“Take Buzz and run. Far away.
…and don’t trust the police.”
Framed for her boss’s murder, Sarah Peterson is on the run—with only her boss’s loyal husky, Buzz, for protection. To clear her name and keep her safe, she must rely on her ex-fiancé, former detective Colton Hawk. The police aren’t the only ones searching for Sarah and the brave dog…the real killer is on the hunt, determined to silence them for good.
CHRISTY BARRITT’s books have won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery and have been twice nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy is a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover and a road-trip aficionado. For more information, visit her website at christybarritt.com.
Keeping Guard
The Last Target
Race Against Time
Ricochet
Desperate Measures
Hidden Agenda
Mountain Hideaway
Dark Harbor
Shadow of Suspicion
The Baby Assignment
The Cradle Conspiracy
Trained to Defend
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.
Trained to Defend
Christy Barritt
ISBN: 978-0-008-90082-3
TRAINED TO DEFEND
© 2020 Christy Barritt
Published in Great Britain 2020
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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“You and Buzz need to go to the back bedroom. Now. Lock the doors, and don’t come out until I tell you.”
Colton pulled out the gun from his waistband, his jaw set with steely determination.
Sarah didn’t argue. She scrambled away, hardly able to breathe.
But as she locked the door, Buzz beside her, she pressed her ear there, trying to hear what was going on.
It was silent as Colton waited, seeming to prepare himself for battle.
Sarah waited. The moments felt like hours.
Flashbacks from earlier hit her, making her flinch. Images of seeing that man in Loretta’s room. Watching as Loretta took her last breath.
Now Colton was in danger.
She stood and pressed herself into the wall, resisting the urge to look out the window and see what was going on.
She didn’t have to.
She heard tires crunching on gravel in the distance.
Someone was here.
Thank you so much for reading Trained to Defend. I hope you enjoyed Sarah and Colton’s story, as well as meeting Buzz.
I love animals. In fact, I have four dogs, and they’re all different sizes, breeds and personalities. I always love being able to incorporate furry friends into my stories because my own dogs add so much love and adventure to my life.
In the book, Sarah talks about wanting a safe place to land. Do you ever feel like you need a safe place in your life? When things feel overwhelming, we all need somewhere we can go to rest and recharge.
Through the Bible, we know that God is our true safety. In hard times, He’s who we can run to. When trouble hits, we can rest in the blessed assurance of God’s promises. Let’s never forget that we always have a safe place in Him.
Blessings,
Christy Barritt
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
—Psalm 46:1–3
This book is dedicated to Rusty, Sparky, Molly and Buttons. My furry companions are faithfully by my side every day as I sit down to write. Thanks for the inspiration and letting me be your person.
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