California Moon. Catherine Lanigan

couldn’t recall seeing Shannon in the hospital chapel. She’d never impressed him as being overly religious. In fact, now that he thought about it, she lacked many expected emotional responses.

      Was that why he was attracted to her? Ben had always been fascinated with puzzles. The more difficult and tedious, the better. That’s why he’d decided to become a cop. Life had taught him, a bit later than most perhaps, that he was a born sleuth. An investigator.

      He questioned his interest in Shannon. Was it that he found her fascinating or that she posed a mystery to unravel?

      Maybe he wasn’t falling in love with her. Maybe he already was. Only time would tell.

      He leaned down to put the Bible back and heard the distinct sound of a gun being cocked.

      “Who the hell are you?” an angry man’s voice growled.