even as she jumped, Jacob saw the stocky figure of one of the convicts ahead, a fresh gun clutched in his hand. His heart stopped.
He had one convict ahead of them, one behind them, a forest to his right, a rock wall to his left...and a woman he had to protect with his life.
As this summer ended, I was sitting outside on a picnic table, working on the book in the hazy warm night. A man came by and asked me what I was working on. So I told him I wrote books for Love Inspired Suspense and started telling him about the Henry brothers. He told me that he was an RCMP officer and that two of his close friends and colleagues were recently killed in the line of duty just a few days earlier. I folded up my laptop and he told me about his friends—one male and one female officer—what they’d been like as officers, and what had driven them each to serve in law enforcement. Then after a while, he started telling funny stories about the line of duty too, like being called out to rescue a skunk who’d gotten a McFlurry cup stuck on its head.
Thank you so much to all of you who’ve shared the journey of Jacob, Trent, Max and Nick with me. Something affected me really deeply about these brothers—how their sister’s death impacted them, the way they were driven to serve others and the strong, extraordinary women who fell in love with them. I like how they each found healing, purpose, love and faith. I will miss writing about them very much. Thank you so much to all of you who wrote letters to me about these books, especially Nancy Tekulve, who asked me to include Trent and Chloe’s wedding, and Merianne Bawden, who asked for an update on Daniel and Olivia.
I’m also grateful for everything I’ve learned about Canada’s military, paramedics and law enforcement through writing these books, and the deeper appreciation I’ve developed for the work they do. May we always remember to appreciate the real heroes and heroines in our midst.
Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me,
Maggie
For I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
—Jonah 4:2b
With thanks to Constable Eran Schwartz for showing me around his helicopter, training with me at the dojo and answering countless questions. You are a shining example of the kind of person all those in law enforcement should be. Thanks to Pastor Josh Darsaut for the Bible verse and your unexpected grace on a rough day. Thanks as always to my agent, Melissa Jeglinski, and editor, Emily Rodmell, for your help and support on this journey. And finally, thanks to all of you who were there for me while I was writing this difficult book. I hope you enjoy it.
Contents
Note to Readers
The thrumming of the helicopter rotors were like a steady drum beat pounding through Jacob Henry’s mind as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police detective scanned the monitor for any sign of life in the dense Ontario forest below. Outside the cockpit window, the summer sun was just beginning its descent behind thick and oppressive clouds. Silvery outlines of opal raindrops traced streaks down the windshield. Tense words between the young Search and Rescue pilot sitting beside him and the testy East Coast detective in the back seat filled his headset.
