Rita Herron - Lock, Stock and McCullen

She found Maddox in her kitchen, scrambling eggs on the stove with a mug of coffee in his hand. The big, tough-looking cowboy seemed at ease in the kitchen, but his jaw was still set in that firm line, and when he looked up at her, a dark wariness had settled in his eyes.

He poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her, their fingers brushing. A tingle rippled through her at the heat, but he yanked his hand back quickly, then scooped the eggs onto a plate.

“We need to talk.”

Rose’s instincts surged to life, and she sank into the kitchen chair. She sipped her coffee. “You found something?”

He shook his head then joined her at the table, his big hands wrapped around the mug. “That’s just it, Rose. I ran a background check on Thad Thoreau and didn’t find anything.”

She frowned. “Nothing incriminating?”

“I mean nothing ,” he said, emphasizing the last word. “As in the Thad Thoreau you knew doesn’t exist.”

Lock, Stock

and McCullen

Rita Herron

www.millsandboon.co.uk

RITA HERRON,a USA TODAY bestselling author, wrote her first book when she was twelve, but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded storytelling to kids for writing romance, and now she writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. Rita lives in Georgia with her family. She loves to hear from readers, so please write her at PO Box 921225, Norcross, GA 30092-1225, USA, or visit her website, www.ritaherron.com.

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Contents

Cover

Introduction For a moment, her breath caught. She found Maddox in her kitchen, scrambling eggs on the stove with a mug of coffee in his hand. The big, tough-looking cowboy seemed at ease in the kitchen, but his jaw was still set in that firm line, and when he looked up at her, a dark wariness had settled in his eyes. He poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her, their fingers brushing. A tingle rippled through her at the heat, but he yanked his hand back quickly, then scooped the eggs onto a plate. “We need to talk.” Rose’s instincts surged to life, and she sank into the kitchen chair. She sipped her coffee. “You found something?” He shook his head then joined her at the table, his big hands wrapped around the mug. “That’s just it, Rose. I ran a background check on Thad Thoreau and didn’t find anything.” She frowned. “Nothing incriminating?” “I mean nothing ,” he said, emphasizing the last word. “As in the Thad Thoreau you knew doesn’t exist.”

Title Page Lock, Stock and McCullen Rita Herron www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author RITA HERRON, a USA TODAY bestselling author, wrote her first book when she was twelve, but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded storytelling to kids for writing romance, and now she writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. Rita lives in Georgia with her family. She loves to hear from readers, so please write her at PO Box 921225, Norcross, GA 30092-1225, USA, or visit her website, www.ritaherron.com .

Prologue Prologue There were days and nights when he didn’t know if he could do it. Kill Rose. He remembered her smiling face as a child. That striking red hair. Her singsongy voice. The way she’d looked at him as if he hung the moon. After she’d disappeared from his life, he’d dreamed about her. Had wanted to find her. Had asked his father over and over where she’d gone and if she was coming back. His father had told him to forget her. Then, years later, he’d stumbled onto the truth. And he hadn’t known what to do. Mistakes had been made, his father said—mistakes that had cost lives. Mistakes that, in the end, could save others. His resolve kicked in. Unfortunately there was no turning back now. Rose Worthington had to die.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

There were days and nights when he didn’t know if he could do it.

Kill Rose.

He remembered her smiling face as a child. That striking red hair. Her singsongy voice. The way she’d looked at him as if he hung the moon.

After she’d disappeared from his life, he’d dreamed about her. Had wanted to find her. Had asked his father over and over where she’d gone and if she was coming back.

His father had told him to forget her.

Then, years later, he’d stumbled onto the truth.

And he hadn’t known what to do.

Mistakes had been made, his father said—mistakes that had cost lives.

Mistakes that, in the end, could save others.

His resolve kicked in. Unfortunately there was no turning back now.

Rose Worthington had to die.

Chapter One

Sheriff Maddox McCullen did not want his father to die.

But he was dying anyway, and Maddox couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it.

He clenched the doorknob to his father’s bedroom door, his stomach fisted into a cold hard knot.

He’d looked up to Joe McCullen his whole life, admired his father’s love of the land and the way he’d run the family ranch, Horseshoe Creek. It had been passed down from one McCullen to the next for generations and had made men out of all of them.

His father was as tough as steel and had worked hard. He’d bred thoroughbreds and raised cattle and treated his ranch hands with respect and authority.

But he would be gone soon, and Maddox had to take over. Not that he wasn’t prepared. The ranch was in his blood. Taking care of it and the town gave him a purpose.

Mama Mary, the housekeeper and cook who’d practically raised him, met him at his father’s door. Short, plump and sturdy, she’d squished him in her big loving arms since he was a child.

“How is he?”

“Resting,” she said, her hands gripping a tray holding a teapot and empty cup. “But he wants to see you.”

Maddox rapped gently on the door, then pushed it open, forcing himself not to react to the changes in the big, strong man who’d taught him how to shoot a rifle, ride a horse and rope a calf. His father had lost more weight, his eyes looked sunken and his hand shook as he raised it to cover a cough.

Dammit . Maddox was a take-charge man, a doer. He fixed people’s problems. He didn’t like this feeling of being helpless.

But his father needed him to be strong. He sure as hell didn’t need to see his oldest son break down.