Last Seen in Silver Creek - Delores Fossen (HI #2163 - Sept 2023)

Series: Silver Creek Lawmen: The Next Generation (Book 3)
 
He lost everything once…
Now he's in the fight for his loved ones' lives.
 
A home invasion destroyed Theo Sheldon's life decades ago. The sheriff of Silver Creek's only comfort is knowing he saved his sister's best friend. Now, that past has put Kim Ryland in danger once again. Because the person who murdered Theo's family is intent on tying up loose ends, jeopardizing the single dad's most precious connections. But Theo is done letting anyone take what's his.
 
Terrific book. I loved the original Ryland series, and this one has been just as good. This book is about Nate's daughter, Kim, and Theo Sheldon, whom Grayson and Eve took in after Theo's parents were murdered and his sister kidnapped. Twenty-one years earlier, Kim was spending the night with her best friend, Faith, when it happened. Kim still experiences nightmares of that night, which is where this book opens.
 
When Kim awakened from yet another nightmare about that night, she knew she couldn't go back to sleep. While going through her stack of mail, she discovered another letter - the eighth one received over several years. All said the same thing, "Help me. Please help me," and were addressed to "Kimmie." She first calls Theo, who took over as sheriff when Grayson retired. As if the letter wasn't bad enough, a scream from outside her home had them rushing to investigate. Hiding in Kim's barn is a terrified young woman who claims to be Theo's missing sister, Faith.
 
Within hours, Theo confirmed that she was Faith. A man shows up, claiming to be Faith's fiancé and saying that she escaped from a mental hospital. Someone shoots at Kim, Theo, and Faith through a hospital window. A man set to go on trial for domestic abuse (prosecuted by ADA Kim) is a person of interest. Is the murderer/kidnapper trying to cover his tracks, or is this an enemy of Kim's or Theo's? The twists and turns of this investigation kept me glued to the pages as Theo and Kim uncovered the truth behind that night. As usual with the author's books, there are many questions, multiple suspects, and plenty of suspense right up to the final confrontation.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Kim and Theo. There has always been something there, but their shared trauma has kept them apart. Their chemistry is evident from the start, as is the emotional baggage that makes them avoid each other whenever possible. But working together on this case begins to break down those walls, as does Faith's reappearance. I loved watching their shields drop as they gave in to their feelings for each other. I loved the scene at the end when Nate saw them together and muttered, "It's about time."
 
One of the best things about this series and this book was seeing so many of the characters from the first series become part of the story. These men may be retired, but they are still law enforcement down to the bone. They are also Rylands and will always be there to support one of their own.