www.mirabooks.co.uk

      For Kevin, who has to endure far too many challenges for the honor of being my spouse, but who approaches every step of the journey as if it’s a privilege.

      And

      For Rachel, whose childhood has been unique but who doesn’t seem to resent that fact.

      I love both of you with all my heart.

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      Special thanks to my “Michigan Research Family”—Alyson Hamacher, videographer extraordinaire and special vacuum coordinator; Rachel Reames, videographer, entertainer and owner of the disfigured finger; Patricia Bodell, for her notes; Kevin Reames, chauffeur, and Steve Meredith, navigator. As far as I’m concerned, the road never ends.

      Thanks also to all the owners and employees of the many, many establishments we visited, some of which appear in this book. Without fail, everyone we approached was gracious, helpful and kind, from people we stopped on the street to the UPS delivery lady. Please note: while most of the places mentioned in this book are real, there were times I needed to use less-than-appealing establishments, and they are fictitious. The school in Lowell, Michigan, is also fictitious. Thanks to my in-laws, Deanna Reames and David Reames, and to Julie Greer for jumping in to help with last-minute location glitches.

      And one more thank-you to all of those who supported me through this exciting opportunity: my agent, Irene Goodman; my editor, Paula Eykelhof; Debbie Macomber; Lee Anne Vangarderen for her nightly e-mails of encouragement; my many friends in Romance Writers of America; my mother and brother, Penny and Scott Gumser. Any time I started to doubt, one of you was there.

      Dear Reader,

      I’m excited to bring you this novel, which is very special to me. It’s one of those stories that had a life of its own from the beginning, taking me places I would never have dared to go before this. It first came about in a darkened and mostly empty theater as I sat through several nights of dance rehearsal with my daughter. I was entertaining myself, not working. I wasn’t plotting or developing characters. I never intended a book to be born. When I sat down at the computer one midnight after rehearsal, it was only to play around a little bit. How twelve pages appeared in less than an hour, I still don’t know. But they were the beginning of something that had more power over me than I could ever have imagined.

      I’m partial to this story for another reason, as well. It’s set in Michigan—which I’ve always considered home. Though I’ve lived all over the country, most of my family—and my husband’s family—is still in Michigan. We own seventeen acres there, just outside Baldwin. You’ll see it about halfway through the book. And no, the owners don’t want to sell.

      One more thing. I said this book took me places I wouldn’t choose to go. One of those was the world of child abduction. During the months I spent writing Where the Road Ends, researching procedures and statistics, I became concerned about my own daughter’s safety. Until I stumbled on a fairly new program sponsored by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children—Know the Rules. Know the Rules is a public-awareness campaign designed to educate and empower teens and their parents, and to help in the prevention of child abduction. I found that in educating myself about some simple rules, I could alleviate a lot of the fears I had. I was able to allow myself and my daughter to live not in fear but with confidence, because my child knew what to do if danger presented itself. You can receive a Know the Rules publication free of charge through my new Web site, www.tarataylorquinn.com, or by contacting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com.

      My hope is that, empowered with knowledge, we all continue to live happy and healthy.

      I love to hear from readers! You can reach me at [email protected] or at P.O. Box 15065, Scottsdale, AZ 85267. You’re also invited to check out my Web site. With trivia contests, prizes, free giveaways, message boards and more, we have a lot of fun there! Come join us.

      Tara

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Chapter 17

      Chapter 18

      Chapter 19

      Chapter 20

      Epilogue

      Prologue

      She was going to have to let the nanny go.

      Staring out the front-room window, taking in the beautiful rolling grounds of the Wainscoat estate, Amelia reined in emotion, trading its insidious confusion for logical thought.

      Would it always feel as if her life was out of control?

      Or was letting Kathy go the first step toward taking charge? The beginning of a new existence for herself and her son?

      Fingers trembling uncharacteristically, Amelia pushed her dark hair over her shoulders, ruining the effect Donald, her hairdresser of ten years, had so painstakingly created. And if the tears that were threatening actually fell, the time she’d spent on her artfully applied makeup would be wasted, too.

      As she stood there in her slim-fitting, dove-gray designer suit waiting for Kathy to appear, Amelia tried to focus on the facts. And she