Susan Sleeman - High-Caliber Holiday

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS

Held hostage on a train, ex-lawyer Morgan Thorsby finds her powers of persuasion failing her for the first time. Former marine sniper Brady Owens is her only hope—but his split-second hesitation on the trigger leaves her wounded. Yet when an obsessed stalker threatens Morgan, Brady steps up. Protecting someone so tough and beautiful is hardly a chore, but Brady pulls back every time they get close. Morgan isn’t ready for the connection forming between them, either, but she knows she needs his help. Can Brady capture the culprit in time for Christmas?

First Responders: Brave men and women alert and ready for danger and love.

A scream pierced the air. Shattering glass followed.

The kitchen. Morgan.

Adrenaline rekindled in his veins. His hand on his sidearm, he closed the distance to the kitchen in a few strides. He stepped inside, his boots grinding over broken glass. Morgan stood by the sink, physically unharmed, but her face was white.

“Someone was here. He left—” Her words were barely more than a whisper.

Brady looked around. He saw nothing odd other than the glass she’d dropped on the wood floor. “Left what?”

“Those.” She pointed at the countertop. “I didn’t leave them there.”

Brady looked at the counter, then back at her ashen face. His pulse kicked into high gear, and he drew his weapon. It was a good thing he’d walked Morgan home. A very good thing.

Brady needed to check the other rooms for an intruder, but he also wanted to take a better look at the photograph lying under a long-stemmed red rose.

The downright creepy photo was an engagement announcement. A man sat next to Morgan, but some picture-editing program had left only a silhouette with the words Your One True Love superimposed on it. The caption below read, “You are mine. You will marry no one but me.”

SUSAN SLEEMANis a bestselling author of inspirational and clean-read romantic suspense books and mysteries. Awards include RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book for Thread of Suspicion; No Way Out and The Christmas Witness were finalists for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence. She’s had the pleasure of living in nine states and currently lives in Oregon. To learn more about Susan visit her website at susansleeman.com.

High-Caliber Holiday

Susan Sleeman

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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And my God will meet all your needs according to

the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 4:19

For the many law enforcement and military snipers

who perform such a necessary job to keep all of us safe. Thank you for your service even when people often don’t understand and appreciate the job you do.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction A scream pierced the air. Shattering glass followed. The kitchen. Morgan. Adrenaline rekindled in his veins. His hand on his sidearm, he closed the distance to the kitchen in a few strides. He stepped inside, his boots grinding over broken glass. Morgan stood by the sink, physically unharmed, but her face was white. “Someone was here. He left—” Her words were barely more than a whisper. Brady looked around. He saw nothing odd other than the glass she’d dropped on the wood floor. “Left what?” “Those.” She pointed at the countertop. “I didn’t leave them there.” Brady looked at the counter, then back at her ashen face. His pulse kicked into high gear, and he drew his weapon. It was a good thing he’d walked Morgan home. A very good thing. Brady needed to check the other rooms for an intruder, but he also wanted to take a better look at the photograph lying under a long-stemmed red rose. The downright creepy photo was an engagement announcement. A man sat next to Morgan, but some picture-editing program had left only a silhouette with the words Your One True Love superimposed on it. The caption below read, “You are mine. You will marry no one but me.”

About the Author SUSAN SLEEMANis a bestselling author of inspirational and clean-read romantic suspense books and mysteries. Awards include RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book for Thread of Suspicion; No Way Out and The Christmas Witness were finalists for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence. She’s had the pleasure of living in nine states and currently lives in Oregon. To learn more about Susan visit her website at susansleeman.com .

Title Page High-Caliber Holiday Susan Sleeman www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:19

Dedication For the many law enforcement and military snipers who perform such a necessary job to keep all of us safe. Thank you for your service even when people often don’t understand and appreciate the job you do.

ONE

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SEVEN

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NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

The gun couldn’t be real. Could it?

Morgan Thorsby clutched her friend Lacy’s arm and scooted back from the gun-wielding man charging onto the MAX light rail train. Brisk, chilling air rushed in behind him as she looked at the silvery gun glinting in the overhead light.

The weapon looked real. Very real.

The man took a step closer. Anger radiated from his body. His breathing was ragged as he made a quick survey of the space, skimming tortured eyes over the few passengers on board this late at night.

Please, God, don’t let this be real , Morgan begged, her heart thumping in her chest. She fought to control her fear and studied the man’s jittery behavior.

Could he be one of those shooters who’d been pushed beyond his breaking point until he’d decided to randomly kill people? She couldn’t just sit here and wait to find out. Her life was in immediate danger and it was up to her to protect herself. She had to do something, but what?

Run. Hide. Fight. The active shooter video she’d viewed at work rushed through her mind. The video taught them not to sit back passively but to run, hide or fight. She couldn’t run. She couldn’t hide. She could fight. But how? With what?

She searched the train looking for a weapon. Any weapon.

The man’s distressed gaze landed on her with a finality that took her breath away.

“He’s coming toward us.” Lacy grabbed Morgan’s hand.

“Don’t panic,” Morgan said and forced herself to look into the gunman’s eyes. She saw no life in the depths. Desperation, panic, yes, but nothing to prove he was alive.

Oh no. No.

She knew this man. She’d seen him in the sea of men and women who’d brought a class-action lawsuit against her family’s company, claiming Thorsby Mill had polluted the water and caused cancer in the residents. As the company’s attorney at that time, she’d seen the plaintiffs’ turmoil day in and day out during the trial.