âHeâs mine, isnât he?â
âYes.â
Nick rolled over on his back. Patrick was his son.
No wonder heâd liked the boy so much. Damn, he was a bright kid. Good-looking, too. Heâd be a heartbreaker, thatâs for sure. Just like his dad.
He was a father. He had a child with Jenny, who meant more to him than any woman, any person, ever had.
He rolled back to his side and found Jenny staring at him with wide, frightened eyes. He touched her cheek, lifted a tear with his index finger. âWe have a kid,â he whispered. âHow do you like that?â
âI like it fine. How about you?â
âIâm knocked out,â he said. âPatrickâs an amazing kid. And you. Youâreâ¦â
âIâm what?â
Reality set in just then, and his mood darkened. âIn danger. We have to get the hell out of here before weâre caught, before they know the truthâ¦.â
Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,
Spring is in the air and we have a month of fabulous books for you to curl up with as the March winds howl outside:
⢠Familiar is back on the prowl, in Caroline Burnesâs Familiar Texas. And Rocky Mountain Maneuvers marks the conclusion of Cassie Milesâs COLORADO CRIME CONSULTANTS trilogy.
⢠Jessica Andersen brings us an exciting medical thriller, Covert M.D.
⢠Donât miss the next ECLIPSE title, Lisa Childsâs The Substitute Sister.
⢠Definitely check out our April lineup. Debra Webb is starting THE ENFORCERS, an exciting new miniseries you wonât want to miss. Also look for a special 3-in-1 story from Rebecca York, Ann Voss Peterson and Patricia Rosemoor called Desert Sons.
Each month, Harlequin Intrigue brings you a variety of heart-stopping romantic suspense and chilling mystery. Donât miss a single book!
Sincerely,
Denise OâSullivan
Senior Editor
Harlequin Intrigue
Jo Leigh lives way the heck up on a mountain in Utah with her own personal hero and her many chipmunk friends. She loves to hear from readers at http://www.joleigh.com.
Jenny GrangerâShe escaped from a madman once, but now he has her baby!
Nick MasonâWith the worldâs safety at stake, how can he blow his cover and help the woman he loves?
Patrick GrangerâTwo and a half; the innocent child born in secret.
C. Randall ToddâCasino mogul, billionaire, killer.
Henry SweetâToddâs right-hand man, with an itch to get rid of Nick Mason.
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
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Once the coast was clear, Jeannie hurried over to where Kelly was picking up the Lincoln Logs. âTanya called me this morning,â she said, keeping her voice low so none of the other mommies could hear. âHer Nate got a call yesterday to fix an air conditioner at Mary Piersonâs place. He said sheâs just as neat as a pin. Nothing out of place, not even in the babyâs room. He said sheâs got one of those leather couches they were selling at The Junction last summer. You know, the leather seconds? And sheâs got a ton of books lining the walls in the living room.â
Kelly dumped an armload of pieces into the big cardboard box. âDid he see her bedroom?â
Jeannie nodded. âDouble bed. Dresser. An armoire he swears used to belong to Ann Keating before her husband died.â
âI remember that. She had that garage sale. I picked up her old stand mixer. It still works. I made up a batch of butter cookies for the church bazaar just last month.â
âOh, yeah. They were scrumptious. But hereâs the thing,â Jeannie continued. âNate said she didnât have any pictures except two of baby Patrick. Nothing on the mantel, nothing in the bedroom. Itâs like the woman has no past. Like she came here from outer space or something.â
âMy Alan, he says she never talks about herself at work. He says she reads on break or she writes in that journal of hers. Lisa asked her straight-out where Patrickâs daddy was and she wouldnât say. She said she didnât like to talk about it. If you want my opinion, Iâm thinking he was bad news, you know? Hit her, probably. Like Bonnieâs husband?â
âThat, or she doesnât know who the daddy is.â Jeannie bent to pick up a Barbie doll. âShe has that sadness about her. So pretty, and yet, I donât knowâ¦â
âYeah,â Kelly said. âLike sheâs running from something.â
âHeck, why else would a single woman move to Milford? She has no family here.â
âI remember the day she got here. She was driving that beat-up old Chevy.â
âStill is.â
âRight.â
âHow long has it been?â
âGot to be two years.â
Jeannie nodded. âTwo years, and we still donât know beans about her.â
âNot that she isnât nice.â
Jeannie shook her head, a strand of auburn hair loosening from under her headband. âNice as can be for someone with so many secrets. Lily, you put that down right now.â