by Addison Fox
A cop confronts a deadly killer and explosive secrets in the latest chapter of The Coltons of Shadow Creek!
For bomb squad K-9 officer Donovan Colton, nothing about a failed car bombing in his Texas hometown makes sense. Why would anyone target quiet, secretive accountant Bellamy Reeves, and why does his canine partner instantly trust her? Donovan is searching for his own mysterious past, but he can’t resist solving the riddle that is beautiful Bellamy.
After experiencing a tragic loss, Bellamy knows how hard it can be to trust. Threatened by her former employer, she is reluctant to open up to dangerously sexy Donovan—or his adorable dog! But the harder Donovan works to keep her safe, the more Bellamy longs to let what’s between them turn into something more—even as their lives are poised to be blown apart…
The Coltons of Shadow Creek
“How close were you to the car?”
“I’d gotten in and realized I hadn’t closed the trunk. I was behind the car when it just—” Bellamy broke off, the disbelief still clear in her eyes. “When it just exploded.”
“We’re going to take a look at it but first I need Alex to sniff the rest of the cars that are still here so we can get these people out of here. Can you wait for me?”
“Where else am I going to go?”
For reasons Donovan couldn’t explain, he sensed there was something more in her comment. Something that went well beyond a car bomb or the shaky aftereffects of surviving a crime.
Something terrible had taken the light out of her beautiful gray eyes.
And he was determined to find out why.
* * *
The Coltons of Shadow Creek:
Only family can keep you safe…
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Addison Fox for her contribution to The Coltons of Shadow Creek miniseries.
For Max
You came into my life when I least expected it and have colored my world with puppy cuddles, cookie (mis)adventures and joy.
Always joy.
COLTON
K-9 COP
Addison Fox
Addison Fox is a lifelong romance reader, addicted to happy-ever-afters. After discovering she found as much joy writing about romance as she did reading it, she’s never looked back. Addison lives in New York with an apartment full of books, a laptop that’s rarely out of sight and a wily beagle who keeps her running. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com or on Facebook (Facebook.com/addisonfoxauthor) and Twitter (@addisonfox).
Books by Addison Fox
Harlequin Intrigue
The Coltons of Shadow Creek
Colton K-9 Cop
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
The Coltons of Shadow Creek
Cold Case Colton
The Coltons of Texas
Colton’s Surprise Heir
Dangerous in Dallas
Silken Threats
Tempting Target
The Professional
The Royal Spy’s Redemption
House of Steele
The Paris Assignment
The London Deception
The Rome Affair
The Manhattan Encounter
The Adair Affairs
Secret Agent Boyfriend
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.
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CAST OF CHARACTERS
Bellamy Reeves—Facing the holiday season alone, Bellamy’s focused on keeping her attention on her job at Lone Star Pharmaceutical. When she’s the recipient of a mysterious email, she’s fired and nearly blown up. Is the sexy K-9 cop who comes to her rescue a protector or an investigator seeking information on what she might know?
Donovan Colton—The adopted son of the powerful Colton family, Donovan is most content when he’s solving crimes with his K-9 partner, Alex. The latest mystery at Lone Star Pharmaceutical puts him directly in contact with the most enticing woman he’s ever met—but is she what she seems?
Alex—Donovan’s K-9 partner, the five-year-old black Lab is loyal and an excellent judge of character.
Sutton Taylor—Founder of Lone Star Pharmaceutical, he has the town of Whisperwood, Texas, in his palm. Is it possible he’s using his influence to create illegal sales for LSP’s most needed drugs?
Jensen Taylor—Heir apparent to Lone Star Pharmaceutical, Jensen’s in possession of a secret that could shake the foundations of his family.
Maggie Corgan (formerly Reeves)—The belle of Whisperwood, Bellamy’s younger sister escaped her responsibilities to the family after their father was injured. What secret is she hiding?
Sally Borne—Recently hired to run Human Resources at Lone Star Pharmaceutical, she’s cold and calculating and knows more about the inner workings of LSP than anyone can imagine.
Chief Archer Thompson—Chief of the Whisperwood PD, Archer thinks Bellamy’s innocent until proven guilty, but can’t quite shake his doubts about her. Is she an innocent victim or a woman who’s setting everything in motion for her own benefit?
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Excerpt from Daddy Defender by Janie Crouch
Prologue
Five years ago
She held the garland loosely in her hand as she slowly unwound the bright gold in steady, even rows. Turn by turn, the empty green branches filled with the shiny, vivid color as Bellamy Reeves enjoyed watching her handiwork come to life.
Her parents had asked her to work the store this evening, their annual holiday event with the local men’s club a highlight of their year. She’d been happy to do it, the familiar work of managing the counter and ringing up purchases at Whisperwood’s only corner store something she’d been doing since childhood. It was a far cry from her work in finance at Lone Star Pharmaceutical but it kept her in touch with her roots and she enjoyed it.
Add on that it gave her a shot at stringing up the decorations just to her personal specifications, and it was a job she was happy to take on.
Maggie had teased her about risking spinsterhood if she were willing to work the family store on a holiday Saturday night and Bellamy had ignored her. Her sister was fond of quoting all the pithy reasons Bellamy was doomed to a lonely existence and she’d learned to ignore it.
Or, if not ignore it, at least stop caring about it so much.
Her sister was the resident beauty queen of Whisperwood, Texas. She’d had men wrapped around her finger basically since she’d crawled out of the womb and had learned to drape herself over their arms not much longer after that.
Bellamy was different.
She wasn’t afraid of men. Nor was she afraid of dating or putting herself out there. She dated regularly but just hadn’t found anyone who interested her. Or made her feel special.
She’d spent her life observing her parents’ marriage and knew that was the type of love and companionship she sought. A deep, abiding commitment that bonded the two of them together.
Tonight was a perfect example.
Although it was the men’s club event, both her parents enjoyed the evening in equal measure. It was nice, she mused as she dug in a large plastic container for another string of garland. And while the event might seem simple or unimportant—a dinner dance at the Whisperwood Lodge—it was something they looked forward to and talked about all year long.
The bell over the front door of the store jingled and Bellamy eyed the entrance as a well-built man pushed his way in, a puppy cradled in his arms. Her father was fairly laid-back about the store, but since they sold food, animals were forbidden unless in service. “I’m sorry, sir, but the dog needs to stay outside.”
Dark brows slashed over even darker eyes and the guy juggled the black Lab pup from one well-formed arm to another, his biceps flexing as he shifted the limp bundle. “Believe it or not, he’s a service dog. In training,” the guy quickly added before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a badge. “I’m with the Austin PD. I’m his handler.”
The sight of the puppy—and the sudden delight she didn’t need to kick them out—had her crossing the store to greet them. “He’s sweet.”
“And sick, I think. He’s not very energetic and he won’t eat.”
“Oh.” She reached out to lay a hand on the small head, the fur silky soft over the bony ridges of his skull. He was small, but the large paws that hung over the man’s forearms indicated the puppy would be a big guy once fully grown.
“I wanted to pick up some chicken and rice and hoped you’d have what I needed.”
“Would you believe me if I told you I had both already cooked in the stockroom?”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. They’re my bland leftovers from lunch that I brought along in some vague attempt to offset Christmas cookie consumption.”
Although he wasn’t inappropriate, his eyes drifted over her body before settling back on her face. “You’re dieting?”
Heat burned a path where he’d gazed, that steady appreciation lighting a fire. “I prefer to think of it as holiday calorie management. A goal I’m failing at miserably, seeing as how the bland chicken and even blander rice were horrible.”
“Why not toss it?”
“Some vague notion of trying again tomorrow. You know—” she waved a hand as she headed for the back of the store “—to make up for the pizza I ate in its place today.”
A hearty laugh followed her through the swinging door into the stockroom and she beelined for the fridge and the leftovers.
Her father’s store carried all the basic necessities of a convenience store and boasted a fairly hearty kitchen out front to accommodate the breakfast and lunch crowds who buzzed in for coffee and portable meals. She’d nuke the chicken and rice out at the counter and be able to keep an eye on the front door at the same time.
She could also keep an eye on Officer Hottie.
Wow, the man was good-looking. His body, evident beneath the long-sleeved black T-shirt that seemed sculpted to his shoulders, was strong without being imposing. And the way he cradled the dog had pretty much put her ovaries on high alert.
He was hot and a dog lover. Did it get much better?
She pushed through the stockroom door, only to see the back of the guy’s head disappear through the front exit. Spears of disappointment layered over the lingering heat until she saw him bend over through the glass, his small charge quivering before him on the sidewalk. She raced to the counter and grabbed a few bottles of water, then headed for the miserable little puppy getting sick on the front parking lot.
“Is he okay?”
The guy glanced up from where he crouched on the ground, his hand on the small black back. “I think so. Or he will be.”
She passed down a bottle of water, touched when the guy twisted it open and poured some into his palm. “Come on, Alex. Here you go.”
The small head bent toward that cupped hand, the sound of his tongue lapping drifting toward her in the cool night air.
“Poor baby.” She didn’t miss the three brightly colored plastic pieces that lay in the pile of vomit. “Legos strike again.”
“What?”
She pointed toward the small pile. “Looks like a blue vase holding a single plastic flower and a two-piece.”
Officer Hottie’s gaze zeroed in on the offending irritants, his voice gruff. “Just the pieces my niece mentioned were missing from her masterpiece before we sat down to dinner.”
He poured more water into his hand and the Lab lapped it up, the trauma of his ordeal fading as his natural eagerness returned.
“He’s looking better already.” Bellamy opened the second bottle and poured it over the sidewalk, erasing the evidence and washing the Lego blocks aside. She’d come out later and pick them up with a broom.
Or planned to, until the guy pulled out a hanky from his back pocket and cleaned up the plastic, tossing the entire package into the trash. “That’ll teach me to let dog or child out of my sight together again.”
“That’s wise.” She couldn’t resist his rueful grin or the clear relief in his dark eyes. Suddenly conscious of standing there staring at him, she shifted her gaze toward Alex’s sweet face and the tongue that lolled out the side of his mouth. “Why don’t you come back in and we can give him the food?”
“If you’re sure?”
She smiled at that. “I’m certainly not going to eat it, no matter how many vows I make to myself. It’ll be nice to see it go to a more appreciative recipient. Plus, he should probably go easy on dinner based on his recent Lego binge. The bland food won’t hurt him.”
The guy followed her back inside and she picked up the discarded container to warm up the leftovers.
“Would you mind if I came behind the counter and washed up?” He pointed to the sink beside her.
“Come on.”
“Then I can introduce myself properly and shake your hand.” He settled the puppy on the ground, issuing a series of commands that had the small body sitting up straight. The little guy tried to move, his butt squirming on the floor a few times, but ultimately gave in to the firm tone and the unyielding command by sitting where he was told.
“He’s good. How old is he?”
“About ten weeks.”
“And he can listen already?”
“‘Sit’ is about all he can listen to, but he’s coming along.” Hands clean, the guy turned the full force of his attention on her. For the briefest moment, Bellamy could have sworn she saw stars, the sky around his face glowing brighter than the gold of the garland. Quelling the ridiculous impression, she focused on the moment and not making an ass out of herself, especially when that warm, slightly damp palm closed around hers.
“I’m Donovan Colton.”
Colton?
The Coltons were well known in Texas; several branches of the family were scattered across the Hill Country. She thought she knew the entire family who lived in Whisperwood, but hadn’t placed Donovan when he’d walked in.
Shaking off the sudden awareness when she realized she was standing there, staring at the man, she quickly shook his hand. “Bellamy Reeves.”
“Thank you, Bellamy. I appreciate the help.”
“I’m happy to help. And I’m glad the little guy’s okay.”
The microwave pinged and she pulled the food out, then transferred it to a paper plate before handing it over. The moment was oddly domestic, Donovan’s close proximity and their joint actions to put food together for the puppy surprisingly intimate.
The bell over the store entrance pinged and she went to help her customer. One of the high school coaches, who came in regularly for his nightly dinner of soda and a meatball sub seemed unphased by the addition of a puppy behind the counter.
“Hey, Bell. Haven’t seen you in a few w
eeks.”
“I’m helping my parents out tonight. They’re out cutting a rug at the men’s club event.”
“You doing well?”
“Yep. We’re closing out a busy year at work.”
“How’s Magnolia doing?”
It happened often enough, she wasn’t sure why she was surprised any longer. The small talk as a method to ask about her sister. The pretend friendliness that was really just a fishing expedition.
“Maggie’s good. She had a hot date tonight so she abandoned me in favor of a night of dinner and dancing.”
Bellamy handed over the sub, not surprised when the coach’s face fell. And while she’d not-so-delicately delivered news he obviously didn’t want to hear, it didn’t make the facts of Maggie’s plans any less true. The besotted coach paid and was on his way out without saying much more.
“Did he even notice Alex was back here?” Donovan marveled once the guy was gone, the scent of his spicy sub wafting in his wake.
“He deals with teenagers all day. I suspect it takes a lot to rile him.”
“Maybe.” Donovan bent and took the now-empty paper plate. “Guess Alex got his appetite back.”
She dropped to her knee and rubbed the silky head. The puppy’s gaze caught on hers, his brown eyes trusting as he stared up at her. “He sure is sweet.”
“Don’t let him fool you. He’s a Lego thief.”
Bellamy rubbed a bit harder before laughing when the puppy presented his belly for additional petting. “He’s at risk of being spoiled.” Pulling her hand back, she realized the potential danger of her lavish affection. “Should I be doing that? Am I going to put his training at risk?”
“There are hard-core guys among my numbers who may not agree with me, but I think part of his training is also knowing there’s praise and affection. A few belly rubs after this evening’s trauma shouldn’t do too much damage.”
When Alex’s wiggles of ecstasy quickly faded to longer breaths and droopy eyes, she gave him a final pat and stood, coming face-to-face with Donovan.
Goodness, the man was attractive. His dark hair was cut close and showed off a sharply angled face and strong jaw. He was thick in build, but there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. Instead, he looked competent.