Laura Scott - Primary Suspect

Wrongfully Accused

A Callahan Confidential story

When fire investigator Mitch Callahan is attacked at a crime scene, he’s shocked to uncover the body of a slain ex-girlfriend—and realize someone’s framing him for murder. Widowed ER nurse Dana Petrie believes Mitch is innocent, and not just because he makes her feel alive again after tragedy marred her past. But is she willing to risk everything only to love and lose again?

LAURA SCOTT is a nurse by day and an author by night. She has always loved romance and read faith-based books by Grace Livingston Hill in her teenage years. She’s thrilled to have published over twelve books for Love Inspired Suspense. She has two adult children and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband of thirty years. Please visit Laura at laurascottbooks.com, as she loves to hear from her readers.

Also By Laura Scott

Love Inspired Suspense

Callahan Confidential

Shielding His Christmas Witness

The Only Witness

Christmas Amnesia

Shattered Lullaby

Primary Suspect

Classified K-9 Unit

Sheriff

SWAT: Top Cops

Wrongly Accused

Down to the Wire

Under the Lawman’s Protection

Forgotten Memories

Holiday on the Run

Mirror Image

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Primary Suspect

Laura Scott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08448-2

PRIMARY SUSPECT

© 2018 Laura Iding

Published in Great Britain 2018

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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A man with a dark baseball hat pulled low over his eyes roughly entered the hospital room, brushing past Dana with such force he knocked her off balance.

Before she knew exactly what was happening, the man rushed toward Mitch. Her eyes widened in horror when she caught a glimpse of silver near his hand.

Was that a knife?

Mitch reacted instinctively, grabbing the metal tray beside him and bringing it up to block the knife in the nick of time. The tip of the blade deflected harmlessly off the metal surface, making the man stumble.

Mitch used the tray as a weapon, bringing it down hard on the guy’s head with a loud thunk. The man went down, sprawling inelegantly across the foot of the gurney. Mitch moved swiftly toward Dana, latching on to her arm.

“I need the closest way out of here,” he said in a low, harsh voice.

“This way.” She ducked out of the room, directing Mitch to the stairwell located just a few feet from his room.

“Who was that man?” she asked. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Frankly, I don’t, either. But I have a bad feeling I’m being set up.”

“Set up for what, exactly?” she asked.

Mitch was silent for a long moment, before he finally spoke. “Murder.”

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

—Psalms 5:1–2

Dear Reader,

Primary Suspect is the fifth book in my Callahan Confidential series. I’m happy to hear so many of you are enjoying this incredible family. This book focuses on Fire Investigator Mitch Callahan.

When Mitch is assaulted and framed for murder, he isn’t sure who he can trust. And he regrets how ER nurse Dana Petrie is unavoidably dragged into the situation with him. Dana hasn’t recovered from losing her husband and unborn child three years ago, until she’s forced to go on the run with Mitch. As they flee the men chasing them, Dana feels alive for the first time in years. Can she and Mitch recover from their wounded pasts long enough to look forward to the future?

I hope you enjoy Mitch and Dana’s story. I’m also hard at work on the next Military K-9 story and then will begin the last book in my Callahan Confidential series. I love hearing from my readers. If you’re interested in contacting me or signing up for my newsletter, please visit my website at page at www.laurascottbooks.com. I’m also on Facebook at Laura Scott Books Author and on Twitter @laurascottbooks.

Yours in faith,

Laura Scott

This book is dedicated to all the brave men and women who fight fires every day, and especially those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Bible Verse

Dear Reader

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

ONE

Fire Investigator Mitch Callahan cautiously approached the burned-out shell of a warehouse located on Milwaukee’s south side.

Why had Fire Chief Rick Nelson requested a meeting here, late on a Wednesday night? Mitch had picked up the case after Jeff Walker’s untimely death from a sudden massive heart attack and had already deemed the cause to be arson, despite the attempt to make it look like faulty wiring. He was sure he hadn’t missed any sort of key evidence. His boss’s voice had sounded strained on the message. Jeff’s files didn’t jibe with his investigational findings, so maybe this meeting was related to this disturbing trend.