Jessica Andersen - Bear Claw Lawman

She could remember all but four minutes of her life. He promise to make up for lost time.

When DEA agent Nick Lang came to town, even the toughest cases got closed. But his latest had become way too personal. He’d thought CSI Jennifer Prynne was just another no-strings fling, until a serial killer’s attack left her battered, bruised and struggling to remember her past. Now, as the key to the entire case they’d been investigating for months, Jenn’s safety became Nick’s responsibility. He knew the murderer’s identity was buried deep in Jenn’s mind, but releasing it was dangerous—yet necessary. The old Nick was an expert at getting answers and moving on. But his heart told him this was one case he couldn’t walk away from....

Heat jolted through her at the sight of him—big, strong and intense.

His dark hair was slicked back in a stubby ponytail that made him look subtly dangerous, and he’d shed his heavy jacket to reveal the broad shoulders and muscled arms beneath his dark green sweater.

He slapped a file folder on the table and said, “Okay. Let’s get this over with.”

His voice had a rough growl that fired Jenn’s blood even further, reminding her of how he’d sounded right after they made love. But even as her heart thudded at the memory, Nick glanced up at the one-way glass…and looked nothing like the man who’d made love to her.

No, the man on the other side of the glass was cold and hard, with a faintly derisive edge to his tight-lipped smile.

A sinking shiver took root in her belly.

That was definitely Nick in there—it was his body, his face, his presence—but it wasn’t the man she knew. This Nick had an aggressive jut to his jaw and moved with an unfamiliar swagger. His eyes held none of the alert intelligence she was used to. Instead, he was cold and chill, with a demeanor that practically screamed, “Go ahead and impress me. It won’t be easy.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Andersen has worked as a geneticist, scientific editor, animal trainer and landscaper…but she’s happiest when she’s combining all of her many interests into writing romantic adventures that always have a twist of the unusual to them. Born and raised in the Boston area (Go, Sox!), Jessica can usually be found somewhere in New England, hard at work on her next happily-ever-after. For more on Jessica and her books, please check out www.JessicaAndersen.com and www.JessicaAndersenIntrigues.com.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS

Jennifer Prynne—A newcomer to Bear Claw’s crime lab, Jenn is determined to prove herself in the face of a questionable past. She never intends to fall for a sexy undercover agent…or become the target of a criminal mastermind who has developed a taste for murder.

Nicholas Lang—The DEA hotshot should be focused on closing the case and getting back to his work, but he’s distracted by Jenn’s independence and curvy good looks. Their affair blazes hot and heavy before it crashes and burns. When she becomes a crucial witness in the case, though, who better to protect her?

The Investor—The criminal mastermind’s militia has been broken, his drug operation crushed. So why is he still in Bear Claw…and why is he hunting and killing his former underlings?

Slider—The Investor’s lackey has a lead foot and few scruples.

Tucker McDermott—The head of Bear Claw’s homicide division knows Nick too well to believe the dedicated DEA agent will turn his back on his Miami home to stay in the Wild West.

Gigi Lynd—The crime scene analyst is Jenn’s closest friend in Bear Claw, but she’s a huge romantic at heart and refuses to believe that Jenn and Nick aren’t meant for each other.

Matthew Blackthorn—The acting mayor is facing a crime wave and huge budget issues, but he has faith that the Bear Claw P.D. and its crime lab are going to be the key to saving the city. Hopefully.

Contents

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

Epilogue

Excerpt

Chapter One

Normally, Jennifer Prynne would’ve been glued to the task force’s bimonthly meeting, taking notes on the latest developments in the Death Stare case and trying to think of new avenues the crime lab could explore. Today, though, she couldn’t make herself focus, not just because there weren’t any major developments, but because she had something far more interesting to think about.

Or, rather, someone far more interesting.

While Chief Mendoza went over stats that said the police crackdown was working, with fewer and fewer Death Stare ODs trickling into the local hospitals, Jenn glanced a few rows over to where Nick Lang sat with a couple of homicide detectives, comparing notes in an undertone.

Nick’s home base might be in sunny Florida, but the on-loan DEA agent blended seamlessly with the cops of Bear Claw, Colorado. Even though he’d only been in the city for twelve days now, he was wearing layers against the early winter chill and had a heavily insulated bomber draped over the back of his chair. His quick, intense blue eyes were all cop, and as he leaned in to say something, the others got quiet and listened.

But at the same time that he blended, he stood out, too. The men around him didn’t have his jaw-length, raven-black hair or economical way of moving, and their bodies didn’t give off the same sense of leashed strength and deadly control.

Not to mention that the sight of them didn’t made Jenn’s pulse kick up a notch, in a way it hadn’t done in a long, long time.

A nudge in her ribs startled her, followed by a blush when Gigi—her friend and fellow crime scene analyst—whispered, “You’re staring.”

A few months ago when Jenn had first come to Bear Claw, recruited to her dream job by her old friend Matt Blackthorn—who was Gigi’s fiancé—Jenn might’ve stammered an apology or tried to pretend she was paying attention to the briefing. Now, though, riding high on hormones and happiness, she just raised an eyebrow. “D’ya blame me?”

Gigi’s glance went to the side of the podium where Matt was sitting. He was acting as the city’s interim mayor after the former mayor and his deputy had been indicted as conspirators in the Ghost Militia. But Jenn had a feeling that Gigi was seeing only the man when her eyes softened and her lips curved, and she said, “Nope. I don’t blame you one bit, because when it’s right, it’s damn near perfect.”

Jenn couldn’t help smiling in return, but she shook her head. “It’s not like that.”

She and Nick had been clear on that from the

beginning—he was only in town for a couple of weeks, so there was no point in starting something serious. And besides, neither of them was looking for anything long-term. They were just having fun.

Lots and lots of fun.

Gigi rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen you two together. Trust me, it’s exactly ‘like that.’”