Carol Ericson - In The Arms Of The Enemy

As a lawman, he knew she had secrets. Ones that could bust his case wide open.

Tasked with finding a mysterious murder suspect, DEA agent Cole Pierson was in Timberline on a mission. He didn’t need distractions like the lovely Caroline Johnson. Though he didn’t think she could be his suspect, she was clearly hiding something and her safety became Cole’s top priority.

She’d awoken next to a dead man, her memory gone. When “Caroline” had come to the small town looking for answers, she hadn’t counted on meeting Cole. He offered the protection she so desperately needed. But if he found out she’d been lying, that he’d become involved with a suspect, it would mean the end to any future—or happiness—she had imagined.

With shaking hands, she unzipped her bag and reached inside for Cole’s wallet.

Cole stared back at her from a California driver’s license. He hadn’t lied about being a California boy. Ignoring the cash in the billfold, she jammed her fingers into the slot behind his license and pulled out a stack of cards.

The gold-embossed letters on the top card blurred before her eyes and she slid down the length of the door until she was crouching against it.

Cole Pierson was a DEA agent, and he must be looking for the woman he believed murdered Johnny Diamond and stole his drug money.

He was looking for her.

In the Arms of the Enemy

Carol Ericson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CAROL ERICON is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than forty books. She has an eerie fascination for true-crime stories, a love of film noir and a weakness for reality TV, all of which fuel her imagination to create her own tales of murder, mayhem and mystery. To find out more about Carol and her current projects, please visit her website at www.carolericson.com, “where romance flirts with danger.”

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CAST OF CHARACTERS CAST OF CHARACTERS Dedication 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 Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Epilogue Extract Copyright

Caroline Johnson—A woman with no memory, no ID and a dead body in her motel room, “Caroline” finds herself at the center of drug trafficking and a twenty-five-year-old kidnapping.

Cole Pierson—A DEA agent whose longtime quarry winds up dead at the hands of a mysterious female. His quest for the suspect leads him to Caroline, but he can’t determine if she’s a killer or an innocent woman caught up in events beyond her control.

Johnny Diamond—This drug dealer’s death by poisoning sets off a chain of events that will result in the culmination of an explosive case of kidnapping and drug trafficking.

Linda Gunderson—Her loyalty to Caroline is based on a lie, but she stands beside her new friend in the face of increasing danger.

Dr. Jules Shipman—This therapist wants to help her new patient, Caroline, regain her memories, but someone doesn’t want Dr. Shipman to do her job.

Rocky Whitecotton—A member of the Quileute tribe, this rebel bucked the traditions of his people twenty-five years ago when he turned to drug dealing for a nefarious purpose and now he needs Caroline to keep her mouth shut—or he’ll shut it for her.

Jason Foster—A Quileute whose uncle ran with Rocky in the old days, he’s going to have to decide where his loyalties lie or pay the price.

James Brice—The brother of Heather Brice, one of the Timberline Trio, returns to Timberline to settle some family business.

The Timberline Trio—Kayla Rush, Stevie Carson and Heather Brice were snatched from Timberline twenty-five years ago. The truth of their disappearance will rock Timberline.

For all my SHS friends

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text As a lawman, he knew she had secrets. Ones that could bust his case wide open. Tasked with finding a mysterious murder suspect, DEA agent Cole Pierson was in Timberline on a mission. He didn’t need distractions like the lovely Caroline Johnson. Though he didn’t think she could be his suspect, she was clearly hiding something and her safety became Cole’s top priority. She’d awoken next to a dead man, her memory gone. When “Caroline” had come to the small town looking for answers, she hadn’t counted on meeting Cole. He offered the protection she so desperately needed. But if he found out she’d been lying, that he’d become involved with a suspect, it would mean the end to any future—or happiness—she had imagined.

Introduction With shaking hands, she unzipped her bag and reached inside for Cole’s wallet. Cole stared back at her from a California driver’s license. He hadn’t lied about being a California boy. Ignoring the cash in the billfold, she jammed her fingers into the slot behind his license and pulled out a stack of cards. The gold-embossed letters on the top card blurred before her eyes and she slid down the length of the door until she was crouching against it. Cole Pierson was a DEA agent, and he must be looking for the woman he believed murdered Johnny Diamond and stole his drug money. He was looking for her.

Title Page In the Arms of the Enemy Carol Ericson www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author CAROL ERICON is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than forty books. She has an eerie fascination for true-crime stories, a love of film noir and a weakness for reality TV, all of which fuel her imagination to create her own tales of murder, mayhem and mystery. To find out more about Carol and her current projects, please visit her website at www.carolericson.com , “where romance flirts with danger.”

CAST OF CHARACTERS CAST OF CHARACTERS CAST OF CHARACTERS Dedication 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 Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Epilogue Extract Copyright Caroline Johnson—A woman with no memory, no ID and a dead body in her motel room, “Caroline” finds herself at the center of drug trafficking and a twenty-five-year-old kidnapping. Cole Pierson—A DEA agent whose longtime quarry winds up dead at the hands of a mysterious female. His quest for the suspect leads him to Caroline, but he can’t determine if she’s a killer or an innocent woman caught up in events beyond her control. Johnny Diamond—This drug dealer’s death by poisoning sets off a chain of events that will result in the culmination of an explosive case of kidnapping and drug trafficking. Linda Gunderson—Her loyalty to Caroline is based on a lie, but she stands beside her new friend in the face of increasing danger. Dr. Jules Shipman—This therapist wants to help her new patient, Caroline, regain her memories, but someone doesn’t want Dr. Shipman to do her job. Rocky Whitecotton—A member of the Quileute tribe, this rebel bucked the traditions of his people twenty-five years ago when he turned to drug dealing for a nefarious purpose and now he needs Caroline to keep her mouth shut—or he’ll shut it for her. Jason Foster—A Quileute whose uncle ran with Rocky in the old days, he’s going to have to decide where his loyalties lie or pay the price. James Brice—The brother of Heather Brice, one of the Timberline Trio, returns to Timberline to settle some family business. The Timberline Trio—Kayla Rush, Stevie Carson and Heather Brice were snatched from Timberline twenty-five years ago. The truth of their disappearance will rock Timberline.