Praise for the novels of
New York Times bestselling author DIANA PALMER
âA handsome rancher-tycoon and his shy, sheltered stepsister fall in love in Palmerâs latest romantic melodrama (after Fearless) thatâs long on humid heat.â
âPublishers Weekly on Heartless
âPalmerâs talent for character development and ability to fuse heartwarming romance with nail-biting suspense shine in Outsider.â
âBooklist
âA gentle escape mixed with real-life menace for fans of Palmerâs more than 100 novels.â
âPublishers Weekly on Night Fever
âThe ever popular and prolific Palmer has penned another sure hit.â
âBooklist on Before Sunrise
âNobody does it better.â
âNew York Times bestselling author Linda Howard
âPalmer knows how to make the sparks flyâ¦heartwarming.â
âPublishers Weekly on Renegade
âSensual and suspenseful.â
âBooklist on Lawless
âDiana Palmer is a mesmerizing storyteller who captures the essence of what a romance should be.â
âAffaire de Coeur
âNobody tops Diana Palmer when it comes to delivering pure, undiluted romance. I love her stories.â
âNew York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz
IT WAS A LAZY MONDAY MORNING. Not much was going on at the Jacobsville, Texas, Police Department. Three patrol officers were fixing coffee at the small refreshment table in the main lobby. A sheriffâs deputy had stopped by to drop off a warrant. A local citizen was writing out a statement against a perpetrator whoâd just been brought in by one of the patrol officers. The secretary who usually sat at reception was missing.
âThatâs it. That is it! I donât have to work here. There are jobs going right now at the Save-A-Lot grocery store, and I am going right over to put in my application!â
Heads turned at the unfamiliar sound of the police chiefâs secretary yelling at the top of her lungs. There was a quick muffled reply, and then the sound of some thing metallic hitting the floor. Hard.
A furious, spiky-haired teenaged girl in a short skirt and deep-cut blouse sprinkled with glitter came stalking down the hall, eyes flashing fire, long earrings jangling like alarms. Men in uniforms moved quickly aside. She went to her desk, picked up her overstuffed purse, and started for the front door.
A tall, darkly handsome man in the chiefâs uniform came down the hall just as she reached the door. His hair and clothes were liberally covered with coffee grounds, pieces of discarded tape, and two sticky Post-it notes, while a tissue was stuck to the top of a big, highly polished black shoe. There was another Post-it clinging to the long black ponytail at his nape.
âWas it something I said?â Cash Grier wondered aloud.
The teenager, whose lipstick was black, like her fingernail polish, groaned under her breath and stalked out the glass door, shutting it furiously behind her.
The uniformed officers tried valiantly not to laugh. Many sounded as if theyâd just developed bad coughs. The man filling out the statement almost choked with mirth.
Cash glared at them. âGo ahead. Laugh. I can get another secretary anytime I want one!â
Judd Dunn, his assistant chief, was lounging against the counter, his black eyes twinkling. âThat was the second one since you were appointed chief.â
âShe worked in a grocery store before she came here,â Cash muttered, removing sticky things and coffee grounds from his immaculate uniform. âShe only got this job because her uncle, Ben Brady, is the acting mayor and he said Iâd never get funding for those new bulletproof vests I need if she didnât get hired.â He sighed angrily. âHeâs shady, that man. He wouldnât be the acting mayor if Jack Herman hadnât had a heart attack and stepped down. I have to put up with Brady until next May when we get a special election to choose Hermanâs successor.â
Judd listened without comment as a scowling Cash continued ranting. âThe city election wonât come too soon to suit me,â Cash snapped. âBradyâs giving me fits about making drug cases, and he wonât listen to any ideas about improvements in our department. They say Eddie Caneâs going to run for mayor against him.â
âHe was the best mayor we ever had and I think heâll win,â Judd said.
âMoreâs the pity we have to wait until May to vote Brady out.â Cash winced as he pulled the sticky note from his ponytail. âIf he suggests a new secretary to replace that last one, Iâm resigning.â
âYouâll have to find somebody to replace her, and quick, before he finds you a new candidate,â Judd ventured. âIf you can get anybody sane to work for you.â
âIâll put an ad in the paper, and women will trample us applying for the opportunity just to be in the same room with me!â Cash said.