The First Star- Dr. Tara Ross Series Christmas Edition

By Tanya Goodwin

While on a much needed holiday break from the hospital, all Dr. Tara Ross wants is a traditional family Christmas. When her detective husband, Captain Jeffrey Corrigan, comes home early from his precinct with no homicide cases pending, and his son, James, has his film production on holiday hold, Christmas preparations are in full swing. Presents would soon be stacked beneath the tree, only to be opened the minute the first star lit the Christmas Eve sky. That is until Tara's daughter, Abbie, along with Abbie's best friend, Lexie, are uncharacteristically late while driving home from college.

While the snow falls faster, and their Christmas tree waits to be decorated, Tara is urgently called to the hospital. When she returns, not only is Abbie's car still missing from the driveway, but also now Jeffrey's vehicle is gone, too.

Her suspicion that something is amiss is confirmed when Jeffrey texts her that he and James are en route to extricate Abbie's car that is stuck in the snow. Concerned about the deteriorating weather, Tara hits the highway to join in the rescue.

Meanwhile, with her car stranded, Abbie and Lexie wait inside her vehicle while waiting for Jeffrey and James's arrival. But when a stranger discovers the two vulnerable young women and threatens them, Abbie makes an emergency call to Jeffrey. As he races to Abbie's side, a roadside accident delays him, Tara, and the police. Knowing help may not arrive in time, Abbie is forced to battle the evil man. Christmas may never be the same.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tanya Goodwin
• Release date: Dec 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370055845

Tanya Goodwin

Tanya Goodwin writes romantic suspense with a twist of medicine, medical romance, and mystery. Her experiences as a physician are reflected in her characters and in her stories. Tanya is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed her specialty training as an obstetrician and gynecologist in Tampa, Florida. A former New Yorker, she now resides in St. Petersburg, Fl. Her present life as a traveling doctor allows her to switch from stethoscope to keyboard. Tanya is a member of Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.

Book preview

Dedication

I’d like to to thank my family, including my pet children: Callie the cat, and paw keyboard typist, Tom and Jerry, my rescue beagles who slept a lot during the course of this book, and my dearest, late Nicky, who I miss immensely and who was my steady companion and canine editor. A shout out to my awesome cover artist, Rae Monet, and the best editor on the planet Earth, Faith Freewoman. And equally important, thank you to my readers who have followed my Dr. Tara Ross series. Happy Holidays!

CHAPTER ONE

TARA sat in front of the living room bay window and stared at the snow covered driveway, willing Jeffrey to pull into it. Saturday had finally arrived. She not only had the weekend off from the hospital, but her boss, the OB/GYN department chairman of Westchester Hospital and Clinics, Dr. Louis Faliano, had also given her the week off, including three days before and three days after Christmas. Since it was her first year as an assistant professor, and she was the newest faculty member, she had been certain she would be the attending physician on call for labor and delivery on Christmas. But he had insisted that she be with her family during the holidays. What a pleasant surprise!

She suspected it had something to do with last summer when she and Jeffrey managed to corner and arrest a serial killer who was also one of her medical students. But even if that was partly why she was getting Christmas off the holidays were not a time to rehash morbid events. Ever since putting away the killer, Jeffrey’s homicide calendar had remained blessedly empty.

Tara smiled and cocked her head at the fresh snowflakes floating down from the winter sky. For once, their lives were as pristine and sugar white as the snowy landscape outside.

Since James had shoveled the driveway this morning, three more inches of snow had blanketed the ground and was now mounding atop the roof and hood of her and James’s cars.

A smidgeon of melancholy gripped her. Abbie and Lexie’s cars were missing. But soon her driveway would be as packed as it used to be before Abbie and her best friend went off to embark on their freshman year of college in the fall. It was only a two-hour drive from home, close enough in mileage, and not too far away from her heart. They were due home today for the holiday break.

Tara hugged herself and sighed happily. The whole family would be gathered together to celebrate Christmas!

James cleared his throat, breaking Tara’s warm reverie. He set down a plastic container. Here’s the first of the ornaments and decorations from the attic. Four more to go.

I didn’t know you went up there. Tara rocked forward from in window seat. I’ll help you.

James waved his hand. No, sit. Relax. You’re on vacation. I’ll get the rest.

Tara sat back. Okay.

Unable to focus on his film editing while waiting for Abbie to arrive, James had nearly wore a rut in the living room floor with his pacing. So having him haul down the decorations would kill three birds with one stone: Tara would be able to laze around a bit longer, James would be busy enough elsewhere to save the rug from imminent destruction, and the decorations would already be sorted and ready to hang on the tree by the time everyone arrived.

Abbie hadn’t been home since the fall semester began, and James moped around since her departure. Abbie was her daughter, and James was Jeffrey’s son. Technically they were not related, but in the beginning Tara had made it clear she disapproved of Abbie’s and James’s burgeoning relationship, while Jeffrey had accepted their affection for each other.

She’d dug her heels in about the awkward situation until this past summer when James had risked his life for Abbie. After that, the rift  between her and Jeffrey had inched closed. She’d accepted that James loved Abbie, and that it wasn’t going to change, and she made peace with the situation.

But now, for the first time she was on James’s side. It must have been hard for him with Abbie away at college. James had not admitted it, but Tara suspected his insecurity grew week after week, in the face of Abbie’s silence, fueled by his fears Abbie might find someone new, or that a college guy would slip into his place. If Abbie’s attention had wandered, she hadn’t shared that with her, much less than with James. But Abbie had not confided in her regarding any campus relationship. Her daughter had distanced herself from her, as college kids often did when away from home and their parent’s influence for the first time.

Ironically, lately she’d felt closer to James. With Abbie away, he’d spent more time with her and Jeffrey in between his filming in New York City.  Tara could hardly believe that the last thing she wanted was for Abbie to break James’s heart. But Abbie was in college now, and Tara knew all to well it was a time of personal exploration, and there was no telling how far that exploration might tempt Abbie away from James.

When she heard tires crunch over the snowy drive, Tara craned her neck to peer past the curtains. Jeffrey was home! Her heart lifted, grateful for his safe arrival.

Although his captain status could keep him safe at his desk at the station, Jeffrey wasn’t cut out for strict administrative duties. He needed to be in the game, to be on the spot with his men and women. That part of him couldn’t be extinguished.

But neither could her fear that one day, or one night, he wouldn’t come home. It hadn’t happened in twenty-five years, despite too many close calls —three of them involving her. But he wouldn’t retire, or even pull back. She had long ago ceased begging him. He was as valiant as he was stubborn, and deep down she loved him for it.

Tara jumped up from her perch and raced to the front door. His footsteps came closer. The doorknob turned. She shifted her weight back and forth in the foyer, antsy as a two- year-old waiting in line for Santa, until the door finally opened. Jeffrey stood on the other side. Snowflakes dotted Jeffrey’s hat and the shoulders of his coat. He tapped the top of his shoes against the bottom of the door frame, loosening the treads of snow.

Tara propped her hands on her hips.Where are your boots?

Not the greeting I was hoping for, ‘mother, but they are in the hall closet. It wasn’t snowing when I left this morning. Jeffrey grinned. This is what I get for letting you sleep in, he waggled his brows, after last night."

A bolt of heat shot to her toes and fingertips  at the thought of his adept touch. Okay. I’ll give you a pass, this time. Get in here!

He saluted. Yes ma’am.

Jeffrey stepped inside the foyer and closed the door. He peeled off his coat and plucked off his hat, hanging both on the coat stand, and slipped off his shoes. He rubbed his hands together to warm