A shocking revelation
Finding out she is heir to a fortune shocks Caroline Tully to her core. And to qualify for her inheritance, she just has to visit her newfound grandfathers Mississippi home from Christmas to New Years. Adopted as a baby, Caroline knows nothing about her mothers family... and doesnt realize they cant be trusted. When attempts are made on her life, theres only one man who can protect her. Donovan Cavanaugha man who made her lonely heart want to love again. Posing as her fiancé, Don promises to find the would-be killer. But will his protectionand his lovebe enough to keep her safe?
What in the world?
Dons mutter drew Carolines attention. His gaze was fixed on a truck bearing down on them at a rapid speed from the opposite direction. Don slowed and edged as close to the side of the roadway as possible. The truck mirrored their movement without slowing.
Gripping the door handle, Caroline tried to breathe past the knot of apprehension tightening her chest. The older model Ford truck seemed intent on playing some sort of game of chicken as it roared ever closer, directly in their path.
Don?
Hang on!
At the last second Don revved the motor and swerved to the other side of the road, out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.
Caroline twisted in her seat to stare after the truck until it roared out of sight.
That was random, right? She worked to calm her heart rate.
Given someone stalked you, broke into your apartment, then bombed said apartment? No.
TERRI REED
At an early age Terri Reed discovered the wonderful world of fiction and declared she would one day write a book. Now she is fulfilling that dream and enjoys writing for Love Inspired Books. Her second book, A Sheltering Love, was a 2006 RITA® Award finalist and a 2005 National Readers Choice Award finalist. Her book Strictly Confidential, book five of the Faith at the Crossroads continuity series, took third place in the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award, and Her Christmas Protector took third place in 2008. She is an active member of both Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children and an array of critters. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening and playing with her dogs.
You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555, Portland, OR 97280. Visit her on the web at www.loveinspiredauthors.com, leave comments on her blog at www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com or email her at terrireed@sterling.net.
The Secret Heiress
Terri Reed
www.millsandboon.co.uk
MILLS & BOON
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Dear Reader,
Welcome to Love Inspired!
2012 is a very special year for us. It marks the fifteenth anniversary of Love Inspired Books. Hard to believe that fifteen years ago, we first began publishing our warm and wonderful inspirational romances.
Back in 1997, we offered readers three books a month. Since then weve expanded quite a bit! In addition to the heartwarming contemporary romances of Love Inspired, we have the exciting romantic suspenses of Love Inspired Suspense, and the adventurous historical romances of Love Inspired Historical. Whatever your reading preference, weve got fourteen books a month for you to choose from now!
Throughout the year well be celebrating in several different ways. Look for books by bestselling authors whove been writing for us since the beginning, stories by brand-new authors you wont want to miss, special miniseries in all three lines, reissues of top authors, and much, much more.
This is our way of thanking you for reading Love Inspired books. We know our uplifting stories of hope, faith and love touch your hearts as much as they touch ours.
Join us in celebrating fifteen amazing years of inspirational romance!
Blessings,
Melissa Endlich and Tina James
Senior Editors of Love Inspired Books
Id like to say a special thank you to my editors at Love Inspired for your expertise and guidance in making my books the best they can be.
Thank you also to Melissa, Lissa, Leah and Ruth for your support and encouragement.
* * *
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by who we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirsheirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Romans 8:1517
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
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Questions for Discussion
ONE
Hey, Cavanaugh, lady here to see you.
Amid the buzz of conversations, phones ringing and the faint sound of keyboards that served as background noise at the offices of Trent Associates, Donovan Cavanaugh saved the document he was working onthe final report on the case hed just wrapped up.
A real doozy. Hed provided protection for a manager turned whistleblower of a pharmaceutical company. The guys conscience hadnt allowed him to ignore the release of a drug with adverse side effects, regardless of the company bigwigs wanting to make all the money they could without informing the public of the hazards.
He pushed his chair away from the desk. Name?
Gorgeous. At least thats what Id name her, Kyle Martin said from the doorway of the war room, the place where each Trent employee had his or her own spacedesk, phone, laptop and file cabinetwithin the brownstone of Bostons Back Bay neighborhood that housed the protection specialists agency. Kyle grinned, his too-handsome face beaming, making him look younger than twenty-nine.
Okay, the laid-back attitude helped make the perennial surfer dude seem young, too. But Don knew better than to underestimate his colleague, no matter how young he looked. Kyle was good at what he did. Hed been a SEAL before James Trent brought him on board. Those guys were as tough as they were smart.
Dubbed the best in the business of protection, Trent Associates employed ten operatives, all highly trained with either a background in military like Don or in law enforcement.
Did Gorgeous say what she wanted?
Kyle wiggled his eyebrows. You, dude. She wants you.
A low whistle came from Dons right. Ex-paratrooper and definite ladies man Trevor Jordan smirked. Sounds interesting. Something we should know about?
Ignoring Trevors and the other curious glances aimed his way, Don strode to the door. Wheres Lisa? The young woman who usually manned the agencys front desk would have been more discreet in announcing a potential client.
On lunch break. Kyle dogged his steps down the hall. Im covering the front desk.
A smart retort froze on Dons tongue the second his gaze landed on the petite brunette dwarfed by the ten-foot-tall Christmas tree in the client room just off the entryway. She had her back to him, but he didnt need to see her face to recognize the pretty woman whod once captured his attention.
She inspected an ornament. A gold, sparkly star. Her small, delicate hands trembled.
As the name Gorgeous echoed with unerring accuracy inside his head, he forced out her real name. Caroline?
She turned around. Her big amber-colored eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. A square white bandage, in stark contrast to her olive skin, covered half her forehead. Not that anything could mar her looks. She was still as beautiful as he remembered.
He hated the vulnerability he saw on her pretty face. Concern and something distinctly protective hammered at him. Whats going on?
Tears shimmered in her eyes. Don, I need to hire you. Someones trying to kill me.
Absorbing the announcement with surprise, Don was at her side in two strides.
Come, sit down. He took her by the arm and led her to one of the cushy sofas. Tell me whats happened so we can figure out what to do next.
I She took a shuddering breath. When I got home from work yesterday, my apartment door had been wired with explosives. The police are investigating.
Don sucked in a sharp breath of shock. A bomb. His right hand flexed, stretching the scar tissue along the outer edge. His gaze went to the bandage on her head. Are you okay?
She touched her fingertip to her forehead. Yes. A mild concussion. My hearing still isnt completely back, since part of my front door hit me in the head.
He sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving that she hadnt suffered worse injury. There was no mistaking the fear on her face. He understood. Hed felt the same way the first time hed faced a life-threatening situation during his military tour. Only time and repeated exposure to danger had dulled the panic. His faith had kept him sane. But this wasnt a war zone. Caroline shouldnt have to be afraid in her own home.
You did the right thing coming here. Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.
Visibly shaking, she nodded.
He gathered her cold hands in his and rubbed them. Appreciation flared in her eyes.
For a month, I kept seeing the same man hanging around my apartment building, my shop, even the grocery store. Then last week my apartment was broken into. The intruder left the place a mess and yet nothing was missing, as far as I could tell. The police thought maybe Id interrupted the thieves before they could take anything. Then two days ago I received this letter from a lawyer in Mississippi. She removed an envelope from her purse and handed it to him. At first I thought it was a hoax or scam or something.
He opened the letter and read the contents.
Dear Ms. Tully,
Im writing on behalf of the Maddox Estate, of which you may be named coheir as we have reason to believe you are Isabella Maddoxs daughter. There are conditions, however, that must be met. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss the next steps.
Youd never heard of this lawyer, Randall Paladin?
No, I hadnt.
He wasnt sure what to make of the letter. So you contacted him?
First, I did some research. I didnt want to call just to get pulled into some kind of scam. But the Maddox family is certainly real. Theyve lived in Mississippi for the past two centuries. And Mr. Paladin is an established lawyer in the same community.
She took a breath. You see, I was adopted as a baby. A closed adoption.
He hadnt known that. But then again, they hadnt really known each other well. Hed made sure of that.
So I called Mr. Paladin. Elijah Maddox recently discovered that his daughter, Isabella, had given up a child twenty-seven years ago. He had no idea who the father could be.
And hes sure Isabellas baby is you?
She nodded. So he claims. I asked about DNA testing to be sure, but Mr. Paladin said they have conclusive evidence already.
The not-so-random break-in. They were after your DNA.
Mr. Maddox hired a private investigator to find me. I guess he wanted to be sure of who I was before he reported back. Her anxious expression tore at him. But whats more troubling is the other thing I found in my researchIsabella Maddox was murdered.
His gut clenched. Was her killer brought to justice?
Her mouth twisted in an aggravated frown. I dont have any details. The newspaper articles I found didnt mention any trial, and Mr. Paladin wouldnt give me any further information about her when I tried to ask. He only wanted to talk about the new will Mr. Maddox had drawn up. He said in order for me to secure a place in Elijah Maddoxs estate I must go to Mississippi and stay with the Maddox family from Christmas Eve through New Years.
They cant legally compel you to do this. Wariness took hold. Why would they want you to come there? And why specifically those dates?
He wouldnt say, only that it was important that I do.
Ridiculous. Youre not thinking of going.
A determined light entered her tawny-colored gaze. I have to. Her expression implored him to understand. Not for the money, though. Ive been looking for my birth parents since I was eighteen. I need to know who these people are and what happened to my birth mother. Besides, I wouldnt be any safer staying here. My apartment door is proof enough of that. She touched his scarred hand. Will you take me on as a client and accompany me?
As she waited for an answer, he hesitated as a firestorm of sensation raced up his arm. He cleared his throat. Trent Associates can help you.
Relief swept across her face. I knew I made the right decision contacting you after all you did to keep Kristina safe.