Terri Reed

Duty Bound Guardian


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      FRAMED

      When a priceless artifact is stolen, museum curator Lana Gomez becomes the prime suspect. How can she hope to adopt her orphaned nephew if she’s a person of interest in a crime? Cooperating with Capitol K-9 Unit officer Adam Donovan doesn’t get her very far—the handsome cop thinks she’s hiding something. But when the real thief returns set on silencing Lana, it is Adam and his Doberman pinscher, Ace, who become her only defense against a madman who wants nothing more than to see Lana eliminated.

      “You didn’t even know you had a little nephew?” Adam asked.

      Lana’s heart pinched. She shook her head, wishing things had been different. “My sister and I were estranged.” The hurtful things Rosa had said cut so deep and were never far from Lana’s mind. There was so much about her sister she hadn’t known.

      Adam stared intently at her, his Doberman pinscher—his partner—sitting patiently by his side. “What caused the rift between you?”

      She bristled as a tidal wave of guilt swamped her. “That has nothing to do with what’s happening now.”

      He stared at her. “Let me be the judge of that. It seems a little too coincidental that your sister meets an untimely death and then a month later there’s a break-in at your place of employment where you’re attacked, struck over the head and left for dead.”

      * * *

      CAPITOL K-9 UNIT:

      These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners

      Protection Detail—Shirlee McCoy, March 2015

      Duty Bound Guardian—Terri Reed, April 2015

      Trail of Evidence—Lynette Eason, May 2015

      Security Breach—Margaret Daley, June 2015

      Detecting Danger—Valerie Hansen, July 2015

      Proof of Innocence—Lenora Worth, August 2015

      Duty Bound Guardian

       Terri Reed

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MILLS & BOON

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      For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

      —2 Timothy 1:7

      Continuities are a team effort so I’d like to thank my fellow authors Shirlee McCoy, Lynette Eason, Margaret Daley, Valerie Hansen and Lenora Worth, for all the feedback and support. I learn so much from working with you. Thank you also to the team at Love Inspired for making our books shine.

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

       Title Page

       Bible Quote

       Acknowledgment

       FOUR

       FIVE

       SIX

       SEVEN

       EIGHT

       NINE

       TEN

       ELEVEN

       TWELVE

       THIRTEEN

       Dear Reader

       Extract

       Copyright

       ONE

      A soft thud, out of place and unexpected in the after-hours silent museum, broke Lana Gomez’s concentration. Her heart revved into overdrive and a shudder of fear scraped along her limbs. Her hand convulsed. Ink from the quill pen she was using to craft display labels created a blotched blob of black against the parchment-colored paper, completely ruining the effect of the old-fashioned script.

      She wanted everything to be perfect for the upcoming gala. A thank-you celebration and to show off the recently acquired artifacts for the American Museum, a newer, privately held institute in the metro Washington, DC, area.

      “Ugh!” Mad at herself for overreacting to the sound, she crumpled up the square sheet of card stock and grabbed a clean, blank one from the stack sitting on her mahogany desktop. “It’s Brad doing his rounds.”

      Any second now the older gentleman would pop his graying head inside her office to check in with her. There was no reason to freak out.

      Yet, the fine hairs on her arm slowly stood on end. A voice inside her mind mocked, Girl, as long as Mark draws breath, there will always be a reason to freak out.

      On a shudder, she whispered, “Lord, I need Your peace