Colton's Christmas Cop. Karen Whiddon

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СКАЧАТЬ this truth out, she wasn’t sure. But she felt better having actually said it out loud. “That’s why I agreed to marry Hamlin Harrington. He’s promised my father a fresh influx of money.”

      “An arranged marriage?” He sounded so shocked.

      “He’s wanted me for years.” As if that justified it. While she knew how it appeared, she didn’t see where she had a choice.

      “Layla, he’s twice your age.”

      With a nervous laugh, she discounted that statement. “Not really. He is quite a bit older, though. But it’ll be fine. I’ll do anything to save the family business. Marrying Hamlin will do that, as long as the wedding goes off without a hitch by the end of the year.”

      He signaled a right turn onto her street and shot her a curious glance. “Why the time constraint?”

      Taking a deep breath before answering, she considered swearing him to secrecy. If she told him the truth, she’d be letting him in on something only very few people knew. “Will you keep this between us?” she asked.

      “Of course.”

      For whatever reason, she trusted him to keep his word.

      “If Colton Energy doesn’t get that cash by the end of the year, there’s no help for us. We’ll have to file bankruptcy and most likely close our doors.” She bit her lip before continuing. “Not only will many people be out of work, but we won’t be able to continue to help fund my pet project, the police K9 unit and training center.” All of her father’s wives had been strong supporters of the K9 unit and training center, including Layla’s late mother. Trusts had been left by her and her half sisters’ mothers to keep the unit and center going, and when those trusts ran out, Fenwick had stepped up. Now, unless her marriage to Hamlin went on, the K9 unit and training center would be in as much jeopardy as Colton Energy.

      Her words hung there in the air between them as Hunter pulled into her parking lot and up next to the curb in front of her town house. Turning in his seat to face her, he scratched his head. “Layla, the K9 training center is now completely self-sufficient, thanks to K9 chief Finn Colton, who came up with a plan. Once the center started training dogs for police departments all over the country, they quickly got out of the red. A fully trained police dog goes for over ten thousand dollars.”

      Stunned, she wasn’t sure how to respond. With the truth, she supposed. “I didn’t know. That entire thing is under my father’s control. He never told me about that.” In fact, he’d led her to believe the opposite. He talked about the K9 training center as if it was a money pit, draining Colton Energy dry. This made her wonder what else he might have misdirected her on.

      “You were the VP of finance and accounting,” she said. “I know it’s been a while since you left, but what—in your opinion—was the biggest drain on Colton Energy’s finances?”

      He only stared at her. “You should already know that. You’re executive VP of everything.”

      Of course, he had no way of knowing how empty her title truly was. “Not really, though that’s a general misconception. While I am in charge of several departments, my primary duties are more in sales and marketing,” she said. “I oversee our sales force and step in when necessary to help get corporate contracts for companies that want to break away from traditional energy and do something more earth friendly and renewable.” She managed her normal professional smile as she recited the spiel she knew by heart. “I also oversee the payroll department and human resources. My father still oversees the accounting department and has the final say on any big decisions.”

      “But you have access to the books, right?”

      Put that way... “No,” she admitted. “I haven’t seen the books. I’m thinking I should take a look.”

      His sideways glance was telling. “Since you’re head of HR, were you the one who hired Mark Hatton?”

      Right to the gut, that question. Her smile slipped. “I was. I regretted that decision within a month. Mark cuts corners and makes sloppy deals, and I have to wonder at his ethics. I’d begun keeping a detailed accounting of his mistakes so I’d have backup when I fired him.”

      “You really were going to let him go?”

      “Yes. And I promise you, it had nothing to do with him refusing to go out with me.” Her stomach churned. “I don’t understand why he’s saying that.”

      For one breathtaking second, as her gaze locked with Hunter’s, she thought he might kiss her. Her heart raced and she felt dizzy, but in the end, he looked away first.

      Suddenly, she realized they’d been sitting in front of her town house for several minutes. “Thanks for the ride,” she said, her voice too bright. “I’ll have someone pick me up and take me into the office tomorrow.” Opening her door, she practically jumped out, sliding a little in the fresh snow.

      Watching Layla rush into her town house, Colton tried to analyze what had almost just happened.

      He’d almost kissed her. Layla Colton, the woman who epitomized everything he’d despised about the corporate world.

      Except she didn’t.

      He’d never really talked to her, one on one, until tonight. Her devotion to her job, to her father’s company, had always been legendary, and she clearly didn’t appear to see the irony of working her fingers to the bone for a man who barely acknowledged her existence.

      Not his business, he reminded himself. The only situation he needed to concern himself with was the case against her. His gut told him she’d been charged with a crime she hadn’t committed.

      Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he put the car in Drive and headed home. Unlike Layla, who lived in trendy North Red Ridge, his small house sat in an older part of town. Which suited him fine.

      He loved his small frame house. He had a large, fenced yard and lots of trees. Pulling into his driveway, he hit the remote garage door opener and then parked in the garage.

      As he stepped into his kitchen, Hunter immediately crouched down. Goose, his basset hound, launched herself at him as she always did, wiggling and doing her best to lick every inch of his face.

      This was his absolute favorite part of the day.

      He let Goose outside, standing on the back porch to watch her, a habit he’d continued from when she’d been a tiny puppy and he’d worried an eagle would swoop down and carry her off. Since she hated the cold, she took care of her business quickly and then rushed at him to be let back inside.

      He’d stopped by earlier during his dinner break to feed her, so he only gave her a dog biscuit as a reward. “Such a good girl,” he crooned. As she gazed up at him, he could swear she grinned.

      No one could tell it by looking at her, but Goose was only one of four dogs in the entire county trained for electronic storage detection.

      When Hunter had brought in the young dog, who looked more like a mixed breed than a pure-bred basset hound, everyone had assumed he was joking when he’d announced his intention to train her in the highly specialized field. Then, as he’d begun working with her, their amusement had turned to incredulity. No one had ever seen a dog who could detect electronics. None of the other trainers had even known such a thing was СКАЧАТЬ