Proof of Life Read online

  She let out the breath she’d been subconsciously holding. “Quinn, do you believe in God?”

  He looked surprised by the abrupt change of subject. “Yes, Shanna, I do. You’ve helped show me the way back to my faith. In those long moments when you weren’t answering your phone and I knew you were in danger, I prayed over and over for God to keep you safe. I also prayed for the strength to get to you in time.”

  She smiled, thinking Quinn’s timing was just about perfect. “I prayed, too, and obviously God listened to both of our prayers.”

  “I know I still have a lot to learn,” he admitted. “But I was hoping you’d continue to teach me, showing me how to keep my faith.”

  “Okay, well here’s your first lesson. God loves you, Quinn, just as much as He loves me. Just as much as He loves all His children, His followers. He loves you, He watches over you and He answers your prayers, right?”

  Quinn nodded hesitantly. “Right.”

  “So if God loves both of us, how is it that you aren’t worthy enough to be with me? Are you implying you know better than God?”

  Realization dawned in his eyes. “No, of course not.”

  She smiled up at him. “Remember when I told you we deserved each other? I really meant that, Quinn. I feel so lucky to have met you. Having you at my side through all this, helping me find my sister, saving me from harm, has meant the world to me.”

  “Shanna,” he murmured, lifting one hand and tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She turned her cheek so that it rested against the palm of his hand. “I’m the lucky one. You have no idea how much I care about you.”

  “I think I do have an idea. Because I feel the same way, Quinn,” she said simply. “And I’m hoping that even though we’ve solved your brother’s murder and found Skylar, you’ll still be a part of my life.”

  “I want that, too, Shanna.” Quinn’s voice was low, husky. “More than you’ll ever know. But I’m afraid. What if I change into the man my father was?”

  “I suppose anything is possible,” she said, although she couldn’t imagine Quinn ever doing that. “But let me ask you, did your father believe in God? Did he live his faith every day? Did he pray for help with his illness?”

  “No.” Quinn’s expression lit up with hope. “And I’m sure if he had believed in God, his life would have turned out very different.”

  “Of course it would have,” Shanna agreed.

  Suddenly, Quinn swept her into his arms, burying his face in her hair. “Shanna, I love you so much!”

  Tears of happiness sprang to her eyes and she clutched him close, her heart soaring. “I love you, too, Quinn.”

  And she knew, deep down, that together they made a great team.

  EPILOGUE

  One month later

  Quinn whistled happily as he walked up Shanna’s driveway. The diamond ring he’d purchased burned a hole in his pocket, and he planned to propose marriage tonight. He felt good knowing that he’d found two important pieces of his life that were missing before, God and Shanna.

  Before he could knock at the door, Shanna opened it, greeting him with a warm smile. “Hi, Quinn. How was your day?”

  “Good,” he responded, and he wasn’t lying. During the past four weeks, they’d made a pact to share both the good and the bad about their respective jobs. He gave her a quick hug and a warm kiss that went on longer than it should. Finally he huskily asked, “And how was your day?”

  “Fair,” she murmured with a sigh. “We spent hours going through the crime scene but didn’t find much of anything useful.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, dropping his arms and taking a step back so he could breathe properly. Shanna’s scent tended to cloud his brain. The sooner she married him, the better.

  “No, it’s fine.” Shanna smiled as she headed into the kitchen. “I hope you like pot roast, because that’s what we’re having for dinner.”

  He’d tried to tell her she didn’t need to cook for him, but she’d insisted. Watching her work in the kitchen, he decided not to wait until after dinner. “I love pot roast, but will you come and sit in the living room for a minute?”

  She flashed him a concerned look, but did as he asked. “Quinn, is something wrong?”

  Her worry made him smile. “No, everything is just right.” Once she was seated on the sofa, he went down on one knee and took her hand in his. “Shanna, I love you. I thank God every day for bringing you into my life. Would you please marry me?”

  Her eyes rounded, and her mouth dropped open in shock when he presented her with the simple diamond ring. “Oh, Quinn! Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you! I love you, too.”

  She leaped off the sofa and he stood just in time to catch her as she threw herself into his arms. He kissed her again, reveling in the moment. “Soon, Shanna. Marry me soon,” he whispered.

  “I will,” she promised, her eyes bright with tears.

  The doorbell rang, interrupting their special moment. Shanna scowled. “I hope that’s not a salesman,” she muttered. He was proud of the way she looked through the window first, before opening the door.

  “Phoebe!” Shanna exclaimed, opening the door wide. “Come on in.”

  “Uh, hi,” Phoebe said nervously. Quinn noticed that the purple streaks in her hair had been dyed back to match her natural color, although the eyebrow ring remained. “I—uh—is this a bad time?”

  “No, of course not.” Shanna darted a warning glance in his direction as she quickly closed the door behind Phoebe. “Please come in. You remember Quinn, right?” When Phoebe nodded, Shanna continued. “How are you?”

  “Fine.” Phoebe looked distinctly uncomfortable, and Quinn was about to make himself scarce when she suddenly said, “I remember Ellie the elephant.”

  Shanna’s eyes softened and filled once again with tears. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

  Phoebe went on, as if she needed to get everything off her chest. “I remember Ellie the elephant and I remember the night I had a nightmare and you rubbed my back, talking to me until I fell back asleep.”

  “Yes, I remember that, too,” Shanna whispered. “Oh, Skylar—I mean, Phoebe. I missed you so much when you were gone.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t remember you sooner,” Phoebe said urgently. “But if it makes you feel better, I didn’t remember my father, either. All those weeks he came into the café to talk to me, I just thought he was a lonely old man.”

  Quinn had wondered how Phoebe had taken the news of her father’s arrest. “You’re not to blame for his actions, Phoebe,” he said quickly.

  Phoebe sent him a grateful smile before turning back to Shanna. “Agent Tanner has questioned me twice, but I just don’t remember anything about the kidnapping. I guess I subconsciously blocked those moments from my mind.”

  “Please don’t worry about it.” Shanna jumped up and went over to kneel before her sister. “I’m just so glad you’re alive. And healthy. That’s all that matters.”

  “You need to know I won’t ever be Skylar again,” Phoebe said slowly. “I’ve been Phoebe too long.”

  “That’s okay. I like the name Phoebe,” Shanna said reassuringly. “It suits you.”

  There was an awkward silence, as if neither knew what else to say. “Phoebe, Shanna never stopped looking for you,” Quinn said. “And if she hadn’t kept the information from her ongoing investigation, we never would have found you.”

  “Thanks, Shanna.” Phoebe abruptly threw her arms around Shanna in an exuberant hug. “Thanks for never giving up on me.”

  “Never,” Shanna murmured.

  “I hope we can be friends,” Phoebe said, releasing Shanna and wiping away her tears. “I’m still getting used to all this, but I want us to be friends.”

  “Of course we can,” Shanna agreed. “I’ll always be here for you, Phoebe. No matter what.”

  Quinn caught Shanna’s gaze and smiled at her, silently thrilled to see the two sisters united at last.

  H
is family.

  Dear Reader,

  I’ve always been fascinated by the forensic work of crime-scene investigators. Science was my favorite subject in college, and I’m impressed at how tiny microscopic details can assist in capturing the bad guys. As a result, I decided to make CSI work the focus of my next few stories.

  Shanna Dawson carries a secret guilt—she knows it’s her fault her younger sister was kidnapped fourteen years ago. Shanna believes Skylar is likely dead, even though the FBI has never found her, and becomes a CSI investigator to help bring other victims the closure she’d never have.

  Campus police officer Quinn Murphy is no stranger to guilt, especially when his younger half brother is murdered at a college party. When Shanna’s missing sister’s fingerprints show up at Quinn’s brother’s crime scene, he decides Shanna’s sister is the missing link to his brother’s murderer.

  Past secrets, guilt, love and faith are the main themes in Proof of Life. I hope you enjoy Shanna and Quinn’s story. I’m always thrilled to hear from my readers, and I can be reached through my website at www.laurascottbooks.com.

  Yours in faith,

  Laura Scott

  Questions for Discussion

  In the beginning of the story, Shanna feels a lot of guilt related to her younger sister’s kidnapping. Have you struggled with guilt in the past? If so, how did you get past it?

  Early in the story we see that Quinn has a strained relationship with his mother. Have you felt estranged from a family member? If so, how did you mend your broken relationship?

  When Shanna discovers her kidnapped sister’s fingerprints at the crime scene, she rediscovers her faith in God. Please discuss a time when you may have let your faith drift away, only to renew it after a significant event.

  Quinn starts to feel protective of Shanna after she’s attacked by her stalker. He’s obviously torn between protecting Shanna and finding his brother’s murderer. Describe a time when you were torn between two opposing priorities and how you managed to cope.

  Shanna and Quinn both come from broken families, and each of them feels guilty for the role they’ve played in the splitting up of their parents. Discuss how these similarities helped them build a relationship with each other.

  At one point in the story, Shanna believes God wants her to show Quinn the way back to his faith. Have you ever helped someone renew their faith? Please discuss.

  Quinn begins to pray when he realizes Shanna is safe. Discuss a time when the power of prayer helped you through a difficult time.

  Shanna and Quinn don’t immediately get the FBI involved in their investigation because they want to find positive proof first. Did you agree with their decision? Why or why not?

  Shanna gets very angry with her mother for not telling her the truth about her biological father while he was still alive. Discuss a time you were angry and upset, and how you used your faith to get past those feelings.

  When Quinn realizes Shanna is in danger, he rushes to her house, instinctively knowing she’d gone there. Discuss a time when you followed your instincts that may have been guided by God.

  At what point in the story does Quinn fully support his faith in God? Discuss if you’ve ever had similar experience.

  At the end of the story, Phoebe admits she remembers her favorite stuffed animal and a brief memory of her sister. Do you have any poignant memories of your childhood? Please share.

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-1627-3

  PROOF OF LIFE

  Copyright © 2011 by Laura Iding

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Love Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Love Inspired Books.

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