Tundra Threat

DEADLY TERRAIN

Two murdered men are the last thing wildlife trooper McKenna Clark expected to find in the stark Alaskan wilderness. As the only law enforcement in the area, the responsibility for the case rests on her shoulders—along with the danger. Hunting guide and pilot Will Harrison wants to ease the load, but McKenna balks at the thought of letting him close enough to break her heart again. When McKenna’s investigations put her in harm’s way, Will must race against the clock to save his second chance at love from becoming the killer’s final victim.

The wilderness was as treacherous as it was beautiful.

Will scanned their surroundings for possible threats, human or animal, as he followed McKenna.

She stopped by an unmistakable red stain on the brown earth where the bodies had once lain.

Knowing the blood had come from someone churned his stomach. But not as much as the thought that it could have been McKenna’s.

The thought of little McKenna Clark all grown up and mixed up in a job like this played havoc with his mind. She was too young and inexperienced for an isolated post like this.

“Be careful.” An uneasy feeling crept over him.

He heard the bang a split second before the bullet whizzed past.

“Get down!” he yelled to McKenna, taking her to the ground with him. He’d promised her he wouldn’t let her get hurt and she’d almost been killed.

Last night’s note had been a warning. Today, full understanding hit him with all the force of a charging male grizzly. Someone was trying to kill McKenna.

SARAH VARLAND

lives in the woods in Georgia with her husband, John, their two boys and their dogs. Her passion for books comes from her mom; her love for suspense comes from her dad, who has spent a career in law enforcement. Her love for romance comes from the relationship she has with her husband and from watching too many chick flicks. When she’s not writing, she’s often found reading, baking, kayaking or hiking.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

—1 John 4:18

To my family—I love and appreciate all of you.

Thank you to my family. John, Mom, Dad, and Alison—you do everything from critique and brainstorm, to babysit, to answer odd questions about crime scenes. Josh and Timothy—thanks for providing a welcome break from writing now and then with your cuteness.

Thank you to Major Dennis Casanovus for answering research questions relating to this book and the Alaska State Troopers. Your help was invaluable and any mistakes or stretches are mine. Thanks also to Lindsay Moore for helping one of my characters stop the bleeding of a gunshot victim.

Thanks to my writing friends who have encouraged me with your friendship.

Thanks, Alice, for being a fabulous agent.

Thank you, Elizabeth, my editor, who has a special skill for making stories shine.

And thank you, Lord, again, for letting me live this dream.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Acknowledgments

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

ONE

A soft wind blew across the tundra, whispered through the grass and sent shivers up McKenna Clark’s spine. The two bodies that lay in front of her were not the caribou or moose the wildlife trooper expected to find when she received a tip that someone might be poaching on the tundra south of Barrow. No, these bodies were definitely human. And they’d definitely been murdered.

Her stomach churned and swirled but she took a deep breath as she edged closer, closed her eyes most of the way and felt each person’s wrist for a pulse, just in case.

Nothing.

She dropped the arm she’d last held, took several steps back and averted her eyes. She’d seen her share of senseless killing in her work, but this was the first time she’d seen a dead person outside of a funeral home. This wasn’t what she’d expected when she’d signed up to be a wildlife trooper. She’d been through the trooper academy like every other Alaska state trooper, and knew her job was dangerous in a unique way. The wild animals she worked to protect were unpredictable and could pose a serious threat to her safety on their own. And anyone breaking hunting regulations had the potential to be dangerous to her. Those were all risks she understood and accepted willingly when she took the job. But this? She’d never anticipated dealing with murder.

She forced herself to glance back down at the bodies, knowing she’d be asked more than a few questions once she called this in. Especially about whether cause of death was obvious. It was—in the form of a gunshot wound on each.

“Everything okay?”

McKenna bristled at the voice of Chris, the pilot, who was too close behind her for comfort. She whipped around, wondering when he’d gotten out of the plane. “No. It’s not.” He may be a contract-based employee of the troopers, but his narrow eyes were full of something she couldn’t identify, and the way he held himself made it seem as though he had something to hide. She didn’t trust him.