A PERILOUS SECOND CHANCE
When district attorney Tory Carson returns home after a long day in court prosecuting a gang leader, she finds her house trashed. Concerned that the vandalism is connected to the trial, the local police chief calls the Texas Rangersâ¦and her former love Cade Morgan responds. Toryâs history with Cadeâand the secret they shareâmakes her reluctant to let him back into her life. But Tory doesnât want to choose between bringing down a gang leader and protecting her teenage daughter. With the threat escalating the longer she tries the case, the safest place for Tory and her daughter is at Cadeâs ranch. But can Cade protect them long enough for Tory to bring the criminal to justice?
âYou need to leave with me now,â Cade said.
âBut I canât,â Michelle said. âThe basketball game just started.â
âSorry. This isnât up for debate.â Tory grasped her teen daughterâs hand.
Cade stepped forward. âWeâll use the back door. Letâs go.â
The man Tory was prosecuting right now was ruthless. But he wouldnât let his daughterâor Toryâbe Mederosâs victim.
Seeing the two together was like staring at a younger version of Tory. Both had long, curly blond hair, a thin build and a sprinkle of freckles across their noses.
Cade went through the double doors, inspecting the corridor on both sides. Empty. âOkay, letâs hurry.â
Tory and Michelle went first, with Cade trailing behind. Now all they had to do was make it to the parking lot.
A few feet from the exit, Michelle halted. âWhatâs going on, Mom?â She looked over her shoulder at Cade. âWho are you?â
âIâm Cade Morgan, Texas Ranger, and you two are in danger here. Iâm here to take you to your house.â
He wanted to say so much more. But there was no time for that right now.
MARGARET DALEY, an award-winning author of ninety books (five million sold worldwide), has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isnât traveling, sheâs writing love stories, often with a suspense thread, and corralling her three cats, who think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret, visit her website at margaretdaley.com.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
âRomans 8:28
To all the Texas Rangers
for their dedication and hard work as police officers.
ONE
District Attorney Tory Carson closed her eyes and drew in a deep, composing breath, but as she released it slowly, an image of the dark-haired, tattooed man intruded into her mind. After a long day at court in El Rio, Texas, a town not far from San Antonio, sheâd pulled into her garage and sat behind the steering wheel for a few moments, trying to decompress after an intense afternoon selecting members for a jury in the Diego Mederos trial.
As Mederos was escorted from the courtroom, heâd looked right at her, winked and smiled. The memory sent a chill racing through her body. Sheâd convicted hardened criminals before as the county district attorney, but this one was different. In his black eyes, sheâd seen pure evil lurking behind the swagger he presented to the world. Finally, an angry father had come forward to testify against the man who ran a biker gang and murdered the witnessâs only son.
Her hands ached from gripping the steering wheel so hard. She pried them away and rubbed them together. When sheâd become the DA six years ago, sheâd promised herself she wouldnât bring home her cases and ruin her time with her daughter, Michelle. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard and quickly gathered her briefcase and purse, then exited her car.
She was later than she thought and hoped as pre-arranged when she was running behind that Michelle had caught a ride with her best friend, Emma, to the junior varsityâs basketball game at the high school gym.
At fourteen, Michelleâs world revolved around boys and playing basketball. It was times like this that Tory really missed her husband, Derek, who died two years ago. He was the one whoâd gotten Michelle interested in basketball. After heâd come home from work, they used to play together most evenings. Her daughter adored her father. His death had been so hard on both of them. But especially Michelle.
Tory unlocked the garage door and hurried into the kitchen. In case Michelle hadnât gotten a ride, Tory shouted, âMichelle, are you here?â
Silence greeted Tory. Relieved she had time to change out of her suit and high heels before going to the game, she scanned the kitchen and saw evidenceâa plate and glass by the sinkâthat her daughter had come home after school as she usually did every day, especially on game night, and had called Emma down the street when Tory wasnât home by the designated time. As a working mom, Tory was thankful for Emma and her mother being able to help her out occasionally.