Margaret Daley - Lone Star Christmas Witness

To protect a child witness

Lone Star Justice must prevail

With a killer at large, Texas Ranger Taylor Blackburn must safeguard little Ben Markham—the sole survivor of a mass shooting. But allowing Ben and his beautiful aunt, Sierra Walker, into his life is riskier than Taylor imagined. While he can distract Ben with Christmas planning, Taylor can’t ignore how Sierra makes him feel. The only thing harder than protecting them is guarding his own heart…

MARGARET DALEY, an award-winning author of ninety books (five million sold worldwide), has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread, and corralling her three cats, who think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret, visit her website at margaretdaley.com.

Also By Margaret Daley Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Introduction Dear Reader Bible Verse Dedication ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE EPILOGUE Extract About the Publisher

Lone Star Justice

High-Risk Reunion

Lone Star Christmas Rescue

Texas Ranger Showdown

Texas Baby Pursuit

Lone Star Christmas Witness

Alaskan Search and Rescue

The Yuletide Rescue

To Save Her Child

The Protector’s Mission

Standoff at Christmas

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Lone Star Christmas Witness

Margaret Daley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08656-1

LONE STAR CHRISTMAS WITNESS

© 2018 Margaret Daley

Published in Great Britain 2018

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.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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“What do I do? Go to a hotel?”

Sierra eased down onto the couch.

As a second reporter’s car parked in front, Taylor left the window. “I have an idea. Y’all can stay with my dad. He’s a retired marine and loves children. Besides that, the holiday season is a big thing for my dad. It might help Ben to get away.” He didn’t know if it would, but his safety was the most important aspect to consider.

“We can’t impose. We can keep the blinds closed. The press might get tired of waiting.”

“First, you aren’t imposing. I’ll be there, too. Ben needs to be protected until we find the shooter. It didn’t take long for the reporters to find where y’all were. The same can be said of the killer.” Taylor sat next to Sierra on the sofa, so close a whiff of lavender teased his senses. “Let me call him and—”

A piercing scream reverberated through the house.

Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Introduction Dear Reader Bible Verse Dedication ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE EPILOGUE Extract About the Publisher ,

Lone Star Christmas Witness is my fifth book in the Lone Star Justice series, about Texas Rangers. In this story, a tragedy happens that changes my heroine’s life. Not only does she have to deal with her own grief, but also try to help her nephew who lost the only parent he’s known.

This is a story of how people handle grief. The little boy who loses his mother stops talking and withdraws. The heroine is trying to stay alive and protect her nephew while also dealing with the sudden death of her older sister, who had been more of a mother to her than a sister. Their worlds are forever changed. Not only are they affected, but the Texas Ranger dealing with the case has to finally come to terms with the death of his son several years before who was about the age of the little boy he is trying to keep alive. You can try to suppress pain, but sooner or later it bubbles up to the surface and has to be dealt with.

I love hearing from readers. You can contact me at margaretdaley@gmail.com or at PO box 2074, Tulsa, OK 74101. You can also learn more about my books at www.margaretdaley.com. I have a newsletter that you can sign up for on my website.

Best wishes,

Margaret Daley

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

—Psalms 27:1

To the Texas Rangers, who work to keep the people of Texas safe

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text To protect a child witness Lone Star Justice must prevail With a killer at large, Texas Ranger Taylor Blackburn must safeguard little Ben Markham—the sole survivor of a mass shooting. But allowing Ben and his beautiful aunt, Sierra Walker, into his life is riskier than Taylor imagined. While he can distract Ben with Christmas planning, Taylor can’t ignore how Sierra makes him feel. The only thing harder than protecting them is guarding his own heart…

About the Author MARGARET DALEY , an award-winning author of ninety books (five million sold worldwide), has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread, and corralling her three cats, who think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret, visit her website at margaretdaley.com .

Booklist Also By Margaret Daley Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Introduction Dear Reader Bible Verse Dedication ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE EPILOGUE Extract About the Publisher Lone Star Justice High-Risk Reunion Lone Star Christmas Rescue Texas Ranger Showdown Texas Baby Pursuit Lone Star Christmas Witness Alaskan Search and Rescue The Yuletide Rescue To Save Her Child The Protector’s Mission Standoff at Christmas Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk