Dana Mentink - Act Of Valor

She saw something she shouldn’t have...

A True Blue K-9 Unit story

When airline employee Violet Griffin encounters several suspicious passengers, she’s thrust into the crosshairs of a drug smuggling operation. NYPD officer Zach Jameson and his drug detection beagle, Eddie, can tell this is no small-time threat. Someone’s gunning for Violet, and after recently losing his brother, Zach refuses to lose her, too…especially now that she’s gone from friend to the woman he’s falling for.

DANA MENTINK is a national bestselling author. She has been honored to win two Carol Awards, a HOLT Medallion and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s authored more than thirty novels to date for Love Inspired Suspense and Harlequin Heartwarming. Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her at danamentink.com.

Also by Dana Mentink

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Shield of Protection

Act of Valor

Gold Country Cowboys

Cowboy Christmas Guardian

Treacherous Trails

Cowboy Bodyguard

Lost Christmas Memories

Pacific Coast Private Eyes

Dangerous Tidings

Seaside Secrets

Abducted

Dangerous Testimony

Military K-9 Unit

Top Secret Target

Rookie K-9 Unit

Seek and Find

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Act of Valor

Dana Mentink

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09638-6

ACT OF VALOR

© 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.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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“You’re not just a job, Vi.”

Zach didn’t look at her when he said it, and she knew the words hadn’t been easy for him to get out. She gentled her tone. “I know. Thanks for everything.”

“I’ll get you settled in at your apartment. Make sure everything’s secure.”

She stopped when he touched her shoulder.

“Really, Vi. Kidding aside. I want you to be careful.”

A squealing of tires split the air. Zach’s head jerked up. A car peeled around the curve, a flash of a familiar face behind the wheel—Roach. Another person filled the passenger window, big, barrel-chested, shaved head, just like Violet described.

Her attacker.

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 hope you enjoyed meeting Zach, Violet and Eddie, the beagle. It was great fun to write about their adventures in the big city. Beagles are pretty fascinating animals. Their name comes from the French and means “wide throat” or “loudmouth,” which is fitting due to their irrepressible baying. Originally, beagles were bred to be very small dogs, small enough to fit in a pocket, but now they range in size from fourteen to sixteen inches tall. President Lyndon Johnson owned two beagles named Him and Her. The Department of Homeland Security employs a “Beagle Brigade” to sniff out contraband in agricultural products.

While Eddie is the canine star, his handler, Zach, and Violet risk their lives to take some drug dealers off the streets. They have to come to terms with their own weaknesses and erroneous perceptions of each other to realize that they were meant to be together. Their future is bright because God has helped them to be best friends before they will become husband and wife. What a perfect recipe for a relationship!

I hope you have enjoyed this next installment in the True Blue K-9 series. The saga unfolds in the next book as the hunt for Jordan Jameson’s killer continues. You can be sure that there will be thrilling twists and turns ahead for the K-9 officers and their incredible dog partners! As always, I love to hear from my readers. If you’d like to contact me, you can find me on the usual cyber stops (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and via my website at www.danamentink.com. There is a physical address listed on my website for those who prefer to correspond by mail. Thank you again for coming along on this journey. God bless you, friends!

Sincerely,

Dana Mentink

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

—Psalms 4:8

To the brave officers of the NYPD, both canine and human, thank you for your service.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

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

TWENTY

Extract

About the Publisher