Love Inspired Suspense December 2015, Box Set 2 of 2 Read Free

accident at the bomb site they had been searching.
    â€œDid you miss me?” Jake rubbed him behind his ears.
    Mitch barked.
    The noise brought Gramps into the entry hall. “Every sound sent Mitch to the window to see if you were coming home.”
    â€œI stayed a little longer than I planned. I’m surprised at how much Port Aurora has grown, changed.”
    â€œYes, it’s been a harbor of busyness for the past year. Lots of construction in the summer. The roads still okay?”
    â€œYes. Five or six hours from now they might not be.”
    â€œIf the storm blows through quickly, they’ll have the roads plowed by tomorrow afternoon.”
    â€œAll the way out here?” They didn’t when he lived here as a child, but Port Aurora’s population had been only twenty-eight hundred in the winter. With its growth came more needs for the residents.
    â€œYep, that’s called progress. They don’t plow the long drive, but I’ll get out there and do that tomorrow morning.”
    â€œI can.”
    â€œNo, you’re on vacation.”
    â€œI’ve been on vacation for months, and frankly I can’t wait to get back to work.”
    Gramps turned and ambled toward the great room where he spent a lot of his time. “Then let’s pray your doctor says you’re ready to go back to work at the first of January. Did you see any old friends?”
    â€œRachel and Sean.” Since Celeste wasn’t a friend, he left her name out. Whenever she was mentioned, Gramps always got angry.
    â€œHow’s Rachel?”
    â€œFine.” Jake sat on the couch while his grandfather took his place in his special lounger. “We really didn’t talk long. Aunt Betty was upset about something, and Rachel was focused on that.”
    â€œReally? Betty is one lady that goes with the flow. She doesn’t let much of anything get to her. I should learn something from her.”
    The landline rang, and Jake reached toward the end table and snatched up the receiver. “Hello.”
    â€œJake, I’m so glad you’re home.” The relief in Rachel’s voice came through loud and clear.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    â€œI stopped by Aunt Betty’s house on the way home, and no one answered the door, but her car is here. I just looked into the living room window and someone has tossed her place. It’s a mess.”
    â€œCall the police, stay outside and I’ll be right there.”
    â€œI’m already inside. My cell doesn’t work this far from town. The first thing I did was call you.”
    â€œMake the call to the police and then get out. Okay?”
    â€œYes.” The urgency in Jake’s voice heightened her concern for her aunt.

CHAPTER TWO
    A fter reporting to the police about the trashed living room, Rachel hung up her aunt’s phone not far from the front door and started edging back. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, her breathing shallow. She should get out like Jake said, but what if Aunt Betty was knocked out on the floor? She didn’t think an intruder was still there since there was no sign of a vehicle other than Aunt Betty’s. But if someone robbed her, and from the disarray of drawers emptied and cushions tossed on the floor, it was obvious that was what happened, then her aunt could be hurt, tied up or even...
    No, she wouldn’t consider that. She wouldn’t leave until she found her aunt. The least she could do until Jake came was walk through her cabin and search. Rachel had first-aid training because of all the hiking and camping she did in the warmer months. If Aunt Betty was hurt, she might need medical attention right away.
    She moved through the clutter, careful not to step on anything. Maybe this was the only room involved. Maybe her aunt had been looking for something in the living room and...
    When Rachel entered the kitchen, it was worse. Everything was out of the cabinets and