Shirlee McCoy - The Christmas Target

CHRISTMAS UNDER FIRE

Security and rescue specialist Stella Silverstone returns home for the holidays to care for her ailing grandmother—and finds herself the target of a killer. Only the unexpected arrival of the rescue-team leader temporarily pulls her from the crosshairs. Once, Stella hoped Chance Miller would become more than her boss. But the widow’s tragic past keeps her from giving him her heart—or embracing the Christmas season. Now with danger lurking in every corner of her grandmother’s old Victorian home and family secrets hiding in the shadows, Stella is safe nowhere but with Chance. Only he can show her the joys of Christmas and the beauty of love...if he can keep her alive.

“Are you worried?” Chance asked.

“About Beatrice? Yes.”

“About everything,” he responded.

Stella turned away, not wanting to look into his beautiful eyes. She knew what she’d see there. The same compassion and understanding she saw when he was questioning clients or reassuring a victim. He had a way of making people open up to him.

She didn’t like opening up to anyone. She didn’t like feeling vulnerable. She hated being on the receiving end of pity.

“You need to trust me to handle things the way they need to be handled,” Chance said. “You’re not the only one who’s worried. I don’t want to see anything happen to you or your grandmother, and I can’t do my job effectively with one hand tied behind my back.”

“I’m not tying anything. I’m setting boundaries.”

“Boundaries that are going to get you killed.”

Aside from her faith and her family, there’s not much SHIRLEE McCOY enjoys more than a good book! When she’s not teaching or chauffeuring her five kids, she can usually be found plotting her next Love Inspired Suspense story or wandering around the beautiful Inland Northwest in search of inspiration. Shirlee loves to hear from readers. If you have time, drop her a line at shirlee@shirleemccoy.com.

The Christmas Target

Shirlee McCoy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

—Exodus 15:13

To Marge Garrison. My favorite breakfast buddy.

I sure miss you!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text CHRISTMAS UNDER FIRE Security and rescue specialist Stella Silverstone returns home for the holidays to care for her ailing grandmother—and finds herself the target of a killer. Only the unexpected arrival of the rescue-team leader temporarily pulls her from the crosshairs. Once, Stella hoped Chance Miller would become more than her boss. But the widow’s tragic past keeps her from giving him her heart—or embracing the Christmas season. Now with danger lurking in every corner of her grandmother’s old Victorian home and family secrets hiding in the shadows, Stella is safe nowhere but with Chance. Only he can show her the joys of Christmas and the beauty of love...if he can keep her alive.

Introduction “Are you worried?” Chance asked. “About Beatrice? Yes.” “About everything,” he responded. Stella turned away, not wanting to look into his beautiful eyes. She knew what she’d see there. The same compassion and understanding she saw when he was questioning clients or reassuring a victim. He had a way of making people open up to him. She didn’t like opening up to anyone. She didn’t like feeling vulnerable. She hated being on the receiving end of pity. “You need to trust me to handle things the way they need to be handled,” Chance said. “You’re not the only one who’s worried. I don’t want to see anything happen to you or your grandmother, and I can’t do my job effectively with one hand tied behind my back.” “I’m not tying anything. I’m setting boundaries.” “Boundaries that are going to get you killed.”

About the Author Aside from her faith and her family, there’s not much SHIRLEE McCOY enjoys more than a good book! When she’s not teaching or chauffeuring her five kids, she can usually be found plotting her next Love Inspired Suspense story or wandering around the beautiful Inland Northwest in search of inspiration. Shirlee loves to hear from readers. If you have time, drop her a line at shirlee@shirleemccoy.com.

Title Page The Christmas Target Shirlee McCoy www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. —Exodus 15:13

Dedication To Marge Garrison. My favorite breakfast buddy. I sure miss you!

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Stella Silverstone woke like she often did—bathed in sweat, heart beating frantically, her body screaming for her to run or fight.

She did neither.

She wasn’t on a hostage rescue mission in the middle of Vietnam. She wasn’t in Egypt, walking through the slums, searching for a missing child. She was just outside of Boonsboro, Maryland, caring for her grandmother because her grandfather was gone.

He’d been eighty-three when he’d taken his last breath. Stella couldn’t say that his life had ended too soon, but she would have happily traded a few years of hers to have him back. Henry Radcliff had been a keeper. That’s what Stella’s grandmother had said at the funeral. She was right. Henry had been a great guy. A wonderful husband, a loving father, a protective and caring grandfather.

Now he was gone, and Stella had to take his place in Beatrice’s rambling old Victorian, helping her grandmother do everyday chores that suddenly seemed to be too much for her—laundry, cooking, dry mopping the hardwood floor, paying bills and sending thank-you cards. A year ago, Beatrice could have handled all of that and more. Now she seemed confused, frustrated and a little scared.

That scared Stella.

Which was probably why she’d woken in a panic.

That and the fact that Christmas was only three weeks away.

Her least favorite day of the year.

She shivered, glancing at the glowing numbers on the bedside alarm clock. Nearly 5:00 a.m. Her boss, Chance Miller, and a few members of HEART would be converging on the house in a couple of hours. The hostage extraction and rescue team had bimonthly meetings at headquarters. Meeting outside of that secure environment went against protocol. The team coming to Boonsboro should have been out of the question. Stella had tried to argue with the plan. She could have easily found someone to watch Beatrice for the day while she made the three-hour trip to DC.

Chance had insisted that they do things his way. He knew what he wanted, and he always went after it. When Stella had protested, he’d told her that he wasn’t interested in her opinion. Then he’d said goodbye and hung up. If he’d been anyone else, Stella would have seen that as rude, but Chance was never rude. He was almost never wrong, and Stella had been just tired and distraught enough to let things go his way without a fight.

He hadn’t gloated, hadn’t pointed out that he’d finally won one of their many arguments. He’d just emailed notes for the meeting, told her that he’d update her on a few potential clients and asked if there was anything she needed him to bring when he came.

She’d wanted to be angry with him for insisting on doing things his way. Mostly because she’d spent the past year trying really hard to convince herself she and Chance were past tense. Their brief relationship had burned out faster than a candle in a rainstorm, and she didn’t want to relight it.