SILENT LITTLE WITNESS
Determined to question the ex-wife of a murder suspect, homicide detective Miles Callahan arrives just in time to save her and her daughter from a shooter. Leaving the scene of a crime goes against his training, but protecting Paige Olson and the little girl is more important than following the rules. But now, on the run with mother and child, Miles must figure out what happened to Paigeâs ex-husband...and why young Abby wonât say a word. Her usually talkative childâs silence has Paige worried. Is it possible she witnessed something while video chatting with her dad? If only they can convince the little girl to talk, then they might just break the case wide-open...and stop the killer whoâs stalking them at every turn.
âWe canât keep running forever, Paige. At some point, weâll need to trust the authorities.â
âI think itâs best if we hold off calling your boss until we have a solid lead to act upon.â
âYou may be right, although it could be that the information on this SIM card is enough to blow the case wide-open.â
âPlease, not yet,â she begged. âLetâs make sure that we donât tip anyone off as to where we are.â
Miles didnât say anything for a long moment, but then he nodded. âAll right, weâll hold off. For now.â
Miles came up to stand beside her as she watched her daughter, and her heart betrayed her by skipping a beat. She didnât want to respond to him, not when she was beyond annoyed with him.
âIâll keep you safe,â he murmured softly.
âI know.â
He slid his arm around her waist and she leaned against him for a moment, drawing strength from his nearness.
Maybe he was right about calling the authorities. They couldnât stay here indefinitely. Obviously the information on the SIM card was important.
Important enough to kill for.
Dear Reader,
The Only Witness is the second book in my Callahan Confidential series. I love writing series, and this particular one involving a large family has been especially fun. The Callahan family has a legacy of choosing careers that support and protect their community, but these jobs also put them in constant danger. This story revolves around homicide detective Miles Callahan, known as the fun-loving Callahan sibling. But deep down, Miles is suffering from the loss of his college sweetheart who died of cancer shortly after their graduation.
When Miles meets single mother Paige Olson and her adorable five-year-old daughter, Abby, he is determined to protect them. And itâs not long before Miles realizes young Abby may be the only witness to a horrible murder.
I hope you enjoy Miles and Paigeâs story. Iâm also hard at work on the next book in the Callahan Confidential series. I love hearing from my readers. If youâre interested in contacting me or signing up for my newsletter, please visit my website at www.laurascottbooks.com. Iâm also on Facebook at Laura Scott Books, Author, and on Twitter @Laurascottbooks.
Yours in faith,
Laura Scott
LAURA SCOTT is a nurse by day and an author by night. She has always loved romance, reading faith-based books by Grace Livingston Hill in her teenage years. Sheâs thrilled to have published sixteen books for Love Inspired Suspense. She has two adult children and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her husband of thirty years. Please visit Laura at laurascottbooks.com, as she loves to hear from her readers.
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
âPsalms 91:1
This book is dedicated to my cousin Carie Binger.
Thanks for all the great childhood memories, skiing and boating on the Wisconsin River. Love you!
ONE
A loud crash from her five-year-old daughterâs room startled Paige Olson, causing her to drop the lasagna pan sheâd been washing.
âAbby?â Grabbing the dishtowel on the counter, Paige quickly dried her hands, then tossed it aside to hurry over to the short hallway of her cozy two-bedroom house. Off the hallway was a bathroom, with her daughterâs room on one side and hers on the other. âSweetie, are you all right?â
Stepping into her daughterâs bedroom, her gaze instantly found the source of the crash. Abbyâs tablet was lying face down on the scuffed hardwood floor.
Paige had told her ex-husband that the tablet was too expensive for a five-year-old, but he hadnât listened. Not that Travis ever cared about her opinions.
âAbby, where are you?â Paige noticed that Ellie, her little girlâs favorite stuffed elephant, wasnât anywhere in sight, and quickly deduced that her daughter likely had the toy clutched in her arms under the bed. Abby often crawled beneath her bed during thunderstorms, too. Paige had just dropped to her knees to check when a loud crash, followed by a sharp report, rang through the house.