Terri Reed - Murder Under The Mistletoe

AGENT UNDERCOVER

DEA agent Tyler Griffin must stop a drug cartel that’s using an Idaho Christmas tree farm to smuggle narcotics across the Canadian border. But to do his job, Tyler needs the cooperation of farm owner and widowed mother Heather Larson-Randall—whose informant brother died on Tyler’s watch. Tyler knows a crucial piece of evidence is hidden somewhere on the property. But getting the protective mother to trust him is the hardest part of his mission. As threats against Heather mount, he vows to keep her and her child safe...and clear the farm of danger before Christmas.

Northern Border Patrol: Keeping the US-Canadian border safe..

“You really do believe my brother was murdered?” Heather asked.

Tyler nodded. “I do. Whatever information he had found about the drug mastermind cost him his life.”

And now put her and her son in danger.

She shook her head. “No, you cost him his life. You pushed him to do something he wasn’t trained to do.”

The sharp tip of her barb hit him squarely in the gut. “A fact I will have to live with,” Tyler stated with more regret than she could possibly know. “Believe me, I wish I had done things differently.”

Tyler had been doing his job. A job that wasn’t finished. “If I am going to bring his murderers to justice, I need to find the notebook he told me he had.”

She held his gaze. “That’s why you broke into the house.”

“I didn’t break in. As I said, your brother gave me a key. He’d said if anything happened to him that I’d find what I needed here at the farm.”

Well, something had happened. Something terrible. And he wasn’t going to let anything happen to Heather and her boy.

TERRI REED’s romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publishers Weekly top twenty-five and Nielsen BookScan’s top one hundred lists and have been featured in USA TODAY, Christian Fiction Magazine and RT Book Reviews. Her books have finaled in the Romance Writers of America RITA® Award contest, the National Readers’ Choice Award contest and three times in the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award contest. Contact Terri at terrireed.comor PO Box 19555, Portland, OR 97224.

Murder Under the Mistletoe

Terri Reed

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows.

—James 1:17

This book is dedicated to my family for all the support

and love you give me every day. God blessed me greatly with a wonderful husband and two fabulous kids.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text AGENT UNDERCOVER DEA agent Tyler Griffin must stop a drug cartel that’s using an Idaho Christmas tree farm to smuggle narcotics across the Canadian border. But to do his job, Tyler needs the cooperation of farm owner and widowed mother Heather Larson-Randall—whose informant brother died on Tyler’s watch. Tyler knows a crucial piece of evidence is hidden somewhere on the property. But getting the protective mother to trust him is the hardest part of his mission. As threats against Heather mount, he vows to keep her and her child safe...and clear the farm of danger before Christmas. Northern Border Patrol: Keeping the US-Canadian border safe..

Introduction “You really do believe my brother was murdered?” Heather asked. Tyler nodded. “I do. Whatever information he had found about the drug mastermind cost him his life.” And now put her and her son in danger. She shook her head. “No, you cost him his life. You pushed him to do something he wasn’t trained to do.” The sharp tip of her barb hit him squarely in the gut. “A fact I will have to live with,” Tyler stated with more regret than she could possibly know. “Believe me, I wish I had done things differently.” Tyler had been doing his job. A job that wasn’t finished. “If I am going to bring his murderers to justice, I need to find the notebook he told me he had.” She held his gaze. “That’s why you broke into the house.” “I didn’t break in. As I said, your brother gave me a key. He’d said if anything happened to him that I’d find what I needed here at the farm.” Well, something had happened. Something terrible. And he wasn’t going to let anything happen to Heather and her boy.

About the Author TERRI REED ’s romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publishers Weekly top twenty-five and Nielsen BookScan’s top one hundred lists and have been featured in USA TODAY, Christian Fiction Magazine and RT Book Reviews. Her books have finaled in the Romance Writers of America RITA® Award contest, the National Readers’ Choice Award contest and three times in the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award contest. Contact Terri at terrireed.com or PO Box 19555, Portland, OR 97224.

Title Page Murder Under the Mistletoe Terri Reed www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. —James 1:17

Dedication This book is dedicated to my family for all the support and love you give me every day. God blessed me greatly with a wonderful husband and two fabulous kids.

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

“Good night, sweet boy.” Heather Larson-Randall leaned in to kiss her six-year-old son’s forehead.

“Night, Mommy.” Colin snuggled deeper beneath the thick comforter. He lay in the twin-size bed in the room that once had been Heather’s.

Gone were the decorations of her adolescence—posters of the latest celebrity heartthrob and her 4-H ribbons and trophies. It had taken the past three days to transform the room in a superhero motif that would have made Ken, her late husband, proud.

A cold draft skated across the back of her neck. The late November night had grown chilly, but at least the northern Idaho rain had abated for now. The weatherman had predicted a drop in temperature over the next few days. Fitting for this year’s Thanksgiving. She just needed to get through the day for Colin’s sake. Then she could concentrate on Christmas.

Hopefully celebrating the birth of Jesus would take her mind off her brother’s tragic death.

She also hoped they had snow by Christmas morning. Colin loved the snow. And, as always, her life’s priority was Colin.

She moved to the bedroom door. The creak of the old farmhouse’s hardwood floor beneath her feet followed each of her steps, echoing the hollow, lonely beat of her heart.

“Mommy?”

Pausing in the doorway with her hand hovering over the light switch, she smiled patiently at her son. Colin looked so much like Ken with his dark brown hair falling over one eye and his dimpled chin. She ached with love for her son and regret that he’d never know his father. “Yes, sweetie?”