Joanna Wayne - As Darkness Fell

His tone had that edge again.

Caroline stopped walking and her hands flew to her hips before she realized she was taking up her fighting stance. “So is this how it is between us, Sam? I’m Caroline if I play the game your way, reporter lady if I have an opinion of my own? If I show any spunk, you knock me down a peg or two, make sure I stay in my place. If I’m frightened and defenseless, you kiss me.”

He met her gaze. Cold and stony, but there was something else there, a mysterious quality to him that she couldn’t read.

“I didn’t kiss you because you were defenseless.”

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

We’ve got an intoxicating lineup crackling with passion and peril that’s guaranteed to lure you to Harlequin Intrigue this month!

Danger and desire abound in As Darkness Fell—the first of two installments in Joanna Wayne’s HIDDEN PASSIONS: Full Moon Madness companion series. In this stark, seductive tale, a rugged detective will go to extreme lengths to safeguard a feisty reporter who is the object of a killer’s obsession. Then temptation and terror go hand in hand in Lone Rider Bodyguard when Harper Allen launches her brand-new miniseries, MEN OF THE DOUBLE B RANCH.

Will revenge give way to sweet salvation in Undercover Avenger by Rita Herron? Find out in the ongoing NIGHTHAWK ISLAND series. If you’re searching high and low for a thrilling romantic suspense tale that will also satisfy your craving for adventure—you’ll be positively riveted by Bounty Hunter Ransom from Kara Lennox’s CODE OF THE COBRA.

Just when you thought it was safe to sleep with the lights off…Guardian of her Heart by Linda O. Johnston—the latest offering in our BACHELORS AT LARGE promotion—will send shivers down your spine. And don’t let down your guard quite yet. Lisa Childs caps off a month of spine-tingling suspense with a gripping thriller about a madman bent on revenge in Bridal Reconnaissance. You won’t want to miss this unforgettable debut of our new DEAD BOLT promotion.

Here’s hoping these smoldering Harlequin Intrigue novels will inspire some romantic dreams of your own this Valentine’s Day!

Enjoy,

Denise O’Sullivan

Senior Editor

Harlequin Intrigue

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978 1 472 03299 7

AS DARKNESS FELL

© 2004 Joanna Wayne

First Published in Great Britain in 2004

Harlequin (UK) Limited

1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF

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All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l.

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www.millsandboon.co.ukVersion: 2020-08-19

Joanna Wayne lives with her husband just a few miles from steamy, exciting New Orleans, but her home is the perfect writer’s hideaway. A lazy bayou, complete with graceful herons, colorful wood ducks and an occasional alligator, winds just below her back garden. When not creating tales of spine-tingling suspense and heartwarming romance, she enjoys reading, traveling, playing golf and spending time with family and friends. Joanna believes that one of the special joys of writing is knowing that her stories have brought enjoyment to or somehow touched the lives of her readers. You can write Joanna at P.O. Box 2851, Harvey, LA 70059-2851.

Caroline Kimberly—She’s a reporter trying to do her job, until the killer becomes obsessed with her.

Sam Turner—He’s the detective in charge of locating the madman who’s brought fear and murder to his peaceful Southern town, but will his attraction to the new reporter get in the way of his finding the killer?

Becky Simpson—Caroline’s best friend, who only wants to enjoy the good life.

Jack Smith—Becky’s new boyfriend.

Matt Hastings—Homicide detective and Sam’s right-hand man.

John Rhodes—Editor in chief of the Prentice Times.

Ron Baker—Delivery coordinator and general handyman for the Prentice Times.

Tracy Mitchell—Works at the Catfish Shack and was a co-worker of the first victim.

Tony Sistrunk—Sam’s former supervisor with the San Antonio Police Department.

R. J. Blocker—Sam’s stepbrother.

Josephine Sterling—Police sketch artist.

Sally Martin—First victim of serial killer.

Ruby Givens—Second victim of serial killer.

Frederick Lee Billingham—The man in the portrait at the top of the stairs in the historic house that Caroline leases.

To my good friends Ted and Sylvia Ross whose romance

has withstood the test of time. And a special thanks

to them for being such great travel companions.

Prologue

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

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

“There is one thing I should tell you, Miss Kimberly, ’cause you’re gonna hear it from the neighbors, anyway,” Barkley Billingham said, examining her signature on the one-year lease she’d just signed. “My grandmother claims this house has ghosts.”

Caroline looked at him, sure he was going to follow the statement with some kind of joke. But the guy just stared at her in the same deadpan way he had for the past two hours while she’d looked at the house.

“Why does she think the house is haunted?”

“You know how old houses are. They make noises. Creaks and moans, stuff like that. And when the north wind’s blowing, it catches the corner by the bedroom and sounds like a woman shrieking.”

“That’s all?”

He folded the lease and tapped it against his arm. “Pretty much.”

Caroline sighed. She could live with that, especially in a grand old house like this one. In fact, she couldn’t imagine anyone with the kind of roots Barkley had here ever wanting to live anywhere else. “Are you the owner of the house?”