A cold case is reopened, placing a witness in the crosshairs -- and a bodyguard by her side…
Charlie Winters has caught security expert Mike Strong's attention. A member of his self-defense class, she seems to need to know more than just how to protect herself. After a little digging, Mike discovers that the cute redhead has a reason to worry -- she may have witnessed a murder. Using all of his connections, Mike tries to solve the cold case. But as Charlie's memories from the past begin to resurface, her future seems marked for death. Offering up his skills as a bodyguard, Mike promises not to leave her side. And Charlie's obvious relief at not having to fight alone convinces him there's much more to this mystery he has yet to uncover.
Good book, with a well-balanced mix of romance and suspense. Ten years ago, Charlie lost her best friend in a hit-and-run accident. Charlie was haunted by the fact that she has no clear memories of the events of that night, only a big, blank hole. Recently she began having disturbing dreams of that night and believes that those dreams are resurfacing memories. Shortly after asking some questions about that night, she started having the eerie feeling of being watched. Independent and practical, Charlie signs up for a self-defense class where she draws the attention of instructor Mike Strong.
Mike is a former Marine and a new hire at the Campbell Cove Academy. His years in the Corps and the things he saw made him somewhat cynical about people and the state of the world. Charlie's actions rouse his suspicions, so Mike checks into her background, raising more questions. When he witnesses an attempt on her life, Mike offers to be her bodyguard and help her in her search for answers.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Mike and Charlie. Mike is intrigued by Charlie from the moment he met her, and not just because he suspects she's hiding something. She's not like any other woman he's known, and the more time he spends with her, the more he wants to know about her. As they look into her past and her friend's death, Mike's protective instincts are roused as he worries about Charlie's safety. Charlie is wary of Mike at first. She grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and had some trust issues because of it. He earns her trust when he saves her life and then believes her when she describes her concerns. The more time they spent together, the more the feelings between them grew. The sparks of attraction also built. Just as things started heating up between them, the murderer struck again. The final confrontation was intense with a twist I did not see coming. With the mystery solved, I loved seeing Mike and Charlie find happiness together.
The suspense of the story was well done. I ached for Charlie over the loss of her friend and her feeling that something isn't right. It was easy to feel her fear and worry when she first started the self-defense class. I could also feel her frustration at the slow speed of the class and had to laugh when the second class went differently. The tension began to ramp up when a sabotaged car was quickly followed by someone trashing Charlie's apartment. I liked how Mike supported Charlie in her search for answers. The scene at the bar was intense, especially in the way it mirrored the original event, and I was impressed with Charlie's actions. I was surprised by the presence of Detective Trask and the conversation he later had with Charlie. Her determination to do anything that would solve the case put her a little at odds with Mike until they found a workable plan. I was on the edge of my seat as they carried it out, especially with the twist that had Charlie in danger, after all. I had to laugh at Mike's comment that night to Maddox Heller: "And you can take Charlie off my self-defense roster when you get back to the Academy." "Yeah? Why is that?" "Because she already passed."
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