Alicia Scott - Partners In Crime Part 2

As a devastating summer storm hits Grand Springs, Colorado, the next thirty-six hours will change the town and its residents forever….

Jack Stryker’s investigation into Olivia Stuart’s death leads straight to Josie. He’ll have to do his job—even if it means arresting the woman he hasn’t been able to get out of his mind since their night together.

Josie can’t believe Jack thinks she could murder her friend. If he were suspected of murder she would believe in him, no matter how damning the evidence. She’ll trust her heart over her head any day.

How can a relationship survive when two lovers are on opposite sides of the law?

The story concludes in Partners in Crime Part 3.

Dear Reader,

In the town of Grand Springs, Colorado, a devastating summer storm sets off a string of events that changes the lives of the residents forever….

Welcome to Mills & Boon exciting new digital serial, 36 Hours! In this thirty-six part serial share the stories of the residents of Grand Springs, Colorado, in the wake of a deadly storm.

With the power knocked out and mudslides washing over the roads, the town is plunged into darkness and the residents are forced to face their biggest fears—and find love against all odds.

Each week features a new story written by a variety of bestselling authors like Susan Mallery and Sharon Sala. The stories are published in three segments, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the first segment of every three-part book is free, so you can get caught up in the mystery and drama of Grand Springs. And you can get to know a new set of characters every week. You can read just one, but as the lives and stories of each intertwine in surprising ways, you’ll want to read them all!

Join Mills & Boon E every week as we bring you excitement, mystery, fun and romance in 36 Hours!

Happy reading!

Alicia Scott is the award-winning author of thirteen romantic suspense novels, including Maggie’s Man, MacNamara’s Woman and Brandon’s Bride. In addition to winning an award for career achievement from RT Book Reviews, Alicia was also a finalist for a prestigious RITA® Award for best contemporary romance for MacNamara’s Woman. Living in New England with her family, Alicia now writes hard-edged suspense as Lisa Gardner. For more information on both careers, please visit www.lisagardner.com.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Just because her name is Jo, she has blond hair and she was friends with Mayor Olivia Stuart, doesn’t mean that Josie Reynolds is a killer. Or does it? Detective Jack Stryker has the evidence in front of him. But if she’s capable of such a heinous crime, how could he be falling for her? Jack spent the night with Josie, loving every minute. Where are his trusted instincts? He’s relied on them his whole life. Are they betraying him now or is Josie just that good at deception?

Chapter Six Continued

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Stone Richardson spared another sharp glance over at his partner. Jack Stryker sat perfectly straight in the front of the squad car. His knees were together, his hands at his side, and his gaze locked straight ahead. No emotion or expression had crossed his face for the last three hours, not since Stone had opened a small package addressed to himself and found inside every detail of Josie Reynolds’s life. A typed, unsigned note had been clipped to the front.

Dear Detective:

Jo Reynolds is not who she appears to be. Olivia found out the truth, look what happened to her.

Sincerely,

Someone Who Knows Better

Stone had quickly scanned the materials, then given them to Jack to read before sending the whole package to the lab to be analyzed for fingerprints. He hadn’t understood why his partner had become so cold and remote until they went to pick up Josie. So Jack had spent the night with their number one murder suspect.

God, what a mess. And how totally unlike Straight Arrow Stryker.

“You should’ve let me handle it,” he said under his breath to Jack. Josie wasn’t paying any attention to them. Separated by bulletproof glass, she was hunched next to the locked back door, staring out the window and looking as miserable as Jack.

“I wanted to handle it.”

“You could get into a lot of trouble for this.”

“She wasn’t the number one suspect last night.”

“Dammit, Jack, play iceman with someone who doesn’t know you as well as I do. You’re involved with her. It’s obvious you care. You should’ve let me handle it.”

Jack turned to him at last. “I wanted to handle it. She shouldn’t have been confronted by a stranger.”

Stone grimaced and shook his head. “Stryker, one of these days, I’ll have to teach you about women, because otherwise your sense of honor is going to get you killed.”

Stone pulled into Josie’s neighborhood. Two other squad cars were there. The warrant listed the whole house, garage and car as fair game. They had four officers to help search, with him and Jack overseeing the operation. It would probably take a few hours. Depending on what they found, they might have probable cause to get a new search warrant for Josie’s office.

Stone pulled into the driveway, not bothering to get Josie from the back, but leaving her for his partner to handle. Once on the front porch, a pale and dry-eyed Josie stood quietly while Jack retrieved the door keys from her purse and opened it for all the officers.

“Why don’t you take Ms. Reynolds into the kitchen,” Stone told Jack brusquely.

“One of the other—”

“Why don’t you take Ms. Reynolds into the kitchen?” Stone smiled more tightly. The search would start in the living room, then the bedroom, where personal items were more likely to be found. The kitchen would be the only place to give Jack and Josie the privacy he was sure they needed.

After a moment, Jack conceded with the smallest tilt of his head.

“Stubborn ass,” Stone muttered. He started barking orders, and as Jack led Josie away, the rest of them got to work.

* * *

“Can I at least get a glass of water?” Josie asked at last. She stood in the middle of her own kitchen, uncuffed but feeling very much a prisoner. She didn’t want to be alone with this man. She never wanted to look at him again.

“Where are your glasses?” He sounded as if he were talking to someone he barely knew, much less liked.

“Upper right cupboard. Afraid that’s where I stash all my assault weapons?”

He wordlessly pulled down a glass, ran cold water in the faucet and filled the glass. He handed it out to her. She shook her head.

“There’s bottled water in the fridge.”

Not batting an eye, he dumped out the tap water, opened the refrigerator and refilled the glass. This time, he set it down on the counter, probably so he wouldn’t have to risk brushing her fingers.

“You are such a bastard,” she said at last. She was having to blink back tears again.

He pulled out a chair and sat. He locked his gaze on the far wall, and her blood boiled over.

“So that’s it? I get the silent treatment now? At least I fight fair, Stryker. At least I say what’s on my mind. You make the queen of England seem loose-lipped and wild.”

“You’re not as open as you pretend.” His voice carried an edge. Fool that she was, she went after it.