Even in the Darkness

Even in the Darkness
Shirlee McCoy

Alone in a country she didn't know well, chased by men who were willing to kill to get what they wanted, Lakeview veterinarian Tori Riley would do anything to keep the daughter she gave up for adoption safe – even depend on a man who might not be telling her the truth.Called out of early retirement for one final job, former DEA agent Noah Stone didn't trust Tori's motives – what kind of vet gets herself tangled up with drug lords?But there was no time for questions, for every second brought an unscrupulous enemy closer to Tori's daughter….

SHIRLEE MCCOY

has always loved making up stories. As a child, she daydreamed elaborate tales in which she was the heroine—gutsy, strong and invincible. Though she soon grew out of her superhero fantasies, her love for storytelling never diminished. She knew early that she wanted to write inspirational fiction, and began writing her first novel when she was a teenager. Still, it wasn’t until her third son was born that she truly began pursuing her dream of being published. Three years later she sold her first book. Now a busy mother of four, Shirlee is a homeschool mom by day and an inspirational author by night. She and her husband and children live in Maryland and share their house with a dog and a guinea pig. You can visit her Web site at www.shirleemccoy.com (http://www.shirleemccoy.com).

Even in the Darkness

Shirlee McCoy

ISBN: 9781408966037

Even in the Darkness

© Shirlee McCoy 2006

First Published in Great Britain in 2006

Harlequin (UK) Limited

Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, including without limitation xerography, photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This ebook is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the prior consent of the publisher, in any form or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.á.r.l.

® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

If I rise up on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

—Psalms 139:9–10

To my nieces and nephews who’ve already arrived—Joshua, Skylar, Danielle, Brianna, Trey, Jacob, Kaitlyn, John Paul, Elijah, Elijah, and Amirah—my life is brighter because you are in it. I love you all!

And to the one who hasn’t arrived—baby Parker. Love begins on a breath of hope and rushes forward to embrace a dream. You are that dream. Safe travels, little one!

Special thanks to Kitty McCoy, proprietor of Kitty’s Little Book Shoppe, and my biggest Smith Mountain Lake fan. Get the tea ready, I’m on my way!

Dear Reader,

Life is filled with choices—stay or move, spend or save, take a new job or remain at an old one. If you’re like me, you’re faced with decisions every day. Sometimes it’s easy to choose what path to take. Other times all the paths look the same, no choice better or worse than any other. That’s when fear can take hold. We worry that we’ll make the wrong choice, that somehow our decision will lead us to a place we shouldn’t be. Fortunately, God is in control. He can and will lead us toward the goal—a life lived well for Him.

That’s what happens to Tori Riley. When a trip to Thailand puts her in the path of one of the region’s most notorious drug cartels, she wonders if what she thought was the right decision is actually the worst mistake she’s ever made. As she races through the jungle of Mae Hong Son, she must trust DEA Agent Noah Stone to keep her safe. His steadfast faith forces Tori to reassess her own wavering beliefs. Only then can she see God’s hand guiding her decisions and leading forward into His perfect plan for her life.

I’m sure you can sense how enthusiastic I am about this story! I hope you’ll share my excitement as you join Tori and Noah on their journey. And when the journey is complete, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line at shirlee@shirleemccoy.com (http://shirlee@shirleemccoy.com).

Blessings,

Contents

About the Author

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty