Perilous Refuge

Nowhere to turn

When she witnesses her boss’s murder, Chelsea Rogers is forced on the run. Hiding out as a personal assistant to a wealthy matron on a Hawaiian vacation, she hopes to stay off-the-radar. But then Alex Sullivan, her employer’s dashing but highly suspicious attorney, starts digging into her identity—and hired guns begin stalking her every move. Another murder leaves her with no choice—she has to trust Alex to have any chance of surviving. But when the threats against her put them both at risk, will the danger she can’t outrun cost her the man she’s learned to love?

“Sooner or later, I’m going to discover what you’re hiding.”

Alex stood in front of her, his stance imposing as he continued. “Why don’t you save us both some time and enlighten me?”

Chelsea’s lips thinned. She was so distressed she barely seemed to notice when Alex reached for her hands and started rubbing them gently, his eyes locked with hers. When he spoke, his voice was softer but still insistent. “I don’t know what you’re involved in, but somebody tried to kill you today, and I just pulled you out of a building with a dead body in it. It’s time to end the secrets. Whatever this is has gone way too far.”

Chelsea’s heart was thumping against her chest. She realized that her breath was coming in gasps, so she tried to slow things down and steady her nerves. What was she supposed to do?

The thought came to her then. Trust him…

But could she?

KATHLEEN TAILER

is an attorney who works for the Supreme Court of Florida in the Office of the State Courts Administrator, where she works on programs that are designed to enhance and improve dependency courts throughout the state. She previously worked for the Florida Department of Children and Families, handling child-abuse cases both as a line attorney and in the DCF General Counsel’s Office. She enjoys teaching business law online classes at Liberty University and working on finding homes for orphans with the Open Door Adoption Agency. She and her husband have eight children, five of whom they adopted. When not in the office, Kathleen spends most of her time cheering for her kids at different events or spending quiet time (hah!) at home. Kathleen has previously published three articles for Fostering Families Today, a magazine for foster families. She also plays drums on the worship team at Calvary Chapel Thomasville.

Perilous Refuge

Kathleen Tailer

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

—Joshua 1:9

Family comes in many forms.

This book is for my magnificent family: my husband, Jim, and all eight of my children—Bethany, Keandra, Jessica, Nathan, Joshua, Anna, Megan and James. It is also for my incredible church family at Calvary Chapel in Thomasville, Georgia. Thank you all for your love and support!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

PROLOGUE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

PROLOGUE

Cecilia Rigo rubbed her forehead, but the ache simply wouldn’t go away. It was past two in the morning, but Mr. Roderick Carver, CEO of Carver Enterprises, wanted to go over the books one more time, and she would do as her employer asked. They could go over them fifty more times, but the numbers wouldn’t change and neither would the fact that someone had been skimming large sums of money from the real-estate company. Cecilia closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Everything pointed toward Justin Carver, her boss’s only child, as the guilty party, but Mr. Carver was desperately searching for any other answer.

Cecilia looked over at Mr. Carver and noticed the grayness of his skin and the heavy lines around his eyes. He seemed to have aged thirty years as the knowledge of his son’s treachery seeped within him.

“I think I’ll go get us some coffee,” she said softly. She met his eyes and gave him a tired smile, then patted his hand and left for the kitchen. She had worked so long and closely with him that he had become a father figure to her, and she wanted to do whatever she could to ease the pain he was undoubtedly feeling.

“Thank you, Cecilia. I don’t know what I would do without you.” His voice was rough, and she knew he was holding back the tears.

She went to the kitchen and prepared the coffee, then pulled two cups from the cabinet. The gunshot shocked her so much that she dropped one of the mugs and it shattered against the tiled floor. She rushed back to the room to see Justin standing over his father’s inert body, the blood from the older man’s head wound already seeping silently across the desk.

Justin smiled at her, but it was a sinister smile and fear swept down her spine. “Just in time, my dear. I’m afraid my father shot you and then killed himself when he found out how you had been stealing from him.” He pointed the gun at her chest. “Not even those pretty brown eyes of yours could convince him to spare your life. It’s sad, really. What a waste.” He narrowed his eyes. “Now move slowly into the room.”