Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt-Free Books

» Posted on Mar 22, 2013 in Blog | Comments Off on Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt-Free Books

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!  If you at any time need to read the instructions for the hunt, please visitwww.christianfictionscavengerhunt.com

Spring 2013 Hunt LogoScorned Justice

By Margaret Daley

Texas Ranger Brody Calhoun is with his parents in west Texas when an unexpected attack injures the brother of Rebecca Morgan, Brody’s high school sweetheart. The local sheriff, a good friend, asks for Brody’s help. At first, it seems like an open-and-shut case.

As Brody digs deeper, he realizes the attack may be related to an organized crime trial Rebecca will be overseeing. With Rebecca’s help, he compiles evidence involving cattle rustling, bribery, and dirty payoffs that shatter the entire community and put Rebecca directly in the line of fire.

Brody expects to protect her. What he never expects is to fall for Rebecca all over again, or for a murder to throw the case wide open. Is Brody’s faith strong enough to withstand not only deep-rooted corruption and cattle rustling, but also love?

“Continuing her Men of the Texas Ranchers series, Daley’s story is driven by strong lead characters and contains a great buildup to the surprise reveal of ‘who done it’.”

Reviewed by Leslie McKee, RT Book Review

Scorned JusticeExcerpt from the end of Chapter One

Showcasing the hero Brody Calhoun and heroine Rebecca Morgan

Brody climbed out of his blue SUV and scanned the area in front of the Sinclair’s large, two-story adobe house, where the barbecue would take place in less than half an hour. He’d come a little early to make sure security was in place for the governor’s arrival. Although he wasn’t officially a part of the security team, he couldn’t not be a Texas Ranger and make sure nothing happened to Foster Sinclair. One area of his expertise for the Rangers was security. Having been trained by the U.S. Marshals and the Secret Service, he was often involved in the protection of people in need.

He was at the barbecue as a friend to the Sinclair family, especially Thomas. They’d reconnected when he moved back five months ago. They had grown up as best friends and only lost touch with each other when he moved to Amarillo, and then to Dallas as a highway patrol officer and later a Texas Ranger. He’d welcomed the change. He couldn’t stay and watch Thomas’s sister, Rebecca, marry another man.

Three waiters came out of the house with Hattie right behind them directing them in their duties. He approached the housekeeper as the young men left to take their places.

“My lands, Brody Calhoun, you have grown even taller than the last time I saw you. What, six feet four or five inches?” Hattie greeted him with a hug, his large frame dwarfing her petite one.

“Still six three.”

“Are ya sure? What was it ten years ago?” She cocked her head to the side. “And why has it been ten years? One day you’re around a lot, then all of a sudden you’re gone.”

“I became a highway patrol officer. They sent me to Amarillo.”

“Why did you leave the San Antonio Police Department?”

“Because I wanted to be a Texas Ranger.” Because I was too late. Rebecca loved another.

“How’s your dad? Did he tell you I visited him a couple of times in the hospital?”

“Yes. We kept missing each other, but I’m glad you did. It brightened his day.”

“I bet he gave you and his doctors a tough time about staying in the hospital. I imagine you’ve had your hands full corralling your dad, so I’ll forgive you for not coming here until today.”

Brody reflected back to that week, tension clamping around his spine. “You imagined right. He wasn’t too happy being trapped in the hospital being a human pin cushion, as he put it.”

Hattie’s chuckle reminded Brody of the good times he’d spent at the Circle S Ranch. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. He reminds me of my husband. He insisted on coming home to die. He wasn’t going to stay in the hospital and have the last thing he saw be that room with its beige walls and every machine in the world hooked up to him. His words. I still miss him after five years.”

“I didn’t even know about him dying until a week after the fact.”

“I got your letter, and it meant a lot to me. I had a small memorial service before I scattered his ashes over the land he loved so much.”

“The Circle S Ranch?”

“Yep. He was foreman here for thirty years. He’s the reason I’m here taking care of Mr. Sinclair’s two adorable children. It doesn’t look like my daughter is going to get married anytime soon and give me grandchildren.”

Tory stepped out onto the front porch to survey the yard, from the lights strung up, to the tables set with red-and-white checkered tablecloths, to the grills set off to the side behind the buffet area.

Hattie leaned close to Brody and whispered, “She wanted a fancy party once she found out about the governor. Thomas had to put his foot down.”

“Yeah, I can imagine. He’s the least pretentious person I know. Besides, Tory must not know Foster well. He’s a lot like Thomas.” Brody pivoted toward Thomas’s wife, who was walking across the manicured lawn.

She stopped beside Hattie. “Your daughter said the brisket is ready to come out of the oven.”

“I’d better go and put the finishing touches to the food.” Hattie clasped Brody’s arm.

“Don’t be a stranger now that you live in San Antonio and your dad is getting better. I don’t want it to be another ten years before you come back to the ranch.”

As Hattie hurried into the house, Brody said, “I’d forgotten how much I love this ranch. I spent many days exploring this place with Thomas. Where is he?”

The corners of Tory’s mouth twisted into a frown. “Out checking fences. I don’t know what gets into that man’s head— he knows he needs to be here when the guests start to arrive.” She looked down the long drive and moaned. “Two cars full of guests who are here for his birthday. What do I tell them?”

“The truth. He had a situation he needed to take care of on the ranch, which I’m sure is what has kept him away. A lot of the guests are ranchers and will certainly understand. If he’s not back in twenty minutes, I’ll go out looking for him.”

Tory’s forehead grooved deeper. “You don’t think he really ran into a problem?”

“Knowing Thomas, he’s forgotten the time. I can gently remind him he has guests.”

“Rebecca already went out after him.” Tory started toward the two cars now coming to a stop. “Call her on her cell. You don’t want to cover the same ground that she has.”

“What’s her number?” Glad Tory’s back was to him, he doubted he was doing a very good job covering his reaction to hearing Rebecca’s name.

Tory rattled off the number, then greeted the first set of guests while Thomas’s daughters raced out of the house, dressed in their Sunday best. He wondered how long Aubrey would stay clean in her pretty white dress. According to Thomas, his youngest loved to don her fancy clothes even when going out to play in the yard. His gaze swung to Kim with her matching outfit, but her face reflected her discomfort. She was Thomas’s tomboy and probably only wore a dress when Tory insisted.

Kim threw him a glance as she crossed to her stepmother. He smiled at her, only having seen her a handful of times in the past five months when Thomas brought her into town with him on the weekend. He’d only been around Aubrey once, when the girls went with their father to Sea World and he had tagged along. Aubrey was the very image of Thomas— and Rebecca. A picture of Rebecca materialized in his mind: medium height with just the right curves, auburn hair, thick and wavy, framing a beautiful face dominated by blue eyes that were the color of the sky on a clear sunny day.

As another SUV pulled up, the picture of Rebecca vanished, and he quickly oriented himself to the task at hand. He waved at two fellow Texas Rangers, then strode toward the barn while digging out his cell to call Rebecca. A thin film of sweat coated his forehead and upper lip. Listening to the phone ring, he swiped his hand across his brow.

Get over it, Calhoun. You knew she was going to be here.

* * *

Rebecca neared Thomas’s stallion, who was coming up a small incline, his pace slowing. Rocket’s ears twitched back and forth, independent of each other and his eyes were wide, their whites showing. His nostrils flared.

Something’s wrong. What spooked him?

She slowed Angel Fire so as not to spook Rocket further and kept shortening the distance between them. When her cell phone rang, she gasped and pulled back on the reins with one hand while fumbling for her phone with the other.

Rocket came over the rise as she answered, “Rebecca.”

“This is Brody Calhoun. I’m at the house and told Tory I would help you look for Thomas.”

That was when she saw that Rocket was dragging a rope. Her gaze latched onto what the stallion towed. A scream erupted from deep in her throat, and the cell phone slipped from her fingers.

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Christianbooks.com

Buy at Barnes and Noble

Saving HopeBio for Margaret Daley

Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of eighty-four books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at https://margaretdaley.com

Shattered Silence-jpgI am giving away a set of the Men of the Texas Rangers series (3 books-Saving Hope, Shattered Silence and Scorned Justice. I will be picking one winner from the people who leave a comment answering this question: which cover in the Men of the Texas Rangers series do you like the best? You get an extra entry for each one if you like me on Facebook, friend me on Twitter and/or sign up for my quarterly newsletter. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margaretdaleybooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/margaretdaley

Newsletter: Go to this page on my website and go halfway down the page on the righthand side to fill out the subscription for the newsletter.

Christian Scavenger Hunt: My clue is OVER. The next site is Kathy Harris at: http://www.divinedetour.com/?p=19928