False Start — Bev Pettersen

Some lies are worth millions. Some truths are worth murder. When Nikki Drake and her K9 Gunner are hired to protect a rebellious racehorse, she expects routine surveillance and security work. Instead, she discovers a Derby contender whose biggest threat isn't his temperament but the powerful people determined to stop him from racing, by any means necessary.As threats escalate from intimidation to sabotage, Nikki uncovers a tangled web of secrets that extends far beyond stable politics. When a murder at the training center shatters any illusion of safety, she and Gunner find themselves racing a killer through treacherous mountain trails.Trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nikki relies on Gunner's unwavering loyalty as she faces a predator who hides behind respectability. With the Santa Anita Derby fast approaching and lives at stake, she must expose the monster hiding in plain sight...before he silences everyone who knows too much.