He pinched her chin with his fingers and kissed her sweet lips, just a little tart from the lemon. But that was Kyra—sweet and tart.
When he pulled away, she stroked his jaw with her fingertips. “Does this mean you don’t hate therapists anymore?”
“Never did.” He rubbed her back, which arched like a cat’s beneath his touch. “I’m liking this therapist a lot right now.”
The phone next to him on the wooden bridge buzzed, and he groaned. “The pitfalls of dating a cop. My ex-wife never got used to it.”
“I’m not your ex.” Kyra swept up the phone and handed it to him. “It’s Billy.”
“Hey, Billy. You’re interrupting my private time.”
“I didn’t know you had any of that, brother.” Billy coughed. “You’re gonna want to hear this—or maybe not.”
“What is it?” A slow dread thrummed through Jake’s veins.
“Body just discovered—card in the mouth and severed little finger.”
Jake’s gut knotted as he grabbed Kyra’s hand.
“What’s wrong, Jake?”
“Looks like we have another copycat killer.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781488072741
The Setup
Copyright © 2021 by Carol Ericson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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“I’m not a sheriff.” Not anymore.
He helped her regain her balance on her own two feet, his hand still pressed into her lower back. Bands of heat swirled through her, and she forced herself to step out of his reach. To prove she could. She wasn’t a sheriff anymore, and he wasn’t a private investigator anymore, but that didn’t make the desire bubbling under her skin any more appropriate. She was the chief deputy of this district—his superior. If the top United States marshal himself got even a hint of intimacy between her and Dylan, she’d lose her job and he’d be suspended.
She couldn’t let the past ruin what she’d built here. For either of them.
The Suspect
Nichole Severn
Nichole Severn writes explosive romantic suspense with strong heroines, heroes who dare challenge them and a hell of a lot of guns. She resides with her very supportive and patient husband, as well as her demon spawn, in Utah. When she’s not writing, she’s constantly injuring herself running, rock climbing, practicing yoga and snowboarding. She loves hearing from readers through her website, www.nicholesevern.com, and on Twitter, @nicholesevern.
Books by Nichole Severn
Harlequin Intrigue
A Marshal Law Novel
The Fugitive
The Witness
The Prosecutor
The Suspect
Blackhawk Security
Rules in Blackmail
Rules in Rescue
Rules in Deceit
Rules in Defiance
Caught in the Crossfire
The Line of Duty
Midnight Abduction
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Remington “Remi” Barton—Small-town sheriff turned chief deputy US marshal. Remi’s failure to catch a serial killer from her days as a Delaware sheriff is about to put everything she’s tried to protect in danger, including one of her own deputies.
Dylan Cove—As a former private investigator, Dylan is more than capable of uncovering the truth, but his past mistakes threaten to derail the hunt for a killer and compromise his future with Remi.
Beckett Foster—Deputy US marshal assigned out of Oregon division office.
Finnick Reed—Deputy US marshal with specialized experience hunting serial killers assigned out of Oregon division office.
Jonah Watson—Deputy US marshal and former FBI bomb technician assigned out of Oregon division office.
New Castle Killer—Credited with murdering three college-age victims in Delaware, the New Castle Killer is determined to finish what he’s started with Remi, but what happens when another killer catches up with this serial killer?
To my mind-blowing readers:
Keep buying my books, please.
But seriously, you’re amazing.
Contents
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 ONE
Some people believed evil could be predicted. It couldn’t.
Chief Deputy US Marshal Remington “Remi” Barton stepped over the threshold of the small cabin on the outskirts of the city. Sitting between Mount Hood and Portland, Gresham, Oregon, was one of the state’s largest cities, but it still hung on to that small-town feel. One hundred thousand people lived within the limits, yet not a single one of them had been close enough to hear the victim scream.
“Heard you might have seen something like this back in Delaware, Chief.” Sergeant Daniel Nguyen, the Gresham officer who’d called her to check out the scene, motioned her inside. He flipped open a small notebook and cradled a pencil in his other hand. Handsome Asian heritage highlighted sharp cheekbones, a thin nose and thick black hair. Dark eyes scanned the scene. “The medical examiner is on her way, and the crime scene unit will be finished in a few minutes. No forced entry, and whoever finished the job had wiped down any surfaces before leaving the victim. I doubt we’ll be able to pull fingerprints. Whoever did this sure as hell knew how
