Ann Peterson - A Cop In Her Stocking

The alarm was louder inside the building. Its shriek blared through his head and lodged somewhere in the fillings of his back teeth. He took the hall leading to the office where he’d last spotted Megan.

If an intruder had set off the alarm, he had no time to lose. Police would arrive eventually, but with the weather, he couldn’t be sure how soon.

He checked around the corner before stepping into the next hall. What he wouldn’t give to have his gun. Armed with only a tire iron, he didn’t relish running into whomever set off the alarm. The tool was heavy enough to do some damage, but even so, it would be worthless against even a twenty-two. He had to find Megan. He had to get her the hell out of here.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Officer Greg Dixon and the Middleton Police Department with special thanks for all you do.

Ever since she was a little girl making her own books out of construction paper, Ann Voss Peterson wanted to write. So when it came time to choose a major at the University of Wisconsin, creative writing was her only choice. Of course, writing wasn’t a practical choice—one needs to earn a living. So Ann found jobs, including proofreading legal transcripts, working with quarter horses and washing windows. But no matter how she earned her paycheck, she continued to write the type of stories that captured her heart and imagination—romantic suspense. Ann lives near Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband, her two young sons, her border collie and her quarter horse mare. Ann loves to hear from readers. E-mail her at ann@annvosspeterson.comor visit her Web site at www.annvosspeterson.com.

Tyler Davis—When his old flame returns to town, small-town cop Ty Davis offers to take her son on a Shop with a Cop outing, hoping to give her and her child a merry Christmas. But when the boy disappears in the mall, Ty needs a Christmas miracle of his own.

Megan Garvey—After weathering scandal and divorce, Megan has learned nothing is as it seems. But Ty’s loyalty and determination to help her make her want to believe in Santa Claus.

Connor Burke—The three-year-old disappeared in the shopping mall. Will he be home for Christmas?

Doug Burke—Megan’s ex-husband is always looking for the easy way out. But when his son goes missing, nothing is easy.

Leo Wheeling—The lieutenant is efficient and on top of things, so why are there so many loose ends in this case?

Todd Baker—The detective has a family of his own, so surely he’ll do whatever he can to find Megan’s son.

Derek Ernst—The security guard knows all about finding lost children.

Evan Blankenship—The small-town mayor is very helpful. But are his motives rooted in politics or in a secret desire for Megan?

Mr. Keating—The owner of a local security company holds the keys to a lot of doors.

Gary Burke—Is Doug’s cousin trying to help Megan out or make things more difficult for her?

Samantha Vickery—What is the woman after?

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

Try as he might, Tyler Davis was not what anyone would call an expert gift shopper. And if anyone on this snow-covered earth needed proof, here it was, wrapped up in Christmas paper and tied with a big-ass bow.

He tried to tune out the jangle of department store Christmas music and warring scents from the army of perfume pushers and focus on the pair of oversized slippers that resembled a dog’s paws clutched in the three-year-old’s hands. Even with his deep-seated shopping deficiency, Ty had doubts whether this was the way to go. “You’re sure she’s going to like those?”

Connor nodded, his tousled red hair flopping over one side of his forehead.

Ty raked his hand through his own cropped, spiky hair. If this was any other kid he’d taken Christmas shopping as part of his small city police department’s Shop with a Cop program, he’d find the choice funny. He might even encourage the kid, just for a chuckle. But Megan had been through a lot. And the whole reason he insisted on taking Connor out shopping—secretly on his own dime, since the department’s official Shop with a Cop program was already over—was to give Megan a good experience for a change. “I don’t know, Connor. Moms usually like things that make them look…I don’t know…pretty. Not like a dog.”

The inside corners of Connor’s eyes reddened. His lips pulled together into what was fast becoming a pout and could any minute cross the line into crying.

Oh, hell.

He must be out of his mind to take his old flame’s son shopping. And when he thought about the world of hurt he’d be in if the chief found out he had misrepresented this as an official department program, he knew he’d crossed to the far side of crazy. It was just that when he’d heard how Meg’s ex had dragged her through the shredder and seen the dumpy apartment the smartest girl in his high school class was now living in, he’d wanted to do something for her. She couldn’t afford a nice Christmas for herself and her young son, but he could. And she never had to know where the money came from.

And besides, it gave him an excuse to see her again.

Of course, he hadn’t considered that the success of his brilliant plan all hinged on a three-year-old’s taste.

He pulled in a deep breath of patience and let it out slowly. The last thing he wanted was to make the kid cry. Now that would really impress Megan, returning with a tear-sodden little boy who could tell her all about what a jerk Officer Ty was. Not that she didn’t know that already.

He picked up the slippers and pretended to examine them, turning them over in his hands. “Oh, look here. They’re slippers. I didn’t realize that. Well, that changes everything. You’re right, man. Your mom will love these.” He eyed the kid, hoping Connor wouldn’t pick up a false note in his voice.

Big green eyes flicked up to his face. A twitch settled over the little lips, not exactly a smile, but something less than a pout.

Crisis mitigated.

Ty handed the fuzzy things back to Connor along with a grin. So Megan would be wearing dog paw slippers this winter. Interesting. “What next? Can you think of something else your mom might like?”

Connor shook his head.

“Should we look around?” His arms were already weighed down with Legos, books and a Hot Wheels set for the kid. But he couldn’t leave the mall with nothing but a pair of dog slippers for Megan. He had to find something nice.

He did a 360, gaze skimming over the clothing racks and colorful Christmas displays in the mall department store. His eyes fixed on racks of lacy bras and thongs in the lingerie department nearby.

Hmm. Now he could much more easily picture Megan wearing something in satin or lace. If he hadn’t given up his right to play Santa—officially—that’s what she would find in her stocking come Christmas morning.

He stepped a little closer. Images of Christmases—back when they were dating in high school and college—danced through his mind like some kind of damn sugar plums. He could imagine what it would be like now. A quiet Christmas Eve, sitting in front of the fire running his fingers through Megan’s silky auburn hair. He’d choose something like that black number with the lace that was cut down to there. Or maybe the teddy on the mannequin, green to go with her eyes. Yeah, that was the one. He could imagine her filling it out.