Alison Stone - Plain Cover-Up

SECOND CHANCE PROTECTOR

When a speeding car almost hits Dr. Christina Jennings, it’s the quick reflexes of FBI agent Dylan Hunter that save her. They soon realize the driver’s purpose—dumping an unconscious Amish girl on Christina’s doorstep. The small-town doctor’s set on finding out who’s responsible, but doing so throws her into the path of a killer…and leads her to a past she’d rather forget. On leave after his partner’s death, Dylan can’t possibly ignore the need to keep Christina safe. But as the man who once shattered her heart, he has to convince her to trust him first. Because the deeper Christina’s propelled straight into danger, the more she comes to believe that relying on Dylan may be her only chance for survival.

“What is it?” Christina hated the shaky quality of her voice.

Dylan placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Come on. We can call the sheriff. Then have your car towed.”

“No, I need to see.” Christina brushed past him and peered through the hole in the driver’s side window. Shards of glass dangled from the hole, waiting for gravity to drop them to the ground.

She blinked a few times, trying to process the scene. Her vision narrowed and tiny dots danced in her line of vision. Whoever did this didn’t leave a note. Instead, they had left a large knife sticking out of her headrest.

Christina turned around, squaring her shoulders. Steeling her spine. “Who would do this?” Had Roger already made good on his promise to make her sorry if she caused trouble?

The look of compassion on Dylan’s face weakened her resolve. She wasn’t used to relying on anyone. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice shaky.

“We’re going to find out. And I won’t let you out of my sight until we do.”

ALISON STONE lives with her husband of more than twenty years and their four children in Western New York. Besides writing, Alison keeps busy volunteering at her children’s schools, driving her girls to dance and watching her boys race motocross. Alison loves to hear from her readers at Alison@AlisonStone.com. For more information, please visit her website, alisonstone.com. She’s also chatty on Twitter, @alison_stone. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/alisonstoneauthor.

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You are my hiding place;

You will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

—Psalms 32:7

To Scott, Scotty, Alex, Kelsey & Leah.

Love you guys always and forever.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT SECOND CHANCE PROTECTOR When a speeding car almost hits Dr. Christina Jennings, it’s the quick reflexes of FBI agent Dylan Hunter that save her. They soon realize the driver’s purpose—dumping an unconscious Amish girl on Christina’s doorstep. The small-town doctor’s set on finding out who’s responsible, but doing so throws her into the path of a killer…and leads her to a past she’d rather forget. On leave after his partner’s death, Dylan can’t possibly ignore the need to keep Christina safe. But as the man who once shattered her heart, he has to convince her to trust him first. Because the deeper Christina’s propelled straight into danger, the more she comes to believe that relying on Dylan may be her only chance for survival.

INTRODUCTION “What is it?” Christina hated the shaky quality of her voice. Dylan placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Come on. We can call the sheriff. Then have your car towed.” “No, I need to see.” Christina brushed past him and peered through the hole in the driver’s side window. Shards of glass dangled from the hole, waiting for gravity to drop them to the ground. She blinked a few times, trying to process the scene. Her vision narrowed and tiny dots danced in her line of vision. Whoever did this didn’t leave a note. Instead, they had left a large knife sticking out of her headrest. Christina turned around, squaring her shoulders. Steeling her spine. “Who would do this?” Had Roger already made good on his promise to make her sorry if she caused trouble? The look of compassion on Dylan’s face weakened her resolve. She wasn’t used to relying on anyone. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice shaky. “We’re going to find out. And I won’t let you out of my sight until we do.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ALISON STONE lives with her husband of more than twenty years and their four children in Western New York. Besides writing, Alison keeps busy volunteering at her children’s schools, driving her girls to dance and watching her boys race motocross. Alison loves to hear from her readers at Alison@AlisonStone.com. For more information, please visit her website, alisonstone.com . She’s also chatty on Twitter, @alison_stone . Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/alisonstoneauthor .

TITLE PAGE Plain Cover-Up Alison Stone www.millsandboon.co.uk

BIBLE VERSE You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. —Psalms 32:7

DEDICATION To Scott, Scotty, Alex, Kelsey & Leah. Love you guys always and forever.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

EXTRACT

COPYRIGHT

ONE

The gathering storm clouds hastened nightfall’s arrival. In the distance, lightning split the sky. Christina groaned. If she hadn’t been so swamped at the healthcare clinic, she might have taken a second to check the weather forecast and realized a more prudent decision would have involved driving to the Apple Creek Diner for takeout versus walking the half mile.

A gust of wind whipped up and rustled through the trees, thick with green foliage after a harsh northern winter. The air was heavy with the expectation of rain. Dr. Christina Jennings wrapped the plastic handle of the takeout bag around her wrist and quickened her pace. The thought of getting drenched when she still had hours of paperwork to do in the clinic was about as appealing as, well, dealing with the paperwork itself.

As the soft footsteps of her tennis shoes sounded on the pavement, fingers of awareness kneaded the back of her neck and she resisted the urge to glance back at the diner. No doubt Dylan Hunter had a perfect view of her on the street from his window booth when she left the diner. She refused to let this man occupy her thoughts. A man who had broken her heart in two.

Christina’s stomach growled, snapping her focus back to the purpose of her short break from work. The thought of the BLT sandwich in the bag dangling off her wrist made her walk even faster. She was so hungry.

Georgia Summers, the newly hired physician assistant at the clinic, often joked that Christina probably would never stop working if she could find a way to function on no food and zero sleep. The sleep she sacrificed, food, not so much. Christina smiled at the memory of Georgia’s laugh. It was nice to have someone to work with after running the clinic by herself for so many years.