Mary Alford - Standoff At Midnight Mountain

Her brother is missing

And she’s the next target

After her CIA operative brother disappears, leaving behind only a cryptic message, armed men target former agent Rachel Simmons for information. But with help from her ex, Agent Alex Booth, Rachel eludes them, trekking into the mountains in search of her brother. Pursued through the wilderness by highly trained—and very familiar—men, can Alex and Rachel expose a conspiracy that goes deeper than they ever imagined?

MARY ALFORD was inspired to become a writer after reading romantic suspense greats Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Soon, creating characters and throwing them into dangerous situations that test their faith came naturally for Mary. In 2012 Mary entered the Speed Dating contest hosted by Love Inspired Suspense and later received “the call.” Writing for Love Inspired Suspense has been a dream come true for Mary.

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Standoff at Midnight Mountain

Mary Alford

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08463-5

STANDOFF AT MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN

© 2018 Mary Eason

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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“Alex, they’re coming. We have to hurry.”

Alex looped the rope around the tree and started tying it off. Before he’d finished, he heard voices coming from just over the ridge. He took Rachel’s hand and they headed to the edge of the creek.

“You should go ahead of me. I’m positive it will hold your weight. I’m not sure about mine. If they reach me before I can cross, cut the rope and get out of here. Find Liam.”

He didn’t get to finish before she shook her head. “I’m not leaving you behind, Alex. We’re in this together.”

His gaze clung to hers. So many unspoken feelings weighed on his mind. He had to protect her.

“Rachel, I...” He wasn’t sure what he wanted to tell her, only that he needed her to understand that he still cared about her.

She placed her finger over his lips. “No, you’re going to make it and I’m not leaving this area without you. We’re going to find Liam together, and this is all going to be a bad memory someday.”

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

—Psalms 23:4

Dear Reader,

There’s just something about first love stories that warm the heart, especially when a love that was believed lost forever is rekindled once again.

For Alex Booth and Rachel Simmons, their high school romance ended bitterly when their jobs with the CIA got in the way. Rachel wanted to have a normal life and family, but Alex couldn’t imagine living without the adrenaline rush of the job, and so they parted. Rachel left the CIA for good, and Alex always regretted letting her go.

When Rachel’s brother and fellow CIA agent Liam Carlson goes missing in the mountains near Rachel’s Wyoming home of Midnight Mountain, there’s only one person she trusts enough to ask for help. And that’s Alex.

With the two reunited once more, their desperate search to bring Liam home is clouded by old resentments and misunderstanding from the past. Together, Alex and Rachel must find a way to put the past behind them in order to find Liam before the men chasing him finish the job they started and end Liam’s life.

Standoff at Midnight Mountain is a story about forgiveness and second chances. I hope Alex and Rachel’s story will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face. And maybe help you remember your own first love.

I so love hearing from readers. Email me at: maryjalfordauthor@gmail.com or write me c/o Love Inspired, 195 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10007. Visit me at www.maryalford.netand at: https://www.Facebook.com/maryalfordauthor.

Warmest blessings,

Mary Alford

To first loves.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Bible Verse

Dear Reader

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

ONE

The still of the peaceful Wyoming morning was broken by the noise of a vehicle approaching. Rachel Simmons breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief. Alex was here. Maybe now, with his help, she could finally get some answers into her brother’s mysterious disappearance.

Outside, the car came to a stop. A door slammed, followed by footsteps, then someone knocked noisily on her door, jarring her spent nerves.

She hurried to answer it. With her hand resting on the door handle, a voice she didn’t recognize spoke, stopping her in her tracks. “Ma’am, I’m sorry to trouble you so early, but my wife and I seem to have lost our way.” A pause followed, almost as if the man was waiting for her response, yet she couldn’t manage a word. Who was this person? “Can you tell me how to get back to the highway?”