Double Cross (34 page)

D
EAR
R
EADER,

I hope you’ve enjoyed
Double Cross
and the characters who played leading roles in the story. What I value from writing this story is what the characters learned from each other.

Laurel couldn’t shake her past, the psychological repercussions drawing her slowly away from the world where she believed the hurt would no longer torment her. She had her home with her antiques, a career in the FBI, and Phantom. Laurel could have continued her downward spiral without Abby’s, Daniel’s, and Morton’s impressions on her life.

Daniel thought he could save the world. His role as a police officer helped him step toward that goal, an impossible one. When he faced the truth about his mother and later Morton Wilmington, he discovered freedom and purpose.

Abby believed in doing everything possible to keep her body, mind, and spirit in good shape. She understood the meaning of survival and the joy of living every day to its fullest. But when life zoomed out of control, she accepted assistance from those who could rectify the situation.

Morton showed the characters how they could step into the waters of life and be clean.

I think we all have a few traits of each character in
Double
Cross
. The question is whether we can learn from those around us to grow our relationship with Jesus. I hope so. I know I’m trying.

Sincerely,

DiAnn

Expect an Adventure

DiAnn Mills

www.diannmills.com

www.facebook.com/diannmills

EXPECT AN ADVENTURE
EXPECT AN ADVENTURE

CALL OF DUTY SERIES
CALL OF DUTY SERIES

FBI: HOUSTON SERIES
FBI: HOUSTON SERIES

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PRESENT DAY

MID-SEPTEMBER

7:00 A.M. MONDAY

Taryn’s perfect day melted in the heat of an early morning bottleneck. Houston traffic was a war zone during rush hour. Six lanes of bumper-to-bumper vehicles slowed to a crawl with a road construction crew flashing warning lights ahead. Six lanes narrowed to five, then four, then three, then two.

Shep touched her arm, his gold-brown eyes expressing tenderness. “Babe, the driver will get us to the airport in plenty of time.”

“I hate traffic.” She pulled her iPad from her purse, a habit when she needed to keep her mind occupied.

“Taryn, our honeymoon starts today.” He smiled. “Do your new husband a favor and put away your gadgets. Didn’t the VP tell you to forget about work and concentrate on your husband?”

“He did, and you have all my attention.”

“Better yet, let me have all your toys, and I’ll keep them safe. The one thing I plan to do for the rest of my life is take care of you.”

Oh, this wonderful man. And he was all hers. “You’re right. My life’s no longer a solo project. I’ve been single for so long
 
—”

“And a workaholic. Don’t worry. I have room right here in my backpack.” He chuckled, the rich sound reminding her of a
thundering waterfall. “I’ll keep them for you, Mrs. Shepherd. But I doubt you’ll have time to use them.”

She blushed, remembering last night. How could she argue with such devotion? “Can I at least keep my phone?”

“I suppose.” He brushed a kiss across her lips. “I love the blush in your cheeks.”

Would she always grow warm with his touch? “Comes with the hair.”

“A gorgeous match.” He twirled a tendril of her hair around his fingers and let it fall against her neck, causing a shiver from far too many sources.

Taryn knew what he was thinking, but she couldn’t respond with the limo driver listening to every word. She handed Shep her iPad, hoping he understood that until she met him, her first love had been designing software. Now, with bittersweet regret, she watched him tuck her technological lifeline into his leather backpack.

“We’ll be at the airport in twenty minutes.” He took her hand into his. “Then we’re off to our San Juan paradise. We might never come back. Live in Puerto Rico forever.”

She snuggled close to him. For the first time in years, she wouldn’t miss work
 
—no software development projects or unrealistic deadlines. And to think she’d spend the rest of her life with this delicious man. Had it only been three months since they’d met and fallen in love? From the moment he walked into her life, he’d become her prince. They’d been inseparable, just the two of them, realizing they were meant for a lifetime. She’d dreamed of a man like Shep since she was a little girl, a man who wouldn’t care that she kept her nose in books. His entrance into her heart was like a golden path to a fairy-tale future.

After checking in at the airport, she stared at her boarding pass and wished it held her married name: Mrs. Francis Shepherd. Their next trip would show them as husband and wife.

Security moved like the traffic they’d left behind. In the crowd,
everyone’s personal space was invaded, and some people responded with hostility. Taryn stepped into a long, winding line, and Shep wrapped an arm around her waist. Oh, she loved her new life. He blew her a kiss while loading his shoes and personal belongings into a bin. If cravings like these occupied her mind for the next fifty years, how would she ever get any work done again?

Once they walked through the body scanner and gathered their things, they wove through the crowd and on toward the gate. The predawn coffee caught up with her. With the urgency, she pointed to the women’s restroom. “Do I have time for a quick stop?”

“Sure. My fault since I filled your cup twice to wake you. Let me have your carry-on, and I’ll wait here.” His smoldering look could have melted the wings off a jumbo jet.

“I’ll hurry.”

“No problem. The future’s ours.”

Rushing inside, she noted six women ahead of her, one with two children. Shep had a tendency to be impatient with time constraints, but she’d be miserable on the plane if she didn’t wait her turn. Her iPhone notified her that she had fifteen minutes before boarding time.

Finally a stall opened and she hurried in. While she was drying her hands, a thunderous explosion shook the floor. A crack snaked up the wall. Then another. The mirror shattered, breaking her image into shards of glass.

She screamed and swung toward the entrance. Before she could take a step, the ceiling collapsed. Amid dirt and fallen tile, moans filled the air like a nightmare that refused to end. The walls creaked, metal and concrete shifting . . . falling.

Muffled groans alerted Taryn to her impaired hearing from the blast. Trembling, she bent to check on a young woman sprawled at her feet. Blood seeped from a head wound, and Taryn couldn’t detect a pulse.

Debris rained on her. Something crashed against her head, sending her spiraling into darkness.

1. Laurel has been trying to let go of the guilt she feels over what happened when she put Morton Wilmington in prison five years ago. Does Laurel ever release her guilt? How? Can guilt be a good thing or lead to a good consequence? If you were in Laurel’s shoes, what steps would you take to turn the guilt into something good?
   
2. As a police officer, Daniel is used to taking charge and finding the answers himself. Why is he so reluctant to work with the FBI? Is his attitude justified? Why or why not? What makes him change his mind about interagency cooperation?
   
3. Daniel’s grandfather, Earl Hilton, lives with Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects more than 5 million Americans and their caregivers. Is there someone in your life who has received this diagnosis? What sort of day-to-day challenges do caregivers face? How can you show love and compassion to dementia patients and their families?
   
4. In this novel, the FBI has spent years investigating a scam targeting the elderly, and Laurel feels desperate enough to bargain with a criminal, even offering to shorten his sentence if he cooperates. What’s behind her motivation for
   making such a plea? Is this a reasonable risk for her to take? What are the potential pitfalls in her plan?
   
5. Have you or someone you love ever been robbed or taken advantage of in some way? How did it change your life or theirs? What precautions can you take, or advise your loved ones to take, to avoid a scam like the one in the story?
   
6. Morton Wilmington claims to have turned his life around since being imprisoned. Would you have trusted him initially? Is there a point where your feelings toward him begin to change?
   
7. Abby Hilton is a woman of action, facing challenges with faith and resolve. But “the more she trusted [God], the more the devil tossed her way.” Have you found this to be true in your own life? What do you do when the circumstances before you threaten to overwhelm you?
   
8. From an early age, Laurel was told that one day she would have to surrender to her need for God. What are some of the false gods people hold on to before reaching their breaking points? What have you held on to in your life and what was your breaking point?
   
9. After years of silence, Daniel comes to a crossroads in his relationship with his mom. Does his conversation with her go the way you expected it to? How does Daniel honor God in what he says?
   
10. As a teenager, Abby ran away from home and straight into a horrible situation. Eventually she had the courage to escape from her living nightmare. What lessons does Laurel take away from Abby’s past? Are you living with the consequences of a bad choice, or do you know someone who is? What encouragement can you find in Abby’s story?
    
11. In chapter 44, Daniel dismisses the idea that he should be working as a detective. He says, “Right now this is what God wants me to do. . . . My significance is in being available for whatever’s needed.” Describe a time when you could say this about your life. Have you ever said no to an opportunity that, to an outsider, seemed like a no-brainer? What did you learn from that experience?
    
12. At the climax of the story, Laurel is caught in the crosshairs of a showdown. Were you surprised by what happened next? Do you believe the motives behind the actions were genuine?