Karen Whiddon - Texas Ranch Justice

Danger and intrigue plague an oil-rich Texas ranch

Who’s trying to kill a rancher’s long-lost daughter?

When a beautiful woman unexpectedly shows up at HG Ranch, foreman Travis Warren gets suspicious. City slicker Scarlett Kistler claims she’s there to meet her dying father—Travis’s boss—but is she just looking for a payday? Several attempts on her life convince Travis she’s innocent, and as unexpected feelings surface, the rancher and the belle must find who wants her dead...at all costs.

KAREN WHIDDON started weaving fanciful tales for her younger brothers at the age of eleven. Amid the gorgeous Catskill Mountains, then the majestic Rocky Mountains, she fueled her imagination with the natural beauty surrounding her. Karen now lives in north Texas, writes full-time and volunteers for a boxer dog rescue. She shares her life with her hero of a husband and four to five dogs, depending on if she is fostering. You can email Karen at kwhiddon1@aol.com. Fans can also check out her website, karenwhiddon.com.

Also By Karen Whiddon

Harlequin Romantic Suspense

The CEO’s Secret Baby

The Cop’s Missing Child

The Millionaire Cowboy’s Secret

Texas Secrets, Lovers’ Lies

The Rancher’s Return

The Texan’s Return

Wyoming Undercover

The Texas Soldier’s Son

Texas Ranch Justice

The Coltons of Red Ridge

Colton’s Christmas Cop

The Coltons of Texas

Runaway Colton

The Coltons of Oklahoma

The Temptation of Dr. Colton

The Coltons: Return to Wyoming

A Secret Colton Baby

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Texas Ranch Justice

Karen Whiddon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09385-9

TEXAS RANCH JUSTICE

© 2019 Karen Whiddon

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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“Would you like to learn how to ride?” Travis asked, surprising himself. “It’s not that difficult and I have a couple of older, well-trained horses that would be perfect for a beginner to learn on.”

Tilting her head, Scarlett considered his offer. “And you’d be willing to teach me?”

“Yep.” Though doing so would entail them spending more time together, he didn’t reckon it would take that long. She just needed to know the basics, not anything fancy.

“I think I’d like that.” The mischievous sparkle in her emerald eyes should have warned him. “As long as you promise to be civil.”

“Civil?” He frowned. “I’ve gone out of my way to be—”

“I’m kidding.” She cut him off with a wide grin. When she placed her hand on his leg, he knew he was in trouble. “You don’t have to take everything so seriously.”

Though logistically impossible, her fingers seared his skin through his jeans. He was staring down at her, her lovely face raised to his, laughter curving her sensuous mouth...

* * *

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Dear Reader,

Imagine growing up without the slightest idea of your father’s name. And then, in the midst of grief over losing your mother, she gives you one last gift—his identity. This is what happens to Scarlett Kistler, and when she travels to the small town of Anniversary, Texas, to meet him, she gains so much more than a father.

Travis Warren has been a rancher ever since he could walk. Raised by his stepfather, Hal, he has taken on everything during Hal’s illness. With big oil companies wanting to drill on the land and disrupt their way of life, the last thing Travis wants or needs is a Southern belle showing up on their doorstep claiming she’s Hal’s daughter.

In the days that follow, when it seems like someone is trying to either scare Scarlett off or hurt her, will Travis step up and do what he always does, take someone in need under his wing? Or will the sexual lure she presents be too much for him since he’s already had his heart broken by a city girl? The ranch is his life and he’ll do whatever he has to in order to preserve that.

Trying to make up for lost years with a dying man, Scarlett, too, tries to resist the pull of attraction Travis presents. But she’s never been a quitter and any attempts to scare her off make her more determined to stay. The rewards are greater than she ever could have imagined.

If you like a good mystery, a Texas ranch and a sexy rancher, you’ll enjoy this story. I sure enjoyed writing it.

Happy reading!

Karen Whiddon

To the caregivers. All those nursing a parent, spouse or child through a serious illness. I know how hard it is. It’s the purest demonstration of love.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

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

About the Publisher

The next time he heard the words oil well mentioned with the same sort of breathless tone used when speaking of “sweet tea” or Jesus, Travis Warren thought he might just lose what little shred of self-control he had left.