With no further sightings of the RMK suspect in Idaho and no more notes or pictures from him regarding Cowgirl, the stolen labradoodle, Chase Rawlston had recalled his team to Wyoming headquarters for a debriefing.
Selena had hated to have to leave Finn behind, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he’d be free to join her, as promised. His mother, Mary, and brother, Sean, had already relocated near the MCK9 headquarters, and Mary had a job as relief dispatcher, much to Selena’s delight. Sean was Sean, of course, eager for everything and too immature to settle down. Every time she saw him, he reminded her more and more of Finn—the old Finn. If he turned out to be half the man his big brother had become, she knew he’d be fine.
She sighed. Too bad it was easier to look back and see errors than it was to anticipate and avoid future mistakes. That was just life, she supposed. Everybody had lessons to learn no matter how old they were, and as long as forgiveness played a big part in relationships, she had no doubt things would all work out for the best. Her teammates, Ashley Hanson and Bennett Ford, had already proven that premise, and one of the team’s original suspects, widowed Naomi Carr-Cavanaugh had not only been cleared; she’d given birth to a beautiful baby that she and Bennett were planning to raise together as a married couple.
The idea of a husband and children was a bit daunting to Selena, but every time she thought of Finn, starting a family with the man she loved sounded better and better. Just because she’d been born into a family that had fallen apart and Finn had lost two fathers didn’t mean that they couldn’t get past all that.
Actually, they already had. They’d dealt with their unhappy history and were looking toward a bright future. The hardest part for Selena was waiting to be reunited with her first and only love. Video chats were just not as good as the real thing.
Her mind was on Finn rather than on her surroundings when she rounded a corner and nearly crashed into teammate Kyle West. Apparently, he’d been standing in the middle of the doorway, staring at his cell phone.
Flustered, Kyle apologized. “Sorry.”
“Hey, it’s okay. I was daydreaming, too.” Selena eyed the phone. “New leads in our case?”
Kyle shrugged. “No, no. I told you about Brady, didn’t I?”
“Your nephew?” Selena smiled at the picture he was showing her on his phone and teased, “Yeah, a few times.” She leaned closer to see details. “Eighteen months, right? Cute kid. How’s he doing?”
“Good. My mom takes great care of him.”
The expression of yearning on Kyle’s face made Selena empathetic. “You miss him, huh?” She smiled slightly. “I can identify. How often do you see him?”
“Not often enough,” Kyle said. He paged through a bevy of photos, pausing to show Selena each pose. “I took these the last time I was home.”
“New Mexico, right?”
“Right. I just got permission from Chase for another visit. I can hardly wait.”
“I get that, too,” Selena said, laying a hand of friendship on his forearm as she dutifully scanned each photo. The little boy was darling. So was the coonhound puppy he was posed with in a few of the outdoor shots. “Good-looking pup. I take it you’re raising them together. That’s a wonderful idea. I always wanted a puppy when I was little.”
Kyle was nodding. “Well, at least you got Scout. Better late than never, huh?”
“Right. And no messy puppy training. The best of both worlds.”
At the end of the picture file was one of Brady, laughing while the pup tried to lick his face. Kyle paused and stared at that image long enough to make Selena feel as if she might be intruding on a precious private moment.
She patted his arm and turned to walk away. “I need to go get Scout. Have a safe trip.”
A brief glance back showed that Kyle had not budged. His dark brown eyes were glistening as he stared with tenderness at the image of the happy toddler. That was the kind of look every parent should give his or her child, Selena mused.
She thought of the family she planned to marry into and realized she loved each of them, even troublesome Sean. He did sort of remind her of a puppy, always curious, always testing, always underfoot. And endearing in his own way.
Her entry into the kennel area set up a chorus of barking. Scout danced and wiggled at the gate to his run, urging her to hurry his release. As she leashed the eager K-9, she pictured Finn and recalled his courage when he’d tried to use Scout to rescue her. That was loyalty beyond measure. Only by the grace of God, literally, had he succeeded.
The more she thought about being reunited with Finn, the more she realized that being near him again had reinforced a truth she’d struggled with. Love came first. It led to personal acceptance followed by a renewed expectation and understanding that could then release the kind of deep faith that endured no matter how trying circumstances became.
Just when she had been convinced that loneliness would always be her companion, Finn Donovan had returned to heal her heart and offer her a bright, blessed future. How amazing was that?
Aglow with thankfulness and yearning to hear his voice, she pulled out her phone and called him.
The moment he said, “Hello,” Selena burst out with “I love you.”
Finn’s laugh warmed her to the core, especially when he added, “I love you, too.”
If you enjoyed this story, don’t miss Crime Scene Secrets the next book in the Mountain Country K-9 Unit series!
Baby Protection Mission
by Laura Scott, April 2024
Her Duty Bound Defender
by Sharee Stover, May 2024
Chasing Justice
by Valerie Hansen, June 2024
Crime Scene Secrets
by Maggie K. Black, July 2024
Montana Abduction Rescue
by Jodie Bailey, August 2024
Trail of Threats
by Jessica R. Patch, September 2024
Tracing a Killer
by Sharon Dunn, October 2024
Search and Detect
by Terri Reed, November 2024
Christmas K-9 Guardians
by Lenora Worth and Katy Lee, December 2024
Available only from Love Inspired Suspense.
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Keep reading for an excerpt from Amish Witness to Murder by Dana R Lynn.