âYouâre not telling me how to run my investigation, are you, reporter lady?â
His tone had that edge again.
Caroline stopped walking and her hands flew to her hips before she realized she was taking up her fighting stance. âSo is this how it is between us, Sam? Iâm Caroline if I play the game your way, reporter lady if I have an opinion of my own? If I show any spunk, you knock me down a peg or two, make sure I stay in my place. If Iâm frightened and defenseless, you kiss me.â
He met her gaze. Cold and stony, but there was something else there, a mysterious quality to him that she couldnât read.
âI didnât kiss you because you were defenseless.â
Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,
Weâve got an intoxicating lineup crackling with passion and peril thatâs guaranteed to lure you to Harlequin Intrigue this month!
Danger and desire abound in As Darkness Fellâthe first of two installments in Joanna Wayneâs HIDDEN PASSIONS: Full Moon Madness companion series. In this stark, seductive tale, a rugged detective will go to extreme lengths to safeguard a feisty reporter who is the object of a killerâs obsession. Then temptation and terror go hand in hand in Lone Rider Bodyguard when Harper Allen launches her brand-new miniseries, MEN OF THE DOUBLE B RANCH.
Will revenge give way to sweet salvation in Undercover Avenger by Rita Herron? Find out in the ongoing NIGHTHAWK ISLAND series. If youâre searching high and low for a thrilling romantic suspense tale that will also satisfy your craving for adventureâyouâll be positively riveted by Bounty Hunter Ransom from Kara Lennoxâs CODE OF THE COBRA.
Just when you thought it was safe to sleep with the lights offâ¦Guardian of her Heart by Linda O. Johnstonâthe latest offering in our BACHELORS AT LARGE promotionâwill send shivers down your spine. And donât let down your guard quite yet. Lisa Childs caps off a month of spine-tingling suspense with a gripping thriller about a madman bent on revenge in Bridal Reconnaissance. You wonât want to miss this unforgettable debut of our new DEAD BOLT promotion.
Hereâs hoping these smoldering Harlequin Intrigue novels will inspire some romantic dreams of your own this Valentineâs Day!
Enjoy,
Denise OâSullivan
Senior Editor
Harlequin Intrigue
Joanna Wayne lives with her husband just a few miles from steamy, exciting New Orleans, but her home is the perfect writerâs hideaway. A lazy bayou, complete with graceful herons, colorful wood ducks and an occasional alligator, winds just below her back garden. When not creating tales of spine-tingling suspense and heartwarming romance, she enjoys reading, traveling, playing golf and spending time with family and friends. Joanna believes that one of the special joys of writing is knowing that her stories have brought enjoyment to or somehow touched the lives of her readers. You can write Joanna at P.O. Box 2851, Harvey, LA 70059-2851.
Caroline KimberlyâSheâs a reporter trying to do her job, until the killer becomes obsessed with her.
Sam TurnerâHeâs the detective in charge of locating the madman whoâs brought fear and murder to his peaceful Southern town, but will his attraction to the new reporter get in the way of his finding the killer?
Becky SimpsonâCarolineâs best friend, who only wants to enjoy the good life.
Jack SmithâBeckyâs new boyfriend.
Matt HastingsâHomicide detective and Samâs right-hand man.
John RhodesâEditor in chief of the Prentice Times.
Ron BakerâDelivery coordinator and general handyman for the Prentice Times.
Tracy MitchellâWorks at the Catfish Shack and was a co-worker of the first victim.
Tony SistrunkâSamâs former supervisor with the San Antonio Police Department.
R. J. BlockerâSamâs stepbrother.
Josephine SterlingâPolice sketch artist.
Sally MartinâFirst victim of serial killer.
Ruby GivensâSecond victim of serial killer.
Frederick Lee BillinghamâThe man in the portrait at the top of the stairs in the historic house that Caroline leases.
To my good friends Ted and Sylvia Ross whose romance
has withstood the test of time. And a special thanks to them for being such great travel companions.
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
âThere is one thing I should tell you, Miss Kimberly, âcause youâre gonna hear it from the neighbors, anyway,â Barkley Billingham said, examining her signature on the one-year lease sheâd just signed. âMy grandmother claims this house has ghosts.â
Caroline looked at him, sure he was going to follow the statement with some kind of joke. But the guy just stared at her in the same deadpan way he had for the past two hours while sheâd looked at the house.
âWhy does she think the house is haunted?â
âYou know how old houses are. They make noises. Creaks and moans, stuff like that. And when the north windâs blowing, it catches the corner by the bedroom and sounds like a woman shrieking.â