Lifeline

“I DID IT FOR YOU.”

The chilling words in the text message have Julianne Grace fearing for her life. She’s sure that her abusive ex-fiancé has killed two people—and that she’s the next target. But will anyone believe that her presumed dead ex is really alive? The only man who can help Julianne is cool, aloof security specialist Bradley Stone. Not only does she need his protection, but he’s also the link to finding answers about her ex-fiancé’s death. And the closer Bradley and Julianne get to the truth—and to each other—the angrier the madman after Julianne becomes. One wrong move and they could both fall prey to the killer’s deadly scheme.

“I saw someone outside.

Did you see anything? Hear anything?” Bradley asked.

Julianne shook her head, fear spreading through her. “Nothing. Just you.”

He offered a crisp nod. “Stay put. And call the police if I don’t return within the hour.”

“If you don’t…?” She shut her mouth and nodded, not wanting to think about the implications of what he was saying. “Okay.”

She closed the door and turned the locks, checking each latch twice. Three times, for that matter. Then she backed away from the door. She kept backing up until she hit a wall. She stood there, frozen to the spot, her eyes darting around from one window to the next. She expected to see shadows, to hear yells and footfalls, to flinch from the sound of gunshot.

Instead, she heard nothing.

Was her ex-fiancé out there? Had he found her? What about Bradley? Was he hurt?

CHRISTY BARRITT

loves stories and has been writing them for as long as she can remember. She gets her best ideas when she’s supposed to be paying attention to something else—like in a workshop or while driving down the road.

The second book in her Squeaky Clean Mystery series, Suspicious Minds, won the inspirational category of the 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery. She’s also the coauthor of Changed: True Stories of Finding God in Christian Music.

When she’s not working on books, Christy writes articles for various publications. She’s also a weekly feature writer for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper, the worship leader at her church and a frequent speaker at various writers’ groups, women’s luncheons and church events.

She’s married to Scott, a teacher and funny man extraordinaire. They have two sons, two dogs and a house-plant named Martha.

To learn more about her, visit her website, www.christybarritt.com.

Lifeline

Christy Barritt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

—Psalms 9:9

This book is dedicated to my husband. He’s my Prince Charming, best friend and cheerleader

all rolled into one.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ONE

Julianne Grace bristled, pausing mid-step as she journeyed down the lonely road. She froze as her eyes scanned the area in front of her. Woods and swampland surrounded her, but nothing else.

There was the sound again. A stick cracking. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she turned her head. Fear pricked her skin. What had caused the noise?

All she saw was a desolate stretch of highway and looming oak trees enveloped by dark, murky water.

She ran a shaky hand through her mane of hair. She’d heard something. She knew she had. Was someone watching her from the woods?

Could it be Darrell Lewis?

The thought made her blood go cold—cold enough to rival the frigid wind that swept across the deceitfully sunny landscape. She should have worn a coat, but she’d left her apartment too quickly. She hadn’t had time to think—just to drive. Now the scar across her collarbone pulled tight in the twenty-degree briskness.

The injury was a daily reminder of how ugly love could turn. A daily reminder of how relationships weren’t worth it. Not then. Not now. Not ever.

She took a few more tentative steps. The feeling of unseen eyes caused her pace to quicken until she burst into a jog and then an all-out run. Though she saw nothing and no one, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being chased.

Finally, a gate appeared in the distance. Could it be the entrance to Iron, Incorporated? Was help in sight?

She could make it that far. She’d ask to see Bradley Stone and then tell him the truth about why she’d come. She’d ask the burning questions that consumed her and hopefully get some answers.

She had to get what she’d come for. She had no other options, not if she wanted to live to see tomorrow.

Her legs felt like jelly when she reached the guardhouse. Her quick breaths came out in icy clouds, and she shivered again. What a mess. Everything was a mess.

A fresh-faced man in uniform stared at her. She could tell by the way his eyes wavered from side to side for just a split second that her presence baffled him. Certainly people didn’t tread up to the gate every day, not when you considered there were miles of empty road before reaching the compound.