Dani Sinclair: Someone's Baby

It was just a kiss

Sure. And Texas was just a state.

She could not—would not—fall in love with Cade McGovern.

Yet she wanted Cade in a physical and emotional way that she had never wanted anyone else in her life. A sound that was part laugh, part sob broke past her lips that still tingled from his kiss.

She forced her mind away from the man and the kiss that had left her emotions in turmoil and tried to focus. Someone had slashed the SUV’s tires. The incident might have nothing to do with her, but the black market baby ring was out there somewhere, just waiting for her to surface again. Her family was probably worried sick by now. And a small part of her was terrified that the bullet had done some sort of permanent damage to her shoulder.

But none of those reasons was as compelling as her main one: She needed to leave before Cade got so far under her skin, he’d have to be surgically removed.…

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

All the evidence is in! And it would be a crime if you didn’t “Get Caught Reading” this May. So follow the clues to your favorite bookstore to pick up some great tips.

This month Harlequin Intrigue has the distinguished privilege of launching a brand-new Harlequin continuity series with three of our top authors. TRUEBLOOD, TEXAS is a story of family and fortitude set in the great Lone Star state. We are pleased to give you your first look into this compelling drama with Someone’s Baby by Dani Sinclair. Look for books from B.J. Daniels and Joanna Wayne to follow in the months ahead. You won’t want to miss even a single detail!

Your favorite feline detective is back in Familiar Lullaby by Caroline Burnes. This time, Familiar’s ladylove Clotilde gets in on the action when a baby is left on a high-society doorstep. Join a feisty reporter and a sexy detective as they search for the solution and find true love in this FEAR FAMILIAR mystery.

Our TOP SECRET BABIES promotion concludes this month with Conception Cover-Up by Karen Lawton Barrett. See how far a father will go to protect his unborn child and the woman he loves. Finally, Carly Bishop takes you out West for a showdown under a blaze of bullets in No One But You, the last installment in her LOVERS UNDER COVER trilogy.

So treat yourself to all four. You won’t be disappointed.

Sincerely,

Denise O’Sullivan

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin Intrigue

Someone’s Baby

Dani Sinclair

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For Mary McGowan, who’s done her best to keep me sane, a true friend in every way. And for Roger, Chip, Dan and Barb as always.

An avid reader, Dani Sinclair didn’t discover romance novels until her mother lent her one when she’d come for a visit. Dani’s been hooked on the genre ever since. But she didn’t take up writing seriously until her two sons were grown. Since the premier of Mystery Baby for Harlequin Intrigue in 1996, Dani’s kept her computer busy. Her third novel, Better Watch Out, was a RITA Award finalist in 1998. Dani lives outside Washington, D.C., a place she’s found to be a great source for both intrigue and humor!

You can write to her in care of the Harlequin Reader Service.

HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

371—MYSTERY BABY

401—MAN WITHOUT A BADGE

448—BETTER WATCH OUT

481—MARRIED IN HASTE

507—THE MAN SHE MARRIED

539—FOR HIS DAUGHTER*

551—MY BABY, MY LOVE*

565—THE SILENT WITNESS*

589—THE SPECIALIST

602—BEST-KEPT SECRETS*

613—SOMEONE’S BABY

Jayne Bateman—She is anxious to make her mark as a private investigator, but she intended to be the hunter, not the hunted.

Cade McGovern—He is a loner and he likes it that way, but someone is bent on revenge and now he’s stuck with a woman and her infant.

Heather—The two-day-old infant has no idea she’s so popular.

“Hap” Ramirez—Cade’s foreman has been with the ranch since his grandfather first started operations.

Maria D’Angelo—Cade’s dead wife found a way to seek her revenge from the grave.

Luis D’Angelo—Cade’s brother-in-law wants him to pay for his sister’s death.

Zed Lithcolm—Cade’s friend until Maria came between them.

Rio Cardonza—One of Cade’s hired hands with no ax to grind, unless he was hired by someone else, as well.

Lily and Dylan Garrett—Jayne’s mentor and her brother run the Finders Keepers Detective Agency out of San Antonio.

Diana Kincaid—Her kidnapping starts everything.

Thomas Kincaid—The Texas governor is out to destroy J. B. Crowe and his mob.

J. B. Crowe—He believes laws are meant to be broken.

Dear Reader,

I was really excited to be asked to be part of such a wonderful continuity project. It’s a bit daunting to be the first book in such an extended series, but a fun challenge. TRUEBLOOD, TEXAS involves many exceptional category writers. Talented authors B.J. Daniels, Joanna Wayne and I worked hard to make the Harlequin Intrigue TRUEBLOOD, TEXAS prequel come alive for you. We hope you’ll go on to enjoy the rest of the series as the tale of Lily and Dylan Garrett and the Finders Keepers Detective Agency continues.

Happy reading!

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

Being a freelance private investigator was exciting. Being a freelance private investigator was challenging.

Being a freelance private investigator was boring! Especially when you didn’t have a case.

Jayne Bateman stopped her mental grumbling, set down her camera and reached for her soda. In the process, her purse slid to the car floor on the passenger’s side, dumping its contents on the mat.

“Great. Just great.” At least it hadn’t been the soda.

So far her stakeout had been a total bust. Four days of watching in the hope that she might see something important. And all she’d seen so far was more people than she would have thought even lived in the county. What had seemed like a heaven-sent chance was now looking like an exercise in futility.

She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but when her brother the cop had told her brother the judge that his tiny police force would have a problem staking out two locations every day for the next couple of weeks on the off chance a black-market baby ring might select Bitterwater for its next exchange, Jayne had been certain this was her big break.

Lily Garrett had told her all about the organized baby-selling ring operating in Texas. The enviably tall, dynamic woman had sparked new interest in Jayne’s chosen profession when they met at a seminar a week ago.