BURDEN OF PROOF
FBI Rapid Response #1
by
DiANN MILLS
Genre: Inspirational /Mystery / Suspense / Romance
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Date of Publication: October 9, 2018
Number of Pages: 416
Scroll down for the giveaway!
Reeling from a negotiation gone wrong, FBI Special Agent April Ramos is caught off guard when a frazzled young woman shoves a crying baby into her arms, then disappears. Worry for the child’s safety quickly turns to fear when a man claiming to be the girl’s father abducts them at gunpoint. April puts her hostage negotiation skills to use to learn more about who she’s dealing with: Jason Snyder, a fugitive accused of murder.
As Jason spins a tall tale about being framed for the killing of his business partner, April must sort through his claims to find the truth. A truth that becomes all the more evident after April overhears a conversation between Jason and the local sheriff and realizes something more sinister may be happening in their small town of Sweet Briar, Texas. But aligning herself with a known fugitive to uncover the burden of proof could cost April her job . . . or worse, her life and the lives of other innocent people.
PRAISE FOR DiANN MILLS:
"The tension level rises as layers of lies are peeled away in multiple plot twists." --Library Journal
"DiAnn Mills is a master of fast-paced and intricately plotted romantic suspense." --Colleen Coble, Bestselling author
"[A] fast-moving, intricately plotted thriller." --Publishers Weekly
"The tension level rises as layers of lies are peeled away in multiple plot twists." --Library Journal
"DiAnn Mills is a master of fast-paced and intricately plotted romantic suspense." --Colleen Coble, Bestselling author
"[A] fast-moving, intricately plotted thriller." --Publishers Weekly
CHECK OUT THE BOOK TRAILER!
CHAPTER
3, PART THREE
FROM
BURDEN OF PROOF
BY
DiANN MILLS
“Not yet. Put Isabella in
the car seat.” He kept his distance.
No one was in sight to
even question the crime taking place. Once the baby was secure, he pressed the
barrel of the gun against her back.
She sighed. Was he
reading her mind or had she left all logic at the office with Benson’s suicide?
“Let’s talk about what’s
bothering you and get this straightened out.”
“Open the driver’s door
and scoot over to the other side. Don’t try a thing, or I’ll use the gun.”
She obeyed and crawled
over the console. As soon as her feet hit the floorboard on the passenger side,
he was seated and locked the doors. No way to kick him with the console . . .
“Don’t forget the seat
belt,” he said.
“Sir, your actions will
have serious consequences.”
His brown eyes bored hard
into her face. “I’m a desperate man.”
This must be a domestic
or custody dispute. The baby no longer cried, a blessing since April questioned
what kind of insanity she’d met for the second time today. Images of the early
morning death slammed into her brain. In truth, the memory would never leave
her.
“Do you live alone?” her
abductor said.
“Yes.”
“Address?” She gave him
one.
He typed into his phone.
“That belongs to the FBI.” He pulled the Beretta from his jacket and aimed it
at her. “This is a life-and-death matter. I hate pulling you into my
circumstances. But I have no choice when my daughter is threatened.”
Definitely a troubled
man. She’d gain the upper hand at her home. With that reassurance, she gave him
the correct address.
“We’ll talk there.” He
typed into his phone and placed the truck in reverse.
***
While Jason drove to
Agent Ramos’s home through heavy traffic, he worried the cops were on his tail.
Emotion for what he’d experienced over the last several hours threatened to
break loose. He’d shed nearly as many tears as when Lily died. Now Russell . . .
And he’d almost lost his baby girl. Jason stared at Isabella through the
rearview mirror. “Daddy is so sorry for what you went through.” She’d been the
victim of his worst nightmare: an abduction.
“Are you ready to talk?”
the agent said.
“Not yet.” The tiny woman
beside him probably had hand-to-hand combat skills beyond his imagination. He’d
done his best to avoid a flying fist or foot. At least he had her purse, most
likely containing a cell phone and a weapon. A huge risk. But her influence in
law enforcement could right a terrible wrong. Several of them. “I’m thinking
through how to present my story.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m Jason, and you’ve
met my daughter, Isabella.” April nodded.
“I’m glad I was there.
Would you like for me to call Isabella’s mother and let her know her daughter’s
safe?”
“Isabella’s mother died a
year ago, giving birth to our daughter.” He’d disappointed Lily too. She’d
kissed Isabella at two hours old, just before saying good-bye to them forever.
What had he just done? “Nabbing a federal agent was an impulsive decision. Not
my normal way of handling a problem.”
“I won’t deny you’re in a
lot of trouble. Let’s talk this out.”
He swallowed hard. “No
amount of talk can fix the tragedy affecting my life.”
“Then I need to hear what
you have to say.”
After two more turns, he
pulled into a driveway in front of a cottage-style home. A risky plan formed,
one of justice and a way to solve a murder.
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, Inspirational Reader's Choice, and Carol Award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian fiction books of 2014.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She's an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers.
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