Hidden Agenda

Beyond appearances

Work undercover, catch the bad guy, become a full-time Project Justice investigator. Simple enough plan, until Jillian Baxter recognizes the man she’s investigating. Her new “boss” is none other than Conner Blake—her childhood crush. Luckily, he has no idea who she is, since Jillian is no longer Jillybean, the short, overweight teenager he publicly humiliated.

Despite their past, Jillian knows Conner isn’t a murderer. Nor is he that same cruel boy. In fact, there’s much to admire about the man he is. Still, this is an ongoing case and whatever is happening between them will have to wait. As she gets closer to finding the killer, she must decide if she can trust Conner with the truth. And that could be her toughest decision yet.

“What the hell are you doing in here?”

Conner stepped inside and closed the door.

“Oh, Conner, you startled me. I was hoping Mr. Cuddy could give me the budget for the office party—”

“You were in here alone, with the door closed. Drop the dumb-blonde act, Jillian. I happen to know you’re highly intelligent. So I’ll repeat myself. What the hell are you doing in Cuddy’s office?”

“What did you come in here for? You didn’t even knock.”

“I needed something from my office for the meeting. Since I was headed this way, Cuddy asked me if I’d get his…his phone.”

Jillian couldn’t believe this. Conner was lying, too!

“I don’t see his phone,” Jillian said casually.

“Guess he didn’t forget it after all. Probably put it in the wrong pocket or something.”

“Is that the story you’re going to stick with?”

He crossed his arms. “Mine’s better than yours.”

For the span of a few heartbeats they stared at each other, challenging.

A rattling of the office doorknob caused Conner’s eyes to widen with apprehension. “Follow my lead.” Without warning he wrapped his arms around her and planted his mouth firmly on hers.

Dear Reader,

What was your most humiliating incident in high school? Almost every woman can remember a moment during her vulnerable teen years when she wished the earth would swallow her up, or she could move to a different state and change her name. And was there a boy involved? If you could see him again today, what would you say?

Fortunately, most of us can laugh at those cringe-worthy memories. But Jillian, the heroine of Hidden Agenda, isn’t ready to laugh. At age fourteen she was humiliated and she had her heart broken. Now, just when she gets a chance to prove herself in the eyes of her Project Justice colleagues, she has to work side by side with the boy—now a man—she used to love with all her heart, then vowed to hate forever.

I had a great deal of fun with Jillian. She’s made an appearance in all five Project Justice books, and I’m excited to give her her own story. I hope you enjoy her journey.

All best,

Kara Lennox

Hidden Agenda

Kara Lennox

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kara Lennox has earned her living at various times as an art director, typesetter, textbook editor and reporter. She’s worked in a boutique, a health club and an ad agency. She’s been an antiques dealer, an artist and even a blackjack dealer. But no work has ever made her happier than writing romance novels. To date, she has written more than sixty books. Kara is a recent transplant to Southern California. When not writing, she indulges in an ever-changing array of hobbies. Her latest passions are bird-watching, long-distance bicycling, vintage jewelry and, by necessity, do-it-yourself home renovation. She loves to hear from readers. You can find her at www.karalennox.com.

For my best friend in high school and college, Anne O’Connor.

We sure had some adventures.

Contents

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

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

I’M IN! JILLIAN BAXTER tried not to let the sense of triumph show on her face as the personnel director, Joyce Carrington, droned on about vacation policy and 401(k) plans. Jillian had crossed her first hurdle as a field investigator at Project Justice: she’d been hired by Mayall Lumber. Now she would infiltrate the company and catch a murderer.

“Well, we can go over all this when you officially start,” Joyce said breezily. She was a pleasant, matronly sort with a cloud of dark, frizzy hair escaping from numerous barrettes, a blouse with a coffee stain, and a desk piled high with messy stacks of paper itching to be sorted and organized. “We’ll make the job offer official as soon as Mr. Blake signs off.”

“Mr. Blake?”

“He’ll be your direct supervisor,” Joyce said. “I’ll warn you, he’s quite challenging. He’s been through four admins this year already. But with your experience, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble.”

Jillian’s experience was mostly fabricated. Daniel Logan, CEO of Project Justice, had put together a résumé that had made her sound like the best administrative assistant in all of Texas, making sure her stellar references would check out.