Love Inspired Suspense October 2015 #1 by Lenora Worth, Hope White, Diane Burke

army just a few years ago. Another member of their group was Alec Caldwell, a former marine who’d been injured and had the scars to prove it, and was now a successful businessman living in one of the old Victorian houses along the lake. Even though he’d inherited a ton of money from his late mother, he was as laid-back and unassuming as any man could be since he’d met local bakery owner Marla Hamilton. They were getting married in two weeks and Blain was the best man.
    Rory would officiate and who knew what their fourth man, Hunter Lawson, would do or if he’d even show up for the wedding. The Okie came and went like a shadow but he was slowly growing on all of them and he was a solid friend if need be. Blain might have to call Hunter since Hunter had gotten his PI license recently and was now available to work cases in the state of Florida.
    â€œSo I know you can’t talk about the case but...be careful out there,” Rory said. “This is a bit off the reservation for Millbrook.”
    â€œYeah, and don’t I know it,” Blain replied. “I’ll be careful. And smart.”
    â€œI’ll see you soon,” Rory said.
    Blain hit End and turned to unlock his car. Then he noticed he had a flat tire. “What?”
    He bent to examine the tire. He’d just had the vehicle serviced, courtesy of the Millbrook Police Department since it was a departmental vehicle. The mechanics had suggested new tires so he’d had those put on, too.
    Now this. Blain studied the tire and noticed something odd. A slash mark cutting deep into the still-new tread.
    Suddenly, he wasn’t as worried about how the department’s money had gone to waste on these tires as he was about how someone had obviously slashed this tire in broad daylight.
    Blain heaved an aggravated sigh and stood up to check his surroundings, thinking he’d just gotten his first hint on how things would go with an investigation involving an Alvanetti.
    Or maybe, his first warning from a killer.
    * * *
    Rikki sat holding her mother’s frail hand.
    Sonia was sleeping, which was a surprise in itself. Her mother used to rise with the dawn because she had to see the sun cresting out over the water to the east. She’d make herself a strong cup of coffee and stroll down to the dock so she could be as close to the water as possible to watch the sunrise.
    â€œIsn’t that amazing?” she’d say to anyone who might want to venture down with her at the crack of dawn. “God’s world is so full of joy and beauty. That same sun that shines on us each day covers the entire earth with warmth. That sun shines on all of us, Rikki. You always remember that, no matter where you are in life. Always look toward the sun, honey.”
    Rikki brushed at the tears in her eyes and glanced at the clock. It was midmorning but the heavy curtains in her parents’ bedroom were still drawn shut.
    â€œHey, Mama, want me to open the curtains so you can see the sunshine?”
    Sonia let out a little grunt but didn’t wake up.
    Franco had left for the day with the excuse that he needed to visit with Santo at the warehouse and go over some paperwork.
    Rikki probably should let her mother sleep but Peggy had suggested trying to wake her in hopes that seeing Rikki would help Sonia. “She needs to get her strength back but she has a hard time staying up. Mr. A tries to get her to take a walk with him out to the water, but she just can’t make it.”
    Rikki wanted her mother to make it. Determined and needing something positive to cling to after the last couple of days, Rikki went to the row of glass windows and opened the curtains to the big sliding doors that were usually flung open to the back garden. While the water looked inviting, the chilly temperature forced the doors to stay shut tight.
    At least a cozy fire burned in the bedroom fireplace and Peggy had put up a glittering gold-and-red ornamented