Dana Mentink - Dangerous Melody

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ASSIGNMENT: BLACKMAIL

Stephanie Gage’s father has been kidnapped—by a dangerous man who wants to make a trade. Her beloved dad for a multimillion-dollar family heirloom that’s gone missing. Either Stephanie finds the valuable violin or her father dies. But to track it down, she must rely on Tate Fuego—the man who broke her heart years ago. Stephanie knows that Tate’s reasons for helping have nothing to do with her. And that the handsome demolitions expert knows more about destroying things than saving lives. But trusting Tate is all that stands between Stephanie and a madman’s ultimate revenge.

“Tell me what’s going on,” Tate demanded.

Stephanie didn’t look at him. “Bittman wants something from me.” She turned her face to his, and he saw for the first time the gleam of tears there.“He drove my brother off the road and took Dad.”

“I’m sorry.” For one crazy moment, he wanted to wrap her up in an embrace. “How does it fit together? What is Bittman after?”

“I can’t tell you any more.”

He folded his arms. “I want to know what’s going on, and you’re going to tell me.”

Her eyes glittered. “I wasn’t supposed to get anyone involved, or he’ll kill my father.”

“Too late. I’m involved.”

Her eyes grew cold. “No you’re not, Tate,” she said as she pushed by him, leaving a tantalizing whiff of the cinnamon fragrance she always wore.

Why, he wondered, could he pass through his day without remembering so much as what he had for lunch—but he could recall every detail of Stephanie’s face after seeing her for only a few moments in the past four years?

About the Author

DANA MENTINKlives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Her family includes two girls (affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo). Papa Bear works for the fire department; he met Dana doing a dinner theater production of The Velveteen Rabbit. Ironically, their parts were husband and wife.

Dana is a 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her novel Betrayal in the Badlands won a 2010 RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. She has enjoyed writing a mystery series for Barbour Books and more than ten novels to date for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line.

She spent her college years competing in speech and debate tournaments all around the country. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching elementary school and reviewing books for her blog. Mostly, she loves to be home with her family, including a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle and a quirky parakeet.

Dana loves to hear from her readers via her website at www.danamentink.com.

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Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 3:13–14

To my dear friend Patsy in Waxahachie.

You are an encouragement and a blessing to me.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

TEASER CHAPTER

ONE

The piercing ring of the phone made Stephanie Gage almost drop the box she was carrying. Her mind jumped to a horrible conclusion. Bittman had found her. Again. Now it would start all over, the phone calls, the flowers left on her doorstep, the feeling that she was being watched. Stephanie felt a flush of anger and shame. Her decision to work for Joshua Bittman had been disastrous. For her it was a job, for Bittman, the beginning of an obsession—and he’d stalked her steadily since she’d quit his employ two years before.

She tried to rein in the rampaging fear, to remember the courageous woman she used to be. How had he found her so quickly? Her new number was unlisted, her small Victorian, a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the Mission district, quiet and anonymous—or so she’d thought.

She was about to snatch up the phone and let the fury fuel her words when she recognized her older brother Victor’s number on the caller ID. Chagrined at her own paranoia, she answered.

“I’m in the car,” Victor said. “Took the scenic route along Highway 1. The view is spectacular and no traffic. Guess what, sis?”

Stephanie heard only joy in his voice. It reverberated through her like the cool breeze of the San Francisco morning.

“Brooke and I set a date for the wedding,” Victor told her. “And our hard-to-please dad has given his stamp of approval, now that he’s finally met her.”

“Not that it matters,” her father chimed in. “No one listens to me anyway.”

She laughed, pushing back her messy black hair. “I’m listening, finally.” Though she could force a brave tone, the mental scars would never fade, even if the memories did, if and when the fear finally abated.

“I don’t think you’ve given up your rebellious side yet, little lady,” her father added.

Little lady. She’d just celebrated her twenty-sixth birthday.

“Did you call Luca?” Her other brother had been close to marrying a few times, but now he was immersed in their activities at Treasure Seekers, the private agency run by the three Gage siblings dedicated to finding treasures for select clients. Luca would be just as pleased that Victor was tying the knot with Brooke, a woman they’d met during their last treasure hunt, whose father Victor had wrongly believed was a criminal.

“I’ll call him next. He’s probably busy trying to find our next case,” Victor said.

“Hard to top securing a twenty-million-dollar painting.”

Victor chuckled. “He was blabbering about an emerald collection when I left for southern California.”

She marveled at his voice, so light and joyful. Somehow knowing Victor’s heart was mended made her own broken relationship easier to endure. Pushing the image of Tate out of her mind, she forced a happier tone. “I’m thrilled for you.” She spoke louder, over the background noise, which seemed to have edged up a notch on his end.

He started to laugh but broke off suddenly. “Hang on. What is...?” The noise swelled into a screech of tires.