Danger lurks during the holidays

in these two Military K-9 Unit stories

In Christmas Escape by Valerie Hansen, veterinary assistant Rachel Fielding and her niece spend the holidays hiding from a killer with her boss, Kyle Roarke, and a capable K-9. And in Yuletide Target by Laura Scott, someone’s gunning for Senior Airman Jacey Burke and her trusty K-9. But Staff Sergeant Sean Morris will do anything to keep her safe for Christmas.

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!

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.

Military K-9 Unit Christmas

Valerie Hansen

Laura Scott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08654-7

MILITARY K-9 UNIT CHRISTMAS

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 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: 2018-10-01

Meet the soldiers

of the Military K-9 Unit series

and their brave K-9 partners

Officer: Rachel Fielding

K-9 Partner: Stryker the German shepherd

Assignment: Protect her young niece from her dangerous father with the help of her military veterinarian boss.

Officer: Jacey Burke

K-9 Partner: Greta the Belgian Malinois

Assignment: Stay one step ahead of the killer who’s threatening her—without falling for her childhood friend and fellow officer.

Table of Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Authors

Title Page

Copyright

CHRISTMAS ESCAPE

DEDICATION

DEAR READER

BIBLE VERSE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

YULETIDE TARGET

DEDICATION

DEAR READER

BIBLE VERSE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

Extract

About the Publisher

Christmas Escape

Valerie Hansen

May God bless the men and women serving in our current military and those whose sacrifices in the past have kept us free. We are grateful beyond words.

Dear Reader,

Memories can cheer us or sadden us, as happened with Rachel and Kyle. Facts don’t change but our perception of them can, especially if we accept the past and leave it behind. We may not have control over the acts of others, yet the way we perceive people and events can have a huge effect on us.

Rachel had been abused. She could have withdrawn from life or perhaps repeated the same mistakes. Her faith in God and reliance on Jesus for strength and wisdom helped her break free.

Kyle felt robbed of happiness. He could have stayed bitter, dwelling on his losses, and missed seeing the good right in front of him. Because he trusted God and looked for His providence, he was able to open his heart and love again.

Moving forward is not simple. Sometimes the change seems to take forever. I don’t have all the answers but my heavenly Father does. I pray you will seek and find the peace He offers.

Blessings,

Valerie Hansen

And the light shineth in darkness...

—John 1:5

ONE

“I love my job,” Rachel Fielding murmured, smiling. “Who wouldn’t? I help brave members of the military and get all the free kisses from them I want.” She chuckled and blushed, checking her surroundings to make sure no one had overheard her silly musings.

Her patients might have four paws and wagging tails, but they were the dearest part of her job as a veterinary assistant. Sure, some could be hard to handle, but very few had proved impossible in the years she’d worked at Canyon Air Force Base in Texas. Since a blissful marriage and raising her own children didn’t seem to be in her future, she’d fill that void via her job. Thankfully, any time she got in a bind trying to tend to a sick or injured dog she could always count on fellow techs or Captain Kyle Roark, DVM, her boss for two of the past four years.

Rachel knelt to hug Stryker, a three-legged German shepherd who had had his front leg amputated after being wounded overseas. For a tough K-9 soldier who had taken down the worst of the worst in battle, he sure was a sweetie—once you gained his trust as she had.

The abrupt opening of a nearby door made them both jump. “Easy, boy,” Rachel said to soothe the dog. She smiled up at her boss. “I’ll be in soon. I was just socializing Stryker a little on my break.”

Captain Kyle Roark shook his head. “It’s not that, Fielding. There’s a personal call for you. They say it’s important.”

“Sorry.” Rachel got to her feet. Since her K-9 buddy immediately started leaning against her, looking up and pleading with his beautiful brown eyes, she asked, “Can I bring Stryker with me? You said he needs more casual exposure.”

“Fine.” Roark held the door open for them. “Take your call on the phone in my office.”

“Thanks.” Barking echoed in waves along the corridors when Rachel and the big shepherd passed by. Now that winter had brought a cooldown, the dogs housed at the training facility and animal hospital were more active as well as vocal. “Did the caller say what this was about?”

The captain paused at the entrance to his small office and gestured instead of replying. To Rachel’s surprise he followed her and the dog in, pulled out a chair and said, “Sit,” as he handed her the portable telephone from his desk. “Please.”

Both she and the obedient K-9 complied. Rachel was getting uneasy. Captain Roark had always been a perfect gentleman with all the enlisted personnel but he had never, in her memory, acted so solicitous. Her hands were trembling and she used them both to grip the phone.

“This is Airman Fielding speaking.”

A woman’s voice captured and held her attention. “I’m with Patient Services at Municipal Hospital in San Antonio. I have had a terrible time locating you, Ms. Fielding. Is your first name Rachel and do you have a sister, Angela?”

“Yes. But I haven’t seen...”

“Angela is here with us. She’s asking for you, Ms. Fielding.”

The unspoken meaning behind that statement weighed on Rachel’s heart as if a boulder lay atop her chest, making it hard to breathe. Stryker sensed her tension and pressed his good shoulder to her knee. “My sister? Are you sure?”

“Yes, ma’am. If it’s at all possible, I urge you to get here immediately.”

“Angela’s sick?”

“She’s been injured. I’m not authorized to go into detail. Everything will be clear once you’ve visited and spoken with her. You are coming?”

“Of course.” Rachel’s stomach knotted, and she tasted bile on her tongue. If her sister had been hurt in an accident there would be no reason to keep that information private. Therefore, there was a very good chance Angie’s live-in boyfriend was to blame. The mere thought of having to face that horrible man again gave Rachel discernible tremors. She had to ask, “Is her, I mean, is a guy named Peter VanHoven with her?”

“I’m sorry, I have no idea. I was told to contact you and relay your sister’s message, that’s all.”

“All right. Where do I need to go?”

The patient services spokesperson was in the middle of giving directions when Rachel realized she hadn’t taken in anything. “Wait. Please. I need...” With that she passed the phone to her captain.

Kyle Roark rose from his perch on the edge of his desk and circled it, picked up a pen and made notes. “Yes, I have it. Thank you. When are visiting hours?”

Although Rachel couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation, she read empathy and concern in the veterinarian’s expression. His dark eyes were resting on her as he nodded and said, “Yes. I see. All right. Tell her sister that Rachel is on her way.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “We should be there before fifteen hundred hours. Thank you.”

She stood as he ended the call, using the arm of the chair for added balance. “I’ll need to get permission to leave the base and be gone for who knows how long. And I’ll need to borrow a car.”

“Leave that to me. When you put Stryker back in his kennel, tell Sylvia to cover your duties while I make a few calls and adjust staffing.” He was stripping off his white lab coat to reveal a light blue shirt beneath.

Rachel was almost to the door when Roark stopped her by calling out, “Fielding. Change into the civvies you keep in your locker and grab a warm jacket in case we’re still gone after sunset. I’m going to contact my commanding officer, Lieutenant General Hall, and explain the emergency situation so there won’t be any misunderstandings about both of us being away.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely. You’re clearly in no shape to drive and I’m escorting you to the hospital to see your sister. Period.”

“It’s very kind of you to offer, Captain.”

“You’re welcome, Rachel. And please remember to call me Kyle while we’re away from the base.”

“Of course... Kyle.”

“Get going. We need to hit the road in minutes, not hours.”

“On my way.” So many poignant memories were whirling through Rachel’s mind as she changed into jeans, a T-shirt and a lightweight jacket that she hardly gave thought to anything but her sister.

Angela. Dear, sweet, clueless Angela. What a waste her life had been after she’d fallen for Peter. He’d been bad news from the beginning but Angie would never listen, never see him for what he really was: a mean, ruthless bully with a temper to match.

The difference between that man’s psyche and that of the trained attack dogs in their program was self-control. A K-9 could be called off by his handler. Once Peter lost his temper and began to inflict suffering, there was no stopping him until he was physically spent. She knew him well. She’d been on the receiving end of his wild temper and vindictive actions more than once.

The price she’d paid had been high. He had cost her the only family she had left in the world.

Kyle drove his military SUV as fast as the speed limit allowed, plus a tad more. The caller from the hospital had not minced words once Rachel had handed him the phone. Her sister was in critical condition with broken bones and a damaged heart and might not live long. He knew what it was like to be cheated of a chance to say goodbye. To express love and devotion one last time. He’d been too late to kiss his wife or his little girl and it still galled him, especially at this time of the year. Sadly, the anniversary of their deaths coincided with Christmas celebrations that were supposed to be joyous.

Well, they sure weren’t happy times for him. Not anymore. He didn’t try to fake it, either. There was no sense pretending to be having a good time when he wasn’t. He didn’t expect others to stop enjoying themselves, but he made it clear he did not want to be included. When Christmas Day arrived he was more than willing to take over kennel duties and give most of his enlisted staff the day off. No longer having a family of his own hurt worse on that particular day than at any other time.

Rachel said very little as they drove. Kyle saw her tense against the seat belt and pull her purse into her lap as he wheeled into the hospital parking lot and stopped. Before he could walk around to open the passenger-side door, she was out and jogging toward the front entrance. “Wait.”

Rachel didn’t even bother to shake her head; she simply kept going, making Kyle wonder if she’d heard him. He’d seen plenty of shocked reactions demonstrated by both humans and K-9s who had been traumatized in battle, and that was exactly how his vet tech was behaving. She was trapped in a zone between fight and flight, determination and panic, and that conflict had rendered her temporarily deaf and mute.

Catching up as she passed through the automatic-entry doors into the lobby, Kyle caught hold of her arm. She wheeled, wild-eyed, as if his touch was an attack.

He immediately released her, palms facing out, hands raised. “Simmer down. They told me your sister is in the ICU on the fourth floor.” He pointed. “Elevators are over there.”

Rachel stared at him for a moment before he saw recognition light her blue eyes. “O-okay. Hurry.”

“You need to act calm even if you don’t feel it. The last thing your sister needs is to see you in hysterics.” Kyle pushed the up button for the elevators. “Take some slow, deep breaths and get it together. What’s got you so spooked?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” The elevator doors swished open. Rachel jumped on ahead of him, faced front and repeatedly punched the button for the fourth floor.

“Try me.” He noticed she was focused not on him, but on the narrow slice of lobby she could see behind him. Worry masked her usually sweet expression, and panic dampened the spark in her eyes.

When she slammed the heel of her hand against the control panel, Kyle cautioned again. “Whoa. Beating those buttons to death won’t make them work any faster, you know.”

“We have to go! Now.” She was leaning to one side for a final glimpse as the doors slid smoothly closed. “I think I just spotted Peter.”

Whirling, Kyle took a defensive stance, but it was too late. The elevator was moving. “The guy you asked about on the phone? Why didn’t you say so?”

“It was just for a second. This guy was wearing a black T-shirt, jacket and a baseball cap so I couldn’t see if his long hair was pulled back, but everything about him fit what I remember.”

Her lower lip quivered when her gaze met Kyle’s. “What am I going to do? I want to be brave for Angie’s sake but the thought of facing that man makes me sick to my stomach. She must be in terrible shape to take the chance of sending for me.”

Take the chance? The more he learned, the less he liked it. “Why were you and your sister estranged?”

“It’s complicated. We don’t have time for the whole story.”

“Okay, fill me in later. Right now, the important thing is your reunion. Obviously, she wants to make peace or she wouldn’t have asked for you. So, make the best of it.”

The shiny metal doors slid open on their floor. Rachel stepped into the hallway, looked around and froze.

Kyle placed his hand lightly at her waist. “You can do this. Come on. ICU is this way.”

She didn’t move. “What if...? What if I was right and I did see Peter? He can be violent and he could be right behind us.”

“If he is, I’ll take care of him.”

“You’ll watch my back?”

“Of course. When you and your sister want privacy, just say the word and I’ll step outside.”

“Outside the room, maybe. Not outside the hospital. Not that far away. Promise?”

“I promise,” Kyle said, frowning.

Rachel blinked back tears. “I wish we had brought Stryker or another K-9 for self-defense. Peter VanHoven is more than Angela’s significant other. He’s also a sadist with a hair-trigger temper. I’m positive he’s the reason she’s in intensive care. If he is around here we won’t want to cross his path.”

“You’re that scared of him?”

“Let’s just say I’ve experienced Peter’s foul moods firsthand. And I have the scars to prove it.”

“I’ll stick close.” Kyle had already been entertaining an urge to protect and shelter her. Now, it blossomed. It had been a long time since he’d allowed himself to feel proprietary toward any woman, let alone a beautiful one. Why had he failed to notice how truly attractive this vet tech was before?

Kyle’s cheeks flamed. That kind of thinking made him decidedly uncomfortable. Rachel Fielding had always acted as if she was just as determined as he was to remain unattached. That constant standoffishness had puzzled him from time to time, but he hadn’t questioned her because he was comfortable with it. Now that he’d seen how afraid she was to face her sister’s boyfriend, her attitude was beginning to make perfect sense. The man had physically and emotionally injured Rachel in the past and now her poor sister was hurt, too. That was totally unacceptable.

Confounded by his innermost thoughts, Kyle clenched his fists as they made their way down the hallway. A part of him was wishing they would run into this Peter guy so he could tell him off—or more. It wasn’t an exemplary Christian attitude, but it certainly was human.

On alert, Kyle stood taller and braced himself to repel the unknown. No low-life abuser was going to get his hands on Rachel without going through him first.

TWO

Keeping watch behind and to the sides, Rachel let Kyle request admittance to the sealed-off ward via the intercom. Automatic doors swished open and her senses were assailed by pungent medicinal smells, beeping machines and an atmosphere so hushed, so heavy, it seemed tangible. If she had not yearned so strongly to be reunited with Angela, she would have turned and fled.

Up ahead, a woman wearing a mask, gloves and a long-sleeved disposable smock gestured to them and pointed. “Ms. Fielding is in the last bed in this row. Behind that curtain. We don’t usually allow more than one visitor at a time and a neighbor brought her daughter to see her, but under these circumstances you can go ahead, too.”

The extra strength Rachel needed came from the man beside her. She took a deep breath, steeled herself for what she might see and started forward. Off on her left and right, other patients were clearly struggling to survive. Most were elderly, but not all. Angela was barely thirty. This was so unfair.

As they drew closer, Rachel could hear a woman speaking to a child behind the partially drawn curtain next to Angela’s bed. When Rachel reached out and pulled it aside with a trembling hand, the sight of her sister’s swollen, bruised face and emaciated arms made her gasp. Tears immediately blurred her vision. She rushed forward as an older woman carrying a little girl backed away to make room.

“You came,” Angela whispered.

“Of course I did.”

“I was afraid you might not.”

Previously unshed tears began to slide silently down Rachel’s cheeks and she noted that her sister was also weeping. What could she do or say to help? Fond memories made her revert to a long-unused quip. “I had to see my favorite sister.”

To Rachel’s delight, the comment brought a slight smile to the badly beaten face. “I’m your only sister.”

“Picky, picky.” Rachel’s hands were clasping Angela’s on the side of the bed opposite the IV, and she could feel bones inside the painfully thin fingers. Beeping from a nearby machine increased in frequency, and she realized she was hearing her sister’s racing pulse.

Slowly, tenderly, Rachel reached to smooth Angela’s damp hair off her forehead. “Take it easy, sis. You need to rest so you can get better and take care of your daughter. This pretty little girl must be Natalie.”

“Yes. Natalie, this is your aunt Rachel. Maria Alvarez is my neighbor. She’s the one who called the police when I couldn’t.”

Not only did Angela’s weeping continue, she looked past Rachel and the others to focus on Kyle. “You’re her friend?”

“Kyle Roark. We work together,” he said.

“But you are friends, too?” She kept struggling to control her emotions enough to speak.

Rachel answered for him. “Yes. Kyle and I are friends. He drove me here.”

“He’ll stay?”

That question made Rachel stiffen and peer behind her. “I thought I saw Peter downstairs. Is he...?”

Attempting to shake her head, Angela winced in pain. “He’s in jail. The police arrested him for doing this to me.”

“Thank God for answered prayers,” Rachel confessed. “He’s the last person I want to run into. Ever.”

“That makes two of us,” her older sister admitted, sniffling and struggling to go on. “I’m so sorry, sis. I should have listened to you and left him years ago.”

“That’s all in the past.” Rachel stroked Angela’s forehead again. “Right now, you need to worry about getting better.”

Again, Angela focused on Kyle, then looked to Mrs. Alvarez. “Maria, can you and this gentleman take Natalie for ice cream or something? Please? I want to talk to my sister. Alone.”

“Sí.” The full-bodied woman lowered the child to the ground and clasped one of Angela’s hands. “Hold on to Senor Kyle, too, Natalie. We don’t want him to get lost.”

The child complied, slipping her small hand into Kyle’s and holding tight, then looking up at him in awe. “He’s real big.”

Rachel smiled and almost chuckled until her niece added, “I think he could beat up my daddy if he had to.”

Rachel’s heart clenched. Of course. Angela wouldn’t be the only victim of her live-in’s temper. Peter would have lashed out at anyone who displeased him. The way he had at Angela. And the way he had at her when he’d driven her out of her sister’s life that last time.

Returning her full attention to her weeping sibling, Rachel tried to apologize. “I’m so sorry. I should have found the courage to stay with you.”

“Nonsense.” Sniffle. “You begged me to go away with you and I was too stubborn and stupid to listen. That’s not your fault.”

“I wrote. You never answered.”

“I couldn’t. I just couldn’t admit what a horrible mistake I’d made. By the time I thought I was ready to leave Peter I’d lost touch with you.”

“You knew I was close by.”

“Not for sure. I’d had your unlisted cell number in my phone but Peter took it away. When your letters stopped coming I figured you had washed your hands of me.”

“No way. I didn’t stop trying to keep in touch,” Rachel vowed. “He must have intercepted my letters. I was only writing once a month or so after the first year. It would have gotten easier for him to destroy your personal mail before you saw it.”

Falling silent, Angela seemed to struggle to breathe.

“Do you want me to call a nurse?”

“No. No. Just give me a second.” She inhaled a little more deeply, wincing and groaning as her chest expanded. “I want you to promise me something.”

Rachel leaned closer. “Of course. Anything.”

“I want you to take Natalie, look after her and tell her about me so she remembers and knows I loved her.”

“I’ll be glad to babysit. You can tell her you love her, yourself.”

“Promise.”

“All right. I promise.”

Shuddering, Angela tightened her grip on Rachel’s hand. “Don’t let Peter get his hands on her, whatever you do.”

“How can I prevent it? He’s her father.”

“Not legally. I never put a father’s name on her birth certificate, and we never married. Besides, I have high hopes he’ll rot in jail after doing this to me.”

“From your lips to God’s ears,” Rachel quoted, meaning every word. “Is it all right if I take her to the base with me while you’re recuperating? I can’t be away from my duties too long, and there’s a good preschool there for when I’m working.”

“Did you take that veterinary aide course you kept dreaming about?”

“Yes. Kyle’s the head vet in the military K-9 training program at Canyon Air Force Base and I’m one of his techs. That’s what he meant when he said we worked together, although actually I work for him.”

Angela managed a lopsided smile. “Wonderful. You’ll be with all those protective dogs they train. Couldn’t be better.”

“And when you get well we’ll find you an apartment close to Canyon so we can see each other all the time.”

The dreamy, weary expression on her sister’s face comforted Rachel. When Angela closed her eyes and sighed, she did the same. Hands still clasped together, Rachel began to pray with her and for her. “Thank you, Father, for healing old wounds in our hearts and for the healing You are about to do in Angela’s body. Amen.”

Rachel watched Angela’s eyelids flutter. Her breathing had been noisy all along but now it began to sound labored even though the beeping machines kept up their even cadence. Rachel wanted to tell Angela how much she loved her but was hesitant to disturb her further. Time ticked past so slowly that every second felt as if it lasted minutes.

Praying silently, Rachel listened to the mechanical manifestations of her sister’s life until suddenly Angela was squeezing her hand. Rachel met her gaze, mirrored Angela’s smile and felt her heart breaking. An amazing peace and release settled over the bruised face. Angie’s pain and suffering were over. Her sister was finally free. Peter couldn’t hurt her anymore.

But what about Natalie? The little girl had never met her aunt Rachel before today and now she was going to have to take her away from the only home she’d ever known. How could she possibly make a child understand and accept the situation when she hardly could herself?

Three ICU nurses and a doctor had finished confirming Rachel’s fears and had left by the time she heard the sound of boots on the bare floor. Kyle was back. And Natalie was undoubtedly with him. Angela was positioned as if asleep, but Maria Alvarez guessed what had happened in their absence and gasped, beginning to mutter a prayer as she stepped ahead to block Natalie’s view.

Kyle, too, quickly closed the distance. He stopped behind Rachel and laid a hand of comfort on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

Without hesitation she accepted his condolences by placing one of her hands atop his and saying, “Thank you.”

“I wanna see my mama,” the little girl whined. She was trying to wiggle past the adults.

“Let her come closer,” Rachel said, surprised at how calm and in control she felt despite everything. She held out her hands and Natalie let her pick her up. The urge to kiss the child’s hair and stroke her back as a mother would surged through Rachel and squeezed her heart. “I’ll take care of you now, honey. You can come and live with me.”

The big blue eyes, lashes wet with tears, looked up at Rachel as if she had just promised the world. “I—I don’t have to go back to Peter?”

Rachel pulled her close again and dried her cheeks. “No, baby, no. We’re not going to have anything more to do with Peter. I promise.”

As she comforted her niece and glanced at the others, she saw concern in Maria’s expression and disbelief in Kyle’s.

“What else can I do?” she asked him aside. “If I send Natalie with Maria, Peter will know how to find her and try to take her back. I have as much legal right to her as he does.”

“How do you figure?”

“Angela said they never married and his name is not on the birth certificate. He’d have to go to court to prove he actually is her father, and I’m sure a background check will show him as an unsuitable parent.”

“Then we should call the authorities and do this the right way, the legal way,” Kyle warned. “You can get in a lot of trouble if you just walk off with her.”

“I know, but...” Rachel looked to Maria for moral support and found the older woman staring out the window at the parking lot below. Nobody could blame her for turning away. She’d been sucked into this mess by being a Good Samaritan and probably feared and hated Peter VanHoven almost as much as Angela had.

“Ai-yi-yi.” Hands clamped over her mouth, Maria whirled.

Rachel tensed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“It’s him! Look. He’s coming!”

“Who? Peter? Where?” Rachel asked, joining her. “Angie said he was in jail. Are you sure?”

Kyle crowded closer, too. “Which one is he?”

Maria pointed. “There. Getting out of the old red truck. See?”

“Maybe he’s out on bail. If he’s the guy I think you mean, he’s good and mad. Look at his body language.”

“Yeah.” Putting Natalie down, Rachel began to gather up the few personal items Maria had brought for the child.

Kyle frowned. “What are you doing?”

She paused only long enough to glance his way and say, “Running. Far and fast.”

“That’s wrong.” Arms folded across his broad chest, Kyle stood like a sentinel, apparently ready to enforce his opinion.

“I don’t care if you go with us or not. Natalie and I are leaving.”

“Get a grip and think,” Kyle urged. “Where will you go?”

“Back to the base if we’re welcome to ride with you,” Rachel shot back. “Out the door and into hiding if you don’t help us. I’m not staying here where VanHoven can get his filthy hands on me or anybody else.” She glanced at the still figure on the bed. “He’s done enough damage for a lifetime.”

Rachel was ready to abandon Kyle and carry out her threat, and she would have, if Natalie had not grabbed a bedraggled baby doll in one hand and Kyle’s index finger in the other. The man’s expression froze for an instant, then melted in a way Rachel had not seen in the two years she’d worked for him.

He was going to help them escape. She could tell that as surely as if he had spoken.

One final peek out the window was all she allowed herself. No sign of Peter! He must already be passing beneath the entrance canopy, on his way to berate Angie for his arrest when she was the true victim. Rachel had seen it before, plenty of times. It was his excuse for normal.

And since Angie was not going to be available to listen to his tirade, he was sure to turn his wrath on whoever happened to be close by, such as his daughter. Or Rachel. As much as she would like to see someone give him a taste of his own medicine, she knew better than to place Kyle in such a tenuous situation when a confrontation could be avoided.

What she must do is grab her niece and run. Now.

THREE

Rachel sidled through the door from the ICU into the hallway. She had shouldered Natalie’s small bag along with her own purse and was towing the child by the hand. Kyle brought up the rear.

Suddenly, Natalie was pulled away. Rachel whirled, ready to do battle, when she realized that her companion had picked up the little girl and was headed in a different direction. For a few seconds she wondered if his plan was to return the child to her father. Then, he allayed her fears.

“Not the elevator, Rachel. He’ll probably come up that way. We’ll take the stairs. Follow me.”

That logic was unquestionable. She fell in behind him. He shouldered through the stairway exit door and cradled Natalie while he waited for Rachel to pass. Her body was trembling, her legs unsteady. Each downward step brought her closer to escape, closer to the parked SUV that would carry them all away before it was too late.

Would they make it? They had to, for Natalie’s sake if for no other reason. Rachel had vowed to protect her niece, and that was exactly what she intended to do. Peter was never going to get his hands on her as long as one Fielding sister was left.

She heard the measured thuds of Kyle’s boots on the stairs behind her. He was sticking close. Praise the Lord she hadn’t made this trip to see Angela alone! A sense of divine presence and peace flooded through her. The fear she had defined as a personal weakness her heavenly Father had used for her good. If her pride hadn’t gotten in the way, she might have recognized the hidden blessing sooner.

Their path took them to a side door. Rachel glanced over her shoulder to ask, “Now what?”

“We can circle around or I can bring the truck to you, depending on whether or not this Peter guy spots you. If he came inside the way I suspect, we can make a run for it together.”

“Okay.”

She started to lean on the push bar to the exterior door as she heard Kyle shout, “No!”

It was too late. A claxon horn was blasting and warning bells sounded. Rachel immediately realized her error. That door was supposed to stay closed and she’d triggered an alarm.

Frustrated, fearful and more angry with herself than anyone else, Rachel faced him with a grimace. “You said we were going to circle around so I thought...”

“Inside, not out there,” he shot back. “Come on. Follow me before the guards catch us.”

Rachel didn’t argue. They turned back into the hallway. Curious employees and patients glanced at them in passing, but nobody approached with questions.

“Walk calmly and slowly,” Kyle ordered. “Don’t hurry and don’t look back. Pretend you think that noise is a nuisance the way everybody else does.”

“Okay.”

“And stay close. We want to look like a normal family.”

Rachel could see wisdom in his suggestion even if heeding it did place her in an awkward position. Putting aside her personal misgivings, she moved to Kyle’s side and slipped her hand through the crook of his bent elbow.

That touch was a mistake. His arm was muscular beneath his sleeve, his countenance commanding and sturdy as well as comforting. She knew his hands were especially skillful because she’d watched him do delicate surgeries, but nothing had prepared her for this potent an assault on her senses.

Distracted by the masculine presence beside her, she almost missed spotting a familiar figure fidgeting in front of a bank of elevators.

“Stop,” she hissed, giving his arm a tug.

Kyle halted. “What is it?”

“There. Up ahead. See the scruffy man with a ponytail, cutoffs, bomber jacket and flip-flops by the elevators? That’s him. We got here too soon.”

“It’s still better than coming face-to-face when those doors open upstairs.”

“Right.” Slinking backward into a shallow doorway, Rachel was relieved when Kyle turned and handed her Natalie.

“Hold her tight and stay behind me so he won’t spot you if he looks this way.”

“Gladly.” Rachel couldn’t tell whether the elevator had come and gone until Kyle told her. “The coast is clear. Remember, act normally.”

Rachel huffed. “I doubt I’d recognize normal if it walked up and bit me in the leg. The only part of my life that ever seemed well ordered was my time in the air force working with K-9s. I can hardly wait to get back on base.”

As he ushered her and Natalie toward the automated sliding doors leading to the parking lot, Kyle was shaking his head. “I’m afraid that by the time you get through all the red tape involved in gaining legal custody of your niece, nothing will feel the same. Not even life on Canyon.”

A childish, barely audible “What’s that?” sounded in Rachel’s ear.

“Canyon Air Force Base,” she told the child. “That’s where I live.”

“Do you have toys?” the wan little voice asked right before a big yawn.

“Well, we have what Senora Alvarez brought for you and there’s a wonderful store where we can buy more.”

“I don’t wanna leave my mama,” Natalie whined, rubbing her eyes with her little fists.

“I know you don’t, sweetheart. I don’t want to leave your mom, either, but we have to go before Peter sees us.”

Thin arms tightened around Rachel’s neck, reminding her that she had just accepted an immense responsibility, one she was far from certain she was ready for. Suppose her efforts at parenting failed? Or suppose Peter won in court and she had to give Natalie back to him?

That possibility was so unacceptable it brought tears to her eyes. No, no, no. She would not fail. She would never give up no matter who or what came against her. She couldn’t disappoint her sister—or the frightened child now clinging to her. No matter what happened she was going to stick it out. To win. There was no acceptable alternative.

Glaring sunshine barely warmed the winter day. Kyle loaded the sleepy little girl and her scarce personal belongings into the second seat of the SUV, then began to adjust her seat belt before fastening it. “She should have a booster seat, too, but this will have to do.”

“Not if it isn’t safe. I hadn’t thought about how she was going to ride with us.”

Seeing Rachel’s tears begin to glisten, Kyle said, “Look. A lot has happened already and I know you’re not thinking clearly. That’s where I come in. Trust me. I’ve got this.”

Shoulders sagging, Rachel nodded. “I know. I just feel so confused. I’d finally reconciled with my sister and now she’s gone again. It’s like I was robbed. Twice.” She draped her jacket over Natalie to serve as a blanket before sliding into the front passenger seat.

Kyle fought to keep from identifying too closely with Rachel’s plight. It was no use. And, considering how bereft she seemed, he figured he owed it to her to commiserate. “I do understand, believe me. It’s hard. Any unexpected loss is, especially when it’s a younger person.”

She sighed. “I really did love my sister even if we hadn’t had contact during the past six years. I keep wondering if things would have been different if I’d stayed with her instead of letting Peter scare me off.”

“Sure. Maybe he’d have beaten you senseless, instead.”

Kyle noted her sidelong glance at the second seat as he started the vehicle, and toned down his responses, beginning with, “Sorry.” He started to back out of the parking space. “How much do you know about the whole home situation?”

“Not a lot beyond what I witnessed years ago. Angela managed to tell me some things but it’s probably not enough to get him thrown back in jail. At least not until the forensic report is in.”

He knew she was purposely being evasive by not mentioning a medical examiner. Surely anyone who had been so severely beaten and had named her attacker on her deathbed would be believed. The problem was whether or not this Peter guy was going to accept any legal edict. Even if he wasn’t put in prison for killing Rachel’s sister, he should never gain custody of the sweet little girl nodding off in the back seat.

“We can take her home to your apartment and look over what she brought with her. Then I’ll go down to the base exchange and buy whatever else she needs.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know.” Backing out, he joined a line of cars waiting to leave the lot.

“Then, why?”

“Let’s just say it’s the right thing for me to do and I don’t mind a bit. Okay?”

“Sure. I get it. I have the Christmas spirit, too.”

Kyle’s head snapped to the side. “Who said anything about Christmas?”

“I’m sorry. I thought, since there are decorations hanging from every lamppost and store windows are all lit up for the holidays, that was influencing you.”

“Well, it isn’t.” His hands had fisted on the steering wheel so firmly his knuckles were turning white.

Her voice was soft, tender. “I understand completely.”

“What do you mean?” There was no way she could know his story without digging into his past. He’d been very careful to keep his history to himself after selling his civilian practice and reenlisting as an air-force veterinarian.

“Holidays can be tough on everybody,” Rachel said. “There really are no perfect family gatherings or ideal celebrations. After my parents died, Christmas was never the same, even when Angela and I tried to make it festive.” She took another peek at the snoozing little girl before she added, “That was before Peter came on the scene, of course. Once he and Angie were a couple, we didn’t even try. And now...”

“Okay. One thing at a time,” Kyle said, purposely changing the subject. “Do you have a place for her to sleep? Enough food in the house? Blankets, pillows, that kind of thing?”

“Yes. She’ll need some decent clothes for preschool if there isn’t anything suitable with her. And probably shoes. Those flip-flops aren’t going to be warm enough.” Slowly shaking her head, Rachel made a face. “I don’t imagine she’s used to having much, given the way she looks today.”

“According to what Senora Alvarez told me when we went to the cafeteria, your sister had a rough time. So did Natalie.”

“Undoubtedly. My biggest concern isn’t her past—it’s her future. How am I going to keep Peter away from her?”

“Once we’re on the base it will be relatively safe.” The line of cars was moving too slowly to suit Kyle, but since it was almost his turn at the exit he tamped down his anxiety.

Rachel cited recent history. “Oh, really? Look what that serial killer Boyd Sullivan did. He sneaked on and off base for months before he was caught. If he could do it, so can Peter.”

“Sullivan was a special case. He was a certified nutjob. Those are unpredictable.”

“And Peter isn’t?” Her volume increased on the final word.

“Shush. You’ll wake Sleeping Beauty.”

“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Rachel’s smile was so tender as she gazed at the napping little girl that Kyle’s heart clenched almost as tightly as his fists. Visions of another little girl, of his precious Wendy, melded with the current image of Natalie and gave him a jolt. He hadn’t been there for his own daughter or for his wife when they’d needed him, and that failure had eaten away at him for four long years.

Was God giving him a second chance to protect an innocent little girl who had no other champion? Perhaps, but the opportunity was bittersweet. How much better it would have been if his little family had never been torn apart by that drunk driver in the first place.

And how much more he would have trusted in his Christian faith if his prayers for their survival had been answered that awful winter night. He hadn’t wanted to let them go, to lose them forever, yet he had. It had been a terrible struggle to go on without them, to accept his loneliness and live with it. He’d made a new life by returning to the air force, where he knew he could do the most good, and had kept his emotional distance from fellow officers as well as the enlisted personnel assigned to him. Until now.

Kyle knew he was entering uncharted territory and his misgivings were almost strong enough to cause him to back off. Almost. But not quite.

His innermost thoughts were directed to God while he continued to fidget and inch the SUV forward in line. Why, God? And why at Christmastime? You know how this hurts so why a woman and little girl? And why me?

He didn’t need an audible reply to know the answer. The trauma of the past made him particularly suited to this task. He had lost to evil once by not being totally diligent, not making himself available when his gut told him he should. It would not happen again. No matter what developed in regard to his vet tech and her niece, he was going to be there for her. For them.

He would not make the same mistake twice.

A horn honked behind them as the space at the very front of the line was vacated. Rachel jumped at the noise. So did Kyle. Checking for cross traffic on the street, he also glanced toward the hospital and caught his breath.

“Rachel,” he said abruptly. “Look over there. Is that...?”

She followed Kyle’s gaze, then immediately whirled to face him. Her complexion paled and her lips parted. She didn’t have to speak to tell Kyle who they were seeing. Peter VanHoven had somehow figured out what they were up to and was racing for his battered red truck.

Accelerating as much as he dared without drawing undue attention, Kyle angled the black SUV into a spot in front of a slow-moving gray sedan and joined passing traffic.

He saw the red truck come to life and start down the same crammed exit lane that had delayed their departure. Rachel swiveled in the seat to watch so Kyle made it her assignment. “Let me know how long a line he gets stuck in, okay?”

“Oh, no!” Her gasping reply sent a shiver the length of Kyle’s spine.

His hands gripped the wheel, his senses on full alert as he angled to check his mirrors. “What? I can’t see him anymore. Where did he go?”

“Over the curb,” she shouted. “He’s already in the street. Ahead of us!”

FOUR

Rachel couldn’t breathe. Every muscle in her body knotted, and she felt trapped in the kind of nightmare where she opened her mouth to scream and no sound emerged. The only thing remotely functional was her brain’s ability to call out to her heavenly Father. There were no apt words. Just a silent plea for divine help.

Thankfully, she was braced against the dash with one hand, the other on the back of the seat, when Kyle whipped the steering wheel and accelerated. The SUV bumped up over the right-hand curb with a twist of its chassis. All wheels were spinning when they hit the lawn. Grass churned and clumps flew out behind them.

Horns honked. Bystanders put cell phones to their ears. She finally found her voice. “What are you doing?”

“Getting away.”

“You’re causing a scene. People are staring at us.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he countered. “Peter already knows where we are or he wouldn’t have jumped the line to get ahead.”

“But...”

“Just hang on. Is Natalie okay?”

“Yes. She’s stirring but still asleep. She must be exhausted.”

“No doubt.” His next turn was so abrupt the rear of the SUV fishtailed. Straightening out the vehicle and dropping its tires back onto the pavement, Kyle asked, “Do you still see him?”

“No, I...” Her breath caught. “Yes! He’s turning off like you did. I hear sirens but they sound far away.”

“Could be for some other reason,” he said. “Keep watching.”

She had no intention of doing anything else. The old red pickup was on their tail all right, but it apparently didn’t have four-wheel drive, because it was doing a lot of slipping and sliding while digging curved trenches in the turf. That was an unexpected plus.

“He’s losing traction on the grass,” she shouted. “We’re pulling ahead.”

“As soon as he hits the asphalt again he’ll have power,” Kyle yelled back. “I’m going to head for the highway so we don’t cause an accident on these city streets.”

“Will we be able to outrun him?”

“Temporarily. But the hospital found you, so he’ll be able to, too.”

“If it was just the two of us I’d say stop and have it out with him.”

“So would I,” Kyle agreed. “We can’t take a chance with Natalie. Once you—we—took off with her, we stepped across a line. Involving the police at this point won’t help us. And it might help Peter.”

Rachel was nodding. “Right. If it was only foster care she faced I wouldn’t worry too much. We can’t trust Peter to leave her alone. He’s likely to kidnap her and disappear.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Two more sharp turns and they were starting up the on-ramp to the highway. Rachel spotted a problem. “This is east. We want to go west.”

“All I care about is speed and safety,” Kyle said flatly. “Keep watching.”

“I am, I am.” She had swiveled to face forward again so she could peer into the right-hand outside mirror. Blue car, white car, semi, space, Peter! She screamed. “He’s hiding behind that truck in the far right lane.”

“I don’t see him.”

“Hang on. You will.” One of Rachel’s hands was fisted around the door handle. The other grasped the edge of her seat. In the mirror’s reflection the big truck was falling back. A flash of red swerved out to pass and nearly collided with a second semi. Rachel gasped as that truck driver laid on his horn and barely avoided an accident.

“He’s going to get us or somebody else killed,” Kyle shouted. “We can’t endanger Natalie like this. I’m going to try to lose him.”

She refrained from comment because nothing that came to mind lacked sarcasm. They were caught between a rock and a hard place. To stop would put the little girl in ongoing danger and to continue as they were made that threat immediate. Nevertheless, she was glad it was Kyle at the wheel and not her. Defensive driving was not her strongest talent and she was already queasy from riding backward.

“You may want to close your eyes,” he yelled as he whipped the wheel at the last instant, cut across two lanes and left Peter trapped on the wrong side of the speeding semis.

Rachel rolled down her window and leaned out, preparing to lose her breakfast, but the gust of cold air shocked the nausea out of her. “You’re crazy!”

“I’m successful,” Kyle countered with a tight smile. “He won’t have a chance to get off until the next ramp. By that time, we’ll have a good head start.”

Wind whipped her hair, the tendrils stinging her cheeks. Tears filled her eyes. Had he really done it? Were they safe for the time being? After such a harrowing chase, it seemed impossible.

She sagged against the door, her seat belt holding her. They were passing under the highway, ready to start back in the other direction, when she pushed away and closed the window. “I suppose I should thank you for scaring me to death. Would you mind driving like a normal person from now on?”

Kyle turned briefly to flash a smile. He looked elated as well as short of breath. That was comforting. She’d have been really worried if she’d believed he viewed his stunt driving as everyday behavior.

“Right. Normal. Normal is good,” he said. “The speed limit here is high. As long as we maintain our lead we’ll be fine.”

“Do you think Peter will give up?”

“It’s possible. I doubt he had time to listen to the whole story about Angela when he got to ICU. He may go back there.”

“Wishful thinking?” Rachel managed a slight smile. “He knows enough. He wouldn’t have chased us if he hadn’t heard we had Natalie.”

“That’s probably true.”

“And speaking of my niece, I suppose, since this is a civilian matter, I’ll need to retain private counsel to defend my right to keep and raise her.”

“Uh-huh. I have a couple of connections in San Antonio from my days in the regular world. If you’d like, I can contact them for you.”

“I’d appreciate it. Thanks.” Realizing she was hoarse, Rachel was reminded that an apology was called for. “Sorry I yelled at you, Kyle. Guess I got a little too excited.”

“We both did.” A gentle smile lifted the corners of his mouth and crinkled the outer edges of his dark eyes as he leaned to study the sleepy child in his mirror. “I don’t want to stop if we don’t have to. Can you make sure she’s okay from up here?”

“Sure.” Undoing her seat belt, Rachel got onto her knees and leaned over the back of her seat. “Natalie’s breathing evenly and is totally relaxed. I guess she’s comfortable being with us even if you do drive like you’re competing in the Indy 500.”

“I’m better than that,” Kyle teased. “All they have to do is keep turning left and going around in circles. I not only go both ways, I sometimes jump the car right off the ground.”

“Tell me about it.” She rolled her eyes, straightened in her seat and clicked her belt back on before touching his forearm. His muscles twitched but he didn’t pull away. “I want to thank you. All kidding aside, that was some great driving.”

She saw him eye the placement of her hand before he smiled again and said, “My pleasure.”

Rachel chuckled quietly. “It was, wasn’t it? You enjoyed every minute of it.”

“Not totally. If I’d been alone I would have. With passengers it was different.”

“I trusted you.”

She felt the shaking of his arm before she noticed it came from his shoulders. She gritted her teeth. He was silently laughing! At her. And after she had restrained herself from telling him what she’d really thought of his methods. “What’s so funny, Doctor?”

“You are.” Kyle snorted. “For somebody who trusted me, you sure did a lot of screaming.”

Clouds had obscured the sun, and wind had begun to gust across the sandy soil as they neared the air base. They were preparing to enter through the south gate when Kyle saw a dot of red closing the distance behind them.

He quickly rolled down his window, flashed his ID at the guard and jerked a thumb behind him. “There may be a guy in a red pickup coming this way. Whatever you do, don’t let him through.”

“Yes, sir. Shall I call Security?”

“Not unless he gives you trouble. He hasn’t actually done anything to us that we can prove and we’d like to keep it that way.”

In the background, Rachel gasped. Kyle held his hand out to signal her silence. As soon as they’d left the guard post, she said plenty. “Hasn’t done anything? What about my sister?”

“That’s a different case. We can assume he’s out on bail. If we start bringing up the reason he’s chasing us, that will reveal who our passenger is and stir up a hornet’s nest. I doubt Peter will say much because he won’t want to call attention to his actions, either.”

Slowing, Kyle watched the rearview mirrors until he was satisfied the gate guard had repelled their nemesis. “Done. We should be okay for a little while. I’ll drop you and your niece at your place and run over to the base exchange for whatever she needs.”

“Start with warm clothes.” Rachel leaned to peer up at the sky. “Looks like a storm is brewing.”

“That, it does.” He wheeled expertly into the driveway of her apartment building and parked behind it. “Want me to walk you in?”

It didn’t surprise him a bit when Rachel insisted she was capable of managing Natalie and her belongings all by herself. Matter of fact, she had the child out of the SUV and well in hand by the time he circled and stood next to her. “What about sizes? Shall I guess?”

“When in doubt, go big,” Rachel told him. “I’ll leave the tags on until we see what fits. We can return the rest.” Pausing, she smiled. “Thanks for doing this. We really do appreciate everything.”

“You’re welcome.” Kyle thought of adding My pleasure again but restrained himself. He didn’t want anyone, especially Rachel Fielding, making too much of his efforts. He’d have done the same for any of his techs. It just so happened that this particular airman was beginning to seem special, which was no problem as long as he didn’t break regulations and try to date her. The rules against officers and enlisted personnel getting together for romance had never concerned him before.

“And they don’t bother me now,” he told himself firmly as he drove toward the BX, base exchange, to go shopping for Natalie. There were good reasons for strictness in regard to separation of ranks. Promotions were earned on merit, not based on who an airman knew or who their family happened to be. Every new enlistee was tested and placed according to skills and aptitude. He, for instance, would have made a lousy pilot because of a childhood injury to his inner ear and thus his balance.

Maybe that was why he’d empathized so readily with Rachel and her sister, Kyle reasoned. It had been a long time since he’d thought about the fights his younger brother, Dave, used to get into. And even longer since he’d remembered being injured sticking up for him. Their older sister, Gloria, had already left home by that time and neither of the boys had told their parents about the beatings Kyle had taken defending Dave. Not that it mattered anymore. Gloria was stationed overseas in the army, and Dave had cut all ties after their parents had relocated to Florida. In a way, his family was no closer than Rachel’s had been. He’d hoped to change that pattern with Sue and Wendy until their lives had been snatched away so unfairly.

Mad at himself for allowing such maudlin thoughts, Kyle pulled into the parking lot of the base exchange, climbed out and slammed the door. Cold wind hit him in the face. He zipped his jacket and wished he’d thought to bring a hat. To say he was out of sorts was an understatement. This was just the beginning. Now he was going to have to look at children’s clothing and that would make him think about how precious his daughter had been.

The mall entrance was festooned with garlands and blinking colored lights. Christmas. A season that was supposed to make him feel joyous. Peaceful. Loved.

He clenched his jaw. Love was overrated. So was the holiday. Oh, he respected the spiritual aspects of it: the celebration of the coming of the Savior. It was the ho-ho-ho and all the other folderol that he could do without.

Electronic doors slid open. Kyle stomped in. As long as nobody wished him a Merry Christmas he could probably get through this task without too much trouble.

He went straight to the children’s-clothing section, then paused in front of a display of warm coats. His Wendy had had a red one a lot like this, with a fake-fur collar and white earmuffs to match. No way could he bring himself to buy that same outfit.

Mumbling to himself, he turned away to look elsewhere. His gut was in knots and he was beginning to perspire. Four long years had passed since his family had been wiped out.

It wasn’t supposed to hurt this much anymore.

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