Jodie Bailey - Christmas Double Cross

DEAD RINGER

Undercover Texas Ranger Colter Blackthorn’s convinced Danielle Segovia is really a wanted criminal—until she’s nearly kidnapped right in front of him. Now Colter must keep her out of the clutches of the notorious drug cartel leader whose traitor sister is a dead ringer for Danielle. The drug czar wants the drugs he thinks the pretty shop owner stole from him. And with the younger brother Danielle is raising dragged into the crosshairs, Colt has to find a way to protect them both. But a showdown at Christmas—with Danielle as bait—may be the only way to make sure they all survive the holidays.

“I promise you as long as you’re with me, you’re safe, Danielle.”

Colt’s voice was warm, the Texas drawl thick, and his gaze caught hers and held. His brown eyes softened, sweeping her face. “I just needed you to know that.”

Colt Blackthorn swamped her with an emotion she couldn’t process, could only drown in.

“Danielle, I need to—”

A loud crack bounced through the cab of the truck as the rear window exploded behind Colt in a hail of glass and sound.

Reaching across the cab, Colt grabbed Danielle. “Get down!”

He rammed the truck into gear and blasted across the parking lot, tires squealing, the smell of burning rubber and asphalt filling the vehicle.

The bad guys were back. For her.

* * *

Texas Ranger Holidays: A Season of Danger

Thanksgiving Protector by Sharon Dunn

Christmas Double Cross by Jodie Baile

Texas Christmas Defender by Elizabeth Goddard

Dear Reader,

As I type this, I’m sitting on my couch watching it rain. Yesterday was the first day of 2017—though by the time you hold this in your hands, we’ll already be looking forward to 2018. I spend a lot of time thinking about the word “new” in my life, and how Jesus said He “makes all things new.”

To me, that is the most beautiful thing Christ ever said. I mean, really...our old is pretty rotten. The fact that Jesus takes our rotten old and makes it a fresh, new, beautiful thing constantly amazes me. It’s the theme of my life, repeated over and over.

It seems to show up in every book I write, even this one. Colt was in need of a big ol’ batch of “new.” He couldn’t let go of the misplaced guilt of his past. He couldn’t grasp the love of Jesus because he was so buried in his own hurt. Then God sent him someone to show him love...not only the love of another person but to usher him right back to the true love of Christ.

New.

Are you in need of a big dose of “new”? Believe me, nobody’s so far gone that Jesus can’t provide that cleansing, beautiful newness. As you look around at a more mature 2017 than I’m looking at, take a minute, set this book aside, and ask God what kind of new He has planned for you.

It will definitely be incredible. I’d love to hear all about it! Drop me a line at jodie@jodiebailey.com or swing by the website at www.jodiebailey.comand say hello. You’re awesome. Thanks for hanging out!

JODIE BAILEY writes novels about freedom and the heroes who fight for it. Her novel Crossfire won a 2015 RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She is convinced a camping trip to the beach with her family, a good cup of coffee and a great book can cure all ills. Jodie lives in North Carolina with her husband, her daughter and two dogs.

Christmas Double Cross

Jodie Bailey

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

—Philippians 3:13–14

To Lesley...

Friend, confidante, cheerleader, truth speaker and all-around beautiful human. You cheered (in a parking lot!) when I finished my first book ever. Thank you for being “my person.”

I love you, girl.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EIGHTEEN

NINETEEN

TWENTY

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Texas Ranger Colter Blackthorn shifted his borrowed Dodge Challenger into Park and left the engine running, the heater combating the near-freezing temperatures of an El Paso winter evening.

Pulling his neck to one side, he stretched the tight muscles and scanned the front of the small strip mall. The reflection of Christmas lights danced on the windows of the few cars in the lot as the center neared closing time. Somewhere in the distance a speaker piped “White Christmas” to the handful of shoppers rushing along the sidewalk on their last few days of preparation before the holiday hit full force.

He let his gaze linger on the store closest to him, on the end near the main road. Nothing moved in the shadows behind the building, but a figure moved inside by the front window, pausing to reposition a blanket beneath the D in Mexican Artifacts and Crafts by Danielle.

His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. It had to be her.

“Colt.” The voice shot through his earpiece. Ranger Austin Brewer’s voice was tight, not with anger, but with concern. “If you need to wave off, then let Major Vance know now, before you go in. We can send somebody—”

“I’m fine.” His voice came out more clipped than he’d meant it to, but really, he didn’t need to be babied. He was no rookie. This wasn’t his first time undercover, and it wasn’t as though he was going deep. All he had to do was confirm that the woman pretending to be Danielle Segovia was indeed Adriana Garcia.

The sister of notorious cartel boss Rio Garcia had been a proverbial thorn in the Rangers’ sides since she’d broken ties with her brother and gone to ground. Intel said Adriana Garcia had stolen an antique watch from her brother before disappearing, one that contained a key to a storage unit housing millions in cocaine and heroin—a storage unit that was empty when the Rangers raided it. When her brother Rio discovered what she’d done, he’d gone on a rampage that had brought in the elite Texas Ranger Reconnaissance Team to bring both Garcias to justice. With their training and undercover capabilities, the team was the best option for the job.

Battling Rio had been more than enough to keep them busy since the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. The man crossed the border at will, always managing to evade capture, and he kept a steady supply of drugs flowing, as well. Intel said he was furious with his sister and would take her back by any means necessary. When crossed, he was a vicious killer, which made finding Adriana even more important and made this mission even more dangerous.