LETHAL STANDOFF by DiAnn Mills (with a GIVEAWAY!)
Justice can be elusive.
Family secrets can be deadly.
The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking in a volatile criminal case filled with unanswered questions. And Carrington Reed is running short on time to piece together clues that will solve the puzzle.
Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to the scene when reports come in that fifteen hostages are being held by the Kendrix brothers in an abandoned house in south Texas. When she arrives on site, Carrington quickly learns that the brothers are armed and refuse to release their victims, a group of undocumented immigrants, until the local police identify their fatherās murderer.
Working closely with Levi Ehrlich, a handsome investigative reporter who has covered some of Carringtonās negotiations in the past, she finds herself being undeniably drawn to him. Carrington digs deeper into the death of the Kendrixesā father and begins to notice that some details surrounding his death arenāt adding up.
As Carrington investigates the brothersā claims and tries to piece together their motive for taking innocent people captive, it soon becomes clear that they are trying to hide something and that revenge for their fatherās death may not be what theyāre really bargaining for after all. To protect the hostages and ensure the brothers donāt carry out the rest of their sinister plot, Carrington must get to the bottom of one familyās secret and the truth theyāre trying so hard to hide before time runs out.
Award winning author DiAnn Mills delivers pulse-pounding romantic suspense about secrets, betrayal, and finding a path to forgiveness.
Praise for Lethal Standoff:
"DiAnn Mills delivers another pulse-pounding thriller youāre going to love. Lethal Standoff combines gripping tension with a captivating mystery, skillfully woven by DiAnnās signature storytelling. She navigates the high-stakes world of hostage rescue, proving once again why sheās a master of the genre."
~ Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the Left Behind series and The Chosen novels
"In Lethal Standoff, DiAnn Mills works magicāweaving suspense and intrigue into a heart-pounding hostage thriller. Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is a hero with heart who refuses to quit even when it means risking her own life for strangers. Don't miss this high-stakes gambit set in south Texas that will keep you flipping pages to the very end."
~ Andrews & Wilson, bestselling authors of Dark Intercept
"Warning: do not start this book if you intend to put it down any time soon. This is a roller-coaster ride. A bullet-biter. A heart-thumper. This is DiAnn Mills at her best."
~ Eva Marie Everson, bestselling author and CEO of Word Weavers International
"Lethal Standoff has everything I look for in a great novel! Alongside a heartwarming romance, the plot and themes of this page-turner are pulled from current events and offer a hopeful, triumphant message for readers. Highly recommended."
~ Deborah Raney, author of Breath of Heaven in the Camfield Legacy series
Lethal Standoff Trailer:
Read an excerpt:
Chapter One
SEPTEMBER - CARRINGTON
My role as a hostage negotiator often plunged me into the evil designs of the human mind. I embraced the responsibility and possible danger because itās my identityā a one-woman battlefront determined to free others from victimization.
The challenge excited me, but fear of failure stalked me, and respect for human life was my constant companion. Too often innocent lives depended on my ability to negotiate their safe release without anyone getting hurt. The demands, rewards, and sometimes the defeats with tragic outcomes kept me awake at night. How could I have done things differently? My apprenticeship began when I was eight years old, but thinking about those days didnāt change the past. Right now, lives were in jeopardy. . . .
Iād driven ten minutes out from a critical situation on a Wednesday afternoon when my cell phone rang. My contact, a detective from the Houston Police Department, had spent several hours talking to an angry man who held his wife and son hostage.
āCarrington, we have the information you requested,ā Detective Aaron Peters said. āThe man inside the home is the owner, Nick Henderson. Age thirty-five. Married to Christine. Heās holding his wife and eight- year- old son at gunpoint. Yesterday, he was served divorce papers, and we believe this is in retaliation.ā
Hurt. Rejected. Probably a lit stick of dynamite. āYou talked to him from the outside?ā
āWeāve routed his calls through our mobile command center. I tried talking to him. Got nowhere. He hung up on me.ā Aaron blew out his frustration.
Domestic calls were the most dangerous, often violent, causing me to appreciate my Kevlar vest. I had a handgun in my purse, but I could count on one hand the times Iād pulled it. Never used it. āAll right. Iām nearly there. SWAT in place?ā
āYes, two have clear shots. Not an action I want to take unless necessary.ā
āMe either. What are Hendersonās demands?ā
āJust to leave him alone or heāll pull the trigger on his family.ā
Cool, calm focus settled on me. My ability to mediate critical discussions depended on my wearing emotional blinders to the outside world. āWhen did the problem start?ā
āThe wife phoned 911 at 8:00 a.m. today. I donāt know how long he was there before she reached out to us. Weāve been called here twice in the past month for domestic abuse.ā
I glanced at my watch, and it neared 4:00 p.m. āHave HPD negotiators been talking to him?ā
āYes. Henderson hung up on them too. Heās drinking. Slurring his words. Seems to have trouble concentrating.ā
Alcohol could make him more volatile. Flashing lights appeared on the residential street ahead. āIām parking now. Give me five minutes.ā
āIām standing beside my car in front of the house.ā
āAaron, do you have Hendersonās work history?ā
āFired three months ago from Home Depot, where he held a management role. They walked him out of the store in front of his employees.ā
The man definitely had nothing to lose.
Phone in hand, I hurried from my parked truck and raced to where police cars barricaded the entrance to the street where Henderson held his family. A reporter blocked my way between vehicles. She rammed a mic in front of my face.
āCarrington Reed, do you think this standoff will have a peaceful resolution?ā
My blood boiled. The last time I had verbally unleashed on her aggressive means to get the best story, she lied in her article about my concern for those in danger. I paused long enough to give her eye contact. āMy goal is always a peaceful solution. Excuse me, I need to talk to HPD.ā
āAre the police advocating a violent takedown?ā
āNo.ā I sidestepped around her and ignored her shouts.
Aaron stood in front of the home and waved. He had the appearance of averageāaverage height, weight, gray eyes, brown hair, and shoulder spanā but nothing about his physical appearance showed his intense scrutiny of a crime scene. His rating as one of HPDās finest hit my respect button.
āGood to see you. Iād like the manās cell number,ā I said. āI assume my cell phone is routed through the command center too?ā
āSure thing.ā He gave me the information. āThe wifeās name is Christine, and the sonās name is Rand.ā
I nodded my thanks and pressed in the digits. A man answered on the second ring.
āNick, this is Carrington. Iām standing beside a police car outside your house, and Iād like to help you.ā
āI . . . leave me alone.ā He spoke fast and loudly. āIām busy.ā
āWhat do you need?ā
āYou can get rid of all those cops. I canāt breathe.ā
I expected a more belligerent response. āNick, I canāt do that. These officers are here to protect you in case someone tries to break into your home and hurt you.ā
āIād kill my wife and kid first.ā
āTell me why you feel that way.ā
āThey deserve it for the way theyāve treated me.ā He stumbled over his words. āIām a good husband and dad.ā
āIām sure youāre great at both. Tell me whatās hurting you.ā
***
Excerpt from LETHAL STANDOFF by DiAnn Mills. Copyright 2024 by DiAnn Mills. Reproduced with permission from DiAnn Mills. All rights reserved.
What a beautiful story!!! And, best line of the book - "Pain is beautiful if we allow it to transform and restore us into the people God intended."Author Bio:
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels with threads of romance. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someoneās story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?
Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readersā Choice, and Carol award contests.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. Sheās an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.
DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on:
diannmills.com
Goodreads - @diannmills
BookBub - @diannmills
Instagram -@diannmillsauthor
YouTube - @diannmills
Twitter/X - @diannmills
Facebook - @diannmills
Pinterest - @diannmills
LinkedIn - @diannmills
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