She knows who killed his wifeâ¦if she could only remember
A woman screaming into a phone sends Riker County detective Matt Walker racing to the rescue of his onetime nemesis, Maggie Carson. Four years ago, the green-eyed journalist accused him of killing his wife.
Her first solid lead in the case she canât let go just landed Maggie in the custody of the Alabama lawman who hates her. The single mother canât remember the past twenty-four hours and now thereâs a target on her back. As they move closer to the truthâ¦as desire turns enemies into passionate allies, Matt will move heaven and earth to protect Maggieâand the love thatâs bigger than both of them.
The Protectors of Riker County
âMaggie.â
Mattâs voice was deep. Smooth. The only sound in her world at that moment. âI think youâre the center of it all and that message might have just proven it.â
âHow?â
She needed the truth. She needed it so badly that she moved closer to the man. On reflex she tilted her head back to meet his stare easier. Had they ever been this close before?
And was it her imagination or did he look down at her lips?
âThe message,â he repeated, derailing her unwelcome thoughts. âIt proves that whoever wrote it either knows you or researched you well enough to get really personal information.â
âBut why? Why would I need a reminder if I know him already?â
Maggie already didnât like what he was going to say. A storm seemed to start up in his eyes. Deep eyes, drenched in mystery.
âMy guess? Heâs saying that he doesnât just know you. He knows your past and your present.â She watched as his jaw hardened. âItâs a threat, Maggie. A personal one.â
TYLER ANNE SNELL genuinely loves all genres of the written word. However, sheâs realized that she loves books filled with sexual tension and mysteries a little more than the rest. Her stories have a good dose of both. Tyler lives in Alabama with her same-named husband and their mini âlions.â When she isnât reading or writing, sheâs playing video games and working on her blog, Almost There. To follow her shenanigans, visit www.tylerannesnell.com.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Detective Matt WalkerâAfter an accident takes his wifeâs life, this detective spends years trying to move on. It isnât until new evidence is discovered that he realizes heâll have to revisit the one case that nearly destroyed him. Can he finally find the truth about what happened to his wife all of those years ago? And can he keep a beautiful and infuriating ex-reporter out of harmâs way while they search for it?
Maggie CarsonâOnce a rising young star in local journalism, this ex-reporter understands how quickly life can go downhill. After refusing to let go of a theory about the accidental death of Erin Walker, her life completely changes. Years later it turns out she might just have been right all along. Will she finally be able to find justice for a woman she never knew? Can she do it alongside the hot-as-hell detective who only thinks of her as the enemy?
Erin WalkerâLate wife to Matt and killed by what is originally deemed as an accident, she becomes the subject of Maggieâs personal investigation spanning years after her passing.
Cody CarsonâAdopted son of Maggie, this young boy is one of the main reasons Maggie and Matt will do whatever it takes to finish what someone else started all those years ago.
Dwayne MeyersâRetired detective and mentor to Matt, he becomes one of the many puzzle pieces in the investigation into Erinâs death.
Kortnie BeanâAs an emergency-room nurse and quick friend to Maggie, she gets a firsthand look at what someone is willing to do to keep the ex-reporter quiet.
Sheriff Billy ReedâFriend and boss to Matt, heâs no stranger to the dangers of a case thatâs personal, but that wonât stop him from doing everything within his power to help solve it.
This book is for Kortnie B. and every other ER nurse out there.
I canât imagine what you all must go through during every shift
but I am immensely grateful that you do so with courage, wisdom and compassion.
Youâre the real superheroes.
Chapter One
âWhatâs a seven-letter word for a man who is an all-around donkey to the people who are just trying to help him?â
Maggie Carson shifted her weight to the other foot and blew a frustrated breath out. It moved a wayward spiral of hair out of her face. She tried to tuck it back into the makeshift ponytail holder but it was a no-go. Like her it was probably done with the flip-flopping, hot-and-cold weather. Humid to the point of feeling like you were swimming standing up and then nothing but a dry chill. It was like south Alabama had a fever. Not that she was overly concerned about the weather.