Valerie Hansen - Dangerous Legacy

DEADLY HOMECOMING

Someone wants Maggie Morgan dead and her wildlife sanctuary destroyed. Someone connected to the generations-old family feud that’s been revived now that her first love, Flint Crawford, has returned to town. And not only is her life in jeopardy, but Flint has discovered the secret she’s kept since he left—their five-year-old son. Assailed by memories of their forbidden love and bowled over by the sight of the son he never knew, Flint has a job to do as the new game warden. But now the stakes are raised. Not only must he protect the woman he once loved, but he also has to save his son...or die trying.

He was a father.

And now he was at the kitchen sink washing his son’s hands, when Maggie shouted, “Flint! Come here.”

He heard the trepidation in her voice. With the child tucked behind him, Flint led the way into the boy’s bedroom, where Maggie paced. “What’s wrong?”

“The window.”

Flint bent to peer at it. “It looks okay.”

She pointed with a shaky finger. “The glass does. The screen is missing.”

“Maybe it just fell out. This is an old house.”

“Yes, it is,” Maggie replied. “And the screens are so warped they’re nailed in.”

“Somebody pulled nails out to get it off?” His heart started pounding so hard it felt as if it might go through his chest. “We should call the sheriff.”

“Not again. I keep calling and pretty soon they won’t make a run out here, let alone in a hurry. I think that’s part of the stalker’s plan.”

“That’s paranoid, Maggie.”

“Only if nobody’s after me.”

Flint nodded. “Us. After us.”

And now they were after their son.

VALERIE HANSEN was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. She now lives in a renovated farmhouse in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and is privileged to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Love Inspired. Life doesn’t get much better than that!

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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“A good man out of the good treasure

of his heart brings forth good;

an evil man out of the evil treasure

of his heart brings forth evil.”

—Luke 6:45

To my Joe, who will always be looking over my shoulder

as I write. He was an extraordinary gift from God.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT DEADLY HOMECOMING Someone wants Maggie Morgan dead and her wildlife sanctuary destroyed. Someone connected to the generations-old family feud that’s been revived now that her first love, Flint Crawford, has returned to town. And not only is her life in jeopardy, but Flint has discovered the secret she’s kept since he left—their five-year-old son. Assailed by memories of their forbidden love and bowled over by the sight of the son he never knew, Flint has a job to do as the new game warden. But now the stakes are raised. Not only must he protect the woman he once loved, but he also has to save his son...or die trying.

INTRODUCTION He was a father. And now he was at the kitchen sink washing his son’s hands, when Maggie shouted, “Flint! Come here.” He heard the trepidation in her voice. With the child tucked behind him, Flint led the way into the boy’s bedroom, where Maggie paced. “What’s wrong?” “The window.” Flint bent to peer at it. “It looks okay.” She pointed with a shaky finger. “The glass does. The screen is missing.” “Maybe it just fell out. This is an old house.” “Yes, it is,” Maggie replied. “And the screens are so warped they’re nailed in.” “Somebody pulled nails out to get it off?” His heart started pounding so hard it felt as if it might go through his chest. “We should call the sheriff.” “Not again. I keep calling and pretty soon they won’t make a run out here, let alone in a hurry. I think that’s part of the stalker’s plan.” “That’s paranoid, Maggie.” “Only if nobody’s after me.” Flint nodded. “Us. After us.” And now they were after their son.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR VALERIE HANSEN was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. She now lives in a renovated farmhouse in the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and is privileged to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Love Inspired. Life doesn’t get much better than that!

TITLE PAGE Dangerous Legacy Valerie Hansen www.millsandboon.co.uk

BIBLE VERSE “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.” —Luke 6:45

DEDICATION To my Joe, who will always be looking over my shoulder as I write. He was an extraordinary gift from God.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

EXTRACT

COPYRIGHT

ONE

“I didn’t expect this kind of assignment so soon.” Flint Crawford raked his fingers through his wavy golden hair and faced his captain. “I just got here. Can’t you at least give me time to get settled?”

The older Arkansas Game and Fish officer was frowning. “Sorry. No. None of my other wardens have been able to get close to locating this bunch of poachers. Your connection with the Morgan woman is invaluable.”

“She hates me,” Flint argued.

“Doesn’t matter. At least she knows you personally. Use that to our advantage. Get back in her good graces and find out where her uncle Elwood is hiding.” Captain Lang tapped the file folder on his desk. “It’ll look good on your record.”

“Or my résumé,” Flint grumbled. “I have to be honest, sir. I don’t like taking advantage of Maggie.”

“Who says you will be? She must be as against poachers as we are. She couldn’t run that wild animal rehab if she wasn’t.”

“I wish I knew how she got involved with the Dodd Sanctuary. The first I’d heard of it was a few weeks ago.”

“It’s been keeping a low profile,” Lang told him. “I get the idea that’s partly your Maggie’s idea, since she’s running it by herself.”

“And it’s funded how?” Flint’s green eyes narrowed. He didn’t want to think of Maggie involved in anything shady, but a lot of time had passed since he last saw her. People could change.

“Abigail Dodd has more money than sense,” Lang said, “and no children. She wants to leave a legacy, so she set up the sanctuary on the old Dodd Farm and hired Ms. Morgan because she knew her.” He chuckled. “Believe you me, Abigail’s close relatives are not pleased. I hear they tried to get her declared incompetent.”

“And failed?”

“Big-time. By the time Maggie got done testifying, there was no way anybody could question the old lady’s sanity.”