Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

him on a back road to his half brother’s ranch. Good thing Hannah’s Jeep had reliable winter tires as the road was barely passable with yesterday’s storm. They crunched as he drove over the packed snow. Deer grazing in the field caught his attention before a host of huskies raced toward them, barking at their sudden appearance. They stopped at the side. Murray’s dogs. The creatures were gorgeous.

Gabe popped up in the back seat. “Oh, goody. I love dogs.” He pointed. “Look at them all!”

“They pull the sleds,” Hannah said.

“Can I go on a ride?”

“We’ll see, sport.” Layke drove the Jeep into the driveway and his jaw dropped. The two-story log home housed a circular bay window on the ground level with a balcony above it and a stone chimney off to the left. A matching log structure was attached to the right and appeared to be some type of added room. An office perhaps?

Hannah whistled. “Wow, this place is gorgeous.”

“I know, right?” He parked the Jeep beside a van with the sign Murly’s Wild West Adventures on the side along with a picture of a husky.

The front door opened and Layke took a breath. This was his first face-to-face meeting with his recently discovered half brother. He’d only Skyped with him a few times after their initial contact.

The burly, bearded man dressed in Buffalo plaid stepped onto the entrance veranda. He waved.

Layke hesitated. Could he face the son of his criminal father? The father he never knew as a child and only found out about from an ancestry test?

Hannah squeezed his shoulder. “You okay?”

He drew in a ragged breath. “I will be.”

“You haven’t met Murray before, have you?”

He turned in his seat. Was he that much of a giveaway? He needed to curb his emotions. After all, he was a cop with all the rules. Never let them see how you really feel popped into his head. He’d gone this long without revealing his past. He could do this. “Only on Skype.”

“How did you find each other?” Hannah unbuckled Gabe’s seat belt.

He glanced back at Murray. “Long story and we don’t have time right now.” He knew his voice held a curtness to it. Would she let it go?

“Fine.” She opened her door and reached for Gabe. “Shall we go meet some dogs, bud?”

Why was he so rude? It was an honest question. He shook his head and climbed out of the Jeep.

Six barking dogs bounded up the driveway.

“Boys! Stop.” Murray’s brassy voice commanded attention.

They stopped immediately. Their barking ceased.

Wow. Layke was impressed with the well-trained animals. He stepped toward his half brother and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you in person.”

Murray pulled him into a bear hug instead. “None of this handshake nonsense. We’re family.”

A wave of emotion clotted in his throat. Family? How long had he yearned for someone to be his family? Too long. He swallowed to suppress the tangled feelings racing through him. After all, he had a job to do. Find those boys and stop the smuggling ring. Layke stepped back from Murray’s embrace, resolved to do just that and not let his own remorse impede his investigation. His rules took over once again.

The door opened and a petite brunette stepped outside. She wrapped her fleece coat tighter.

Murray motioned toward her. “Layke, this is my wife. Natalie.”

She hugged him. “Nice to finally meet you.”

“Sorry for the circumstances.”

“You need to find my boy.” Tears filled her hazel eyes.

“I’m working on it.”

Gabe bounded up beside him and hugged his leg. “Murray, Natalie, this is Gabe.” He turned to Hannah. “And this is border patrol officer Hannah Morgan.”

They shook hands.

Gabe jumped up and down. “Can I have a ride on your doggie’s sled?”

“Sport, let’s get to know them first, okay?”

Murray whistled and the dogs surrounded them within seconds. “Boys, meet Gabe.”

One dog rubbed up against Gabe and licked his hand. The boy giggled and patted him. “They’re cute.”

Hannah rubbed the one beside her. “What type of husky are they?”

“Siberian,” Murray said.

“They’re gorgeous.” Hannah petted another one. “They have such beautiful blue eyes.”

Natalie pointed to one sitting off to itself. “We have one girl. Check out Saje. She’s special.”

Gabe walked over and yelled back. “She has two colors. Blue and brown.”

Murray laughed. “That’s right. Some huskies do.” He pointed to the entrance. “Let’s get you inside. The temps today are brutal.”

He wasn’t wrong. Even though the sun had come out, the frigid air formed ice crystals that danced along the front of the log home. If it wasn’t so cold, Layke would almost enjoy the sight before him and the sparkling field to the right of the building. Almost.

The group followed Murray into the house and a wave of heat rushed at Layke, followed by the smell of a bonfire. Made sense that this outdoor man would have a real wood-burning fireplace. It was exactly what Layke needed. After today’s ordeal all he wanted to do was sit beside a roaring fire.

“You can leave your coats and boots here. Let’s head to the family room.” Murray pointed in the direction he wanted them to go.

They hung their parkas on the wooden antler-style coatrack and followed the couple.

Layke stepped into a rustic-themed living room similar to Hannah’s friend’s cabin. The only difference was the plaid-decorated furniture.

Gabe passed them and ran to the stone hearth. “Can we have s’mores?” He clapped. “Please?”

“Sport, not now. We just got here.” He pointed to the red-and-navy-plaid couch. “Take a seat.”

Hannah roamed the room, peering at the decor with her mouth gaping open. “This place is beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Natalie said.

Layke moved to an end table displaying family pictures. One of Murray and Natalie with a young boy in the middle caught his attention. “Noel?”

Murray rubbed his short beard and clenched his jaw. “Yes.”

Gabe popped up. “Wait. I know him.”

“From where, sport?”

Tears pooled and he stumbled backward. “The other boys in the cave.”

A simultaneous gasp filled the room, silencing the crackling fire and chilling him through to the bones.

* * *

Hannah raced over to