Sarah Varland - Cold Case Witness

A DANGEROUS HOMECOMING

When her big-city dreams come crashing down, Gemma Phillips returns to her small hometown—and finds herself the target of a violent stalker. And her attacker may be linked to the robbery she witnessed years ago…a case reopened after the police discovered a body, supporting her claims of overhearing a murder. Now there’s only one man who can save her: lawman Matt O’Dell. For Matt, solving this decades-old mystery will finally allow him to distance himself from his father’s criminal past. But Matt’s drive to close the case soon turns personal. He needs to guard his reputation…but first, he must protect the woman he’s just discovered he loves.

“Cold?” He raised his eyebrows.

“No, really, I’m okay.”

She accidentally looked in the direction of the crime scene, and shivered again. Matt jogged to his car, retrieved a jacket and returned. Gemma thanked him and slid her arms into it, reminding her skittering heart that this wasn’t high school, wearing his jacket didn’t mean anything, and he was just being chivalrous—Southern, really—to make sure she wasn’t cold.

“Ready now?”

Technically, she could only answer yes. Gemma had run out of reasons to delay this walk. So she nodded slowly, followed Matt as he started off down a path that she knew from experience would lead them from the clearing into a thick forest, dense with live oaks and Spanish moss whose shadows choked out the sunlight.

No, she wasn’t ready. She never would be.

But someone was out there, someone who knew what she’d seen, and they wanted her dead. Sometimes people had to do things they weren’t ready for.

So Gemma took a deep breath and stepped farther into the dark woods. Out of the light.

And back into the place that haunted her very worst dreams.

SARAH VARLAND lives near the mountains in Alaska where she loves writing, hiking, kayaking and spending time with her family. She’s happily married to her college sweetheart, John, and the mom of two active and adorable boys, Joshua and Timothy, as well as another baby in heaven. Sarah has been writing almost since she could hold a pencil and especially loves writing romantic suspense, where she gets to combine her love for happily-ever-afters, inspired by her own, with her love for suspense, inspired by her dad, who has spent a career in law enforcement. You can find Sarah online through her blog, espressoinalatteworld.blogspot.com.

Cold Case Witness

Sarah Varland

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you,

for My power is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

—2 Corinthians 12:9

To the women who have experienced pregnancy/infant loss,

who know what it’s like to feel as though that loss defines you at times.

That’s not how God sees you.

He sees grace. He sees hope. He sees you.

I pray for continued healing for all of us.

Acknowledgments Acknowledgements ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN Dear Reader EXTRACT COPYRIGHT

Thanks to my family for being encouraging, helping when you can, answering questions and all around being the best family anyone could ask for. I love and appreciate all of you.

Thanks also to my friends, both writing friends and “normal” friends. Your encouragement and friendship has been so important to me during the writing of this book. I can’t thank you enough.

Thanks to Sarah, my agent. Working with you has been fun so far! I love that we are both juggling these jobs with the raising of little boys. Thanks for all you do.

Thanks to Elizabeth, wonderful editor and fabulous brainstormer. The work you have done already on this story has amazed me—thank you.

And thank You, Lord, for letting me tell stories and for teaching me things through them.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT A DANGEROUS HOMECOMING When her big-city dreams come crashing down, Gemma Phillips returns to her small hometown—and finds herself the target of a violent stalker. And her attacker may be linked to the robbery she witnessed years ago…a case reopened after the police discovered a body, supporting her claims of overhearing a murder. Now there’s only one man who can save her: lawman Matt O’Dell. For Matt, solving this decades-old mystery will finally allow him to distance himself from his father’s criminal past. But Matt’s drive to close the case soon turns personal. He needs to guard his reputation…but first, he must protect the woman he’s just discovered he loves.

INTRODUCTION “Cold?” He raised his eyebrows. “No, really, I’m okay.” She accidentally looked in the direction of the crime scene, and shivered again. Matt jogged to his car, retrieved a jacket and returned. Gemma thanked him and slid her arms into it, reminding her skittering heart that this wasn’t high school, wearing his jacket didn’t mean anything, and he was just being chivalrous—Southern, really—to make sure she wasn’t cold. “Ready now?” Technically, she could only answer yes. Gemma had run out of reasons to delay this walk. So she nodded slowly, followed Matt as he started off down a path that she knew from experience would lead them from the clearing into a thick forest, dense with live oaks and Spanish moss whose shadows choked out the sunlight. No, she wasn’t ready. She never would be. But someone was out there, someone who knew what she’d seen, and they wanted her dead. Sometimes people had to do things they weren’t ready for. So Gemma took a deep breath and stepped farther into the dark woods. Out of the light. And back into the place that haunted her very worst dreams.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR SARAH VARLAND lives near the mountains in Alaska where she loves writing, hiking, kayaking and spending time with her family. She’s happily married to her college sweetheart, John, and the mom of two active and adorable boys, Joshua and Timothy, as well as another baby in heaven. Sarah has been writing almost since she could hold a pencil and especially loves writing romantic suspense, where she gets to combine her love for happily-ever-afters, inspired by her own, with her love for suspense, inspired by her dad, who has spent a career in law enforcement. You can find Sarah online through her blog, espressoinalatteworld.blogspot.com .

TITLE PAGE Cold Case Witness Sarah Varland www.millsandboon.co.uk

BIBLE VERSE But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. —2 Corinthians 12:9

DEDICATION To the women who have experienced pregnancy/infant loss, who know what it’s like to feel as though that loss defines you at times. That’s not how God sees you. He sees grace. He sees hope. He sees you. I pray for continued healing for all of us.

Acknowledgements Acknowledgments Acknowledgements ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN Dear Reader EXTRACT COPYRIGHT Thanks to my family for being encouraging, helping when you can, answering questions and all around being the best family anyone could ask for. I love and appreciate all of you. Thanks also to my friends, both writing friends and “normal” friends. Your encouragement and friendship has been so important to me during the writing of this book. I can’t thank you enough. Thanks to Sarah, my agent. Working with you has been fun so far! I love that we are both juggling these jobs with the raising of little boys. Thanks for all you do. Thanks to Elizabeth, wonderful editor and fabulous brainstormer. The work you have done already on this story has amazed me—thank you. And thank You, Lord, for letting me tell stories and for teaching me things through them.