Yuletide Abduction

KIDNAPPED AT CHRISTMAS

FBI agent Elise Richardson fears the worst when a Mississippi teen is abducted days before Christmas. But she won’t give up, especially when she learns she owes her life to the missing girl’s father. Years ago, former army ranger Josh Adams lost his brother when he died saving Elise. Though Josh resents her for the loss, she’s now his niece’s only hope. Working with the ex-soldier proves dangerous to Elise’s heart…and to her life when she closes in on what she fears is a human trafficking ring. If she’s right, Elise has only days to rescue Josh’s niece for a holiday homecoming—and to prove herself worthy of his love.

RANGERS UNDER FIRE: Nothing’s more dangerous than falling in love

How could she ever make it up to him?

“I’m sorry about your brother,” Elise said.

“And now his daughter’s missing. And you owe it to us to find her.” Josh stormed toward the house. He turned back to say something when a car approached. As if in slow motion, the window lowered and an explosion of gunfire filled the air.

Josh threw her to the ground, shielding her with his body. The air around them was alight with gunfire, and there was the roar of a departing engine. Amid all that, Elise heard the rapid beat of Josh’s heart, felt the warmth of his breath. In the middle of a firefight why was she aware of that?

The agent in her took over for the woman. “Did you see anything?”

“It’s the same car that tried to run you down before,” Josh replied.

She nodded. “Someone is trying to stop us from investigating your niece’s disappearance. I think it’s safe to say we’re dealing with more than a runaway situation.”

And safe to say they were in for the fight of their lives.

VIRGINIA VAUGHAN is a born and raised Mississippi girl. She is blessed to come from a large Southern family, and her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted around the dinner table. She was a lover of books from a young age, devouring tales of romance, danger and love. She soon started writing them herself. You can connect with Virginia through her website, virginiavaughanonline.com, or through the publisher.

Yuletide Abduction

Virginia Vaughan

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

—Psalms 119:105

This book is dedicated to my boys, Josh and Chris,

for all the years you put up with me while I tried my hand at this writing thing.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

She should have brought her gun.

FBI agent Elise Richardson slowed her jogging pace then stopped and knelt down, pretending to tie her shoelace. She glanced over her shoulder at the car that had been following her for three blocks. An older-model gray sedan with one occupant. She stood and stretched her arms and legs, casually scanning the early-morning downtown area. The buildings had been decorated for Christmas, but the streets were uninhabited at this time of day. Stores were locked up and secured. Only the street lamps lit the sidewalk as her feet pumped against the pavement once again. And she was exposed without her gun and without her cell phone.

Who knew an early-morning jog would necessitate weaponry?

She rounded a corner and found more of the same. Christmas adornment. Empty streets. Locked shops. No one in this sleepy town of Westhaven, Mississippi, was at work yet.

Except the guy in the car following her.

She kept her speed consistent, but her legs and her lungs were already burning from the run. If she could circle the block perhaps she could make it to her hotel. She pushed through the pain and quickened her pace. The car matched her speed. She rounded another corner. The slow-moving car did the same.

She had no idea who was following her or what they wanted. Who even knew she was in town? She hadn’t checked in with the local police department yet since she’d arrived last night. She turned her head and glanced at the car again. Sunglasses and a hat hid his face, but he flinched as if realizing he’d been spotted. He gunned the engine. Elise took off running and this time the driver made no pretense. He swerved onto the sidewalk, barely missing her before she jumped over a concrete barrier and across a grass partition. The car rammed the barrier then backed up and sped toward her, its wheels squealing against the asphalt and metal screeching as it swiped the pavement.

She ran past an outdoor café, taking a moment to fling the metal chairs into the path of the oncoming vehicle that swerved to miss them but didn’t stop pursuing.

She heard a horn blare and tires squeal from a different direction. She turned to look and saw a black truck swerve into the path of the car then slam into it. Elise dived into the alcove of an office building to escape the debris. Her head hit the hard glass doors and the mounted Christmas wreaths fell on her. Blinding pain exploded in her head and the world spun. The howl of metal on metal roared in her ears. She tucked her head into her knees and used her arms to shield her, but shards of glass and metal bit into them. Another blinding pain ripped through the back of her leg. She cried out, realizing a fragment had lodged in her upper thigh.