Final showdown, p.1
Final Showdown,
p.1
The sound of a revving engine and skidding tires caused them to look up the street.
Dakota stiffened noticeably and barked. Daniel threw his arms around Aurora and propelled them both behind his SUV. Her evidence collection kit went flying.
“Dakota, come. Down!” Daniel shouted to the K-9.
Aurora’s head was spinning. Her vision blurred. She fought to catch her breath.
Strong arms held her as Daniel shielded her with his own body and Dakota took a place on the ground next to them. Every muscle of the dog’s massive body was tensed as if ready to launch an attack.
Time seemed to slow. The racing motor was so close. Shots cracked the frigid air. Daniel tightened his grip. Aurora had never been more frightened—or felt better protected.
* * *
DAKOTA K-9 UNIT
Chasing a Kidnapper by Laura Scott, April 2025
Deadly Badlands Pursuit by Sharee Stover, May 2025
Standing Watch by Terri Reed, June 2025
Cold Case Peril by Maggie K. Black, July 2025
Tracing Killer Evidence by Jodie Bailey, August 2025
Threat of Revenge by Jessica R. Patch, September 2025
Double Protection Duty by Sharon Dunn, October 2025
Final Showdown by Valerie Hansen, November 2025
Christmas K-9 Patrol by Lynette Eason and Lenora Worth, December 2025
Valerie Hansen was thirty when she awoke to the presence of the Lord in her life and turned to Jesus. She now lives in a renovated farmhouse on the breathtakingly beautiful Ozark Plateau of Arkansas and is privileged to share her personal faith by telling the stories of her heart for Love Inspired. Life doesn’t get much better than that!
Books by Valerie Hansen
Love Inspired Suspense
Undercover Escape
Dakota K-9 Unit
Final Showdown
Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit
Scent of Truth
Mountain Country K-9 Unit
Chasing Justice
Emergency Responders
Fatal Threat
Marked for Revenge
On the Run
Christmas Vendetta
Serial Threat
Visit the Author Profile page at LoveInspired.com for more titles.
Final Showdown
Valerie Hansen
NOTE TO READERS
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Page numbers taken from the following print edition: ISBN 9781335957337
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
—Psalm 31:15
To family, born and adopted, and to those whose memories are the fuel that gently urges us to live the best lives possible in their honor.
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
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Excerpt
About the Publisher
ONE
Early snow had turned to slush on the sidewalks of Plains City, South Dakota, as autumn battled winter for dominance. Streetlights cast an eerie shadow on the multitude of footprints to and from the murder scene. Nothing about the modest house suggested the carnage inside but it was certainly there. A young woman had tragically been shot by her boyfriend. If it hadn’t been for the statement from the witness next door, they might’ve never discovered who the murderer was.
Cold air hit Aurora Martin as she stepped out onto the porch and shed the protective booties that were part of her official investigative outfit as a crime scene tech. Her breath clouded. She stuffed the booties into the kit she carried, closed it, then zipped up her jacket and started toward the curb.
A deep male voice called from behind. “You can ride back to the station with Dakota and me if you like.”
Turning, Aurora eyed the huge tan Great Dane at ATF Special Agent Daniel Slater’s side, then noted his smile as he and his K-9 joined her.
“I don’t bite,” he added. “Ask anybody on my team. They’ll vouch for me.”
She couldn’t help returning his grin. “It’s not that. I have wheels. I borrowed my cousin Maddie’s car while mine’s in the shop getting a new starter.” She gestured at the blue sedan parked behind his unmarked SUV. “See? Besides, I can’t picture sitting there with my back to a K-9 big enough to put my whole head in her mouth.”
As Aurora had intended, Daniel chuckled. “It’s the drool that’ll get you if you get too close.”
“So I gathered.” She glanced toward the modest home of the witness who had alerted 911 when she’d heard furious arguing and then gunshots coming from the house next door. “Are you sure Miss Effie will be all right?” The elderly woman had been Aurora’s Sunday school teacher and was dear to her. Her description of the shooter she’d seen running from the house was a perfect match for Brandon Murray, AKA Jones, a notorious gun trafficker. The victim was his girlfriend, Lila Pierce.
Daniel nodded. “Effie will be fine. I’ll see that she’s looked after.” He sighed, staring at the house. “Jones’s prints are all over the murder scene because he lived there so they’re useless as evidence.”
“There’s always ballistics,” Aurora offered.
“With gun traffickers, that’s not easy to track.”
He was right. Trying to match ballistics would be challenging because traffickers had so many guns at their disposal—they could change them with the ease that people changed their clothes. It was a solid witness statement that would help the police get the killer. “True. Which brings me back to Miss Effie. I don’t think she’s safe staying here alone.”
Daniel gestured toward a black-and-white Plains City police cruiser parked twenty yards up the street. “Don’t worry. Your department has promised to keep a close eye on her until I can arrange witness protection with the US Marshal’s office.”
Aurora sighed. “I know. It’s just that I care about her.”
He arched a brow. “It’s a long way from Sunday School class to crime scenes. What made you choose this line of work, anyway?”
“I’m not exactly sure. I’ve always loved puzzles and when it became apparent I didn’t have the temperament to be a police officer, which was my first choice, I sort of drifted into forensics. It’s fascinating. Sad sometimes, of course, but nevertheless absorbing.” She gave him another smile. “And I still get to help put criminals behind bars.” Maybe it was in her blood to fight for justice. After all, her cousin Maddie was a prosecutor for the district attorney’s office.
“Once we catch them, you play a big part in getting convictions,” Daniel said. “Too bad Jones is on the loose.”
He looked frustrated by that. Everyone at the Plains City PD knew of ATF Supervisory Special Agent Daniel Slater, who’d been chosen to lead the Dakota Gun Trafficking Task Force which was made up of K-9 officers from various agencies across North and South Dakota. Their mission was to bring down a ruthless weapons trafficking ring that had been moving arms through the Dakotas and so far they’d made pretty good progress. Because the temporary DGTF headquarters was at the PCPD, Aurora had seen Daniel and his team around, though she’d never worked with him on a case. Until now. Unfortunately, the murder that had brought them together tonight had added yet another name to Brandon Jones’s growing list of victims.
Aurora stepped off the curb when Daniel did, keeping him between her and the huge dog. She wasn’t afraid of Dakota; she simply wanted to honor the fact that the K-9 was wearing her working vest and therefore not to be treated like a pet.
The sound of a revving engine and skidding tires caused all three of them to look up the street. Dakota was the first to stiffened noticeably. She began to growl.
Reacting, Daniel stopped and held up a hand in front of Aurora. She stared at the oncoming car. “What…?”
He shouted, “Dakota, come. Down,” then whirled, threw his arms around Aurora and propelled them both behind his SUV. Her evidence collection kit went flying.
Aurora’s head was spinning. Her vision blurred. She fought to catch her breath.
Strong arms held her as Daniel shielded her with his own body and Dakota took a place on the ground next to them. Every muscle of the dog’s massive body was tensed as if ready to launch an attack. If the K-9 had not been so well trained, Aurora imagined she’d be on her feet snarling and barking.
Time seemed to slow. The racing motor was so close. Shots cracked the frigid air, punching a jagged line of holes in the opposite side of the parked car. Daniel tightened his grip. Aurora had never been more frightened—or felt better protected.
Engine sound peaked, then rapidly fell, indi
The patrol unit that had been parked up the street sped past them in pursuit of the shooters while Daniel grabbed the mic from the radio in his car and began to report.
Suddenly on her own, Aurora trembled. Oblivious to the icy ground, she drew in her bent knees, leaned back against the side of the ATF agent’s SUV and closed her eyes until she felt a weight against her shoulder.
The Great Dane had gently seated herself next to Aurora and gone into protection mode.
She was impressed. And surprisingly comforted. “Thanks, girl,” she said quietly. “I owe you a steak later.”
The massive head turned to look at her. Black accents on Dakota’s muzzle and ears would have made her look fierce, especially since they were almost nose to nose, if Aurora hadn’t sensed an emotional connection.
Instead of saying anything else, she tilted her head slightly and rested it against the dog’s vest at the shoulder. Dakota could drool all she wanted as far as Aurora was concerned. She recognized a hero when she met one.
* * *
“The drive-by shooter may have been Brandon Jones,” Daniel reported via radio, “or some part of the Jones/Murray gang.” He looked back at the witness’s house, expecting to see it riddled with bullet holes. It was not. Aurora’s cousin’s car, however, bore pockmarks in its door and front fender.
He shuddered when he realized how close the shots had come to the place where he and the crime scene tech had been standing mere seconds before.
A quick glance at the woman seated on the ground beside his vehicle calmed his fears. The assailants had been fast but he’d been faster, thanks in part to Dakota’s immediate assessment of the situation. That was one way in which a canine’s basic instinct topped that of a human. Most people stood and stared to consider approaching danger until it was too late to act, while a trained K-9 reacted immediately, even if the reason was not readily apparent. He’d learned long ago to listen to his dog and worry about figuring out the details later.
Holstering his gun, he offered a hand and spoke gently to Aurora as he pulled her up to stand beside him. “You okay? Not hurt?”
“As far as I know.”
Concerned, he paused beside her. “Your cheeks are awfully red. Are you sure you’re all right.”
“I’m fine. Getting tackled knocked the air out of me, that’s all.”
“Sorry about that. Better a temporary discomfort than something more permanent, like a bullet, right? I’m afraid you’re going to owe your cousin some auto-body repair work.”
“As long as it’s the car’s body and not mine. Or yours.”
“You’re right about that.” He pulled out his cell phone, punched in a text to his team and sent it before adding, “I think you should wait inside with the witness until backup arrives.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Are you wearing Kevlar?”
“No, but Dakota is.”
He almost chuckled at the way the pretty young woman rolled her hazel eyes at him. “I know she’s intelligent,” Aurora said, “but I doubt she’s learned to use the radio or shoot back if something happens to you.”
“I’ll be safe enough here behind my car. It has extra reinforcement built in. And safety glass.”
“No way,” Aurora said. “You look smarter than that. Some calibers are capable of penetrating an engine block.”
He hadn’t expected her to argue and it took him aback. Daniel was not about to let her have the last word. “Magnums, maybe. Not what those guys were shooting. I could tell by the sound.”
He saw her begin to frown as she added, “We can stand here and argue ballistics all day if you want. I’m right and you know it.”
“And a little stubborn, maybe?”
Aurora shrugged. “Maybe.”
Rising and falling siren wails signaled the approach of more backup units, giving Daniel a plausible reason to ignore any more unasked-for advice. It was less a matter of who was right than it was of maintaining control. He was the DGTF leader in charge of running the operation as well as looking into any tangential crimes that might affect the K-9 team’s success at breaking up the gun trafficking ring. He didn’t take orders from anybody except higher-ups at ATF, period, no matter what kind of attractive package they came in.
Two Plains City patrol cars approached and parked at a slant to block traffic, their sirens winding down, warning lights still flashing. His team was arriving. Detective Kenyon Graves bailed out of his K-9 equipped car and took temporary cover behind the open door. To Daniel’s relief, US Marshal Lorelai Danvers was with him. Having her on scene was bound to expedite his request for witness protection for the elderly neighbor that Aurora was worried about. The second specialized car contained Jack Donadio who was finally off desk duty after recovering from a shooting injury.
“Stand down but stay alert,” Daniel ordered his team. “And leave your dogs in the cars for now. This was a drive-by. There’s nothing on the ground to track.”
Kenyon straightened and holstered his gun. “Did you get a plate number?”
“No,” Daniel said, looking toward Aurora. “You?”
“I was flying through the air, remember.” The comment was delivered with the hint of a smile as she shook her head. “I did see a man looking out the passenger window and pointing a handgun at us just before I was knocked off my feet.”
“That’s something,” Lorelai said. The tall blonde scanned the scene, her green eyes assessing. “Do you think you can identify him if you see him again?”
“Well, I don’t think it was Brandon Jones,” Aurora returned. “I’ve seen plenty of pictures of him. This guy was thinner, with narrowed eyes and a more pointed nose. Very scary-looking.”
“Him or the gun?” Daniel asked. Judging by the tech’s wide-eyed look, it could be either. He wished he’d at least gotten off a shot but protecting civilians came first.
“Not funny,” Aurora said flatly.
“I wasn’t trying to make a joke,” he assured her.
“Color me skeptical,” she countered. “I’ve been around enough cops to know gallows humor when I hear it.”
“I’m saving that for later, after the crisis is past,” Daniel replied. “Getting almost shot isn’t exactly joking material.”
“Then I apologize,” Aurora said more softly. She took a step forward and leaned down to inspect the side of her cousin’s car. “Maddie is going to kill me when she sees this.”
“It’s not like it was your fault.” His brow knit. As he inspected the car riddled with bullet holes, he couldn’t deny that it appeared this vehicle—or whoever was near it—was the intended target. Only that didn’t make sense. Yes, the Jones gang had threatened Daniel and his team with revenge since the death of Brandon’s brother, Hal, last month but there was no reason for this shooter to target Aurora specifically, was there?
“We’ll be investigating the shooting but don’t get complacent, okay? This looks intentional, as if you were the target. Can you think of any reason why or who might be taking potshots at you?”
“Of course not,” Aurora countered. “They had to be after you. Your SUV is unmarked but there’s no mistaking that K-9 of yours. She stands out no matter where you go or what you do.”
Sighing, Daniel nodded. “That’s true.” He briefly introduced Aurora to his colleagues, then turned to speak to them. “Kenyon, you and Jack can return to headquarters as soon as this car is impounded for evidence. I need Lorelai to arrange witness protection for the woman in that house over there.” He pointed to Miss Effie’s place. “I’m going to take Aurora with me for the time being.”
He paused long enough for the others to step away on their various missions before he looked back at Aurora. “Are you going to be okay or do you want to go to the ER for a checkup?”
“This isn’t my first rodeo,” she said flatly.
“No, but I suspect it may be the first time you’ve been caught in the line of fire. Am I right?”
Expecting a verbal answer, he was surprised when her chin jutted out and her eyes narrowed at him.
