Christy Barritt - Mountain Hideaway

NO SAFE HAVEN

After being caught collecting evidence on her ex-boyfriend’s criminal dealings, Tessa Jones has no choice but to go into hiding. She feels safe in her mountain refuge, right up until private investigator Trent McCabe comes knocking—and bullets start flying their way. Now for the second time, Tessa is on the run. And Trent’s mission has shifted from tracking down a missing person to keeping the brave beauty alive. Trent once lost a woman in his care, and he won’t make the same mistake again. But Tessa trusts no one—not even Trent. Out in the wilderness with danger closing in, Tessa must make a choice: rely on the handsome stranger...or take her chances with a killer.

“What will it take for you to trust me?”

Trent tried to get a better look at Tessa’s face in the blackness of the forest.

She shook her head. “The only person I can rely on is myself.”

But he saw the tears in her eyes and knew her walls were coming down. He glimpsed the woman lurking there, scared and alone. A fierce surge of protectiveness rose in him.

They couldn’t stay here. It wasn’t safe. “Let’s go back to the cabin.”

With hesitation, she put her hands in his. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, though the idea was appealing. It was a matter of survival, the two of them sticking together in the bleak wilderness.

He led her up the mountain, but as they neared his cabin, he pulled her behind a tree, his muscles tightening as instinct kicked in. Instinct that told him something was wrong.

He nodded toward the distance. “Listen.”

A crackle, followed by an explosion.

“What is that?” Tessa whispered.

“That was my cabin. It just went up in flames.”

He felt Tessa shudder.

They were here. The killers had found them. Again.

CHRISTY BARRITT’s books have won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery and have been twice nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover and a road trip aficionado. For more information, visit her website at christybarritt.com.

Mountain Hideaway

Christy Barritt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

—Matthew 17:20

To all the children my husband and I work with every Sunday at Kempsville Christian—your faith inspires me. Thank you for being a part of my life.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text NO SAFE HAVEN After being caught collecting evidence on her ex-boyfriend’s criminal dealings, Tessa Jones has no choice but to go into hiding. She feels safe in her mountain refuge, right up until private investigator Trent McCabe comes knocking—and bullets start flying their way. Now for the second time, Tessa is on the run. And Trent’s mission has shifted from tracking down a missing person to keeping the brave beauty alive. Trent once lost a woman in his care, and he won’t make the same mistake again. But Tessa trusts no one—not even Trent. Out in the wilderness with danger closing in, Tessa must make a choice: rely on the handsome stranger...or take her chances with a killer.

Introduction “What will it take for you to trust me?” Trent tried to get a better look at Tessa’s face in the blackness of the forest. She shook her head. “The only person I can rely on is myself.” But he saw the tears in her eyes and knew her walls were coming down. He glimpsed the woman lurking there, scared and alone. A fierce surge of protectiveness rose in him. They couldn’t stay here. It wasn’t safe. “Let’s go back to the cabin.” With hesitation, she put her hands in his. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, though the idea was appealing. It was a matter of survival, the two of them sticking together in the bleak wilderness. He led her up the mountain, but as they neared his cabin, he pulled her behind a tree, his muscles tightening as instinct kicked in. Instinct that told him something was wrong. He nodded toward the distance. “Listen.” A crackle, followed by an explosion. “What is that?” Tessa whispered. “That was my cabin. It just went up in flames.” He felt Tessa shudder. They were here. The killers had found them. Again.

About the Author CHRISTY BARRITT’s books have won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery and have been twice nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover and a road trip aficionado. For more information, visit her website at christybarritt.com .

Title Page Mountain Hideaway Christy Barritt www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. —Matthew 17:20

Dedication To all the children my husband and I work with every Sunday at Kempsville Christian—your faith inspires me. Thank you for being a part of my life.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Tessa Jones flung herself across the couch toward the lamp and pulled the switch so hard the ceramic base nearly toppled onto the wooden floor below. With quick breaths, she darted toward the wall.

She pulled her sweater closer around her neck and forced air into her lungs. Anxiety pressed down on her and adrenaline surged, the mix making her head spin.

Slowly, she edged toward the window. She had to look. She had no choice.

With all the lights extinguished in her home, anyone lurking outside shouldn’t see her. Still, she had to be careful. She had no idea who or what was on the other side of that glass. Here in the middle of nowhere, there were no neighbors to hear her scream, to rush to her rescue. If something happened to her, she might not be found for days.

That had worked to her advantage...until today.

At this moment, she craved having someone nearby to help her, to be a second set of eyes. But she’d been mentally preparing for months to be self-reliant if a situation like this ever occurred. She’d only hoped it would never come to this.

As she turned toward the window, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She stared hard yet cautiously into the abyss of thick woods surrounding the property.

Certainly, the speck of light bobbing on the horizon had just been her imagination. There was no one out there among the trees and the steep landscape of the mountain terrain. There couldn’t be. No one even knew this place was here.