Lynn Huggins Blackburn - Covert Justice

AGENT UNDERCOVER

When a woman drags Blake Harrison out of his wrecked car, he knows the mysterious stranger has saved his life. But more shocking than the hit-and-run is the news that a crime cartel has infiltrated his factory. There’s a fortune to be made by tampering with the factory’s products…but only if Blake is out of the way. Undercover FBI agent Heidi Zimmerman has two goals—catch the criminals in the act, and keep Blake alive. Falling for the single dad and his adorable daughter isn’t in the plan. But everything changes when an abduction leaves Heidi face-to-face with a killer, revealing the danger that’s been hiding in plain sight all along…

Why didn’t she answer?

Blake redialed Heidi’s phone again, and again it went to voice mail.

She and his daughter were probably headed back, so he decided to meet them. He didn’t have much time left with Heidi; he wouldn’t waste a minute. But when he reached the creek, they weren’t there, and a vague unease settled in his gut. He quickened his pace through the forest toward his house.

“Heidi! Maggie!”

No reason to panic. Heidi knew this mountain as well as he did.

But the house was empty. So was her cabin. Now his breath came in gasps as he tried her phone again. He left a message. “Heidi, where are you? Call me.”

He ran down to the road, calling their names. But Heidi wouldn’t allow Maggie to walk along the narrow road.

Blake rubbed his temples and tried to breathe. Tried to stop the thoughts from tumbling in his brain. Missing… Why?

Who?

His phone rang and his heart soared, then crashed when an unknown number lit up the screen. “Yes?”

“Hello, Blake,” a cold voice said.

“Who is this?”

“I’m the person who has what you love most in the world.”

LYNN HUGGINS BLACKBURN believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. You can follow her real-life happily-ever-after at lynnhugginsblackburn.com.

Covert Justice

Lynn Huggins Blackburn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

—2 Timothy 1:7

To Brian. This book wouldn’t exist without your encouragement and support. Thank you for believing in me, even—especially—when I thought this dream would never come true. I love you more!

Acknowledgments

So many people to thank!

My Savior—for everything.

My children—Emma, James and Drew—for making the real world a place I love to be.

My parents, Ken and Susan Huggins—for all those trips to the library, for encouraging my love of books and instilling in me the confidence to fly.

My sister, Jennifer Huggins Bayne—for loving the first words of the first story and loving me even when writing makes me crazy.

My mother-in-law, Sandra Blackburn—for your support and all those hours babysitting while I write.

Edie Melson and Vonda Skelton—for first welcoming me into the writing world.

Lissa Halls Johnson—for guiding me through the first version of this story.

The Light Brigade—for praying me through this amazing experience.

Lynette Eason—for telling me my first chapter was too slow and then helping me fix it. You’re an awesome mentor!

Tamela Hancock Murray—for believing in my writing.

Elizabeth Mazer—for taking a chance on this story and this writer.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Epigraph

Dedication

Acknowledgments

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Blake Harrison pulled the hood of his jacket over his head and sprinted through the deluge. Nothing like a cold November downpour to cap off an exhausting week.

He slid into the seat of his BMW and pushed the hood away from his face. Dealing with multiple off-quality batches had kept him late every night this week.

If they didn’t get a handle on their production issues soon, they ran a serious risk of missing shipments and losing customers. Losing customers meant losing jobs and Harrison Plastics International hadn’t laid off an employee in sixty-three years. He didn’t want to be the first Harrison in three generations to break faith with their employees. Their friends.

He shook off the gloominess. They’d had issues before and had overcome them without having to resort to personnel cuts. He had confidence in his engineering team. They’d get things working again. He’d be able to relax after he had a decent meal, a story time with his little Maggie-moo and a full eight-hour visit with his pillow.

He pulled out of the HPI parking lot and began the half-mile drive to his home. The rain made it hard to see the lines on the pavement and he kept his speed low as he entered the sharp curve marking the halfway point to his driveway.

Headlights coming up way too fast flashed in his rearview mirror. Didn’t that guy have the good sense to slow down? At least he wouldn’t have to deal with him on his tail for long.

Without warning, the headlights grew larger in his mirror and a sudden impact threw him forward before the seat belt slammed him back into his seat. He tried to steer as the BMW skidded across the road but lost control on the wet pavement and crashed into the opposite ditch, tail-first.

He didn’t know how long he sat there, hands clenched around the wheel. As his breathing slowed, he took a quick inventory. He could move his arms and legs. His neck and back would be killing him tomorrow, but he didn’t think he’d suffered any major damage. He breathed a prayer of thanksgiving as he groped around in the seat for his cell phone to call for a tow truck.

Before he could find it, the passenger-side door flew open. He blinked in the brightness from the dome lights and tried to focus on the dark shape leaning into his car. He caught a glimpse of big green eyes filled with concern before a slender finger stretched out and extinguished the light.

“Can you move?” He could barely make out the words over the pounding rain. A small hand gripped his arm. “Blake? You have to focus.”

What on earth?

She moved closer and unbuckled his seat belt. “Can you move?”

“Yes. What are you—”

“Then move!” She reached around the steering wheel, pushed open the driver’s-side door and shoved him out into the downpour. He slipped on the bank and had just gotten his footing when she grabbed his hand. “Let’s go. We have to get out of here.”

“Hey.” He shook her off. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t know you. I have to find my phone and—”