Karen Whiddon - Colton's Christmas Cop

A rookie cop’s mistletoe mission

A Coltons of Red Ridge romance

Layla Colton would do anything for her family’s company—even marry a man she doesn’t love. But when she’s framed for a crime she didn’t commit, Layla has more to worry about than wedding bells. Officer Hunter Black and his K-9 companion are on the case. Can they rescue Layla from the deadly shadows threatening to engulf Red Ridge?

KAREN WHIDDONstarted weaving fanciful tales for her younger brothers at the age of eleven. Amid the gorgeous Catskill Mountains, then the majestic Rocky Mountains, she fueled her imagination with the natural beauty surrounding her. Karen now lives in north Texas, writes full-time and volunteers for a boxer dog rescue. She shares her life with her hero of a husband and four to five dogs, depending on if she is fostering. You can email Karen at kwhiddon1@aol.com. Fans can also check out her website, karenwhiddon.com.

Also by Karen Whiddon

The CEO’s Secret Baby

The Cop’s Missing Child

The Millionaire Cowboy’s Secret

Texas Secrets, Lovers’ Lies

The Rancher’s Return

The Texan’s Return

Wyoming Undercover

The Texas Soldier’s Son

Runaway Colton

The Temptation of Dr. Colton

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Colton’s Christmas Cop

Karen Whiddon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07950-1

COLTON’S CHRISTMAS COP

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

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.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

Version: 2020-03-02

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To all the dedicated dog rescuers everywhere.

It’s hard to see what mankind is capable of,

but so rewarding to have a small part in

helping an animal heal and find love again.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

Layla Colton ran the numbers one final time. No doubt about it—this sale would send Colton Energy’s stock through the roof, which would definitely help their sagging bottom line.

It was well after midnight, and the November dark outside carried the chill of winter. Everyone else in the building had gone home hours ago, but Layla considered her office her sanctuary, while the lavish condo where she actually lived felt more like an impersonal hotel room than anything else. She only went there to sleep, shower and eat, preferring to spend as much time as possible here, in her corner office on the executive floor of her father’s company.

Stifling a yawn, she rubbed the back of her aching neck. She needed to straighten up her desk and head home to catch a few hours’ sleep before coming back in the morning.

As she tidied up, her private line rang, the single, long buzz that indicated an internal call. She pressed the button for Speaker, curiosity warring with impatience. “Yes?”

“Security here, ma’am. I have a couple officers from Red Ridge Police Department asking to see you.”

To see her ? At nearly one o’clock in the morning? Had something happened to one of her cousins, many of whom worked at the RRPD as K9 officers? Layla’s stomach twisted, and she took a deep gulp of air to help her stay calm.

“Send them up,” she ordered, careful that her cool tone betrayed none of her trepidation. She’d learned the hard way what a mistake it could be to display the tiniest bit of weakness. There would always be someone watching and waiting for the chance to take her down.

Two uniformed officers appeared in her doorway a few minutes later. A third stood a few feet behind them. “Come in,” she said, her gaze searching first one face and then the others.

“Layla Colton?” the taller of the two asked.

Words failed her, so she simply nodded.

“You’re under arrest for stalking, threatening and harassing Mark Hatton.”

“What?” Flabbergasted, she briefly lost her tenuous grip on her refusal to be ruffled. “Have you lost your mind?” Mark Hatton worked for her, first as a junior analyst and then as a salesman. She’d regretted hiring him due to his sloppy work and questionable ethics and had begun keeping detailed documentation as a prelude to letting him go.

“I’m afraid not, ma’am.” The second officer stepped forward with handcuffs. “We have evidence. Emails in your name, texts from your phone number making sexual advances and threatening him when he turned you down.” The disgust in his voice would have made a lesser woman cringe.

“That’s impossible,” she began.

“Is it?” he cut her off. “Tell it to the judge. It’s not only women who are victims, you know. You rich people always think you can get away with anything. Well, not this time.”

A silent scream formed in the back of her throat. No. This couldn’t be happening. Not to her, not now. She’d never threatened anyone a day in her life. And as for making sexual advances to a man like Mark, even the thought made bile rise in her throat. Lies. They were all lies. “I need to call my lawyer,” she said.