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  Caleb glanced at her. Was she worried about him or the fuzzy white dogs she held in her arms? Probably both.

  “The minute you put them down, you run like crazy. Call the detective, and then lock yourself in a bathroom or something and don’t make a sound. Promise?”

  She nodded.

  He broke off a couple of pieces of hot dog and gave one to each of the dogs she held. They gobbled the treat. The rest of the wiener he tore into little pieces and stooped to feed the eager puppies that danced around his feet. It had taken a few tries before they’d recognized the morsels as food, because they’d never eaten anything except puppy chow and mother’s milk. But after watching their parents devour their treats, they’d been willing to give them a try. Now they begged enthusiastically for more.

  Caleb straightened and held Mrs. Fairmont’s gaze. “Time to go.”

  The breath she heaved shuddered, whether with nerves or tears, he couldn’t tell. She whispered something softly to the two bigger dogs she held and then bent over to set them on the floor. Removing the last three wieners from the package, Caleb waved them in the faces of the dogs to make sure he had their attention while their owner left the room.

  When she had disappeared through the door to the office, he held the gun in his right hand and opened the closet door with his left, all the while dangling the wieners just out of the dogs’ reach. A couple of the puppies barked a demand. “Yes, these are for you. All you have to do is go get them.”

  With the hand holding the gun, he found the ring in the carpeted floor panel and lifted. In the same motion, he swung the wieners in front of the dog’s noses and tossed them down the stairs.

  The result was exactly what he’d hoped. A moving mound of white fur tumbled down the stairs after the hot dogs, a dozen canine voices barking a joyful pursuit.

  The exclamation he heard from downstairs was music to his ears. It came from a man standing close by. Without hesitating, Caleb leaped after the puppies.

  * * *

  Darcie felt the release of pressure in the room more than heard the hatch being thrown open. The familiar sound of yapping dogs didn’t at first register. That noise had no place here, no frame of reference. She caught sight of what looked like a furry boulder tumbling down the stairs at the same moment Butch shouted in surprise.

  When she saw Caleb’s legs appear, she jumped out of her seat and ran. An explosion assaulted her ears. A gunshot. Caleb! She couldn’t stop to see what had happened. Ears ringing, she barely heard the puppies’ frightened cries as she continued her charge across the room.

  She slammed into Mitchell as his fingers closed on the handle of his gun.

  “You stupid—”

  His sentence ended in a scream when Darcie, hands still bound behind her back, fought with the only weapon she had. Her teeth sank into the tender flesh where shoulder gave way to neck. The coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.

  Still screaming, Mitchell lifted the pistol and smashed it into her head, while at the same time bucking his body. Dazed, Darcie released her bite and was thrown backward onto the floor. Horrified, she saw him turn, the pistol in his hand.

  “Darcie, get the gun!”

  Caleb’s command preceded his attack. He flew across the floor and launched himself at Mitchell. Horrified, she watched as Caleb jerked Mitchell’s arm backward, heard the audible snap as it connected with the edge of the counter. The room was filled with a second loud noise: Mitchell’s screams. Caleb took the gun from his unresisting hand and looked at her.

  Then Darcie understood. He hadn’t meant for her to get Mitchell’s gun, but Butch’s.

  She jerked around and spied the weapon in the middle of the floor, where it had landed when Caleb jumped down the stairs onto the man’s back. She struggled to her knees, her movements awkward without the use of her hands, and started to crawl across the floor.

  Too late.

  Butch had recovered from the momentary surprise of having two hundred and twenty pounds worth of man leap on him from above. He hefted himself up onto his knees and lunged forward.

  His hand landed on the weapon.

  Darcie froze as he lifted the gun and pointed the barrel straight at Caleb.

  “Put the guns down.” Butch shouted to make himself heard over Mitchell’s screams of pain.

  Caleb looked at her, and she saw defeat in his eyes. A sob rose in her throat and threatened to choke her. His movements slow, Caleb, who held a gun in each hand, stretched his arms toward the countertop.

  “You do the same,” came another voice from the stairs.

  Darcie looked up to see Detective Samuels descending the stairway, his own weapon held in both hands and trained on Butch. Four police officers followed him down, each armed with a service weapon and a grim expression that proclaimed they would not hesitate to use them.

  Tight-lipped, Butch lowered his gun and shoved it across the floor.

  As the room filled with policemen, Caleb hurried over to drop to his knees behind her. Darcie didn’t try to stop the sobs that racked her body as he ripped through the duct tape to free her. The moment she could move her hands, she spun and threw her arms around him.

  “You came for me,” she sobbed. “I thought I was going to die, but you came for me.”

  His arms circled her and pulled her close. “I promised I would keep you safe.” His lips pressed against her hair, her ear, her cheek, and she realized he was kissing her and praying at the same time. “Thank You for keeping her safe.”

  * * *

  “How did you get here so quickly?” Caleb asked Samuels. “The judge must have signed that warrant in record time.”

  They were seated at the same poolside table where the detective had questioned them the first time. This time the pool glowed with underwater lights and cricket songs rose into the night sky from somewhere in the landscaping plants. Beside Caleb, Darcie had scooted her chair close so she could keep a firm grip on his hand. The warmth generated by their intertwined fingers had nothing to do with the nighttime temperature and everything to do with the deep sense of joy that sang louder than the crickets in Caleb’s heart.

  “I suppose he has by now,” Samuels answered. “I sent another detective to his house when I got the call to come here.”

  “Call?” Caleb looked at Mrs. Fairmont. “I didn’t think you’d even had time to get back to your house, much less make the call.”

  She looked embarrassed. “I called 911 earlier, before I came to investigate whatever was disturbing the dogs at the kennel. With all the excitement, I forgot to mention that.”

  “As soon as I heard the call over the radio, I knew who it was.” Samuels scowled at him. “I should have locked you up.”

  An officer approached the table. “Detective, we’ve got all the photos we need, and we’re ready to start hauling out the equipment. You want to come take a look before we move it?”

  Samuels jerked a nod and stood. Before he left, he speared Caleb with a final glare. “You’re lucky you didn’t get yourself and Ms. Wiley killed.” The glare softened into something that might be interpreted as grudging respect. “But good job.”

  When he’d disappeared into the pool house, Mrs. Fairmont turned to Darcie.

  “I owe you an apology. I thought...” She lowered her gaze to the hands folded in her lap. “Well, never mind what I thought. I was wrong. I hope you’ll forgive me for treating you badly. And your poor mother.” She shook her head. “I would have helped her, if only I’d known.”

  The smile Darcie gave her was tender. “I know you would have, Mrs. Fairmont.”

  “Please call me Olivia.” She looked up and met Darcie’s gaze. “And I hope we can be friends. After all, you’re the last of the Fairmonts. From Richard’s last words to you, I’d like to think he intended to tell me the truth about your parentage
, and that we would both acknowledge you as family. I would like that still.”

  Tears sparkled on Darcie’s lashes. “Thank you.”

  Mrs. Fairmont heaved a sigh and stood. “I have a feeling the police will be here until daylight, and I won’t be able to sleep a wink after all this excitement anyway. I think I’ll make coffee.” She left and disappeared into the house.

  Finally alone with Darcie, Caleb was attacked by a sudden shyness. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but there were no words to give shape to his thoughts. They sat in silence for a long moment, his entire being focused on the feel of her hand in his.

  She broke the silence with a whisper. “I thought I was going to die down in that room.”

  “Shhh.” He squeezed her hand. “It’s over. You’re safe now. Don’t think about it.”

  “No, I want to think about it.” She turned in her chair to face him. “I thought I was going to die, and that was scary. But then something even scarier happened. When that man pointed the gun at you, I thought you were going to die.” Tears filled her eyes. “I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”

  The words touched his heart and sank into his soul. Did she mean what he thought she meant? Holding her gaze in his, he rose, pulling her up with him.

  “Darcie, are you saying—” He stopped. He couldn’t be that fortunate.

  “I’m saying I love you, Caleb Buchanan.” She released his hand, but only to slide hers up his arm and around his neck. “And I’m hoping—” Starlight twinkled in the eyes that looked into his. “I’m praying that you love me, too.”

  He had only one answer for that. He lowered his lips to hers and gave himself over to proving that he did.

  * * * * *

  EPILOGUE

  “And now, by the power vested in me by the state of Georgia and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pronounce you husband and wife.” The minister beamed at Caleb. “Mr. Buchanan, you may kiss your bride.”

  “With pleasure,” Caleb answered, and swept Darcie into his arms for their first married kiss.

  While the small audience clapped, Darcie surrendered to her husband’s embrace. Music rang in her heart as she felt her feet leave the ground, swept up in his powerful arms. Mrs. Caleb Buchanan. She never wanted this moment to end.

  “Dude, enough,” Mason said over Caleb’s shoulder. “There’s a cake to be cut.”

  Caleb and Darcie broke apart, laughing.

  “All right, all right,” he told his groomsman. “We don’t want you passing out from hunger and spoiling our wedding.”

  “Actually, it’s me who might faint from hunger.” Karina said as she hugged Darcie. “This baby obviously has his father’s appetite.”

  Smiling, Darcie laid a hand on Karina’s bulging belly. “Well, let’s get him fed. There’s enough food at the reception to feed half of Atlanta. Aunt Olivia made sure of that.”

  “Nothing but the best for my niece’s wedding.” Olivia looked dazzling today, her eyes sparkling nearly as much as the diamonds that glittered on her neck and earlobes. She addressed the dozen or so wedding guests seated in chairs on the Fairmont Estate lawn. “The wedding party will be busy with the photographer for a few moments. I invite you to go inside and help yourselves to hors d’ oeuvres. Dinner will be served in thirty minutes.”

  The guests rose and began making their way toward the house. Cordelia Gates caught Darcie’s eye and waggled her fingers before falling in with the others. Officer Jarron Roberts grinned at the wedding party and then offered his arm to Sloane’s mother, with whom he seemed quite taken. The child lagged behind, her gaze straying toward the Fairmont Kennel, and Darcie knew she was looking for an excuse to disappear for a few minutes. The desire to see the birthplace of her precious Purdy was too strong for an eleven-year-old to resist.

  Olivia had been horrified to discover that some of her “babies” had ended up in dog shelters after their owners removed the jewels from the special collars. She’d hired someone to locate every puppy sold since launching her Maltipom business six years ago and at last had ascertained that those who went to shelters did eventually end up in loving homes, like Sloane’s Purdy.

  The last of the guests filed away and the photographer started rearranging his tripods. Olivia gave Darcie a quick hug and then hurried away, mumbling something about checking on the caterers.

  “I hope they have crackers,” said Lauren as she, too, embraced the bride. “I don’t think I can stomach anything else.”

  Brent slipped an arm around his wife’s still-slender waist. “If they don’t, I’ll go get you some. Anything for the mother of my child.”

  Mason clapped Caleb on the shoulder. “You two are going to have to hurry if you want to catch up with us in the kid department.”

  Darcie’s new husband turned pink. “I don’t...that is, we aren’t...” He looked at her, a plea for help plain on his face.

  She smiled at him. Someday they would celebrate their love with the addition of a child, but not yet. “We’re not in a hurry. We’ll have fun being aunt and uncle to your babies for a while.”

  Caleb nodded. “Besides, we have Percy and Mickey and Minnie to keep us busy.”

  Brent shook his head, chuckling. “I still can’t believe you, of all people, are going to share a house with three dogs.”

  “Hey, they’re cool, okay? Besides, they’re more like smart, hairy guinea pigs than dogs.”

  Darcie joined in the laughter. Aunt Olivia had insisted on giving them two Fairmont designer puppies as a wedding gift. Caleb had grown attached to Percy in the six months since they had met and had showed real enthusiasm when he picked his puppy out of the litter. She glanced toward the kennel, which had been repaired after the demolition to retrieve Uncle Kenneth’s “insurance” from inside one of the walls. Under the threat of increased prison time, he’d confessed to hiding copies of Uncle Richard’s ledgers, which listed the names of his Colombian contacts and those U.S. citizens who purchased illegally imported emeralds before he’d started creating synthesized ones. They’d also found a tidy cache of gemstones.

  Lauren tilted her head, a thoughtful expression on her face. “You know, God has done something really awesome in this little group.”

  Karina nodded. “I was thinking the same thing earlier. We were all brought together because of false accusations and lies, but He helped us uncover the truth.”

  Caleb slipped an arm around Darcie’s waist and pulled her close. “And the truth has set us free.”

  Free. Darcie looked up into the eyes of her husband and saw love shining there. She had truly been set free, and not just from her ordeal in the underground room. She’d been freed from the hurts of her past, from the secrets that had brought her shame and made her afraid to trust. Free to live, to love and to look forward to a joyful future with the man she loved.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Tracking Justice by Shirlee McCoy.

  Dear Reader,

  Every so often a character comes along who really resonates with the author and readers. Caleb Buchanan is one of those characters. As I wrote the first two books in the Falsely Accused series, I fell in love with this muscle-bound, tattoo-covered tough guy with a heart for the downtrodden and hurting. I’ve lost count of the number of letters I’ve received saying, “I can’t wait for Caleb’s story.” Oh, the pressure! I didn’t want to disappoint anyone by writing a story that didn’t show Caleb as the fascinating man we came to know and love in DANGEROUS IMPOSTOR and BULLSEYE. I shouldn’t have worried. Once I got the first few chapters in shape, the rest of the story fell in place because Caleb is such a wonderful man to spend time with.

  And what a hoot to pit him against a litter of fluffy white puppies. Can’t you just picture that great big ma
n with all those puppies leaping around his feet? I laugh every time I think of that scene.

  I hope you enjoyed this story. I’d love to know what you think! Contact me through www.VirginiaSmith.org, or become my friend on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ginny.p.smith. Or you can write to me: Virginia Smith, P.O. Box 70271, West Valley City, Utah 84170. I love receiving letters from book lovers!

  Questions for Discussion

  When the book opens, Darcie has just lost her mother. Why did she move to Atlanta so quickly after her mother’s death?

  What is Darcie’s reaction to Caleb when they first meet? Do you think his tattoos impacted her initial reaction?

  Darcie is single and alone, without friends. Why is she reluctant to enter into a relationship with Caleb?

  Caleb is also single and alone, and his first reaction to Darcie is to help her. What happens to change his mind?

  When Darcie calls Caleb at home and asks him to come over to her apartment, he refuses. Why?

  Mrs. Fairmont makes no attempt to hide her dislike of Darcie. How does that dislike affect the detective’s opinion of her? Was he correct to question Darcie’s claims?

  What would you say is Caleb’s strongest characteristic? How does that strength affect him throughout the course of the story?

  Do you prefer cats over dogs, or vice versa? Why?

  Who were your suspects throughout the book?

  Who is your favorite character in this book?

  When Darcie discovers the secret of her mother’s past, she is angry and upset but also feels ashamed. Is her reaction normal?

  Caleb tries to comfort her by quoting a Scripture that most of us have heard many times: We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Do you think his interpretation of that Scripture is accurate?