Page 1 of Ambush

Chapter 1

What had possessed her to agree to this crazy idea? Once Paradise Alden left Barnwell behind, turned east on 98, and entered the confines of Nova Cambridge, Alabama, she braked her green Kia Soul and, for the first time in fifteen years, took in the moss-draped trees lining the narrow streets.

Home.

She hadn’t thought she would ever return to this place again. Once upon a time, she’d thought this corner of Baldwin County held everything her heart could desire—until that hopeful place inside had exploded into a thousand pieces.

Was she ready for this?

She passed Tupelo Grove University, west of Foley, where her mother had worked a lifetime ago. Beyond the city limits she left the memories behind for now and ran down her window to inhale the intoxicating scent of Weeks Bay. In early January the humidity lacked the fierce heat that would come in the summer, but the air held enough moisture to remind her.

The sound of a siren chased away her memories, and she instinctively let up on the accelerator. The speedometer hoveredeight miles an hour above the speed limit. The bubble-gum light atop the tan car behind her flashed, and she pulled to the side of the street. Her window was still down, so she pasted on a smile and angled it at the officer who strolled to her door.

His surly expression vanished. “Howdy, miss. You have any idea how fast you were going?”

His deltoid and trapezius muscles bulged under his short-sleeved shirt, and the rest of his body had the disproportionate appearance of someone who took steroids. The breeze ruffled his thinning brown hair, and his green eyes appraised her like a slab of steak.

“I forgot to turn on my cruise, and I’m afraid I was speeding, Officer.”

He tapped his badge. “Deputy Creed Greene.” He leered as he leaned on the top of the door. “Passing through? How about catching some coffee with me and I’ll give you the lowdown on our nice town.”

What a lech. She’d met his type plenty of times over the years. County deputies in this area would be stationed at the Bon Secour substation, and some felt they could do whatever they wanted. A quick peek down the empty street let her know she was on her own. “I’m starting work at The Sanctuary Wildlife Preserve. I’m the new vet, Paradise Alden.” Her gaze dropped to his left hand. “And it appears you’re married, Deputy. I doubt your wife would appreciate your having a coffee date with me.”

His leer vanished, and he straightened before he whipped out his pad. “Driver’s license.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet, then passed over her license without comment. He walked to the back of her car and glanced at her plate, then got in his car.

Paradise tapped her fingers on top of the steering wheel as she waited for her ticket. The tin-pot dictator behind her was likely to stretch out the time as long as possible. The unfortunate truth was he was the law, and she wouldn’t have much recourse for a complaint.

Twenty minutes later, he returned and handed her the copy of the ticket. “Slow down, Ms. Alden. I’ll be watching you.” He held on to his side of the ticket longer than necessary before he finally released it.

The ominous glare he gave her tightened her chest. Great. She’d made a formidable enemy on her first day back in the area. “I’ll be careful.” She stuffed the ticket in her bag, then waited until he went back to his car before pulling back onto the road to finish her journey.

Her pulse accelerated as she turned at the sign to The Sanctuary. The drive to the cluster of buildings next to the big parking lot wound through cypress trees interspersed with pawpaw, catalpa, and black gum. The undulating fields had vegetation and grasses for the African herds roaming that area, and she caught glimpses of water as well. The serene appearance soothed her fears. Maybe it would be okay. She glanced down at the angry red scars on her left arm and shuddered at the realization of what awaited her.

She parked in the lot and grabbed her bag. She glanced up into the giant oak tree reaching moss-draped limbs out over the roof of her car. No big cats up there. She shut her door and turned toward the people.

Time to face Blake Lawson, the man who had destroyed her life.

Her employment email instructed her to proceed past the ticket booth and the gift shop to a small building tucked under anotheroak tree and its accompanying moss. The low-slung building appeared to have had a new coat of green paint, and through the window she spotted Blake and his mother, Jenna Anderson.

While Paradise stood unobserved, she let her gaze roam over Blake. In the past fifteen years, he’d grown bulkier muscles and a couple of inches, but she would have recognized him anywhere. That shock of dark brown hair that stood out from his head like a plume had been tamed only with a short cut.

She’d heard he used to be a combat paramedic before the death of his stepfather, Hank Anderson, the town vet she’d worked for as a teenager. After the accident, Blake had managed to get discharged from the Marines to come help his mother at the wildlife refuge. Jenna had two small sons now too, and from what Jenna had told her, his little brothers had also played a part in the decision.

Paradise hadn’t talked to Blake directly, and she suspected he wouldn’t be any happier to see her than she was to see him.

She clocked the moment he noticed her by the stiffening of his shoulders and the way his smile fell away from his tanned face. Those blue eyes raked over her, and his mouth flattened as she stepped through the door into the open space that held two desks, a dilapidated sofa, and a small table and chairs for lunch breaks.

The muscle in Blake’s jaw flexed. “Paradise?”

He’d had no idea she was coming? “Hello, Blake.” She tore her gaze from him to greet Jenna. “You didn’t tell him?”

Jenna shook her head. “Um, Blake, Paradise has agreed to help us out for the next year.”

She couldn’t gauge his thoughts, but before he could reply, a piercing scream came from outside. Was it a big cat attack? Paradise froze with her blood roaring in her ears. Sympatheticpain shot from her left shoulder down to her wrist at the sound. The confidence she’d mustered to take this job drained away and her knees went weak.

Blake slapped a stun gun into her hand as he ran past. “Come with me!”

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