Carla Cassidy - Scene Of The Crime - Who Killed Shelly Sinclair?

A COLD CASE REUNION IGNITES ROMANCE IN NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR CARLA CASSIDY’S NEW SCENE OF THE CRIME

Sheriff Olivia Bradford has a corrupt police department to clean up and an unsolved murder case to crack. But her new employee, Daniel Carson, isn’t some subordinate she can brush off. Unbeknownst to him, he fathered her young daughter five years ago. Now she needs him to get close enough to solve Shelly Sinclair’s untimely death without letting him get too close to learn her secret.

Daniel never forgot Olivia or the sizzling night of passion they shared. But with a killer targeting her, he must keep his elusive boss alive if he’s ever going to learn the truth...

“Did you forget something?” Olivia asked.

“No, I just figured I’d see a lady to her door,” Daniel replied.

“I’m not a lady, I’m your boss,” she retorted with a smile.

“I have a terrible confession to make,” he said as they reached her small front porch.

She pulled her house key from her purse and looked at him cautiously. “A confession?”

He nodded. “I have to confess that from the moment my new boss showed up I’ve wanted to kiss her.”

“You kissed me last night on the forehead.” Warmth filled her cheeks as she thought of that tender kiss.

“That’s not the kind of kiss I’m thinking about,” he replied, and took a step closer to her.

She was playing with fire and she knew it but was unable to help herself. “Then what kind of kiss have you been thinking about?” she asked, her heartbeat speeding up.

“This kind.” He pulled her into his arms and slanted his lips down to hers.

Scene of

the Crime:

Who Killed

Shelly Sinclair?

New York Times Bestselling Author

Carla Cassidy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CARLA CASSIDY is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than one hundred books for Harlequin. 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.

CAST OF CHARACTERS CAST OF CHARACTERS 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 Epilogue Extract Copyright

Sheriff Olivia Bradford—She’s come to Lost Lagoon to ferret out corruption and is stunned to find herself boss to a man she’d had a one-night stand with five years before.

Deputy Daniel Carson—He’s never forgotten that night he’d spent with Olivia. But now that she’s reopened the Shelly Sinclair murder case, she’s been threatened, and he’s determined to keep her safe from the danger closing in.

Eric Baptiste—He’d fallen in love with Shelly and made plans to leave town with her. Had she decided to stay in Lost Lagoon and he killed her?

Neil Sampson—Did the handsome, charismatic city councilman have a secret that he was willing to kill to keep?

Mac Sinclair—Shelly’s older brother had hated Bo McBride. Had his hatred for his sister’s boyfriend boiled over into an accidental death of Shelly?

Bo McBride—Shelly’s boyfriend at the time of her murder. Had he killed her in a fit of passion because she’d decided to leave him and Lost Lagoon behind?

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A COLD CASE REUNION IGNITES ROMANCE IN NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR CARLA CASSIDY’S NEW SCENE OF THE CRIME Sheriff Olivia Bradford has a corrupt police department to clean up and an unsolved murder case to crack. But her new employee, Daniel Carson, isn’t some subordinate she can brush off. Unbeknownst to him, he fathered her young daughter five years ago. Now she needs him to get close enough to solve Shelly Sinclair’s untimely death without letting him get too close to learn her secret. Daniel never forgot Olivia or the sizzling night of passion they shared. But with a killer targeting her, he must keep his elusive boss alive if he’s ever going to learn the truth...

Introduction “Did you forget something?” Olivia asked. “No, I just figured I’d see a lady to her door,” Daniel replied. “I’m not a lady, I’m your boss,” she retorted with a smile. “I have a terrible confession to make,” he said as they reached her small front porch. She pulled her house key from her purse and looked at him cautiously. “A confession?” He nodded. “I have to confess that from the moment my new boss showed up I’ve wanted to kiss her.” “You kissed me last night on the forehead.” Warmth filled her cheeks as she thought of that tender kiss. “That’s not the kind of kiss I’m thinking about,” he replied, and took a step closer to her. She was playing with fire and she knew it but was unable to help herself. “Then what kind of kiss have you been thinking about?” she asked, her heartbeat speeding up. “This kind.” He pulled her into his arms and slanted his lips down to hers.

Title Page Scene of the Crime: Who Killed Shelly Sinclair? New York Times Bestselling Author Carla Cassidy www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author CARLA CASSIDY is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than one hundred books for Harlequin. 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.

CAST OF CHARACTERS CAST OF CHARACTERS CAST OF CHARACTERS 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 Epilogue Extract Copyright Sheriff Olivia Bradford—She’s come to Lost Lagoon to ferret out corruption and is stunned to find herself boss to a man she’d had a one-night stand with five years before. Deputy Daniel Carson—He’s never forgotten that night he’d spent with Olivia. But now that she’s reopened the Shelly Sinclair murder case, she’s been threatened, and he’s determined to keep her safe from the danger closing in. Eric Baptiste—He’d fallen in love with Shelly and made plans to leave town with her. Had she decided to stay in Lost Lagoon and he killed her? Neil Sampson—Did the handsome, charismatic city councilman have a secret that he was willing to kill to keep? Mac Sinclair—Shelly’s older brother had hated Bo McBride. Had his hatred for his sister’s boyfriend boiled over into an accidental death of Shelly? Bo McBride—Shelly’s boyfriend at the time of her murder. Had he killed her in a fit of passion because she’d decided to leave him and Lost Lagoon behind?

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

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Daniel Carson sat at the small desk in the Lost Lagoon sheriff station. The blinds at the windows were pulled shut, giving the office complete privacy. Outside the small glass-enclosed room, the sound of the other men in the squad room created a low buzz of constant conversation.

They would all be discussing the arrival of the new sheriff, one appointed by the state attorney to take over and root out any corruption in the department until new elections could be held in the small town.

It had been almost a month since the former sheriff, Trey Walker, and Mayor Jim Burns had been arrested for drug trafficking and attempted murder. They had been moving their product from the swamp lagoon through underground tunnels to Trey’s house where it was trucked out of the state. The scandal had rocked the tiny Mississippi swamp town.