LITTLE BOY LOST
In the night, a young boy goes missing from his bedroom. Police detective Austin Black assures desperate single mother Eva Billows that he’ll find her son. He has to, so he can put to rest his own harrowing memories. With his search-and-rescue bloodhound, Justice, Austin searches every inch of Sagebrush, Texas. And when Eva insists on helping, Austin can’t turn her away. Eva trusts no one, especially police, but this time, Austin—and Justice—won’t let her down.
“Eva, I’m going to do everything in my power to find Brady,” Austin said.
He held her gaze. “I promise you that. I know your son was in these woods. I know exactly where Justice lost the scent trail, and I feel confident that he can find it again, but not if we don’t go look for it.”
“Okay,” Eva said. He was right. Talking only wasted energy that could be spent finding Brady.
“Great. You can wait in your car or go back to your place. As soon as we have new information—”
“No.”
“What?” He stopped short, his eyes flashing with irritation, Justice tugging hard on the lead.
“I’m coming with you, Detective.”
SHIRLEE McCOY
has always loved making up stories. As a child, she daydreamed elaborate tales in which she was the heroine—gutsy, strong and invincible. Though she soon grew out of her superhero fantasies, her love for storytelling never diminished. She knew early that she wanted to write inspirational fiction, and she began writing her first novel when she was a teenager. Still, it wasn’t until her third son was born that she truly began pursuing her dream of being published. Three years later, she sold her first book. Now a busy mother of five, Shirlee is a homeschool mom by day and an inspirational author by night. She and her husband and children live in the Pacific Northwest and share their house with a dog, two cats and a bird. You can visit her website, www.shirleemccoy.com, or email her at [email protected].
Tracking Justice
Shirlee McCoy
MILLS & BOON
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Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
—Psalm 51:12
Much thanks to extraordinary editor,
Emily Rodmell. Without your guidance and expertise (and patience), this book would not be what it is.
And to the K-9 Justice continuity authors—
Sharon Dunn, Lenora Worth, Terri Reed,
Valerie Hansen and Margaret Daley—
I loved working with every one of you!
Thank you for your kindness and encouragement after my accident. It meant the world to me.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Shirlee McCoy for her contribution to the Texas K-9 Unit miniseries.
Contents
ONE
Police detective Austin Black glanced at the illuminated numbers on the dashboard clock as he raced up Oak Drive. Two in the morning. Not a good time to get a call about a missing child.
Then again, there was never a good time for that; never a good time to look in the eyes of a mother or father and see terror and worry or to follow a scent trail and know that it might lead to a joyful reunion or a sorrowful goodbye.
If it led anywhere.
Sometimes trails went cold, scents were lost and the missing were never found.