Carla Cassidy - Scene of the Crime - Black Creek

BANG, BANG BRIDE AND GROOM

Baiting a serial killer is risky enough. But FBI Special Agent Mick McCane knows he’s in real trouble when he and by-the-book Cassie Miller have to pose as loving newlyweds to do it. Ever since their one sizzling night together, she’s determined to keep their relationship strictly business—even as an undeniable attraction pulls them deeper into their undercover personas. Then their real identities are discovered and the hunters become the hunted. Now, the only way for Mick to protect the woman he can’t live without is to sacrifice the life he was used to putting on the line—and the badge he never thought he’d have to.

“You need to relax,” Mick murmured softly in Cassie’s ear.

He noticed that Cassie appeared hypersensitive to their surroundings, her gaze flitting first one direction and then the other, as if expecting the killer to jump out at them.

Pulling her closer, Mick slung an arm around her shoulder, instantly rewarded by Cassie stiffening against him. “Right now you’re acting like an FBI agent on the hunt. Remember, that’s not our role here. You’re a newlywed. Try to look happy.”

Cassie looked at him, her blue eyes simmering with emotions he couldn’t begin to discern. “Sorry.” She drew a deep breath and her body relaxed. Her gaze softened as her lips curled into a smile that instantly fired a ball of heat in the pit of Mick’s stomach. “Better?” she asked.

He was almost breathless....

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carla Cassidy is an award-winning author who has written more than fifty novels for Harlequin Books. In 1995, she won Best Silhouette Romance from RT Book Reviews for Anything for Danny. In 1998, she also won a Career Achievement Award for Best Innovative Series from RT Book Reviews.

Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write. She’s looking forward to writing many more books and bringing hours of pleasure to readers.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS

Cassie Miller—The lovely FBI agent dislikes three things—chaos, spontaneity and Special Agent Mick McCane—and now she must endure a pretend marriage to him in order to catch a killer.

Mick McCane—He’s never forgotten the night of passion he shared with Cassie and now he not only has to play the role of pretend husband to her, but also keep her safe from a serial killer.

Derrick Dark—A member of the founding family of Black Creek and a man with a motive for murder.

Jimbo Majors—A teenager with a simmering rage. Had that rage exploded, resulting in two couples dead in their honeymoon suites?

Sheriff Ed Lambert—Did the lawman long for the good old days and had that yearning become a dark obsession?

Jack Bailey—A homegrown thug with a reputation for violence.

Contents

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

Epilogue

Excerpt

Chapter One

Cassie Miller’s low-heeled pumps clicked rhythmically against the tile floor of the hallway that led to her boss’s office. For a special agent with the FBI, a summons to Director Forbes’s office usually brought with it both an edge of excitement and a faint flutter of dread.

Cassie’s excitement far outweighed any dread, for she couldn’t imagine anything she’d done that might have gotten her in trouble. In fact, for the nearly year she’d been assigned to the Kansas City, Missouri, field office she’d never come close to being reprimanded. Cassie made it a point to play by the rules.

She was more than ready for a new assignment. It had been months since she’d done anything more than push papers and read through cold case files for a fresh perspective. She was definitely chomping at the bit for some action.

She paused and straightened her white blouse collar beneath the lightweight navy blue jacket, then self-consciously ran a hand down her pencil-thin navy skirt to make sure it was wrinkle-free. She liked to put her best foot forward when going in front of her boss.

As she began to walk again, her steps faltered slightly. She saw the man approaching the office from the opposite direction. He was clad in tight blue jeans and a navy T-shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders. He carried himself with a loose-hipped gait that instantly spoke of self-confidence and perhaps a touch of arrogance.

There were three things in Cassie’s life that she disliked: chaos, spontaneity and the slamming-hot man approaching in her direction, Special Agent Mick McCane.

As he cast her the lazy, sexy grin that danced lightly in the depths of his green eyes and had over half the women in the building in complete lust with him, her stomach muscles kinked into a tight knot.

Please don’t be going where I’m going, she thought.

She had spent the past six months of her life trying to avoid being anywhere near Mick. She’d spent the past six months trying to forget the one night when control had slipped away from her and she’d allowed spontaneity a night of freedom.

Her heart clunked to her feet as Mick pulled open the door that led to the director’s office. “Afternoon, Cassie.” He said her name like it was something exceedingly pleasant on his lips.

“Agent McCane,” she replied stiffly. She swept through the door, acutely aware of him following right behind her.

Adrianne Warsaw, the secretary to the director, looked up and smiled. “Ah, good, you’re both here. He’s waiting for you.” She gestured toward the closed door that led to the inner sanctum.

Once again it was Mick who opened the door to usher Cassie inside. She gritted her teeth, smelling his familiar cologne, a spice scent that whispered of something slightly wild and wonderful.

“Agent Miller, Agent McCane.” Director Forbes gestured them into the two chairs in front of his massive mahogany desk. “Black Creek, Arkansas,” he said when both of them were seated.

Cassie frowned, trying to keep her focus solely on the steel-gray-haired man in front of her instead of the sexy dark-haired man seated far too close to her. “Never heard of it,” she replied.

“It’s west of Hot Springs, Arkansas, in the Ouachita Mountains. Five years ago it wasn’t even a dot on the map, now the mayor is working to have it renamed Honeymoon Haven, the honeymoon capital of this region.” Director Forbes leaned forward. “Over the last couple of years the town has exploded with cute little cabins and bed-and-breakfast places, restaurants and shops that cater to the newly wed. It’s become a fairly profitable tourist town, and the mayor wants to keep it that way.”

“So, what’s the problem?” Mick asked. He leaned back in his chair, looking as relaxed as if he were sunning himself on the beach.

“Two honeymooning couples murdered in the last month.” Forbes leaned back in his chair, his frown cutting a vertical slash in the center of his broad forehead. “We’ve been contacted by the local sheriff, Edward Lambert, along with Mayor John Jamison, requesting help with the situation.”