Out Of Hiding

TRUST NO ONE

This vow has kept P.I. Sadie Lane safe ever since she saw her parents murdered and then entered Witness Protection. But when she gets a lead on the long-ago killer she can’t forget, Sadie joins forces with a dashing FBI agent leading his own investigation into the crime boss. Kip Moore makes her yearn to trust, but protocol demands Sadie keep her true identity hidden. Secrecy is all that has kept her alive. As they venture deep undercover into her target’s syndicate, Sadie finds herself in over her head. Kip is her only hope as she comes face-to-face with a killer from her past. A deadly past that now threatens her future…and Kip’s.

“We need to get out of here.”

Glass broke behind her; a shot whizzed by her ear.

“Get down, Sadie,” Kip said as he slid down beside her. “I’ll cover you. Make a run for the back door.”

“And if there’s someone there?”

“Shoot to kill.”

Panic ripped through her. But she couldn’t leave Kip.

“On three,” Kip said. “One…two…three.”

Sadie sprinted for the back door. Shots rang out, but she didn’t turn back. She kept running into the dark woods. Ducking and moving around the huge tree limbs. She ran till she ached, and she struggled to catch her breath.

“What am I going to do?” If Kip made it, he’d come looking for her. If he hadn’t… No, she couldn’t lose him.

Then she heard the crunching noise. Footsteps bearing down on her. Someone was closing in.

This was it. She was going to die.

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for reading my first book for Love Inspired Suspense. I really do believe that I was inspired to write this story. It may be difficult to imagine finding inspiration through grief, but that’s exactly what happened to me. I wrote the majority of this book in the dark days right after my father’s passing. In the midst of my grief, I found a certain measure of peace. By writing this story, I found comfort and a reminder of those things my father held dear: faith, love and family. With faith being at the top of the list.

So this book was more than just a story for me. It was a journey to healing, and one I’m profoundly glad that you are now taking with me. While the struggles that Sadie and Kip faced were quite different than what I was going through, writing their story gave me strength and an outlet to work through my pain. Day by day—word by word—prayer by prayer.

Again, thank you for reading Out of Hiding. I would love to hear from you! You can visit my website at www.racheldylan.com, or email me at

[email protected].

Rachel Dylan

RACHEL DYLAN

writes inspirational romantic suspense. Being a Georgia girl, she thrives on sunshine and warm summer days. She loves animals and is active in animal rescue. Rachel enjoys adding lovable pets to her stories. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and five furkids—two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at www.racheldylan.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.

—Romans 8:28

In memory of my loving father, an amazing man of faith—pastor, teacher and friend to so many.

Thanks to my agent Sarah Younger for believing in me and in this story.

To my editor Emily Rodmell for your keen insights.

Thanks to Alison Stone for helping me along this wonderful journey and sharing this experience with me. I cherish our friendship. To Susan Chandler for always being there and cheering me on.

To my husband, Aaron, and five furkids for your unconditional love. And to my mom who is my rock.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Sadie felt the bullet whiz by her head as she crouched down in the wet dirt. Darkness surrounded her, but she wasn’t alone. Her gut screamed loudly that something was terribly wrong. And she always trusted her gut. She had company, and if that bullet was any indication, they meant business. The sound of the crackling leaves told her someone was moving quickly in her direction.

Dressed in all black, she lay flat on the ground in the dark woods. No one was going to see her. That bullet wasn’t meant for her but was intended for someone else. Who? She didn’t want to stick around long enough to find out. She prayed that Megan wasn’t out here in the woods tonight—alone, scared and with bullets flying. It was no place for a sixteen-year-old girl.

She checked her gun and kept her position low against the damp, muddy ground. Her night vision goggles were a blessing. It was then she saw what she dreaded the most. The letters FBI on a dark-colored flak jacket as an agent trounced his way through the woods. Why the FBI was involved in whatever was happening in these woods she didn’t know, but she didn’t like it. They were invading her turf.