Colton's Christmas Cop. Karen Whiddon

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      “Why did you quit, Hunter?” she asked, surprising him. “You were well regarded and performed your job duties well. And we paid you an excellent salary. Yet you gave notice without even the prospect of another job offer. When we heard you’d signed up for the police academy, we were surprised, to say the least.”

      How to tell someone that the life they’d chosen for herself was one he found abhorrent? Corporate greed and lies, constantly wondering if the things he was asked to do skirted the border of legality...

      “Working in law enforcement had been a longtime dream of mine,” he said. Then, deciding the time had come to change the subject and wrap things up, he checked his watch. “Do you want to call someone, maybe your fiancé, to come and get you?”

      “No. My engagement is currently on hold, like everyone else’s in this town,” she replied. She had a point. With some crazed serial killer going around murdering grooms right before their wedding day, just about every scheduled wedding had been postponed.

      “And to tell you the truth,” she continued, “I’m afraid if Hamlin finds out about these charges, he’ll end the engagement for good.”

      She looked so miserable at the prospect, his heart went out to her.

      “Come on, then,” he said, making an instant decision. “Let me run you home. It’s on my way, so it won’t be any trouble.”

      “What about the news vans?” She pointed toward the front of the police station. “Is there any way we can avoid them?”

      Eyeing her, in her tailored suit and heels, he considered. “We’ll go out the back and take my squad car, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t have someone watching that exit, too. It’d be better if you had a disguise.”

      “I don’t.”

      “I might be able to come up with something,” he replied.

      “Please tell me you’re not planning on raiding the police lost and found.” She shuddered. “No one knows where those things have been.”

      He couldn’t help but laugh. “I wasn’t, but that’s an idea. No, I keep a clean change of clothes here in case I have to spend the night. These uniforms aren’t the most comfortable to sleep in.”

      To his astonishment, she blushed. “Oh. But I don’t think your clothes will fit me. At all.”

      “We’ll figure out a way to make do. Come on, follow me.” He led the way down the hall, toward an area marked Employees Only. They went through the double doors and into a large room filled with lockers. From his locker, he retrieved a flannel shirt, a pair of sweatpants and socks. He’d even stuffed back a pair of old snow boots. “Here.” He handed everything to her. “The bathroom is right there. Put these on.”

      Eyeing the folded bundle dubiously, nevertheless, she did as he asked. When she emerged a few moments later, he felt like he’d just been punched in the stomach. His plaid flannel shirt hung down to her knees. She’d gotten creative and rolled his sweatpants up so they didn’t drag on the floor. She’d gathered the excess waistband to one side and held it in her small hand. And she struggled to walk in snow boots that were clearly several sizes too large for her.

      She looked like misfortune had guided her clothing choice, as if she were a homeless vagabond wearing whatever she could find in order to stay warm.

      And she looked, he thought, while struggling to catch his breath, sexy as hell.

      Dizzy with a sudden rush of desire, he tried to regain his equilibrium.

      This Layla Colton spelled trouble. Not just for him, he figured, not wanting to make of it any more than he had to. Hell, the intriguing contrast between super-sleek, buttoned-up Layla the executive and this one would catch the attention of any man with a lick of sense. He couldn’t gather his scattered thoughts enough to speak a single coherent word. It took every ounce of his willpower to keep from focusing on her lush lips and how badly he wanted to kiss them.

      Luckily, he wasn’t likely to ever see her looking like this ever again.

      “Here.” He handed her a baseball cap and his down parka. “Put these on and we’ll head out. I don’t think anyone would recognize you now.”

      He was right. If there were reporters stationed at the back of the building, he couldn’t tell. Which meant he could get her out of there without any undue attention. She got in his patrol car and they drove away unnoticed.

       Chapter 2

      Sinking down in the passenger seat, Layla started laughing as soon as they exited the police station parking lot. She couldn’t help it, even though she realized her inexplicable mirth bordered on hysteria.

      She laughed until tears ran down her cheeks, until exhaustion made her catch her breath. As she wound down, Hunter handed her a box of tissues. “Here,” he said. “I keep them in the car just in case. You never know when you’ll need them.”

      Grateful, she accepted. After wiping her eyes and what little mascara remained, she blew her nose and took a deep breath. “Sorry about that,” she told him, meaning it. “I really don’t know what came over me.”

      “It’s okay.” He glanced sideways at her. “People do strange things when under stress.”

      Grateful for his easy acceptance, she settled more comfortably in her seat as she rattled off her address. “Though I guess I should have you take me back to Colton Energy to get my car.”

      “I think you’re too upset to drive,” he said.

      After a moment, she agreed. “It’s been pretty crazy lately, even before this,” she admitted. “I mean, who would have thought our town would have a serial killer? And what a strange one, singling out men about to get married.”

      “Yeah. It is bizarre. And in addition to the grim reality of murder, there’s damage to the local economy. With all the weddings that have been placed on hold, lots of our local small businesses are suffering. Your sister’s bridal salon is in danger of going out of business. I’ve heard that returns and outright cancellations have destroyed Bea’s cash flow. And of course the wedding planners and caterers, like Good Eats, are struggling to pay their bills.”

      They reached the downtown area. Due to the hour, the streets were deserted. A light snow had fallen earlier, just enough to dust everything with white, so the sidewalks appeared pristine and untouched. When she’d been younger, Layla had loved to leave the first set of footprints in fresh snow. She knew even now, when they reached her town house, she’d take a private delight in walking from the parking lot to her front door.

      “It would be a shame if all those mom-and-pop stores went under,” he continued. “They’re hardworking people, good folks, and I hate to see that happen to them.”

      Again, her stomach twisted. Though she tried to keep everything bottled up inside, her stress level had her feeling as if something might blow at any moment. “It’s crazy,” she agreed. “We’re so close to Thanksgiving, and we’ve got some murderer running around killing off grooms. Everyone is scared.”

      “Are СКАЧАТЬ