36 hours that changed everything…
As a devastating summer storm rages in Grand Springs, Colorado, the mayor’s life hangs in the balance. A bride flees her own wedding, pursued by mysterious gunmen. A mudslide traps a girl in a cave. And a stranger walks into town with no memory of his name or his past.
In the hospital’s E.R., Doctor Noah Howell has always put others first. But now, in the midst of the chaos, he decides to go for what he’s always wanted—Amanda Jennings.
Book 1 of the 36 Hours series. Don’t miss Book 2: Opposites attract when a mudslide traps Sean and Cassandra in her car in Strange Bedfellows by Kasey Michaels.
Lightning Strikes
Mary Lynn Baxter
Contents
Prologue
The man behind the wheel muttered an expletive. He couldn’t see a damn thing. He’d never in his life seen rain like this, and he wasn’t all that young. More to the point, he’d sure never tried to drive through it. If he didn’t know better, he’d think it was the end of the world. A smirk twisted his lips in his lean face. Hell, for all he knew, maybe it was.
He took in a deep breath, trying to settle his growing apprehension. His plight wouldn’t be so bad if he weren’t on a mountain road. But he was. The sensible thing would be to pull over and wait out the torrential downpour. If he knew it would stop soon, he wouldn’t hesitate to do that.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have that guarantee, and even if he did, he doubted he’d actually stop. He had to reach Grand Springs. In fact, he felt a driving urgency he hadn’t experienced in a long time. It had been that phone call he’d received. What could “Her Honor,” the mayor of Grand Springs, Colorado, want? He had no idea, but the frantic note in her voice had gotten to him. Without wasting any time, he’d jumped into his car.
He paused in his thoughts and gripped the steering wheel harder. His worst fear was that he’d hit a puddle of water just right and hydroplane into another car. He glanced in his rearview mirror and both side mirrors. For the moment, it appeared he was the only vehicle on this road high in the Colorado mountains.
Fool or idiot.
He didn’t know which word most aptly described him. It didn’t matter. He was on the road, and he had to deal with the situation as best he could.
At least he had his radio and could keep abreast of the worsening weather, he assured himself. Reaching for the knob, he turned up the volume, only to jump when a mass of static blared back at him. He cursed again, just as the sound came through the speakers clearly.
He listened to the newscaster’s deep voice warn that if this heavy rain continued, a new rainfall record would be set.
“Really…” he muttered, dodging as lightning came at him from every side, convinced it could reach through the glass and wreak a personal vengeance on him.
Frustration gnawed at him as he was forced to slow his car even more. Hell, he was already crawling at a snail’s pace. Surely the rain had to let up. Fate cut him no slack—lightning continued to crackle nearby, followed by the loudest booms of thunder he’d ever heard.
Suddenly, he flinched again in awe of such a horrific twist of nature. But that awe didn’t last long. It turned once more into impatient anger as the rain slashed against his windshield along with the wipers.
Pull over, he told himself savagely. But he didn’t. Inching down the highway, he didn’t know how long he held this pattern, his mind consumed with keeping the car on the road. Then miraculously the rain slackened, and, though he had to squint, he could see a short distance ahead.
Taking advantage of the reprieve, he increased his speed to make up for lost time. His mind raced. What could Olivia want? he asked himself, recalling the desperation coloring her voice. It wasn’t as if…
He never got any further. An odd but unidentifiable sound chopped off his thoughts. Jerking his head to his right, he saw mud barreling down the hillside straight toward him.
“Oh, God, no!” he cried, only his plea for mercy was too late.
Before he could so much as turn the wheel, mud slammed into the side of his vehicle, sending it careering into the guardrail.
He