Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

she’d reported him to the police. Threats and attempts to silence her had ensued, turning her mundane life into a chaos-filled existence. And even after she’d provided testimony in his trial that had put him in prison, she had still been in jeopardy from his criminal enterprise. There had been numerous attempts on her life that left her feeling terrorized and vulnerable. She would never again be safe in her former life. Those extreme circumstances had led her straight to the quaint town of Owl Creek.

The wintry Alaskan scenery passed by in a blur as Jonah drove them to her new residence. When they pulled up to 10 Kodiak Lane, a sigh escaped Isabelle’s lips. She was instantly charmed by the log cabin–style house. It radiated a cozy vibe. Snow-covered bushes surrounded a wraparound porch. Two sturdy Adirondack chairs sat on the front porch. Although she had never fantasized about living in Alaska, this picture-perfect house was the stuff of dreams.

Once the car was in Park, Isabelle got out of the vehicle and walked up to the porch, bags in hand. Isabelle knew she would have to make a few trips back and forth to collect all of her things from the truck, but she felt an urgent need to go inside and get settled. Jonah walked behind her, juggling a few bags before placing them on the landing and handing her a key to the house. Her hands were shaking as she reached for it. Jonah gave her an encouraging nod. When she turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open, the smell of freshly baked cookies rose to her nostrils. She stepped inside and looked around, feeling grateful for the warm atmosphere and all the beautiful little touches. A vase of baby’s breath mixed with dried berries sat on the kitchen counter. A plate of chocolate chip cookies had been placed on the table with a welcome note from Beulah North, her new employer. When she pulled open the fridge, it was fully stocked with all of her favorite food and drinks. She wandered from room to room, soaking in all the details. Jonah didn’t follow after her but remained in the kitchen, presumably to give her some space.

Was she really going to make a new life for herself in this small Alaskan hamlet? Isabelle still felt as if she might be dreaming as she began the process of unpacking all her bags and sorting through her belongings.

Jonah stayed until late evening to help her get settled, then he left to stay the night at a bed-and-breakfast in town called Miss Trudy’s. He reminded her that he was scheduled to fly back to Homer the next morning. Fear seized her by the throat as she settled in for the night. Although she knew Jonah wouldn’t be too far away in the event of an emergency, it still felt as if she was on her own.

Sometimes when she was all alone and things were quiet, Isabelle’s mind flashed back to that terrible night at Club Oasis. Isabelle had worked nights at the popular dance club as its manager. When the shots rang out in the club on that particular evening, Isabelle had just locked up her office for the night. Seeing Saul’s body riddled with bullets had been terrifying and surreal. Witnessing Burke standing over Saul’s body with a gun in his hand had been traumatic. He was one of the most powerful men in Miami, one who’d always been tied to organized crime. Although she’d been frozen with fear, Isabelle’s survival instincts had kicked in. She’d fled out the back entrance and evaded Burke’s deadly aim. In the aftermath, Isabelle hadn’t even had time to deal with Saul’s death or her own trauma. Her entire life had imploded once she had told the police about what she’d witnessed.

“You’re safe in Owl Creek now,” she whispered to herself as her eyelids grew heavier and she drifted into slumber.

The next morning Isabelle drove with Jonah to the airstrip so he could catch his flight back home. On the ride over, Isabelle had the opportunity to ask him a few last-minute questions, hoping with each answer she would gain strength.

“This is where I leave you,” Jonah said as he pulled up in front of the hangar and parked the truck. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. You’ll be fine.”

Before she could even say an adequate goodbye, Jonah had grabbed his bag from the back seat and was walking toward the seaplane. She swallowed an instinct to call out to him and beg the U.S. Marshal to stay a little bit longer. But she knew it wasn’t possible. For all intents and purposes, she was on her own. Isabelle was like a newborn baby trying to get acclimated to life outside the womb. Everything would be brand-new to her.

This entire situation was unfair. She hadn’t been involved in any criminal enterprises. Isabelle had always been a law-abiding citizen. She’d simply been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. No matter how many times she went over it in her head, it still seemed surreal. How could her life be turned upside down in an instant? Although her testimony had placed a criminal in prison, he still had the ability to get to her from the inside. And because he’d appealed his sentence, she might be forced to testify again. Would her life always be in limbo?

Isabelle scooted over and settled herself behind the driver’s seat as she watched Marshal Kramer walk toward the seaplane. A heavy feeling settled on her chest. “Lord, please give me the strength to go through with this,” she uttered in the stillness of the vehicle. Ever since the shooting, Isabelle had been leaning on faith to sustain her.

How would she ever get used to the quiet in this town? She was accustomed to the loud voices of her family members, the hustle and bustle of a pulsing city and