Hidden in the everglades.., p.19
Hidden in the Everglades (Love Inspired Suspense),
p.19
Because God had given him a second chance, too.
Kyra walked across the sand to where the waves broke onto the shore. Five days ago not much earlier than today she’d come out to the beach to begin her vacation and now it was over. She would fly out later today from Miami. Home to Dallas and back to her normal life. A day earlier than planned.
Last night the house had been so empty with Michael and the girls gone. Even Aunt Ellen had gone out to dinner with Gabe in Naples, leaving her alone although they had asked her to come. She hadn’t wanted to intrude on their first official date. Then this morning he was at the house bright and early to take Aunt Ellen for target practice.
The warm water flowed over her flip-flops. At least the innocent people of the world were rid of the Black Mamba. Too bad there were others ready to take the assassin’s place.
She turned to stroll back toward the house to finish packing. She needed to be on the road in a few hours, but she had wanted to come out here and at least spend some time on the beach enjoying what she had looked forward to for months. Maybe when Ginny returned to the United States and Flamingo Cay, she could come back for another vacation—preferably a calm, safe one. But for now she couldn’t stay with Michael so close.
She trudged up the steps to the deck and rinsed off her feet before entering the back door. This was where she and Michael had said their goodbyes the night before with the room full of people. After Gabe arrived yesterday, she and Michael had no time to be alone. She’d preferred it that way—less painful. She prayed one day he’d find some peace and forgive himself for surviving the car crash.
As she made her way across the oblong great room, a tingling along her nape caused her to slow her pace. She couldn’t shake the sensation eyes were boring into her. She glanced down at her waist where her holster had often been this past week. Nothing.
Every fiber of her being screamed she wasn’t alone. Everyone connected to this case was dead. Was there a fourth person they hadn’t known about?
She kept placing one foot in front of the other while her mind frantically tried to come up with a way to get out of the situation alive. The tingling sensation spread down her length as though a target were being drawn on her back.
“Turn around slowly,” a deep, gravelly voice said.
Kyra did as she was told and came face-to-face with the Black Mamba.
Michael mounted the stairs to Kyra’s back deck and crossed it to knock on the door. His raised hand paused in midair. Through the glass he glimpsed the back of a tall, medium-built man with a gun pointed at Kyra. On his arm at his side was a tattoo of a black snake. The Black Mamba was alive?
Michael stepped away from the door and retrieved his cell from his pocket. While striding toward the garage door, he called Gabe to report the assassin in Kyra’s house.
“You stay away. We can be there in five minutes.”
Michael clicked off and unlocked the garage’s side door. Five minutes might be too long. It only took a second to pull a trigger.
As he sneaked into Kyra’s kitchen, he heard the man called the Black Mamba say, “No one damages my reputation and gets away with it. I’m going to kill you, then take care of your doctor friend and those two girls.”
Michael scanned the room for any kind of weapon he could use against the man. He pulled open the drawer of the desk where he’d seen Ellen put her gun once. Empty. Then his gaze lit upon the cast-iron skillet on the stove. He grabbed it and peeked around the door frame into the dining room. He didn’t see the Black Mamba but his voice came to Michael as though he still stood in the same place a couple of feet from the opening into the great room from the foyer.
If he could surprise the man, he could knock him out without a shot fired. Michael eased forward. Lord, I can’t do this without You.
Flattening himself against the wall, Michael peered around the corner into the room. The Black Mamba’s back was still to him. Kyra saw him as he crept toward the killer but somehow managed not to give anything away.
Her focus returned to the assassin, totally directed at him. “You won’t get away. If I turn up dead, the authorities will know you’re alive.”
He laughed. “That’s okay. They might figure it out when they don’t find my body with the debris from the airplane crash. I have places I can disappear to and hide. I don’t usually kill unless I’m paid for it, but I’m making an exception here.” He raised his gun arm higher.
Michael hoisted the skillet and swung it toward the man’s head. The sound of the impact with his skull reverberated through the room. The weapon dropped to the tile while the man teetered for a few seconds, then sank to the floor.
Kyra scrambled forward and scooped up the gun. As she straightened, her look riveted to Michael.
Silence dominated for a brief moment. Then suddenly Kyra flew into his arms and crushed herself against him, raining kisses all over his face.
Later when all the confusion died down and the army of people with the Black Mamba in tow had left Pelican Lane, Michael took Kyra’s hand and pulled her across her deck, down the steps and out onto the beach, the rays of the sun warming them as they strolled along the sandy shoreline.
“I’m so glad you chose that moment to return my key or…”
“Don’t say it. God’s given us a second chance. I know we have some hurdles to overcome to make a relationship work for us, but I want to try. I love you. Have ever since I first saw you when I was eight years old.”
She chuckled. “No, you didn’t. You tossed a water balloon at me and drenched me. I don’t call that love.”
“To an eight-year-old boy, it’s our way of showing our interest in the opposite sex.”
“I think you need to work on your technique.”
He stopped in the sand and turned her toward him, winding his arms around her and planting a kiss on her mouth—long, deep, soul-healing.
“Is that better?”
“Mmm. It’s getting there, but I think you’ll have to practice some more—say, a lifetime.”
“Where? Here or Dallas?”
“Details to be worked out later. The only important one is we love each other.” She pulled his head down for another kiss.
EPILOGUE
Kyra scanned the sea of people gathered in the recreational hall at her church in Dallas. Her friends and family were all here to celebrate her wedding day. Until she’d reacquainted herself with Michael a year ago, she hadn’t thought she would ever wear a white gown and walk down the aisle toward her husband to be. Only an hour ago she’d proved herself wrong.
“What are you smiling about, Mrs. Hunt?”
She shifted toward Michael, the feeling they could face anything together washing over her. “You. All these people here today. Even a few from Flamingo Cay.”
“I’m going to miss that place.”
“You’re still okay with moving here and setting up a practice?” The past year until Amy was ready to go away to college had been hard with her and Michael flying back and forth between Dallas and Flamingo Cay. But they had forged a deeper relationship due to their separation through the year. She had learned to cherish each second with him.
“Yes, especially since they found another doctor to replace me. No more emergency medicine for me. Family practice suits me just fine.” He leaned forward and brushed his mouth across hers.
“That’s no way to kiss your new wife.” Gabe grinned, a twinkle in his eye. “Come on. You can do better than that.”
Surrounded by family—Ginny, Amy, her sister, Amanda, and Aunt Ellen—as well as friends—fellow Dallas police officers, her employees at Guardians, Inc., Ken and his wife—Kyra wasn’t going to let them down. Amidst applause and cheering, she curled her arm around Michael and dragged him closer.
“I certainly don’t want to disappoint them,” Kyra whispered against his mouth right before she deepened the kiss and surrendered anew her heart to her husband.
Dear Reader,
This is the last book in the Guardians, Inc. series. I have enjoyed trying to put myself in the mind-set of a female hired to protect a person. Although Kyra is tough and knows how to take care of herself, she has a fear of snakes that started when she was a child and had a terrifying experience with one. Even the strongest people have weaknesses.
I love hearing from readers. You can contact me at margaretdaley@gmail.com or at P.O. Box 2074 Tulsa, OK 74101. You can learn more about my books at www.margaretdaley.com. I have a quarterly newsletter that you can sign up for on my website or you can enter my monthly drawings by signing my guest book on the website.
Best wishes,
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Kyra couldn’t wait to go on vacation and finally relax and rest. Do you find life gets so busy you hardly enjoy what is happening? What are some things you can do to pause and enjoy the moment?
What is your favorite scene? Why?
Fear can make people do things they wouldn’t normally do. Amy didn’t know whom to trust. She ran because she was frightened and put herself and her friend in danger. Have you ever let fear rule your life? What did you do to overcome the fear?
Kyra has seen enough marriages in her lifetime that have ended badly that she doesn’t want to have anything to do with that kind of commitment. What makes a marriage strong? What kind of advice would you give her about marriage?
Who is your favorite character? Why?
What lengths would you go to in order to protect a loved one?
Kyra didn’t tell Gabe about Amy and Laurie being found. Gabe was upset with her and felt a little betrayed, but in the end forgave her for keeping that from him. Have you ever had something like that happen to you with a friend? How did you resolve the situation?
Who did you think was the corrupt law-enforcement officer? Why?
Michael felt guilty about Sarah dying in the wreck. Guilt can do a lot of harm to a person. How can guilt be displayed in a person?
Michael felt in over his head dealing with raising Amy, a rebellious seventeen-year-old. What advice would you give him as far as Amy was concerned?
Michael was questioning whether he should be a doctor. He’d tried to save Sarah’s life at the wreck, but she died. He had been working long hours and now it seemed like as if efforts were for nothing. Have you ever felt burned out? How do you rejuvenate yourself? How do you avoid becoming burned out in the first place?
Kyra had to face a childhood fear of snakes in the story. She didn’t want to go into the Everglades but she did because Michael needed her. Do you have a fear of something like Kyra did? Have you had to face a fear like that and had to overcome it? How did you do it?
Michael’s faith was tested when he lost Sarah. He didn’t think the Lord was listening to him. Have you ever thought that? What did you do to work through that? How do you know that the Lord is listening even though He doesn’t always answer your prayers the way you want?
What do you think of female bodyguards? Would you trust one to guard you? Why or why not?
As a police officer Kyra saw the dark side of life. She had to quit being a police officer or lose herself. How can people who serve to protect us keep from having the dark side of life pull them down?
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1286-2
HIDDEN IN THE EVERGLADES
Copyright © 2011 by Margaret Daley
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Love Inspired Books.
® and TM are trademarks of Love Inspired Books, used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.LoveInspiredBooks.com
*The Ladies of Sweetwater Lake
**Fostered by Love
†Helping Hands Homeschooling
††Guardians, Inc.
Table of Contents
BOOKS BY MARGARET DALEY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TITLE PAGE
EPIGRAPH
DEDICATION
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EPILOGUE
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
COPYRIGHT
Margaret Daley, Hidden in the Everglades (Love Inspired Suspense)
