Shades of Truth by Sandra Orchard

Author:Sandra Orchard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2011-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

Without opening his eyes, Ethan reached across the night table to snag his phone.

“Someone’s on to you.”

Ethan rubbed the sleep from his eyes and rolled out of bed. “Good morning to you, too, Chief.”

“Switchboard just got a call for you.”

“Did they happen to note the caller ID?”

“Blocked. Any idea who you might’ve tipped off?”

Ethan scraped a hand over his morning whiskers. “Could be Joy, the former acquaintance I told you about.”

“Yeah? Well, don’t count on the caller being someone who’s on our side. I’ve got enough dead bodies on my hands.”

The blunt remark jolted Ethan fully awake. Not that he ever worried for his own life. Kim’s was another matter. If someone in the drug ring suspected he was a cop, anyone who appeared to be cooperating with him would be suspect.

He’d shocked himself as much as Kim when he kissed her. He’d tried to pull back, act professional, but when he’d seen how that hurt her, he couldn’t remain aloof. Never mind that he hadn’t planned on ever letting his heart get entangled with another woman. Not after his ex-girlfriend Stephanie had chewed up and spit out every last foolish notion he’d had that God might one day bless him with a woman to cherish.

When he’d asked Stephanie to marry him all those years ago, she’d said there were three people in their relationship—him, her and his guilt. She’d said she couldn’t live like that. But she’d merely confirmed what he’d known all along.

He didn’t deserve her, or anyone. Not after what he’d done.

But somehow, Kim had burrowed under his defenses. More than her unwavering belief in the kids at the manor, her respect and pride in the ones who, like him, went on to make something of their lives had started to make him wonder if Stephanie was wrong.

Sure, he still lived with guilt. Anyone would.

And yeah, he probably didn’t deserve a family after robbing Joy of her chance for one. But knowing he didn’t deserve one hadn’t quelled his longing for a woman to share his life with.

A woman like Kim. A woman who radiated God’s love and mercy in everything she did.

His alarm clock buzzed, reminding him that he had to be at work in forty-five minutes. At least he had a short shift today. He’d been up until two in the morning trawling every haunt where drug deals were likely to go down.

He’d hit pay dirt at a beach party up at the lake.

The kids were too baked to care that answering his questions could dry up their supplies. Blake’s name hadn’t sparked recognition with any of the kids, but Greg’s had. And Ethan had recognized two of the partiers from Aaron’s rendezvous a couple of weeks back.

Except when he’d dropped Aaron’s name, the kids had clammed up.

Ethan didn’t know what to make of the reaction. A few minutes earlier, they’d been happy to tell him where he could buy all the crack he wanted.

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