Series:
Defenders of Battle Mountain (Book 6)
She disappeared from his life once
Can he trust her now?
Detective Riggs Karig has never forgotten his childhood
best friend. Now he's found her again, and he wants to know how she's involved
in his partner's death. He soon discovers that Macie Barclay is a target, not a
suspect -- and that she knows more about the case he's working than he does.
Can they put their past behind them to save an innocent life?
Terrific story. I've been hoping for Macie's story from
the beginning of the series. She has always been an intriguing character with
her attitude and especially the snark she directs toward Easton Ford. At the
end of the previous book, we discover that Macie has been hiding from something
and is preparing to run again.
This book opens with Macie's preparations to run from
whatever in her past has been stalking her. But before she can escape, someone
else from her past appears at her door. Riggs was one of her best friends as a
child, along with a girl named Hazel. When Hazel was murdered, Macie and her parents
left town, fearing for her life. Macie has been on the run for twenty-five
years but is also looking for the man who wrecked her life.
Detective Riggs Karig was devastated when Hazel was
murdered, and Macie disappeared. I ached for him as his story was revealed over
the course of the book. His life afterward wasn't easy, but it motivated him to
become a police detective. His tough exterior hides pain and issues he barely
recognizes, much less admits.
Riggs shows up in Battle Mountain while investigating his
ex-partner's death. He's stunned to find his childhood friend living under an
assumed name and wonders why his partner had Macie's name and address on a note
in his pocket at the time of his death. The initial meeting between Riggs and
Macie was contentious, with Macie wanting to run and Riggs insisting she stay
and help him. Words are exchanged about Hazel's murder and the effect on both
their lives. All debate comes to an end when Macie is attacked. Now, Riggs not only
wants her help, he wants to keep her safe. A surprise discovery links Hazel's
murder to another case and brings them together to investigate.
The tension goes up when a child close to Macie
disappears. She is determined to find Penny before it is too late. The action,
twists, and turns kept me glued to the pages as I rooted for Riggs and Macie to
succeed. They were foiled every time they got close, and I could feel their
fear and desperation. The final confrontation had me on the edge of my seat
until it was over. The final twist of the killer's identity was a chilling
revelation.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Macie and
Riggs develop. They had been so close as children but no longer knew each
other. The slow revealing of each other's painful pasts made them realize that
neither had escaped the effects of Hazel's murder. Working together brought
them closer together. Still, despite their intense attraction, trust didn't
come easy. Even when each accepted their feelings, belief in a future together
was difficult. Macie would prefer to stay in Battle Mountain, where she finally
feels at home. Riggs intends to return to New Mexico - his reaction to the
Colorado environment was hilarious. There is a rough patch when Macie reveals
the final part of her past, and Riggs reacts badly, driving a wedge between
them. It takes nearly losing her for Riggs to realize how much he loves and
needs her. The scene in the hospital was deeply emotional, and the later scene
at the Ford ranch was the perfect ending to the book and series.
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