The Cowboy's Secret Family
Escape or die trying… No. 1 international bestseller Jeffery Deaver returns with a stunning new thriller – the first in an exciting series featuring enigmatic investigator Colter Shaw. ‘Masterful storytelling — The Never Game is Deaver’s most riveting, most twisty, most unputdownable novel yet’ Karin Slaughter A student kidnapped from the park. Nineteen-year-old Sophie disappears one summer afternoon. She wakes up to find herself locked inside a derelict warehouse, surrounded by five objects. If she uses them wisely, she will escape her prison. Otherwise she will die. An investigator running out of time. Sophie’s distraught father calls in the one man who can help find his daughter: unique investigator Colter Shaw. Raised in the wilderness by survivalist parents, he is an expert tracker with a forensic mind trained to solve the most challenging cases. But this will be a test even for him. A killer playing a dangerous game. Soon a blogger called Henry is abducted – left to die in the dark heart of a remote forest – and the whole case gets turned on its head. Because this killer isn’t following the rules; he’s changing them. One murder at a time… ‘No one in the world does this kind of thing better than Deaver’ Lee Child Deaver’s most riveting, most twisty, most unputdownable novel yet’ Karin Slaughter ‘Deaver grips from the very first line and never lets up’ Peter James ‘The very definition of a page-turner’ Ian Rankin ‘Lightning-fast and loaded with twists’ Harlan Coben ‘With The Never Game you know you are in the hands of a master’ Peter Robinson
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Star-crossed teenage lovers finally reunite for a second chance
Losing Miranda broke Matt Grimes’s heart—and kept him from knowledge of his impending fatherhood. Now Miranda Contreras has returned to Rocking Chair, Texas—with their eight-year-old daughter. In search of safe haven, this runaway bride needs to regroup. Matt should be angry! What other secrets is Miranda keeping? But all he sees is a chance to be the family they were meant to be.
Since 2002, USA TODAY bestselling author JUDY DUARTE has written over forty books for Mills & Boon, earned two RITA® Award nominations, won two Maggie Awards and received a National Readers’ Choice Award. When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, she enjoys travelling with her husband and spending quali-ty time with her grandchildren. You can learn more about Judy and her books on her website, judyduarte.com, or at Facebook.com/judyduartenovelist
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A Cowboy Family Christmas
The Soldier’s Twin Surprise
The Lawman’s Convenient Family
Wed by Fortune
From Fortune to Family Man
No Ordinary Fortune
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.
ISBN: 978-1-474-09118-3
THE COWBOY’S SECRET FAMILY
© 2019 Judy Duarte
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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To “Honey” Colwell,
my fur grandchild and the inspiration for
Sweetie Pie, the rescued stray dog in
The Cowboy’s Secret Family. No matter how many times Honey gets sprayed by Eau de Stink, she’s determined to catch the rascally skunk that prowls the neighbourhood at night. Maybe next time, Honey.
And to Jeff and Sarah Colwell.
Thank you for the opportunity to spend a
special summer with Emalee and Katie, my
two granddaughters, and a barnyard menagerie
consisting of one overly protective shepherd mix,
six free-range chickens, two 4-H lambs and a
couple of horses. Love you, guys!
Contents
The new Dodge Ram pickup bounced along the graveled drive that led to the Double G Ranch, where Matt Grimes intended to hole up until he recovered from his injury and could return to the rodeo circuit.
The afternoon sun’s glare was damn near blinding, so he reached for the visor, only to miss spotting another pothole, this one bigger than the last. Pain shot through his bum knee, and he swore under his breath. He’d have to convince Uncle George that it was finally time to pave the blasted road or they’d need an all-terrain vehicle to get to the house.
Matt hadn’t been home since the Christmas before last, so he probably should have called to let his uncle know he was coming, but he’d decided to surprise him.
He swerved to avoid another hole, a quick move that jarred his knee again, and he gritted his teeth in pain. The last bull he’d ridden, Grave Digger, had thrown him to the ground, stepping on him in the process. He hadn’t suffered a fracture, only tissue damage. But it hurt like hell, and the doctor seemed to think it would take a while for him to heal.
But come hell or high water, Matt was determined to compete in the Rocking Chair Rodeo, which would benefit two of his favorite charities—a local home for retired cowboys, as well as one for abused and neglected kids. On top of that, Esteban Enterprises had used Matt’s name to promote the rodeo, and all the ads and posters sported his photo and practically claimed
