USA TODAY bestselling author Marie Ferrarella starts off the new Coltons of Texas series with a bang—and a serial killer at large.
Just moments away from marrying a woman he doesn’t love, police detective Sam Colton discovers his bride brutally murdered. The only shocking clue: the MO matches another notorious killer—Sam’s long-imprisoned father. A copycat? The victim’s sister was the last to see her alive—and heard arguing with her. Sam would bet his life that shy, impossibly sexy librarian Zoe Robison had nothing to do with the murder. But when he learns what the argument was about, the former foster kid’s heart hardens. Yet as Zoe is targeted by a madman, Sam discovers just how far he’ll go to save her.
Praise for Marie Ferrarella
“A joy to read.”
—RT Book Reviews on Christmas Cowboy Duet
“Ferrarella’s romance will charm with all the benefits and pitfalls of a sweet small-town setting.”
—RT Book Reviews on Lassoed by Fortune
“Heartwarming. That’s the way I have described every book by Marie Ferrarella that I have read. In the Family Way engenders in me the same warm, fuzzy feeling that I have come to expect from her books.”
—The Romance Reader
“Ms. Ferrarella warms our hearts with her charming characters and delicious interplay.”
—RT Book Reviews on A Husband Waiting to Happen
“Ms. Ferrarella creates fiery, strong-willed characters, an intense conflict and an absorbing premise no reader could possibly resist.”
—RT Book Reviews on A Match for Morgan
* * *
We hope you enjoy this dramatic new miniseries:
The Coltons of Texas: Finding love and buried family secrets in the Lone Star state…
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Dear Reader,
Welcome to a brand-new saga of the Colton family. This story has everything. A bride murdered on her wedding day, a patriarch (Matthew Colton) who, as an imprisoned serial killer, will never be in the running for Father of the Year. You have the man’s family, seven siblings who were torn from one another and scattered to the four corners of the foster care system when their father murdered their mother. These same siblings struggled against all odds to rise above the sins of their father to come into their own and win back the respect of the community, all while trying to find out just where this man hid the body of their late mother so they can finally put her to rest. Matthew Colton will tell them—but only if they agree to play his little game. Each month, the terminally ill killer will dispense one clue to a different sibling, which, once put together, will lead them to their mother’s body. Added to this is the fact that there seems to be a new serial killer on the loose, emulating Matthew’s old MO, and the Coltons are afraid that it might just be their youngest sister, whom no one has seen for the past six years.
As I said, this story has everything—except for you. So come, read, second-guess the motives behind everything that’s happening, and enjoy!
As always, I thank you for taking the time to read one of my books. Without you, there would be no stories. And, from the bottom of my heart, I wish you someone to love who loves you back.
Love,
Marie
COLTON COPYCAT
KILLER
Marie Ferrarella
This USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award-winning author has written 250 books for Harlequin, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, marieferrarella.com.
Books by Marie Ferrarella
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
The Coltons of Texas
Colton Copycat Killer
The Adair Affairs
Carrying His Secret
Cavanaugh Justice
The Cavanaugh Code
In Bed with the Badge
Cavanaugh Judgment
Cavanaugh Reunion
A Cavanaugh Christmas
Cavanaugh’s Bodyguard
Cavanaugh Rules
Cavanaugh’s Surrender
Cavanaugh on Duty
Mission: Cavanaugh Baby
Cavanaugh Hero
Cavanaugh Undercover
Cavanaugh Strong
Cavanaugh Fortune
Visit the Author Profile page at
Harlequin.com for more titles.
To
Melissa Senate,
with love,
for handing me
a great outline
to work with!
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Epilogue
Excerpt from Colton’s Surprise Heir by Addison Fox
Prologue
“Watch and learn, little sister. Watch and learn.”
Celia Robison’s eyes met her younger sister, Zoe’s, in the full-length mirror as the former fussed over her wedding veil, adjusting it for the umpteenth time in order to best play up her delicate features.
She was talking to Zoe in the church’s bridal room. The latter had popped in a few minutes ago to see how she was coming along. Celia always loved having her sister around—and never more than today—because she knew she always looked even hotter and sexier than usual in comparison. The sweetly attractive Zoe looked like the typical shrinking violet that she was.
Right now, Celia was approximately ten minutes away from leaving her single status permanently behind and marrying Sam Colton, a rather stoic detective on the Granite Gulch police force—and a man that Zoe had secretly been in love with since forever.
Not even Sam knew how she felt, and the librarian—a rather stereotypical career choice that suited the shy, blond-haired Zoe rather well—intended to keep it that way. She doubted Celia knew how she felt about Sam when her sister had asked her to be one of her bridesmaids—and Zoe knew she couldn’t turn her sister down without arousing suspicion. Besides, with both of their parents gone now, Celia was the only family that she had. So, much as it made her heart ache, she’d said yes.
The charade—pretending to be happy for Sam and Celia—was really killing her despite the brave front she was putting up. But this mysterious, cat-ate-the-canary look on Celia’s face had caused her to forget her own bruised heart and piqued her curiosity.
To be honest, it made her uneasy.
Celia had always been the devious one, but given her looks, she had always been able to get away with things others in her position wouldn’t have been able to.
“Watch and learn what?” Zoe finally asked when Celia said nothing further. Her sister just continued smirking at her reflection, as if some huge secret existed between her and the mirrored image.
“Why, how to trap a man of your choice, of course, little sister.”
Zoe hated that condescending tone. Celia used it often with her. “What are you talking about, Celia?” Zoe asked impatiently.
> Celia turned away from the mirror to look at her. “Why, Sam, of course. I’m talking about Sam. My future beloved.” She laughed then, clearly delighted with herself.
Zoe moved in closer, discreetly sniffing the air between them. “Have you been drinking, Celia?”
“Not yet, but I will be soon,” Celia assured her with a wink. “That’s what got him, you know. Drinking. And now I’m going to be wrapping him around my little finger—him and that lovely Colton money of his.”
Zoe was beginning to get a very uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was very off. “English, Celia, speak English.”
Celia blew out a breath, and shook her head. “You know, you really are no fun, Zoe. Lucky for you I’m in such a good mood.”
As if to underscore what she’d just said, Celia began softly humming the bridal march under her breath.
This one time, Zoe didn’t allow her sister to put her off. She intended to get to the bottom of this. Celia seemed too pleased with herself for it to be some inconsequential trivial thing.
“What did you do, Celia?” she asked in a firm, quiet voice, her eyes never leaving Celia’s.
Of the two of them, Celia was the vivacious one, the one who had always turned heads. The one who could have any boyfriend she wanted and who could talk her way out of anything. Celia was just that stunning.
As for her, Zoe knew she had to content herself to live in Celia’s shadow. But for the most part, she was okay with that. She loved her sister, even though at times that wasn’t nearly as easy as it should have been.
But what Celia was alluding to was sending an icy cold shiver down her spine and Zoe intended to find out just what her sister was talking about.
Now.
“You seem very pleased with yourself, Celia.” Flattery had always been the way to go with her sister. “Why don’t you tell me why?”
Celia looked as if she was just bursting with her accomplishment and utterly enthralled with what she’d managed to do. “Sam’s marrying me to give his baby a name.”
Zoe’s eyes opened so wide, they almost hurt. “What baby?”
“Exactly,” Celia countered smugly, her eyes dancing.
Zoe caught hold of her sister’s shoulder to keep her from turning back to the mirror. “Celia, stop speaking in riddles. You’re going to be marching down the aisle in a few minutes. Tell me what you’re talking about.”
Had she thought it would do any good, she would have issued an ultimatum to her sister—that she couldn’t leave the small room until she came clean. But Zoe knew Celia would only laugh at her and then it would get ugly from there. All she could hope for at this point was to wear Celia down.
“You do take the fun out of things, you know that, right?” Celia accused, annoyed. And then she laughed. She was far too pleased with herself to let the occasion be ruined by her annoying younger sister—who did, after all, have her uses. “Sam and I never even slept together.”
Zoe’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t understand. If you didn’t sleep together, then why would he think you’re carrying his baby?” Something was really, really wrong here.
Celia sighed. Spelling it out took a little of the drama, not to mention fun, out of it.
“Because one night, after he’d killed that awful criminal he’d been chasing, he came to my place just to unwind and talk. Seems killing doesn’t sit well with Sam,” she added with offhanded sarcasm. “Anyway, he was upset and I just kept plying him with whiskey until he totally passed out on my sofa. Then I messed up my place to make it look like we made wild, passionate love all over the living room. When he woke up, I shyly told him I’d never done ‘anything like that before.’”
That in itself was a lie, Zoe thought. Celia had slept with several men who she knew of in the past couple of years. There’d probably been more.
“Two months later, I came to his place and tearfully told him that I was pregnant with his baby.” Her grin all but split her face. “That’s when he offered to ‘do the right thing,’ just like I knew he would,” Celia said, absolutely pleased with herself. And then she spread her arms wide and declared, “And here we are.”
Stunned, Zoe didn’t even know where to begin to unravel all this. “Then you’re not—”
“Nope,” Celia responded. Zoe didn’t think it was humanly possible to be more pleased with herself than Celia was at this minute.
Didn’t Celia realize the dangerous game she was playing? We both know Sam wouldn’t put up with being lied to, Zoe thought.
She asked the first logical question that occurred to her. “What happens when the full nine months go by and there’s no baby?”
Celia waved away the very idea she was suggesting. “Oh, I’m not going to wait the full nine months. Sometime in the next month or so, I’ll tearfully tell him I lost our baby. Who knows?” She laughed with a careless half shrug. “He might even be relieved. And by then, it wouldn’t matter anyway—I’ll be married,” she concluded.
Since Zoe had dropped her hand from her shoulder, she turned away from her sister and went back to adjusting her veil and dress.
“I really do make a beautiful bride,” Celia complimented her reflection with feeling.
“You can’t get married to Sam under that pretext,” Zoe cried, staring at her in disbelief. “You have to tell him the truth.”
“No, I don’t.” And then Celia looked at her in the mirror, her face almost contorted with anger. “Oh, stop carrying on like this. After all, it’s not like Sam believes in love or marriage or even the almighty institution of family.” She paused to put another layer of lipstick on. “So marrying a woman he doesn’t love isn’t such a big deal.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Zoe asked incredulously. This had to be the lowest thing her sister had ever done, tricking someone into marrying her. “Marrying someone who isn’t in love with you? You’re really okay with that?”
Celia’s temper was just about at its end. “Of course I’m okay with that. Do you know how rich those Coltons are?”
“I don’t care if they’re richer then God,” Zoe exclaimed. “You can’t go through with this, Celia. It’s not right,” she insisted.
Celia tossed her head in that way of hers, the way that emulated queens ruling over small kingdoms.
“It’s more than ‘right,’ it’s perfect,” she countered, completely pleased with what she had brought about. “Now stop lecturing me like some dried-up old spinster with a house full of cats and get ready for the biggest bash this town has seen, bar none.”
Zoe pressed a hand against her stomach, which was suddenly twisting itself into a tight knot. She felt sick to the bottom of her stomach. She couldn’t be a party to something like this.
Celia, Zoe noted, had gone back into her own little world. Having eyes only for the image she beheld in the mirror and once again humming a tuneless “Here Comes the Bride,” Celia didn’t even seem to hear her slip out of the room.
Her stomach twisted harder, threatening to make her throw up. She had to find Sam, find him and tell him what Celia had just confessed to her. Sam couldn’t be allowed to go through with the ceremony. He’d be marrying Celia under false pretenses.
He’d be—
She came to an abrupt halt mentally. The thought of telling him about this elaborate scheme of her sister’s made her feel even sicker. Moreover, if she went through with it, it would easily brand her as a snitch. She was the blameless one here, but that wouldn’t be the way Sam would see it.
She had to try one last time to get Celia to call off the ceremony and tell Sam why on her own.
Squaring her shoulders, Zoe closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather her courage together. She’d always just gone along with everything before, but this was the proverbial straw. It was just too much. She couldn’t allow this wed
ding to take place.
Though she dreaded butting heads with Celia, that was exactly what she was going to have to do.
Eyes opened again, Zoe marched back down the hallway to the bridal room. Knocking once, she didn’t wait for an invitation to enter.
Instead, she threw open the door, took one step into the room—
And started screaming.
Chapter 1
Zoe didn’t remember screaming.
Didn’t remember pursing her lips or emitting the loud, piercing sound less than a heartbeat after she’d opened the door.
Didn’t remember crossing over the threshold into the room, or bending over Celia, who was lying faceup on the floor.
The exquisite wedding dress her sister had taken such all-consuming delight in finding was now ruined. There were two glaring gunshot holes in her chest and her blood had soaked into the delicate white appliqué, all but drenching it. The pattern beneath it was completely obliterated.
The whole scene, which was whizzing by and moving in painfully slow motion at the same time, seemed totally surreal to Zoe, like some sort of an ill-conceived, macabre scene being played out from an old-fashioned B-grade horror movie about a rampaging slasher.
And if the dreadfulness of all this wasn’t enough, someone—the killer?—had gone on to draw a bizarre red bull’s-eye on Celia’s forehead. There was a single dot inside the circle, just off center, and whoever had drawn it had used some sort of a laundry marker, so the bull’s-eye stood out even more than it normally might have.
This can’t be real, it just can’t be real.
The desperate thought throbbed over and over again in Zoe’s head. She’d just left Celia, what, a couple of minutes ago? Five minutes, tops?
How could all this have happened in such a short period of time?
Who could have done this to her sister?
Why hadn’t she heard the gunshots when they were fired?
And for God’s sake, what was that awful noise she was hearing now?
Zoe tried to see where it was coming from, but for some reason, she just couldn’t seem to turn her head.
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