Excerpt of Guardian by Nancy Northcott

"There's other strange factors we've managed to keep a lid
on," Burton said. The Wayfarer County Sheriff shook his
head. "Report's in the file, but I'll go ahead and tell you,
most of Miss Baldwin's blood was gone, and what was left had
a strange substance in it Milledge couldn't identify. Like
the Great Dismal case."

Mel shook her head. "Curiouser and curiouser, as the saying
goes. But you think the yard is the murder scene, even with
no blood?"

"We do." Rubbing his chin, he added, "There's signs of a
struggle in the grass. Anyway, Milledge recommended a
toxicology consult, so I phoned the Georgia Bureau of
Investigation. Their top choice is a fellow who's just an
hour or so away." His glance shifted past her. "And here he
is."

Before Mel could turn around, a man spoke in a rich, clear
baritone behind her. "Good morning, Angela, Corey," he said
to the clerk and dispatcher.

A shiver of recognition rocked through Mel. But surely this
couldn't be Stefan Harper. She risked a quick glance over
her shoulder at the man strolling around the end of the
counter and into the territory reserved for those with
badges and weapons.

Oh, God, it was him.

Her heart skipped a beat. A buzz filled her ears, and she
lost the thread of the sheriff's comments. Stefan Harper.
Voice of an archangel, hands of a sex god. Or so she'd once
described him, back when she'd thought he was the one person
who loved her completely, who was wholly in her corner.

Her mistake.

"Hey, Stefan." Sheriff Burton walked forward to meet him.

Mel turned hastily back to the desk, toying with the paper
in the file. She was over him, had been for years. So why
wouldn't her breathing settle? It must be the shock of
seeing him. It could only be that.

Instead of the jeans and T–shirt combo he'd favored in
med school, he wore a charcoal suit that fit as though it'd
been tailored for him. Otherwise, he hadn't changed in the
past nine years. Same thick, dark hair neatly combed but in
need of a trim. Same strong chin and straight, aristocratic
nose. Same serious brown eyes with gold glints that never
showed in photos.

Same generous mouth so adept at rousing her body.

Breathe, damn it.

"Thanks for coming," Sheriff Burton said, his gravelly voice
a sharp contrast to Stefan's almost liquid one. "I don't
guess you've had a chance to go to the hospital yet."

"No, sorry. I'll listen in on the press conference from the
back, then talk to the crime scene unit before I go to the
morgue. Milledge agreed to meet me there."

"That works. Come on, I'll introduce you to the FBI agent
working with us on this."

Footsteps came closer. Mel steeled herself. Deep breath. In.
Out. In.

"Stefan, this is Special Agent Wray. Mel, meet Dr. Stefan
Harper, our medical consultant."

Mel squared her shoulders and turned to greet the man who
had broken her heart.