FBI Agent Jake Pierson's new assignment investigating a money-laundering operation lands him in the small town of Honey Creek, Montana. The recently murdered informant leaves Jake secretly instigating an accidental rendezvous with the victim's daughter, Mary Walsh, to acquaint him with the other town residents in gaining information. Mary, an abused victim of her father as a child, is now a sleek 100 pounds lighter, as well as a gorgeous redhead.
Igniting Jake's libido, he finds it impossible to maintain his secret and yet keep Mary safe while investigating his case. After losing his wife in a car accident 10 years ago, Jake can't believe he has a new chance at love. Near-fatal car chases, a fiery explosion and dodging bullets complicates keeping the truth from Mary without losing her. But which is more of a threat to Jake, Mary or his assailants? Even as they are stalked by predators, the two succumb to sexual and mental bliss in each others' arms. But will falling for his primary target cost Jake his new chance at love?
If you crave excitement and mystery, this is the story for you. The first book in Linda Conrad's The Coltons of Montana series is a suspenseful and intriguing story that keeps you turning the pages. The soft and innocent Mary has more backbone than she is given credit for. There is a bit of a tearjerker ending, but full of compassion and love. I highly recommend this read.
Undercover agent Jake Pierson figures one romantic dinner
will get never-been-kissed librarian Mary Walsh to tell him
everything she knows about her late father's criminal
activities. But the more Mary talks, the more Jake wants to
shut her up with kisses. Because he's falling for his own
too-trusting target โ and there isn't a damn thing he can
do about it. Well, maybe one thing...
With her shiny new lease on life, Mary has become wiser
about a lot of things. For one, she can spot a liar a mile
away. She knows her gorgeous new boyfriend is hiding
something. And she has a sneaking suspicion those secrets
will get them both killed unless he trusts her with the
truth.
EXCERPT
Mary was pleased she and Jake were talking over the
pastโsort of.ย She liked that he cared and was curious.ย But
she wasnโt entirely sure that digging up the past was a
smart thing to do.
Deciding to go with being happy about his attention, she
said, โMy father had a lot of help in the early days of the
family business.ย My mother and Craig did most of the real
work putting that liquor business on the map.ย And thereโs a
story that Darius Colton lent my father some money just when
he needed it the most.ย I simply canโt believe that the mob
would do business with my dad.ย He wasโฆโ
โDifficult.โย Jakeโs chuckle was for real this time.ย He
glanced over at her and winked.ย โI know.ย But I think itโs
fun to sort through all the suspects who mightโve done the
crime.ย Like a mystery murder game.โ
Mary laughed out loud.ย โWell, it would be a lot more fun if
it wasnโt my father we were talking about.ย But yes, we
could do that.ย Youโd need to meet the people involved,
though.ย Maybe we could have a party out at the farm and
invite most of the town.ย Would you like that?โ
Jake reached over and touched her hand.ย โSounds good.ย I
want to meet your friends.ย But donโt you think we should
check with your mother?โ
โSure, but Momโฆโย Mary stopped talking and gasped.ย โOh,
look at that.โ
Theyโd rounded a hairpin turn and caught the tail end of a
spectacular sunset.ย Jake pulled the SUV out onto a look-out
point and put the transmission in park, idling the engine
and watching the sun going down through the windshield.
This was why sheโd wanted to come the long way.ย This
sight.ย Even though the sun was setting behind their backs,
the road they were traveling had enough twists and turns to
afford terrific views of both mountains and skies.
Streaks of copper, peppered with raspberry points, spread
out to the indigo heavens from a cheddar-colored base of
sun.ย Beautiful sunsets never lasted long in the mountains.ย
But as this one eased over the bumpy horizon, it shimmered
with colors reminiscent of the best rainbow sheโd ever seen.
Mary sighed.ย โThis trip was definitely worth the extra
time.ย Thank you, Jake.โ
When she looked toward him, he was already watching her.
โDefinitely worth it.โย He leaned in and surprised her with
a sensual kiss.ย Warm and tender, but also full of longing
and promise.
It was everything sheโd ever hoped to have from a man she
could love.ย Her lips tingled and her heart fluttered in her
chest.ย She had to fight the daydreams of a rosy future
playing over in her mind.ย She was inexperienced, but not
stupid.ย Jake was still holding back for some reason.
As he pulled away and sat back, he whispered, โYou are every
bit as beautiful as that sunset, Mary.ย Damned straight it
was worth theโฆโ
Mary felt the jolt before she heard the screech of tires.ย
โJake!โย Someone had hit them from behindโhard.
โIโm on it!ย Hang on.โ
The SUV roared to life as Jake threw it into gear and took
off.ย He stepped on the gas and sped around the rest of the
curve, barreling toward the crest of the mountain.
โWhat are you doing?ย You canโt leave the scene of an
accident.ย What if someone was hurt?โ
โThat was no accident.ย Tighten your seat belt.โ
What?ย Not an accident?ย Then that had to mean
someone deliberately ran into them.ย But why?
As she tugged at her seatbelt, she looked into the outside
mirror but saw nothing.ย Nothing but the blackness of after
dusk in the mountains.ย Turning to Jake, she started to
question what heโd said.
But before she could open her mouth, he thundered out
another order.ย โBrace yourself.ย Theyโre closing in.โ
She didnโt need to flick another glance in the mirror to
notice bright headlights suddenly close behind them.ย Too close.
And too bright.ย The whole inside of their SUV lit up like a
sunshine-filled morning.
โJake!โ
He didnโt answer as he fought the wheel and stepped down
harder on the gas.ย In the glare of their own headlights,
Mary could see one more hairpin turn coming up ahead.ย If
they got hit from behind there, it was a five hundred foot
drop over the side.
Mary held her breath while Jake urged the SUV to go faster
down the hill toward the turn.ย She noticed the headlights
behind them growing slightly dimmer as they raced on in the
dark.ย No one could take these turns at high speeds. It was
insane.
But Jake never slowed as he entered the next turn.ย Mary
closed her eyes and put her hands over her mouth to keep
from screaming.ย She heard the brakes, felt the tires
skidding sideways and waited for the worst.
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