I love fiction with characters who have smart, trained dogs, and FBI Special Agent Evan McGarry features here with his K9 partner Blue. As a large German Shepherd, Blue is a criminal’s worst nightmare and a lost person’s best friend. ULTIMATE JUSTICE sets the pair to track down what is initially thought to be a few missing children but soon looks suspiciously like child trafficking.
A boy aged twelve is brought to a hospital in Denver after Evan rescues him from a locked cupboard. He’s too scared to talk. The gentle hospital custodian Marlie Foxe manages to gain his confidence, both because she is a really nice lady, and she has a degree in child psychology. Marlie had a family trauma a few years ago and has reduced her workload and stress. Quite shy of the large, strong Evan and the overbearing hospital counsellor, Marlie gets thrust into their workflow when young Noah insists she stays for his interviews.
This is an adult story, as can be told from the strong language, and after a time a romance develops between Marlie and Evan. Neither one was looking for love, but this Special Ops series has already featured two other couples finding happiness. If you’ve read the earlier books you’ll be delighted that the same characters recur, and if not, you may be keen to read their adventures.
The missing Colorado kids have been considered runaways, but Noah’s evidence proves otherwise. Hence the involvement of the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment team from the FBI, which Evan joined to assuage his grief and guilt over his missing sister. With his K-9 he tries to make a difference to other families but may have to give up hope of finding his personal reconciliation. This is an interesting and well-written dilemma.
I approve of Marlie stepping back when her work is too stressful and stepping up when others need her. She’s a strong, indomitable person, but got too stuck in her limited life and needs to break free again. Everyone in this emotional story learns something and grows a little or a lot.
Tee O'Fallon writes splendid romantic suspense, and ULTIMATE JUSTICE is just the latest in her adventures featuring K9s and crime-solving. She’s had a career as a federal agent, has lived in Colorado and New York, and has two dogs. All the experience of her lifetime goes into making these books feel incredibly real.
While tracking down an escaped felon, FBI Special Agent Evan McGarry and his K-9, Blue, uncover a smoking hot lead on the location of dozens of missing children—including Evan’s own sister. The shocking discovery reopens cold cases throughout Colorado, along with painful wounds and the heartbreaking guilt Evan’s kept buried for decades.
Three years ago, hospital custodian Marlie Foxe’s world imploded, causing her to cut herself off from the world. But when one of the missing boys turns up at her hospital, he only allows Marlie to get close. Now, Evan needs her help with the boy—and he won’t take no for an answer. When she finally agrees to work with him, Evan suspects there’s more to the woman than she’s letting on. She’s hiding something. The question is what.
As Evan and Marlie unearth a cult targeting runaways, they’re forced to confront not only dangerous criminals but the truths they’ve both been avoiding—including the blistering passion they can no longer deny. But when more children disappear, they’ll have to risk more than just their hearts.