Still Waters

Still Waters
Shirlee McCoy

A Town in Jeopardy.A window smashed. A local teenager assaulted. The community of Lakeview is panicked when a gang of teens wreaks havoc in this sleepy Virginia hamlet. But Sheriff Jake Reed seems just the man to stop the vandalism.A Woman in Danger.Tiffany Anderson thought the "crime wave" was nothing but a bunch of summer boys with too much money and time on their hands. But when she becomes the gang's target, Tiffany must cling to her faith that God will send her a protector….A Man of Secrets.Keeping an eye on Tiffany, Jake finds himself drawn to the feisty redhead who reaches out to the needy. But haunted by his troubled past, he's leery of spending time with a woman who evokes feelings he'd thought long buried. Then Tiffany vanishes, and Jake can only pray he'll find her in time. Because suddenly he understands that God didn't mean for him to be alone, but to share his life with the woman who shares his faith.

Still Waters

Still Waters

Shirlee McCoy

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

To Ed and Shirley Porter,

who taught me to believe in myself and to trust in God. You get to be first this time, Dad!

To Rodney,

who believed even when I didn’t. Ten years! Want to try for another fifty?

To Willetta Ruth Pothier,

who shared her middle name and her love of books with me. I love you, Nana.

And to Darlene Gabler.

Friend, confidante, endless source of story ideas. This one’s for you, Gal!

Contents

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

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Epilogue

Chapter One

“Tiff, come on. Just a mile more.” Brian McMath’s voice echoed through the early-morning fog a moment before he appeared. Brown eyes keen, he watched as Tiffany approached, then resumed his own quick jog as she drew up beside him.

“You’re doing great.” Brian’s words were followed by a glance in Tiffany’s direction. She had little doubt he had taken note of her slick skin and damp clothes. He hadn’t broken a sweat.

“I really…don’t think…I can make it.”

“Of course you can. It’s only a mile. We’ve already done three.”

“That’s…one more…than I’ve been…doing. I’ve got…to stop.” With a groan of relief, Tiffany did just that. Muscles quivering, she leaned forward, rested her hands on wobbling knees and struggled to catch her breath.

Brian stopped beside her and despite Tiffany’s desperate need for oxygen she didn’t miss the quick glance he cast at his watch. Nor could she mistake the pinched look around his mouth for anything other than the impatience it was. She forced herself upright. “Look Brian, I know you’re anxious to finish the run. Why don’t you go on ahead? I’ll meet you at the diner.”

“No, we agreed we’d do the jog together this morning. Just take a few deep breaths. I can wait another minute.”

If Tiffany hadn’t been so out of breath she might have laughed. As it was, she shook her head and tried to speak without panting every word. “It’s going to take more than a minute for me to recover. Go on ahead.”

Brian hesitated a moment and Tiffany knew he was torn between the desire to stay with her and the need to maintain his Saturday morning routine. In the end, routine won over affection and he nodded. “All right. If I get moving I’ll still have time for breakfast before prayer meeting.”

Tiffany smiled to hide her disappointment. Though she hadn’t expected him to, a small part of her had hoped Brian would walk to the diner with her. “I shouldn’t be more than fifteen minutes behind you.”

Brian nodded absently and leaned forward to plant a kiss in the region of Tiffany’s ear. “See you then.” With a jaunty wave, he was gone, swallowed up by the fog.