the beats of the heart, the actions of enzymes, the microbes and platelets and pulses and respirations that keep a body alive. For all that, we cannot measure a person’s capacity to love, the intangible desire of one person to care deeply for another. That, my friends, is the beautiful inheritance from the Lord. He gives us the ability to love, because He first loved us. What a treasure, what a gift.
Thank you so much for reading my story. I hope it entertained and inspired you. Most of all, I hope you feel deeply that you are loved by our Father. If you’d like to contact me, feel free to send a note via my website at danamentink.com. There is also a physical address there if you prefer corresponding by letter. As always, God bless you, my friends, and thank you for joining me on this adventure!
Sincerely,
Dana Mentink
Dedicated to my parents, Bob and Lisa, who taught their children what love looks like.
Contents
Note to Readers
Maggie Lofton punched the speed in her twin sister’s Corvette as a car rounded the corner behind her a little too fast. The twisting road cut along California’s central coast was lit only by the moon and her headlights. Was the person behind her a random stranger or the man she’d been warned about? Tammy’s terrified phone conversation from late the night before rang in Maggie’s memory.
“I took something from my boss’s house...but I had a good reason. I hid it in Driftwood with someone I trust. You have to get it before his nephew Virgil Salvador does.”
“His nephew?” Maggie had tried. “Why would he...?”
“Mags, I’m in trouble. Deep trouble.”
“The police...”
“No. I’ll be arrested. Just pick up my car at Fine Motors Garage and meet me at the lighthouse near the Roughwater Ranch on Thursday night. I’ll tell you everything. Don’t talk to anyone. No police. Please, Mags.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m safe.”
Maggie had gripped the phone tightly at the fear in her sister’s voice. Then the call had been abruptly cut off.
Oh, Tammy. Why do you get yourself into these jams?
A smile quirked her face as she imagined Tammy’s reply. “Because I fire first then aim, just like Daddy always says.”
Everything from bad romances, getting kicked out of her apartment, taking jobs that sounded too good to be true and were—Tammy had fallen into all of them and Maggie had been there to pick up the pieces. As she would be this time as well, if she could just figure out what new kind of trouble Tammy had landed herself in.
The car behind her edged closer, further proof that it wasn’t someone out for a leisurely evening drive. Was it Virgil, the nephew?