Love Inspired Suspense April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Laura Scott (free e reader .TXT) 📕

he gestured to Paige. “If I can get behind him, I can take him out.”

She used her thumb to point to her chest. “My job.”

He was about to argue when a third shot landed not far from their heads.

Liam had a pretty good idea where the sniper was positioned now. Though Paige had excellent skills, it was Liam who had military training. He should be the one to go after the shooter.

“Stay here and cover me.” He didn’t give her time to object but took off in that direction and came within yards of the man. With close-cropped hair and a muscular build, he looked ex-military or ex–law enforcement or both.

Liam must have somehow alerted his prey, for his adversary turned and lifted his head, as though scenting the air. When he spotted Liam, he fired, but Liam was too quick, diving for cover in an irrigation ditch and returning fire.

The slam of a door and roar of an engine were brash in the morning quiet. Liam’s quarry had escaped.

He returned to where he’d left Paige. “Missed him.”

“That wasn’t some peashooter he was firing,” she said.

“No. Unless I’m way off, it was a 125 Sniper Vortex.” The Vortex was a particularly lethal weapon, a favorite among serious shooters. He’d seen it in action when he’d been deployed and knew just how deadly it was.

Fortunately, the trunk had a spare and Liam set about changing the tire. They stopped at the first gas station they found and had the punctured tire repaired and placed back on the vehicle.

Nearly an hour later, they were once more on their way to Reva Thomas’s place.

“Tell me about Reva,” Paige said.

“She was my girlfriend’s little sister. I was too wrapped up in Marie to pay her much attention.”

“You and Marie were the perfect couple in high school, you the football star and she the head cheerleader.”

“I don’t know that we were perfect, but I cared for her.” He’d cared a lot and had thought his life was over when she’d died. Knowing that he had no choice but to go on, he’d finished out the school year and graduated, but without any of the satisfaction he would have felt at one time.

Looking back, he realized that his feelings for Marie had been those of a callow boy and would have no doubt faded in time. She’d been his first love and, therefore, special, but they hadn’t had the foundation of real love to sustain them.

They’d been in love with the idea of being in love, not the genuine thing, and, though he hated to admit it, the same had been true of his marriage. He and Joelle had thought they were in love, when, in reality, all they’d had was an attraction that all but disappeared within the first year. Jonah was the one good thing to come from their union.

“Losing her must have been rough.” Immediately, Paige stopped herself. “I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing to say.”

“Marie and I talked about the future, even about going to college together. When she died, I thought I’d lost part of myself, but life went on.”

“Did you keep in touch with her family?”

“For a while. Reva was on the bus that day along with Marie. She was equipment manager for the cheerleaders.”

“Was she one of the kids you pulled out?”

“No. She made it out on her own.”

“I read she’s now mayor of Willow Springs.”

Liam pulled up memories of his onetime girlfriend’s little sister. “She was smart and pretty, but she got on Marie’s nerves. She always wanted to hang out with us.”

Paige gave a wry smile. “The plight of the little sister. I was the same way with Brett.”

Liam navigated his way through morning traffic and pulled up in front of the house where he’d spent so many afternoons.

The Thomas home looked well maintained and even sported a new roofline with the addition of a second story and gabled windows. Though it wasn’t overly large, it had an air of prosperity, as did the neighborhood itself.

“Reva’s done well for herself,” Liam murmured as he knocked.

The door opened, and recognition lit Reva’s features as she smiled. “Liam McKenzie. It’s been too long. Well, except for seeing you at the funerals of our friends in the last six weeks, and that doesn’t count.” She hugged him, then stood back and gave him a once-over. “I heard you’d joined the army, made Delta. It looks good on you. Really good.”

“Thanks. I’ve been back for a while now.” He made the introductions. “Reva Thomas. Paige Walker.”

Reva glanced at Paige. “I remember you. Smart girl. Skipped a couple of grades, right?”

“Right. We graduated in the same class.”

“That’s right.” Reva turned her attention back to Liam. “How’s it been going?”

He didn’t answer directly. “Can we come in?”

“Of course. Where are my manners? It’s been a hectic morning. City business, you know. I was able to work from home this morning, which is a blessing, given how frantic my life’s become.”

“I heard you were mayor of Willow Springs. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” She preened a bit.

Liam didn’t begrudge her the success she’d found. Even as a teenager, Reva always had her eye fixed on bigger and better things.

He gestured around. “You’ve done well for yourself.”

Another preen. “When my parents moved to Miami, I bought the place from them and did some fixing up. Can I offer you anything? Sweet tea? Coffee?”

“No, thanks,” Paige said.

“Now that we’ve gotten the small talk out of the way, tell me what’s brought you here.”

“We’re here to find out what you remember from the day of the accident.”

Bringing her hands to her lips, Reva made a sound of distress. “I’ve tried to forget that day.”

“I get it,” Liam said. “I feel the same way, but some things have happened that have us wanting to revisit it.”

“Oh?”

“You mentioned seeing me at the funerals of our friends. You knew that they had all recently died in accidents?” He made a question out of it.

“What does that have to do with you paying me