Kidnapped
Authors: Dee Henderson
Tags: #FICTION / Religious, #FICTION / Christian / Romance, #Fiction, #Suspense, #Romance, #General, #Christian Fiction, #Kidnapping, #Christian, #Christian Fiction; American, #Government Investigators, #Suspense Fiction, #Mystery Fiction; American, #Religious, #Suspense Fiction; American
Praise for Dee Henderson
“The name Dee Henderson is synonymous with authenticity. Her books shine with believable facts and descriptions while her characters think and act like the professionals they are.”
âRomantic Times magazine
* * *
“Dee Henderson delivers an uncommonly good story with grace and style.”
âRomancejournal.com
* * *
“Dee Henderson is a phenomenal writer. Her books are fast-paced and keep you on the edge of your seat. Be warned . . . if you ever read one of Dee's books, you'll be hooked!”
âT., Amazon.com reader
* * *
“This storyline is one of reality and suspense but at the same time does not let go of spirituality and romance. I couldn't put the book down. Let's face it. There are a whole lot of romance/suspense Christian book writers out there but none like Dee Henderson. . . . She can outdo them all!”
âG. K., Amazon.com reader
* * *
“Henderson amazes me again! She creates a stunning portrayal of the suspense and terror in the life of an FBI agent. She is an amazing author and receives two thumbs up.”
âH. L., Amazon.com reader
* * *
“
True Courage
is a novel that begins well and consistently builds in suspense throughout the story to the thrilling conclusion. The conflicts engage the reader because they are true to life. The characters are detailed, and the environment created by Dee Henderson is easy to see with the mind's eye. I would recommend this to fans of Christian fiction, romance, suspense, or crime drama.”
âS. D., Amazon.com reader
* * *
“
True Courage
is a fantastic romantic suspense novel about a family whose faith and love for one another gives them the courage to get the job done. . . . Dee Henderson is a wonderful writer who pens an action-packed thriller with heart.”
âH. K., Amazon.com reader
Visit Tyndale's exciting Web site at www.tyndale.com
TYNDALE
and Tyndale's quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Kidnapped
Copyright © 2004 by Dee Henderson All rights reserved.
Previously published as
True Courage
by Multnomah Publishers, Inc., under ISBNÂ 1-59052-082-3 and by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., under ISBN-13:Â 978-1-4143-1065-7 and ISBN-10: 1-4143-1065-X.
Kidnapped
first published in 2008 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Cover photograph © by iStockphoto. All rights reserved.
Designed by Ron Kaufmann
Scripture quotations are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1952 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4143-2363-3
ISBN-10: 1-4143-2363-8
Table of Contents
“Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
M
ATTHEW 7:24â25
Prologue
W
edding guests crowded the reception hall, and the accumulated noise made it hard to carry on a conversation. Caroline shielded her sister's wedding dress sleeve from a guest turning abruptly with a piece of chocolate cake. She wished she could convince Sharon to find a place to sit for a minute instead of circling the room greeting every guest again. Caroline leaned in toward Sharon. “Who's the man talking with Mark?”
Her sister looked around people to see who her new husband was speaking with. “The good-looking guy in the tux and black tie? Mark's cousin, Luke Falcon.”
Caroline's interest was piqued. Luke stood taller than most around him, watching the gathering, even as he held a glass and gestured occasionally as he spoke. Twice in the last ten minutes he had made a point of turning to keep track of where she and Sharon were in the crowd. He was probably keeping track of Sharon rather than herself, but it was still disconcerting.
Even from across the room she was aware the scrutiny came with neither a smile nor a frown; he just studied. It reminded her of the first days of a school term as wary students scoped out their new teacher.
“The cousin who's an FBI agent?” Caroline asked. If Luke had gray eyes to go with that thick black hair, curling just a bit around his temples, and a pleasant voice to listen to, she knew what she would decide about him. She already liked what she knew about him by reputation.
“Yes. Luke arrived about twenty minutes before the ceremony; I heard his flight got delayed by bad weather.” Sharon picked up a piece of wedding cake from the refreshment table. Caroline gratefully accepted an offered cup of punch, her throat dry from the nonstop exchange of greetings.
“The photographer wants a few more wedding pictures in the chapel before we move over to the restaurant for the evening,” Sharon said. “Could you find Benjamin for me?”
“I can try.” Her nephew was incredibly proud of the fact he'd been allowed to stand up with Sharon and Mark and hold the rings for them. He wasn't so thrilled at the realization that he had to wear the suit and tie even after the ceremony. Caroline wouldn't be surprised to find Benjamin had made an escape to less confining surroundings once his duties were done.
She left Sharon at the refreshment table with the minister's wife and started the search. Small boys were not easy to locate in a sea of adults. Benjamin had slipped behind some chairs to join Mark and Luke, his tie still on but tugged loose, and what looked like a stack of baseball cards in his hand.
Relieved to spot him, Caroline headed across the room. Mark saw her coming and leaned down to say something to Benjamin. Moments later her nephew came to meet her, parting the adults in his way like a general going into battle. “I'm to rescue you.”
“Good, I need rescuing.” She let him catch her hand and tug her toward the guys.
“Mr. Luke, this is my aunt Carol.”
She wasn't ready for the instant introduction, but she smiled and offered her hand. “Caroline Lane.”
“Hello, Caroline. Luke Falcon,” he replied, shifting his glass to free his hand.
Baritoneâa really nice baritone that had a mellow smoothness and matched his nice smile. She liked it instantly. She held his gaze as he took her hand and she liked what she saw: realistic, grounded. He must have seen too much in his job to have the eyes of a dreamer. Luke was taller than she had realized and not quite as handsome as she first thought. Too much living showed on his face.
When he released her hand, she wrapped both of hers around her glass of punch and realized it was time to take a breath. He looked good in the tux, relaxed. No one should be that comfortable in a tux. He was studying her again, but in a casual way, having apparently made up his mind about her.
She glanced at Mark, quickly smiled, and looked down at her nephew, much more at ease with someone a third of Luke's age.
Benjamin slid a badge bigger than his hand into his suit pocket so it rested shield out. “Aunt Carol, I'm going to be a lawman too.”
“It looks great.” And it looked real. She silently gave Luke credit for being comfortable around kids. Adults who didn't spend much time with them either treated her eight-year-old nephew as if he were half that age or expected him to behave with the maturity of a young adult.
“You would make a great lawman one day,” she concurred, brushing Benjamin's honey brown hair back from his forehead with a quick swipe and dislodging the confetti. “I'm afraid your mom needs us for a few more pictures in the chapel.”
“More? They already took a hundred.”
“Just a few more. Then she said you could lose the coat and tie.”
“About time.”
Mark laughed and held out his hand. “Come on, buddy. We'll go help your mom look beautiful.”
Caroline risked meeting Luke's gaze. The man was still watching, a slight smile playing around his mouth. “You're welcome to join us. We'll be moving over to the restaurant after the pictures are complete, and I thinkâ”
His pager went off, interrupting her. “My apologies.” He glanced at the number but didn't make a move to return the call. “You were saying?”
“Just that it will be a bit less chaotic.” She nodded to the pager. “Trouble?”
He looked to make sure Benjamin had moved out of earshot. “I'm working a murder case. Life is a bit hectic today.”
“I'll be glad to save you a place if you need to go make some calls.”
“They can wait.” Luke looked tired. It wasn't in his posture or expression but in his eyes.
She found her own nervousness disappearing and in its place a comfortable concern starting to bloom. They would see each other for decades to come at family gatherings; he was safe to treat as family. “Then you must come over to the restaurant. It will be quieter, and you can have something more substantial to eat for dinner than cake.”