When She's Gone

Book excerpt: A disgraced bodyguard and a top-notch FBI officer must join forces—and set aside their differences—to solve a kidnapping case that's far more dangerous than it appears Ara Zuyev is a secret to nearly everyone, and those who know anything about her have barely scratched the surface. A bodyguard for a powerful billionaire, she is the last line of defense for the family's inner circle. But when her charge, 16-year-old Samantha Harper, is kidnapped and the FBI are called in, Ara immediately comes under suspicion. She didn't follow basic security protocol, which should have been second nature for her. And now Samantha's life hangs in the balance. Assertive and authoritative, Luke Patrick is the best the FBI has to offer. Nothing about Ara's story is adding up, and when Ara attempts to take control of the investigation, Luke is convinced she knows far more than she's saying. As the case develops and new details are discovered, Ara and Luke are forced to work together. She needs his investigative team. He needs her inside knowledge of the family. But neither of them trust each other. Their uneasy alliance is formed with one goal in mind: to bring Samantha home alive. But what initially looks like a simple kidnapping for ransom quickly spirals into something far more sinister in Jane Palmer's explosive series debut When She's Gone.