Under Fire
 Late at night, terrorists kidnap research
chemist Jackson McKay and his daughter and take
them to the Idaho mountains. Jackson's captors
demand he turn over his research files on a
chemical compound that can create a
devastatingly lethal chemical weapon– or else
his daughter will die. Desperate for a way to
save his daughter and also protect his country
from the terrorists, Jackson makes a daring
escape, setting in motion a deadly game of cat
and mouse.
Arriving at the scene of a
wildfire, smokejumper Lauren Michaels and her crew are
caught in the crossfire of Jackson's nightmare. When her
fellow smokejumpers fall victim to the terrorists'
savagery, Lauren must help Jackson save his daughter and
send rescue teams for her surviving friends.
Pursued by a sniper, Jackson and
Lauren embark on a treacherous journey off the burning
mountain. But they soon find more than their lives at
risk, because the unexpected heat that flares between
them may cost them their hearts...
Nominated for a CAPA Award by the reviewers of The
Romance Studio
Awards and Honors
"The suspense pulls readers into
UNDER FIRE and never lets go until every
emotionally affecting conflict is resolved. Five
Stars! ..the tension-filled opposition between
characters is superbly written. Beth Cornelison
keeps the anticipation riveting. UNDER FIRE
grabs the reader with its intriguingly action-packed
plot, while the genuine emotions keep you enthralled."
-- Amelia Richard,
ECataromance
"Beth Cornelison writes intriguing,
emotionally-charged stories that will keep you turning
the pages straight through to the end. Fabulous
entertainment!" -- Susan Wiggs
"When I
opened this book and saw it was over three hundred
pages, I thought this would take a while to read. I was
wrong. Under Fire opens up emotionally
charged, and the tension and suspense continues through
to the last page. Along the journey, secrets are
revealed and new conflicts arise. This is a fantastic
novel and Beth Cornelison is a fantastic suspense
writer. Her characters were so well-written that they
all felt like major characters, no matter how small
their presence in the book was. None of her characters
were one-dimensional. Even the terrorists had hearts and
conjured feelings of sympathy from me. The relationship
between Lauren and Jackson, which evolved from a need to
expend built-up tension, did not take away from the high
suspense and intrigue of the story. Under Fire
is an exhilarating, high tension story and Ms.
Cornelison’s side effect warnings of racing pulse,
missed sleep, and nail-biting have been scientifically
proven. I enjoyed every word of Under Fire
and I Joyfully Recommend it." --
Joyfully Reviewed
"Many authors can do a great suspense story but not
all of them do the kind of job this author does in
weaving the terrorists with heroic smokejumpers and the
budding love story between Jackson and Lauren. As in
reality, a good love story isn’t without its ups and
downs. Jackson, Lauren and Emily surely have their
share. Beth Cornelison does a great job of keeping each
segment of the tale running smoothly in parallel then
brings it all together for a powerful ending."
Overall Rating: 5 hearts -- Dee Dailey,
The Romance Studio
August
25
Jackson McKay woke with a jolt.
He sensed the intruders in his bedroom seconds before a
sweaty palm was slapped over his mouth. Adrenaline
instantly hummed through him, jump starting his senses.
Twisting away, he fought the hands grabbing him and the
sheet wrapping around his legs. Fought until his right
arm was wrenched awkwardly behind his back.
He grunted as something hard, probably his assailant's
knee, jabbed him between the shoulder blades. The knee
pinned him face down on the mattress. In the dark of his
bedroom, he saw only black figures moving around his
bed. Four of them, counting the ape on his back. Not
good odds, even if he were trained in martial arts-
which he wasn't- or had a weapon- which he didn't.
"Get off of me, you sonofabitch!" Jackson growled.
In answer, the cold kiss of a gun muzzle jammed against
his ear. "Don't. Move."
The dark tone of the command said these were no ordinary
burglars. An icy chill washed through him. Emily!
God, don't let them hurt Emily!
"What's this about? What do you want?" Jackson
struggled to clear his mind, to devise a plan of
defense.
"Get up, Doctor. Nice and slow. No sudden moves, or I'll
blow a hole in your over-educated brain." The voice was
male. Grim. Deep. Unrepentant.
Jackson sat up, his arm still bent at a painful angle
behind him. His bed creaked in the thick silence.
"I have nothing of value in the house. Everything of
worth is in the lock box at the bank."
His captor scoffed. "This isn't about money. At least
not yours."
The intruder jerked Jackson's other arm behind him as
well, and pain streaked through his bad shoulder. He
heard the screech of tape ripping from the roll, his
only warning before his wrists were bound. Adhesive
pulled the hairs on his arms, and the fibrous tape cut
into his flesh.
"If not money, then what do you want?"
The too-sweet scent of roses tinged the air. Grew
stronger. Jackson stifled the urge to vomit. The smell
of roses still reminded him of death. Janine's funeral.
The memories still so raw, so fresh. He funneled his
grief into anger, used the spike in his blood pressure
to sharpen his mind, his best tool.
Surely the break-in had triggered his security system's
silent alarm, alerted the police department. If he could
stall, keep the goons away from Emily's room until the
cops arrived...
"This will only hurt for a minute," a female voice said,
the source of the rose scent.
When the woman seized his arm, he twisted and shrugged
away. For his efforts, he earned a thwack across the jaw
from the butt of the first man's gun. His ears rang, and
pain exploded through his head.
He suppressed the impulse to rage at the intruders,
tackle them and swing wildly, releasing pent up fury for
his wife's violent death. But a ruckus would wake
Emily, his eight-year-old daughter. She'd leave her room
to explore the source of the noise, end up in the thick
of things...
God, he'd die if anything happened to his little girl.
Stay in bed Emily! Stay quiet!
With his focus on the pain reverberating in his skull,
he almost missed the prick in his arm. The sting in his
bicep. "What the hell? What'd you just give me?"
"A sedative. You'll sleep soon. It will go much easier
on you this way," the woman said.
"What will go easier? What are you bastards after?"
But deep in his gut, Jackson knew. Somehow his research
had been compromised.
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