Texas K-9 Unit Christmas: Holiday Hero. Shirlee McCoy
CHRISTMAS COMES WRAPPED IN DANGER…
Holiday Hero by Shirlee McCoy
Emma Fairchild never expected to find trouble in sleepy Sagebrush, Texas. But when she’s attacked and left for dead in her own diner, her childhood friend turned K-9 cop Lucas Harwood offers a chance at justice—and love.
Rescuing Christmas by Terri Reed
She escaped a kidnapper, but now a killer has set his sights on K-9 dog trainer Lily Anderson. When fellow officer Jarrod Evans appoints himself her bodyguard, Lily knows more than her life is at risk—so is her heart.
Texas K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners
Praise for Shirlee McCoy
“McCoy’s writing is descriptive and contains a well-balanced blend of action and romance in this continuation of the Texas K-9 Unit series.”
—RT Book Reviews on Tracking Justice
“McCoy’s latest in the Heroes for Hire series is a nicely balanced blend of fast-paced action and romance.”
—RT Book Reviews on Fugitive
Praise for Terri Reed
“This fast-paced tale, punctuated with determined characters who tie in nicely with the other books, continues the collaborative Texas K-9 Unit series.”
—RT Book Reviews on Scent of Danger
“Reed’s fast-paced action will keep readers wondering who and why in this quick, enjoyable read.”
—RT Book Reviews on The Cowboy Target
SHIRLEE McCOY
has always loved making up stories. As a child, she daydreamed about elaborate tales in which she was the heroine—gutsy, strong and invincible. Though she soon grew out of her superhero fantasies, her love for storytelling never diminished. She knew early that she wanted to write inspirational fiction, and she began writing her first novel when she was a teenager. Still, it wasn’t until her third son was born that she truly began pursuing her dream of being published. Three years later, she sold her first book. Now a busy mother of five, Shirlee is a homeschooling mom by day and an inspirational author by night. She and her husband and children live in the Pacific Northwest and share their house with a dog, two cats and a bird. You can visit her website, www.shirleemccoy.com, or email her at [email protected].
TERRI REED
At an early age Terri Reed discovered the wonderful world of fiction and declared she would one day write a book. Now she is fulfilling that dream and enjoys writing for Love Inspired Books. Her second book, A Sheltering Love, was a 2006 RITA® Award finalist and a 2005 National Readers’ Choice Award finalist. Strictly Confidential, book five in the Faith at the Crossroads continuity series, took third place in the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award, and Her Christmas Protector took third place in 2008. She is an active member of both Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children and an array of critters. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening and playing with her dogs.
You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555, Portland, OR 97280. Visit her on the web at www.loveinspiredauthors.com, leave comments on her blog, www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com, or email her at [email protected].
Texas K-9 Unit Christmas
Holiday Hero
Shirlee McCoy
Rescuing Christmas
Terri Reed
Contents
Holiday Hero by Shirlee McCoy
Rescuing Christmas by Terri Reed
Holiday Hero
Shirlee McCoy
To Terri Reed, who is always so easy to work with! Thanks, friend!
I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation.
—Psalms 118:13–14
Contents
ONE
“Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-laaaaaa,” Emma Fairchild sang as she dipped a roller into a paint pan and swiped it over the walls of her newest project.
Arianna’s Diner. Soon to be Mrs. Daphne’s Diner. Named for Emma’s great-aunt, Bea Daphne.
“’Tis the season to be jolly,” she continued even though she wasn’t at all jolly.
For Bea’s sake, she’d been faking happiness for the past two months. She thought she’d been doing a pretty good job of it. But with Christmas approaching and work on the diner intensifying, she was exhausted, grumpy and desperate to be back in Boston and away from the city she’d always hated.
Sagebrush, Texas. Home of every bad dream she’d ever had, birthplace of every bad memory.
Well, not exactly