Joyce Sullivan - Operation Bassinet

Mitch stiffened as he tried to deflect the sound of Stephanie Shelton’s anguished sobs. His stomach felt as if it were lined with hot tar. The only thing that made the situation bearable was the hope that she’d soon be reunited with her lost child.

Careful to allow her some dignity, he kept his gaze averted from her moist eyes. “Pack a bag for you and your daughter.”

“Why?” Her tone was charged with rebellion.

Then Mitch made the mistake of looking at her.

Her green-gold eyes were as dangerous as riptide and fringed with long sooty lashes. He was none too happy that he was making personal observations about the length of her eyelashes.

He was too seasoned a cop to let himself get sucked in by a pair of pleading eyes. Deliberate detachment firmed his voice.

“You’re coming with me. You’re both under my protection until this is over.”

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

We wind up a great summer with a bang this month! Linda O. Johnston continues the hugely popular COLORADO CONFIDENTIAL series with Special Agent Nanny. Don’t forget to look for the Harlequin special-release anthology next month featuring USA TODAY bestselling author Jasmine Cresswell, our very own Amanda Stevens and Harlequin Historicals author Debra Lee Brown. And not to worry, the series continues with two more Harlequin Intrigue titles in November and December.

Joyce Sullivan concludes her companion series THE COLLINGWOOD HEIRS with Operation Bassinet. Find out how this family solves a fiendish plot and finds happiness in one fell swoop. Rounding out the month are two exciting stories. Rising star Delores Fossen takes a unique perspective on the classic secret-baby plot in Confiscated Conception, and a very sexy Cowboy PI is determined to get to the bottom of one woman’s mystery in an all-Western story by Jean Barrett.

Finally, in case you haven’t heard, next month Harlequin Intrigue is increasing its publishing schedule to include two more fantastic romantic suspense books. That’s six titles per month! More variety, more of your favorite authors and of course, more excitement.

It’s a thrilling time for us, and we want to thank all of our loyal readers for remaining true to Harlequin Intrigue. And if you are just learning about our brand of breathtaking romantic suspense, fasten your seat belts for an edge-of-your-seat reading experience. Welcome aboard!

Sincerely,

Denise O’Sullivan

Senior Editor, Harlequin Intrigue

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

Joyce Sullivan credits her lawyer mother with instilling in her a love of reading and writing—and a fascination for solving mysteries. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and worked several years as a private investigator before turning her hand to writing romantic suspense. A transplanted American, Joyce makes her home in Aylmer, Quebec, with her handsome French-Canadian husband and two children. A visit to the castles populating the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence Seaway gave her the inspiration for THE COLLINGWOOD HEIRS series.

Ross and Lexi Collingwood—He was the Baron of Wall Street. Their precious baby daughter was kidnapped thirty months ago and never returned. One month after the Collingwoods are tragically murdered in an explosion, the Find Riana Foundation receives a ransom demand for the child.

Stef Shelton—Her world is shattered when she discovers that the daughter she has been raising is not her flesh-and-blood child.

Mitch Halloran—The Guardian hired this determined LAPD detective to bring Riana home safe and sound.

Keely Shelton—She’s Riana Collingwood by birth.

Emma—Would Stef’s real daughter be found alive?

Brad Shelton—Had he switched his infant daughter with Riana Collingwood?

The Guardian—Ross Collingwood had been his best friend and had entrusted him with his children’s lives.

Juliana Goodhew—She was looking forward to raising Lexi’s daughter as her own.

Annette York—She’d killed her sister and brother-in-law out of hatred. Was she behind Riana’s kidnapping, as well?

Sable Holden—Ross Collingwood had ruthlessly taken over her family’s company. To what lengths would she go to get her company back?

For my friend Jude, my emotional barometer. And for Rickey, critique partner par excellence.

My sincere thanks to the generous people listed below who answered my tedious questions about their lives and their jobs for this story:

Mathematician extraordinaire Tom McCormick, W. J. Van Dusen, Professor of Management, UBC Commerce.

Sergeant John Martinez, one of LAPD’s finest.

Detective Bob Arbour, Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service, and former bomb tech.

Dr. Steven W. Maclean,

who saves my wounded heroes and heroines.

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

Thirty months earlier

Stef wasn’t sure what woke her. Maybe the sound of the door closing in her hospital room. Or had the baby cried out? She hovered in a semialert state listening, her tired body yearning to tumble back into oblivion. She’d never been so exhausted. The last trimester of lumbering around New York City like an elephant in maternity clothes and thirty hours of labor had taken its toll, but she’d been rewarded with a beautiful baby daughter.

Tears came to her eyes. She’d seen the pride on Brad’s face when he’d held Keely in his arms. Everything would get better for them now. She just knew it.

“Brad?” she whispered into the darkened room. Had her husband changed his mind about staying over with her and the baby? Her whisper was swallowed up in the silence.

Brad had spent last night in the recliner provided for new dads, but he had another job interview first thing in the morning. She’d sent him home at the end of visitor’s hours with instructions to get a good night’s sleep and wear the Brooks Brothers’ suit with the I’m-in-charge tie.

Keely made a small sound in her bassinet like a mewling kitten. Maybe the nurse had come in to check the time of her last feeding. Stef turned on the bedside lamp and glanced at the clock. It was 2:53 a.m. With a guilty start, she realized it had been more than three hours since she’d last nursed her baby.

Keely mewled again, sounding like a ravenous kitten.

Stef felt an instantaneous tingling sensation in her breasts. “Okay, sweetie, I got the message. It’s chow time. Just don’t expect fast food.” She pushed herself up in the hospital bed, every muscle in her body protesting. Her stomach sagged like a deflated balloon.