Brought together by disaster. Kept together by love.
In the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, itâs chaos for trauma surgeon Jessica Hansen. Among the many victims, one patient stands outâSan Diego Police K-9 search and rescue officer Cal Palmer.
Cal vows to help Kayla, a child orphaned by the disaster. But he needs Jessicaâs help. Will their shared concern for Kayla and for his canine partner, Scout, allow them to put aside their personal torments and discover the difference love can make?
âScoutâs part of my life,â he said.
âThatâs why I find it hard to take him to the department to stay in a cage,â Cal went on. âI know itâll be hard on him.â
Jessicaâs heart warmed for the big, gruff cop. To her way of thinking, how could someone not care about kids and dogs? But Cal seemed to, more than the average person.
He was a stranger, and she was thinking about turning her life upside down for him by offering to take care of Scout. How would she manage with a high-maintenance dogâand keep doing her job with the long hours, odd shifts and unpredictable emergencies? She reminded herself again why she didnât have a pet, despite her love for animals.
But then she looked at Cal, saw the concern in his eyes, and her heart melted completely. She wanted to help them. She really did. But she couldnât deny that part of the reason was the fact that sheâd be able to see Cal.
Dear Reader,
This is the first book in my K-9 squad trilogy, and itâs the story of trauma surgeon Jessica Hansen and San Diego Police search and rescue officer Cal Palmer. Although I have always had a profound sense of gratitude for the men and women who dedicate their lives to law enforcement, through my research for this trilogy I gained an even greater appreciation for the bravery and dedication of canine officers and the intelligence and resourcefulness of police dogs.
Thank you for choosing to read Jessica and Calâs story. I have frequently been asked with respect to my previous books if I planned to tell the story of any of the secondary characters in a sequel. The beauty of writing a trilogy is that we already know there will be two more books. If you enjoy When the Right One Comes Along, you wonât have to wait long for the second book in the trilogy, When Love Matters Most. The story of K-9 unit sergeant Rick Vasquez and veterinarian Madison Long is scheduled for release early in January 2016.
As always, I would love to hear from you! You can connect with me through my website, Facebook page, Twitter or regular mail.
Happy reading!
Kate
Website: Kate-James.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/KateJamesBooks
Twitter: @KateJamesBooks
Mailing address: PO Box 446, Schomberg, ON, L0G 1T0, Canada
KATE JAMES spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Kateâs goal is to entertain her readers with engaging stories featuring strong, likable characters. Kate has been honored with numerous awards for her writing. She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors with their beloved Labrador retrievers.
Dedication
To Veronica Cohn She lives on in countless hearts
Acknowledgments
As always, I have to acknowledge my brilliant editor, Paula Eykelhof. I am grateful to her for her invaluable contributions to all my books. And much thanks to Victoria Curran for challenging me and all the Heartwarming authors to tell the very best stories we can.
I owe special thanks to York Regional Police (Ontario, Canada), and Constable Jim Hilton, in particular. Constable Hilton, a YRP canine unit officer and trainer, was generous with his time, resource materials and limitless knowledge as I conducted my research for this trilogy. I also thank him for introducing me to his explosives detection dog, Max, and demonstrating to me some of Maxâs skills.
Finally I offer my sincere gratitude to all the men and women who dedicate their lives to law enforcement, to keep us safe and secure in a world where their jobs are becoming ever more complex.
CHAPTER ONE
CALEN PALMERâS POLICE-ISSUED Ford Explorer veered sharply to the left, barely missing the large chunk of concrete, twisted rebar and other detritus strewn across the road. As he straightened the steering wheel, a blur of motion had him hitting the brakes hard.
The SUV skidded sideways on the dust-slicked road, shuddering to rest just inches from a wide-eyed woman. Her face and clothes were streaked with grime and blood, and she clutched a small bundle to her chest.