“My son didn’t see anything, Wade!” Kerri shouted.

      “He dropped his skateboard and ran when the fire started. I went back for his board. That’s all. You need to leave us alone.”

      There was no denying the fury in her voice, but Wade spotted more than anger in her eyes. He’d known her long enough to know she was bluffing. “You’re lying.”

      “I will not let you drag my son into this. Is that understood? He saw nothing.”

      Wade sighed. “Someone was murdered, Kerri. The police have a lead on who did this, but they need a witness.”

      One of her auburn brows lifted. “Get out of my house.”

      “I’d never let anything happen to him. Or you.” Wade stepped out onto the front step, tensing as the door slammed behind him. He’d give her this round, but if she thought she’d won the battle, Kerri had another thing coming….

      Reluctant Witness

      Kathleen Long

      As always, for Dan. Thank you for being

       the most wonderful hero a girl could hope for.

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      After a career spent spinning words for clients ranging from corporate CEOs to talking fruits and vegetables, Kathleen Long now finds great joy spinning a world of fictional characters, places and plots. She shares her life with her husband, her daughter and their neurotic sheltie, dividing her time between suburban Philadelphia and the New Jersey seashore, where she can often be found—hands on keyboard, bare toes in sand—spinning tales. After all, life doesn’t get much better than that. Please visit www.kathleenlong.com for the latest on contests, appearances and upcoming releases.

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Wade Sorenson— When ecoterrorists target his latest construction project, he vows to fight back. But when the only witness is the son of the woman he’s secretly loved for years, will he force the boy to testify, or protect the woman and her son, choosing love over justice?

      Kerri Nelson—A widowed single mother, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her son. But will she be able to protect her heart from the man who vows to keep them both safe—and whom she holds responsible for her husband’s death?

      Thomas Weber—After being forbidden from playing near construction sites, he spots a lone figure running away from a local site just moments before a series of explosions and the death of an inspector. Now he’s the sole witness to a violent crime, and someone is determined to keep him quiet.

      Adam McCann—He’s the local detective racing to keep his witness safe. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep Thomas Weber unharmed, but are his intentions pure?

      Michael Chase—Son of the local crime boss and a childhood friend of Wade Sorenson. When he becomes involved in the protection of Thomas Weber, he seems on the up-and-up, but can he really be trusted?

      Vincent Chase—Head of a New Jersey crime organization, but also the man who helped Wade Sorenson get his start in construction. He doesn’t want Wade anywhere near the family business, but just how far will he go to protect the man he considers a son?

      John Weber—He died years before in an accident on one of Wade Sorenson’s sites. Was it a tragic accident, or was he involved in something far more sinister than bricks and mortar?

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      Kerri Nelson never heard the glass she dropped shatter in the sink. As the series of explosions ripped through the quiet August afternoon, the dish towel slipped from her fingers, her heart catching in her chest.

      Her mind raced through the possibilities—not of what had happened, but of where her son was. Where was Thomas? He’d taken his skateboard when he’d left an hour ago.

      Where had he gone?

      Fear danced along her spine, sending the small hairs at the back of her neck to attention.

      Black smoke billowed into the crystal blue sky above the line of trees behind her home, and she sucked in a sharp breath. Close. Too close to home.

      She hit the floor in an all-out sprint, slowing only long enough to yank open the kitchen door, focused on one thing only—Thomas.

      As she raced through the woods and into the clearing, flames licked at all but one of the six huge houses in the area’s newest development. Pine Ridge Estates.

      Anxiety pooled deep inside her. Tom had a fixation with construction sites, always had, ever since his daddy had taken him to work and gotten him his own tiny hard hat as a toddler.

      She’d forbidden him from coming anywhere near this site. Had he defied her? Could he have been playing inside one of the partially constructed homes when something went horribly wrong?

      Her gaze landed on a township truck parked at the edge of the dirt road, yet she saw no one. An inspector probably. She sent up a silent prayer that whoever had driven that truck onto the site was far from where the fires originated.

      Sirens wailed in the distance, drawing nearer. Kerri’s fear morphed into panic as she scanned the construction site and the surrounding woods for any sign of her son.

      Her heart twisted in her chest.

      “Thomas?” Her first attempt at calling her son’s name was strangled, tight. “Thomas!” Her second wasn’t much better.

      “Mom.”

      The sound of his voice teased her through the smoke-filled air, but she couldn’t locate the source. Couldn’t see her son.

      “Thomas!”

      The blaring sirens were muffled beyond the pounding of her heart, the rush of her pulse in her ears. When her son emerged from behind a stand of trees, she saw him as if he were in slow motion, his face pale, but apparently without a scratch.

      She ran as fast as her feet would carry her, gathering the nine-year-old who’d grown too old for hugs into her arms, hanging on for dear life. His arms locked around her waist and squeezed. When Kerri finally put enough space between them to tip his face to hers, she saw terror in his eyes.

      “Are you hurt?”

      He shook his head.

      “Did you see what happened?”

      Tom nodded. “Everything blew up. I’m sorry.”

      Sorry? Surely he didn’t have a thing to do with what had happened.

      A horn blared and Kerri realized the emergency vehicles were