Christy Barritt - Dark Harbor

THREAT OF EXPOSURE

Someone wants reporter Madelyn Sawyer to leave the small coastal town she’s just arrived in—even if it takes hurting her. But she won’t give up her goal of investigating Waterman’s Reach’s new police chief that easily. Madelyn assumes that former big-city detective Zach Davis—who some believe is a murderer involved in a drug-trafficking ring—is behind the threat. Who else would have a motive? But as bullets fly Madelyn’s way, it’s Zach who keeps saving her life. The closer she gets to the truth, the more she wants to tell the handsome lawman why she’s really in town. But if she does, will she lose his trust…and any hope of surviving long enough to bring the real killer to light?

“Are you trying to hide something?” Madelyn asked.

Zach’s cheeks warmed with irritation. She was overstepping her boundaries—big-time. “You need to tread carefully, Ms. Sawyer.”

“Is that a threat?” Her hands went to her hips.

That text message had done its job, it appeared, because the woman obviously didn’t have any faith in him.

“By no means is it a threat. I just think you’re not doing yourself any favors storming into town and making accusations.”

Flames lit in her eyes just as fireworks began exploding over the water. “Well, maybe you’ll believe me now that I really was attacked last night.”

He stared back, not one to back down. “I never said I didn’t believe you.”

“You didn’t have to. I could see it in your eyes.”

He crossed his arms, growing agitated. “Someone must really not want you here.”

“Exactly!”

“But why?” Why would someone feel this threatened by her? That’s what didn’t make sense. There were obviously things about Madelyn Sawyer that he didn’t know yet. “What aren’t you telling me?”

They stared at each other another moment. Tension crackled between them.

CHRISTY BARRITT’s books have won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery and have been twice nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover and a road trip aficionado. For more information, visit her website at christybarritt.com.

Dark Harbor

Christy Barritt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

—Matthew 6:34

This book is dedicated to all of the fine folks

over on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know you all as I’ve been researching the area for the past several months.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT THREAT OF EXPOSURE Someone wants reporter Madelyn Sawyer to leave the small coastal town she’s just arrived in—even if it takes hurting her. But she won’t give up her goal of investigating Waterman’s Reach’s new police chief that easily. Madelyn assumes that former big-city detective Zach Davis—who some believe is a murderer involved in a drug-trafficking ring—is behind the threat. Who else would have a motive? But as bullets fly Madelyn’s way, it’s Zach who keeps saving her life. The closer she gets to the truth, the more she wants to tell the handsome lawman why she’s really in town. But if she does, will she lose his trust…and any hope of surviving long enough to bring the real killer to light?

INTRODUCTION “Are you trying to hide something?” Madelyn asked. Zach’s cheeks warmed with irritation. She was overstepping her boundaries—big-time. “You need to tread carefully, Ms. Sawyer.” “Is that a threat?” Her hands went to her hips. That text message had done its job, it appeared, because the woman obviously didn’t have any faith in him. “By no means is it a threat. I just think you’re not doing yourself any favors storming into town and making accusations.” Flames lit in her eyes just as fireworks began exploding over the water. “Well, maybe you’ll believe me now that I really was attacked last night.” He stared back, not one to back down. “I never said I didn’t believe you.” “You didn’t have to. I could see it in your eyes.” He crossed his arms, growing agitated. “Someone must really not want you here.” “Exactly!” “But why?” Why would someone feel this threatened by her? That’s what didn’t make sense. There were obviously things about Madelyn Sawyer that he didn’t know yet. “What aren’t you telling me?” They stared at each other another moment. Tension crackled between them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR CHRISTY BARRITT’s books have won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery and have been twice nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover and a road trip aficionado. For more information, visit her website at christybarritt.com .

TITLE PAGE Dark Harbor Christy Barritt www.millsandboon.co.uk

BIBLE VERSE Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. —Matthew 6:34

DEDICATION This book is dedicated to all of the fine folks over on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know you all as I’ve been researching the area for the past several months.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-TWO

TWENTY-THREE

TWENTY-FOUR

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

EXTRACT

COPYRIGHT

ONE

Madelyn Sawyer glanced into her rearview mirror again and her pulse spiked. The white truck with the dent in its front bumper was still there. Still following her.

She drew in an uneven breath as she dragged her eyes back to the highway in front of her. The road ahead was fairly empty aside from a tractor trailer that had passed her a few minutes earlier and an old school bus full of migrant workers that had just pulled onto the street.

Madelyn was still ten minutes away from her end destination: the small bay town of Waterman’s Reach. Would the truck follow her all the way there?

As the sun continued to sink lower on the horizon, her thoughts raced. Was someone trying to scare her, keep tabs on her or harm her? None of the options made her feel better.

There was already enough secrecy surrounding her assignment in the small fishing community. The last thing she needed was to draw unnecessary attention to herself. Apparently, she already had.

She glanced in the mirror again. Each glimpse of the truck ratcheted up her nerves. What was she going to do?

The truck had been behind her for the past twenty miles. Madelyn had tried to blow it off by rationalizing that many people traveled this route straight from Maryland all the way to Norfolk, Virginia. The region, known as the Eastern Shore, was a strip of land, a peninsula that was surrounded by the ocean on one side and the Chesapeake Bay on the other.