Jennifer Morey - Runaway Heiress

The Cold Case Detectives series heats up as sparks fly between a relentless investigator and a murder witness

When someone is shot right in front of him, elite investigator Jasper Roesch is on the case. He can’t rest until he solves the case of who tried to kill this victim. What he knows: heiress Sadie Moreno witnessed the murder of a homeless man she was helping, and now someone wants her silenced forever. Jasper whisks Sadie away to a remote Wyoming hideaway to protect her, but not even the former SWAT agent’s crime-fighting skills can keep assassins at bay. The woman he’s reluctantly falling for isn’t telling him everything...and that secret is something that may get them both killed.

Jasper knelt before her and put his hand over her now tightly clasped hands. “If there’s something you aren’t telling me, don’t keep it from me.”

Sadie only met his eyes again.

“You can trust me,” he said.

After long seconds where she blinked some more and bit her lower lip, he thought she’d relent and start talking. But then she brushed his hand off hers and stood, forcing him to move back.

Moving away, she turned to face Jasper, a guarded mask now, hands at her sides, chin lifted, eyes fierce with determination. “I hired you to solve a murder. Beyond that, nothing else about me is any of your business.”

He half admired and half cursed her. She stuck to her objective and didn’t trust easily. She didn’t know him very well and had only hired him to help with the murder investigation. She didn’t argue that the attack could be unrelated. She didn’t deny there might be more she wasn’t saying.

He wouldn’t rest until he had the whole truth.

* * *

Be sure to check out the next books in this miniseries.

Cold Case Detectives: Powerful investigations, unexpected passion...

* * *

If you’re on Twitter, tell us what you think of Harlequin Romantic Suspense! #harlequinromsuspense

Dear Reader,

I’m excited about the next release in my Cold Case Detectives series! I was thrilled to start with A Wanted Man, where Kadin Tandy spearheads an organization dedicated to catching killers. Writing murder mysteries is a new venture for me, much different than my military-hero All McQueen’s Men series. But equally suspenseful and full of romance and the happy endings we all crave.

I love something special about each of my stories, and in Runaway Heiress (aside from the catchy title!), I grew quite attached to the heroine’s strength. She’s on the run from a dangerous man and offers trust sparingly. The hero has to prove himself worthy before she gives her heart. Their growth together is rewarding and they make a lovely couple. So get cozy and enjoy reading my latest story.

Happy reading!

Jennie

Runaway Heiress

Jennifer Morey

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Two-time RITA® Award nominee and Golden Quill Award winner JENNIFER MOREY writes single-title contemporary romance and page-turning romantic suspense. She has a geology degree and has managed export programs in compliance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for the aerospace industry. She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, Colorado, and loves to hear from readers through her website, jennifermorey.com, or Facebook.

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.

For Mom

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Prologue

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

Copyright

Prologue

Sadie Moreno sat across from Steven Truscott at a downtown Jackson Hole twenty-four-hour diner. In his sleek black suit and tie with pristine white dress shirt and medium brown hair brushed back to hide signs of recession, he made a handsome picture. Once upon a time she might have attempted to break through his staunch wall of professionalism for a more personal relationship. Life had intervened.

“Do you have news for me?” He usually didn’t come to see her unless he did.

In the next instant, her spirits dimmed along with his grim mouth line.

“The last lead didn’t produce anything, Sadie. Bernie’s case has gone cold.”

He’d been keeping tabs on the progress of the investigation so she wouldn’t have to. So that was why he’d come all this way. He knew how this would devastate her. “But it was so promising.”

“I’m sorry. They’ve got nothing now. No evidence. No witnesses. Not a single shred of anything.”

Disappointment crushed her. “What are they going to do now?” There had to be something they could do.

“We’ll just have to wait for something new to come up.”

The injustice soured and rotted hope.

She tapped her sunglasses on the table. Turning away from Steven’s sympathetic, silver gaze, she saw nothing as she thought of Bernie King. He didn’t deserve to die the way he had. The first homeless person she’d helped, he had become her close friend. He’d spent the longest in her program, but only because she wanted to help him as much as she could, giving him a place to live while he got back on his feet.

She bobbed her crossed leg, jeans tucked into a pair of calf-high leather boots. How could she endure yet another tragedy she was powerless to avenge?

A waitress came with water and Steven’s coffee.

She was too upset to ingest anything.

“The case has gone cold, that’s all.” He sipped his coffee. “The police won’t give up. We will just have to be patient.”

Sadie didn’t do patience very well, especially when someone close to her had been brutally killed. It could be years—or never—before any more leads emerged.

“I can’t sit around and wait.” She had to do something. “The location of the body should tell them something, shouldn’t it?”

Bernie had been shot and his body moved to Warren Park, far from downtown San Francisco. Too far to walk anyway. Bernie had recently moved to the new facility she’d constructed, well on his way to rebuilding his life, transitioning from homeless to home. He had planned to buy a car the next day, and had been within weeks of moving to his own apartment. She couldn’t stand it that he’d been ambushed, that his life had been stolen, his new life. Slaughtered dreams.

Steven sipped his coffee again. She sensed his doubt in police finding new leads anytime soon. That was why he’d come all this way. He had to meet her in person to deliver the bad news.

“Just because he was homeless doesn’t mean his life mattered less.” She almost spoke to herself. So many people lacked awareness about the homeless. The homeless weren’t parasites to be cleansed from the community. They were live, breathing human beings who once had a life not much different than those who passed them on the streets with barely a glance. Out of sight out of mind, right?