Her child’s life is on the line
A Roughwater Ranch Cowboys story
After putting his serial killer brother in prison, former US marshal Mitch Whitehorse chooses a solitary country life—until his brother escapes. Now Mitch’s former sister-in-law, Jane Reyes, needs protection...for herself and the toddler she’s kept a secret. Mitch still isn’t sure of Jane’s innocence in his brother’s crimes, but to keep his nephew out of a killer’s grasp, trusting her is his only option.
DANA MENTINKis a national bestselling author. She has been honored to win two Carol Awards, a HOLT Medallion and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She’s authored more than thirty novels to date for Love Inspired Suspense and Harlequin Heartwarming. Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her at danamentink.com.
Also by Dana Mentink
Roughwater Ranch Cowboys
Danger on the Ranch
Gold Country Cowboys
Cowboy Christmas Guardian
Treacherous Trails
Cowboy Bodyguard
Lost Christmas Memories
Pacific Coast Private Eyes
Dangerous Tidings
Seaside Secrets
Abducted
Dangerous Testimony
True Blue K-9 Unit
Shield of Protection
Act of Valor
Military K-9 Unit
Top Secret Target
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.
Danger on the Ranch
Dana Mentink
www.millsandboon.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-474-09649-2
DANGER ON THE RANCH
© 2019 Dana Mentink
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.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk
Version: 2020-03-02
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“You didn’t know the guy you married was a serial killer?”
The judgment was there in Mitch’s eyes, the same as she’d seen in the courtroom, from the cops, from the people who drove by her house and threw rocks through her windows, flattened her tires, sent death threats.
Jane swallowed hard against an onslaught of bitter tears. “I was blind, stupid blind, but I did not know.”
A long moment passed between them. “You’re right. I don’t believe you.”
She sagged. What else had she expected? “Okay. Don’t believe me, but Wade has come here to kill you and after he does that, he’ll kill me, too.”
“Why would he want to kill you? If you’re really innocent, why would Wade want to do that?”
“Because he will eventually find out that I have something he wants, something that I won’t ever give to him while I have breath in my body.”
“What could you have that would make him care enough to come after you?”
Her head spun and she fought for breath.
“I have his son.”
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
—Romans 8:38–39
To Ann P., my golden-hearted friend.
Dear Reader,
Miles of ocean, acres of grassland, plenty of heroes. Welcome to the Roughwater Ranch, owned by Aunt Ginny and Uncle Gus. I just adore a good cowboy story, don’t you? In this series you’ll meet Mitch, Liam, Helen and Chad, four people who are closer than kin, part of the glorious Roughwater Ranch family. All four books take place along the central California coast, a favorite spot of ours to visit. The last time we were there, we watched the sea lions hanging out on the beach, just across the road from herds of cattle grazing on the pastureland. Surf and turf at its finest! I hope you will enjoy coming along on my coastal cowboy adventures!
God bless and giddyup!
Dana Mentink
Contents
Cover
Back Cover Text
About the Author
Booklist
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
Bible Verse
Dedication
Dear Reader
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
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
Extract
About the Publisher
S torm’s coming.
The illogical notion trickled again through Mitch Whitehorse’s gut as he surveyed the late-afternoon fog choking the windswept cove. Strange, since there was no sign of a weather front moving in through the mist. He fingered the scar that grooved his cheek, the rough patch oddly numb, a dead spot courtesy of his brother. The occasional blurred vision and migraines were an additional reminder of how close he’d come to dying at Wade’s hand.
But it wasn’t so much the pain of having his occipital bone crushed or the resulting symptoms that stuck in his mind—it was his brother’s smile. Even when Wade was led from the courtroom after the guilty verdict that would send him to prison for life, he’d been smiling right at Mitch, a smile of pure evil, cold as the grave, unrepentant, undefeated.
Rosie, the big roan mare, shifted underneath Mitch, probably wondering why they were standing on a bluff in the numbing fog, staring out at the crawling Pacific instead of sheltering from the February wind. They’d spent a full day moving a herd of cattle from one pasture to another and chasing down an ailing cow to administer medicine. Straightening, Mitch ignored the twinge in his back, courtesy of his days as a US marshal and the fact that he was now a hardworking cowboy staring forty in the face.
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