost in the mountains. Kinda like you.” Will smiled and nodded toward the tree. “Go on.” “Maybe you should take this.” She offered him the gun. An odd smile creased his lips. “Thanks, but you keep it.” She nodded and watched him walk away, shielding herself behind the tree. From this vantage point she could watch the scene unfold, not that she had a great escape plan. Suddenly, a gunshot echoed across the property.

About the Author An eternal optimist, HOPE WHITE was born and raised in the Midwest. She and her college sweetheart have been married for thirty years and are blessed with two wonderful sons, two feisty cats and a bossy border collie. When not dreaming up inspirational tales, Hope enjoys hiking, sipping tea with friends and going to the movies. She loves to hear from readers, who can contact her at hopewhiteauthor@gmail.com.

Title Page Christmas Undercover Hope White www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13

Dedication This book is dedicated to Mark Jamieson of the Seattle PD, who generously answers my many questions.

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ELEVEN

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FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

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Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

FBI agent Sara Vaughn awoke with a start, her heart pounding against her chest. Darkness surrounded her and it took a second for her eyes to adjust.

Panic took hold. No, she was beyond that. She’d outgrown it.

She counted to three, taking a deep breath, then exhaled. She clicked on her headlamp. Tall, majestic evergreen trees stretched up toward the starlit sky.

The mountains. She was in the Cascade Mountains following a lead that her supervisor, Greg Bonner, said was a waste of time.

Sara knew better.

The sound of deep male voices echoed from beyond a cluster of trees to her left.

“Be reasonable, David!” a man shouted.

David Price was one of the three business partners who were on this mountain getaway. The other men were Victor LaRouche and Ted Harrington, and together they owned the drug company LHP, Inc.

Sara made her way toward the sound of raised voices.

She was proud of herself for managing to get on the trail guide team hired to lead them up Echo Mountain. This isolated spot in the Cascade Mountains of Washington would surely give the men the privacy they needed to solidify their plan.

Getting a dangerous drug into the hands of unsuspecting consumers.

“Why do you have to make this so hard?”

She recognized Vic LaRouche’s voice because of its Southern twang.

She stayed off the main trail, not wanting to alert them to her presence, and made her way through the brush. Edging around a large boulder, she stepped over a fallen branch in silence. She needed to stay invisible, hidden. Something she was good at.

The men were no doubt having this discussion a safe distance away from the lead guide, Ned, so as not to wake him. It didn’t take much to wake Sara. Even in sleep, she was always on alert.

“It’s not right and you both know it,” David said.

“It was an anomaly, a mistake,” Ted Harrington said.

“A mistake that could kill people.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” LaRouche said.

This was it—the evidence she’d been looking for.

She pulled out her phone, hoping to record some of their conversation. If she could catch them admitting to their plan, it would go a long way to proving she was right, that she wasn’t just an “overzealous” agent trying to prove something.