They were playing a dangerous game.
They both hit the door at a run. Just as daylight and cold city air blasted him in the face, the zing of a bullet whizzed past his ear and hit the front window. Glass shattered everywhere.
Bending, he threw his arm over Maggies head and shuffled the two of them out the door as fast as he could. Move!
She took off without a word, but managed to keep up with him as he dashed along the packed sidewalks. They ran full-out and pushed through midday crowds until they were both out of breath.
What the hell did you think you were doing? he gritted out.
Maggie turned and gave him a sweet smile. Why, Colin, darlin, you know the answer to that. I was saving your sorry life. What else?
Dear Reader,
When I began THE SAFEKEEPERS trilogy, I thought of the three traits that I believed portrayed the best of womankind: courage, motherhood and love. The heroines in each of the three stories take a journey to becoming the best woman they can beby living up to these traits. In this last book, Ive embodied my ideals of the best of all three traits into one woman. For even though she may never have a child of her own, Maggie Ryan must find the courage to seek out trouble. She must accept both the joy and pain of mothering a child she may never be able to keep. And she must learn to give herself over to true love in order to become the best mother possible.
Maggie is one of my favorite heroines. Shes tough enough to take what she needs. But she must also learn to be vulnerable enough to lose it allin order to win the one thing she wants most! Count on Maggie to find a way. Its been great fun writing this trilogy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Happy Reading!
With all my best,
Linda
LINDA CONRAD
In Safe Hands Linda Conrad
To everyone who believes in magic.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Prologue
with your children, Brody Ryan, you son of a dog! Vete pal carajo!
The brujas dark curse still rang out in Lupe Delgados mind a decade and a half after it had been issued. More of a good witch, the curandera shook off the memory of her mothers harsh words from long ago. She continued her walk down the beach along a tropical Vera Cruz mountain lake, glancing again at the disturbing note that she had just been handed. Her mother, the ancient, black-magic bruja witch, was dying.
Lupe had known this time was coming. After all, her mothers lifetime stretched well into her nineties, and her health had been precarious lately. But Lupe wished with her whole heart for her mother to be granted more time. The fifteen-year-old curse was still valid, and her mothers shadowy soul was still unprepared to meet her God. Lupes eyes filled with tears as her thoughts turned to her three Ryan grandchildren, who were currently living their adult lives in Texas. Their great-grandmother had cursed them when she cursed their father, and they had suffered from the old womans black magic ever since. Lupes mothers furious words had brought disaster down upon them, not to mention a blackened soul for the old woman herself.
After leaving the beach and returning home to her potions and crystals, Lupe packed up a small traveling kit. Her mother had finally relented a few months ago and renounced her black ways. The old woman was refusing to sell dark charms and hexes to her former customers. With her approaching death, Maria Elena Ixtepan had also agreed to reverse the curse on the Ryan childrenif their father managed to perform three selfless deeds.
Lupe had not expected a miracle from her arrogant and defiant son-in-law, Brody Ryan. But so far he had accomplished two good deeds, and Lupe foresaw the possibility of complete redemption in the near future.
They were so close to salvation. Her mother just had to last a little longer.
With prayers in her heart, Lupe started out in the direction of her mothers mountainside cabin. She knew her own curandera white witchcraft abilities should not be used for such dubious purposes. But perhaps, if Lupe prayed to the right combination of saints and used the proper combination of words, she could keep death from her mothers doorstep long enough to save them all.
She had to try.
Chapter 1
Bugger. It was freezing in here. No wonder the place was all but deserted. What kind of human could live for long in conditions like this? Hed agreed to wait for twenty-four hours, but now he was wondering if that had been the most intelligent thing to do.
Hed been through much worse, of course. Fighting alongside his men in freezing blizzards in the mountain passes in Afghanistan, he had known hell. Yet, even that extreme cold hadnt chilled his bones the same way the icy drafts singing down the tenement walls were battering both his body and his psyche.
He fingered the weapon at his waistband. Colin was pleased hed thought of obtaining the automatic from his embassy before embarking on this personal mission. The secretive man he was supposed to meet claimed to have information that would be the most vital clue in Colins search to date. According to other local contacts, this man was covertly employed by the Americans. His job was to keep tabs on just the sort of thing Colin wanted to find. Allowances had to be made for that kind of knowledge.