Protecting Holly

Protecting Holly
Lynn Bulock

Spending Christmas Eve with her handsome boss in a cabin while a stalker threatens is not the way Holly Vance had planned to celebrate this year - she'd been counting on dinner with her extended family. But being trapped with Jake Montgomery, the FBI's local computer expert, isn't a hardship - she's secretly loved him from the day they met. Still, Jake's overwhelming quest to uncover the connection between tycoon Alistair Barclay, the Diablo crime syndicate and drug cartel La Mano Oscura is overshadowing the joy of the season.Can the most miraculous time of the year turn the cynical crime fighter into a caring Christian man?

“These guys play rough, and they play for keeps,” the district attorney said.

“You think I don’t know that?” Jake knew he was beginning to sound aggravated. “I’ve been involved in this for months. I’ve seen what they can do.” His brother Adam was still recovering from being shot months ago.

“I have, too.” Rose sounded grim. “I just don’t want to see any more of this close to home. Don’t forget you’ve got one of my favorite cousins working for you, mister. I want to keep her in one piece.”

“No need to worry on that score. I wouldn’t let anybody touch Holly. If I lost her, the office would fall apart.”

FAITH ON THE LINE:

Two powerful families wage war on evil…and find love.

ADAM’S PROMISE—

Gail Gaymer Martin

FINDING AMY—

Carol Steward

GABRIEL’S DISCOVERY—

Felicia Mason

REDEEMING TRAVIS—

Kate Welsh

PETER’S RETURN—

Cynthia Cooke

PROTECTING HOLLY—

Lynn Bulock

LYNN BULOCK

has been writing since fourth grade and published in various fields for over twenty years. Her first romantic novel came out in 1989. Her Steeple Hill Café mystery LOVE THE SINNER is a May 2005 release. She lives near Los Angeles, California, with her husband and sons.

Protecting Holly

Lynn Bulock

To Joe, always

Keep me, O LORD, from the hands

of the wicked; protect me from men

of violence who plan to trip my feet.

—Psalms 140:4

Cast of Characters

Jake Montgomery—Someone was out to make sure the FBI agent never finished decoding Alistair Barclay’s secret files.

Holly Vance—She’d loved her boss in silence for years, but would the traumatic past she’d buried keep them apart?

Alistair Barclay—The former hotel tycoon was going down for numerous crimes. Would Jake be able to connect him with Baltasar Escalante and the Diablo crime syndicate?

Maxwell Vance—The former CIA agent has a vested interest in the case: keeping his three sons out of the line of fire.

Peter Vance—He was one of the last ones to see Escalante alive…and one of the many on hand to testify against Barclay.

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed Holly and Jake’s story. It was quite an experience to work with so many fine authors in this series of books about the Vance and Montgomery families and how they used their faith to fight evil. I suppose we all do that in a lesser way each day, without considering it much. So many days in the past six months have started out with knowing that my “sisters” in this project were encouraging me, or holding me up in a prayer. I’d like to thank all of them, Gail, Carol, Felicia, Kate and Cynthia, for all that they’ve brought into my life.

In addition, a book like this with multiple areas of research can’t be completed without a great deal of help from folks in a variety of professions. I’d especially like to thank Nathan Lee and Karen Nicastro for their excellent help in guiding me through the legal system. Anything I got right was due to their expertise, and the errors are all mine.

I love hearing from my readers. You can contact me at: P.O. Box 1167, Thousand Oaks, CA 91358 or find me at www.lynnbulock.com.

Blessings,

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine