Sharon Dunn - Courage Under Fire

A killer in the shadows watches...and waits

The thrilling True Blue K-9 Unit continues

A deadly stalker has rookie K-9 officer Lani Branson in his crosshairs, and he won’t stop until she’s dead. Her boss, K-9 police chief Noah Jameson, won’t let that happen on his watch, especially since there’s a chance this is the same person who killed his brother. Can they unmask the murderer who’s been terrorizing the unit before he strikes again?

Ever since she found the Nancy Drew books with the pink covers in her country school library, SHARON DUNNhas loved mystery and suspense. Most of her books take place in Montana, where she lives with three nearly grown children and a hyper border collie. She lost her beloved husband of twenty-seven years to cancer in 2014. When she isn’t writing, she loves to hike surrounded by God’s beauty.

Also By Sharon Dunn

True Blue K-9 Unit

Courage Under Fire

Dead Ringer

Night Prey

Her Guardian

Broken Trust

Zero Visibility

Montana Standoff

Top Secret Identity

Wilderness Target

Cold Case Justice

Mistaken Target

Fatal Vendetta

Big Sky Showdown

Hidden Away

In Too Deep

Wilderness Secrets

Texas Ranger Holidays

Thanksgiving Protector

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Courage Under Fire

Sharon Dunn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09756-7

COURAGE UNDER FIRE

© 2019 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2019

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.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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She wasn’t about to let him get away...

Before Lani could get her bearings, her assailant punched her and pushed her back off the side of the boat. She splashed into the water, plunging beneath the surface as the boat sped out into open water.

Feeling defeated, she turned and swam back toward the beach. Noah rushed out into the water up to his knees. She gasped for air.

“You all right?” He wrapped his arm around her and helped her to the beach.

The suspect had gotten away.

She stared out where the flashing light of the assailant’s boat merged with other flashing lights.

If a training exercise could go so far off the rails, what would happen when she worked the field?

TRUE BLUE K-9 UNIT:

These police officers fight for justice with the help of their brave canine partners.

Justice Mission by Lynette Eason, April 2019

Act of Valor by Dana Mentink, May 2019

Blind Trust by Laura Scott, June 2019

Deep Undercover by Lenora Worth, July 2019

Seeking the Truth by Terri Reed, August 2019

Trail of Danger by Valerie Hansen, September 2019

Courage Under Fire by Sharon Dunn, October 2019

Sworn to Protect by Shirlee McCoy, November 2019

True Blue K-9 Unit Christmas by Laura Scott and Maggie K. Black, December 2019

Dear Reader,

I hoped you enjoyed going on an adventure with Lani and Noah and, of course, Scotty. I love watching the way a romance unfolds between two very different people, but the best part of this book to me is writing about the police dogs. I used to think I was a cat person. I still love cats, but since Bart the border collie came into my life eight years ago, I have a deeper appreciation and love for dogs. We got Bart at the shelter when he was eight weeks old. He and his mom were found in an empty house, left behind by his owner. He gives me so much joy. He’s so tuned in to my moods and always happy to see me when I come home. The reason I say in the dedication that he is the dog who saved my life is that after my husband died, the only thing that got me out of bed in the morning was him being at the side of the bed, looking at me with bulging eyes and whining that he had to go potty. It was enough to motivate me to face the day ahead. I like to think that we will be greeted and welcomed in heaven the same way our dogs greet us when we step into our homes, rejoicing over our presence, offering unconditional love and infinite affection.

Sharon Dunn

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

—Psalm 31:24

For the dog who saved my life and is my writing companion, Bart the hyper border collie.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

Extract

About the Publisher

Rookie K-9 officer Lani Branson took in a deep breath as she pedaled her bike along the trail in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. She could hear birds chattering. Water rushed and receded from the shore just over the dunes. The high-rises of New York City, made hazy from the dusky twilight, were visible across the expanse of water.