Fever Pitch & Her Homecoming Wish by Sherryl Woods

Author:Sherryl Woods
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-01-28T16:31:55+00:00

* * *

“Daddy, come on. We’ll never get to the top if we don’t hurry!”

Chloe was running ahead on the path up the side of Gallant Mountain, zigzagging around trees and in and out of his view. Oh, to have that child’s energy.

“I’m coming, sweetie. Daddy’s a little tired today.” He tried to pick up his pace, ignoring the protest from his aching body. Nothing like wrestling with some guy who outweighs you by forty pounds and is amped up on meth to make it clear you’re getting older. Pete Malteer had taken his mom’s front door right off its hinges last night. Not the screen door—the solid wood front door. The guy had been out of his mind, furious that his poor mother refused to give him any more money, knowing he’d just spend it all on drugs and booze.

When Dan responded to the call, Karen Malteer had been cowering in the garage, hiding from Pete while she called 911. Shaneka at the 911 call center kept Karen on the line until Dan pulled in. He could hear Pete inside the house, trashing the place. Idiot. No, that wasn’t right. It was the drugs making Pete that way. Shaneka told him where to find Karen, and he got her safely over to the neighbor’s place before returning to deal with Pete. Dan called for backup, but there’d been an accident up on Route 28 and a shooting in the southern part of the county, so everyone was busy. He was on his own.

Dan was good at talking people down, but Pete wasn’t in the mood to talk. He’d taken one look at Dan in the doorway and charged. They’d landed on the sidewalk three steps below, with Dan generously absorbing Pete’s impact. Because he was a good guy like that. Pete started swinging, but Dan had the advantage of not being higher than a kite. Pete only landed a few blows before Dan had him cuffed and cursing on the ground a few minutes later. He was paying the price today, though. His ribs were covered with bruises. So were his knuckles, because Pete wasn’t the only guy who could land a punch.

A few minutes later, Chloe came back down the trail, running straight at him instead of her usual meandering. He automatically went on alert, looking for other hikers or an animal that might have startled her.

“Dad! There’s a lady up there dancing in the clearing! She’s barefoot and she’s dancing! Do you think maybe she’s a fairy? Or maybe it’s the ghost from Halcyon!”

Halcyon was a local landmark—an actual castle over a hundred years old. Blake and Amanda Randall lived there with their family. And yes, it was rumored to be haunted, but Dan doubted very much that a ghost was tripping the light fantastic on Gallant Mountain. His first guess? Sounded like someone high on something.

Damn it, he couldn’t even enjoy a hike with his little girl without those freakin’ drug dealers spoiling his day. And here he was with no gun, no radio, no nothing.

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