Susan Peterson
Emergency Contact
A book in the Dead Bolt series, 2004
Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,
We have another month of spine-tingling romantic thrillers lined up for you-starting with the much anticipated second book in Joanna Waynes tantalizing miniseries duo, HIDDEN PASSIONS: FULL MOON MADNESS. In Just Before Dawn, a reclusive mountain man vows to get to the bottom of a single mothers terrifying nightmares before darkness closes in.
Award-winning author Leigh Riker makes an exciting debut in the Harlequin Intrigue line this May with Double Take. Next, pulses race out of control in Mask of a Hunter by Sylvie Kurtz-the second installment in THE SEEKERS-when a tough operatives cover story as doting lover to a pretty librarian threatens to blow up.
Be there from the beginning of our brand-new in-line continuity, SHOTGUN SALLYS! In this exciting trilogy, three young women friends uncover a scandal in the town of Mustang Valley, Texas, that puts their lives-and the lives of the men they love-on the line. Dont miss Out for Justice by Susan Kearney.
To wrap up a month of cant-miss romantic suspense, Doreen Roberts debuts in the Harlequin Intrigue line with Official Duty, the next title in our COWBOY COPS thematic promotion. Its a double-murder investigation that forces a woman out of hiding to face her perilous pastand her pent-up feelings for the sexy sheriff who still has her heart in custody. Last but certainly not least, Emergency Contact by Susan Peterson-part of our DEAD BOLT promotion-is an edgy psychological thriller about a traumatized amnesiac who may have been brainwashed to do the unthinkable
Enjoy all our selections this month!
Sincerely,
Denise OSullivan
Senior Editor,
Harlequin Intrigue
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Tess Doe (Ross)-Although unaware of her own identity, Tess knows that she can trust no one, including gentle but probing psychiatrist Ryan Donovan, called in to treat her. Instinct tells her that her enemies are closing in and she must escape before time runs out.
Ryan Donovan, M.D.-Disillusioned with clinical work, he returns to his hometown, determined to bury himself in research. But he quickly finds himself intriguingly involved with the beautiful but perplexing amnesiac who walked out of a local cornfield.
Gen. Thomas Flynn-A member of the ultraconservative organization The Patriots Foundation of Family Values, Flynn is a decisive, arrogant man who decides to change the political course of a country by whatever means possible.
Sidney Bloom, M.D.-A brilliant scientist who vehemently believes in the old adage The End Justifies the Means.
Ian McCaffery-A human machine bent on making sure his superiors plans for change come to fruition.
For you, Dad.
I know we havent always seen eye to eye, but your
deep love, warm support and total belief in my talent
have always made me feel appreciated. I love being
one of your four daughters.
Thanks to my critique partners Chris Wenger, Linda Bleser & Tracy Rysavy. You made this all possible.
A special thanks to Patricia Otto, R.N. and Eric Lemza for their wonderful medical insights. Any medical errors are totally my fault and were done in order to make this work of fiction possible.
Chapter One
The morning Tess Doe walked naked out of the Half Moon, Iowa, cornfield, psychiatrist Ryan Donovan was three miles away, wolfing down one of Sally Todds homemade sugar doughnuts and sipping some of her fresh-brewed coffee.
You want a dozen of them to go, Doc? Sally asked, backing out of the kitchen and balancing a huge metal tray of iced apple turnovers in one hand. She set the tray onto the counter and wiped her flour-smudged hands on her apron.
Alice will kill me if I bring any of that stuff into the office, Ryan said, using the corner of a paper napkin to swipe at his mouth.
Shortly after meeting him, his new secretary had lamented to every other secretary on their floor that her new boss could eat like a horse and never gain an ounce. Ryan had taken it as fair warning not to bring in the usual office goodies.
Pish-posh, the girl just needs to accept the fact that she comes from good farm stock. She needs to celebrate her largeness.
Ryan didnt have a response to that one. Sometimes Sallys hometown philosophy wasnt debatable. He had a feeling this was one of those times.
Sally grabbed a white bakers bag off the shelf and snapped it open. Before he could stop her, shed shoved a dozen sugar and bavarian-cream doughnuts inside and set it on the counter in front of him.
Did you hear those helicopters overhead last night? she asked.
Heard something hovering overhead, but I didnt have time to go look. Ryan took a sip of coffee. If there was anything Sally Todd liked better than baking, it was exchanging a bit of gossip.
When I stopped for gas this morning, Gary said he thought he saw an explosion over by the Carson farm, Sally said. But by the time he got there it was too dark to see anything.
Wonderful, Ryan said dryly. Now well have Gary telling everyone that aliens have landed in Half Moon.
Dont be making fun of poor Gary. People are a tad spooked with that research center being here.
Ryan laughed. Talk about small town paranoia. All were doing is boring pharmaceutical research.
Before Sally could comment, her phone rang and she reached around to answer it. Ryan pulled a ten-dollar bill out of his wallet, set it on the counter, and picked up the bag of doughnuts. He nodded to Sally, prepared to head out to work. But she waved at him, signaling for him to wait.
A few seconds later, she hung up the phone. That was the police dispatcher. She said the Chief is looking for you. Wants you to meet him out at the Carson farm.
Ryan frowned. Chief Cole wants to see me?
Yep, right away.
Puzzled, Ryan shrugged. Okay, Ill head out there.
He waved and strolled out onto the main street of Half Moon. A few cars and pickup trucks were parked along Station Street, the main drag through town. Most belonged to the store owners that occupied the not-so-bustling shopping strip that made up downtown Half Moon. No large malls or superstores in this tiny town. But Ryan figured hed adjust. Hed have to.
Two months ago, weary from battling traffic and short-tempered city folks, he had quit his staff position at Bostons Neuropsychiatric Hospital and returned home to Half Moon, a tiny, rural farming community. It was only luck that his old mentor, Dr. Sidney Bloom, had a position open for him at the Half Moon Research Center, a small, private facility dedicated to neuropsychiatric research.
Ryan shook his head. Who was he kidding? Crowds, traffic and a busy schedule hadnt prompted his decision to leave. Failure had forced him to leave. There wasnt much room for a psychiatrist who didnt know how to function better than a first-year medical student. A psychiatrist who failed his patients.
He breathed deep, tasting the sweet warmth of summer, and raked a restless hand through his hair. Time to quit analyzing everything. Some things were better left alone. Research, not clinical work, was where he needed to concentrate his talents.
He climbed into his dusty BMW and took off out of town. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up the winding dirt driveway leading to the Carson farm.
On the front lawn, next to one of Betty Carsons carefully tended flower beds, stood Half Moons Chief of Police Ted Cole and Bud Carson. Buds expression was worried enough to send a jolt of concern through Ryan. Not much rattled Bud. Not even the night a private patient had left the research facility and climbed through the downstairs window of his house and started cooking scrambled eggs in the Carsons kitchen.
Ryan pulled up behind Coles truck and jumped out. Morning, gentlemen. Whats the big emergency?
Chief Cole scowled. Another nutcase has escaped from the center and landed in Buds cornfield.
Chief, people dont escape from the Half Moon Research Center, Ryan said patiently. Sometimes people leave the center without signing out or letting anyone know where theyre going, but theyre at the center of their own free will.
Chief Cole snorted. Still means theyre going over the wall, if you ask me. He nodded his head in Bud Carsons direction. The nut job scared the stuffing out of poor Bud here.
Ryan smiled at the elderly farmer. You do look a little rattled, Bud.
Bud ran a gnarled hand through his thinning gray hair. I have good reason to, Doc. I was out back, taking a look at the corn when I heard something rustling. I looked up and out steps this woman. Damn near dropped my teeth.
Cole shot a sly sideways grin at his friend and then elbowed him in the side. She got old Buds pulse aracing, too.
Ryan raised a questioning eyebrow in the farmers direction.
She was buck naked, Doc, Bud explained. A twinge of red pinked the tip of the mans ears. Not a stitch on. Good thing Betty brought me some of that new denture adhesive. Otherwise I might ave lost em for sure.
Ryan glanced at the Chief. I havent heard anything about anyone leaving the center without permission. Did you call Dr. Bloom?
The Chief nodded. He was too busy to talk to me. I just got some flunky of his. I figured youd be easier to deal with.
Ill help in any way I can, Ryan said.
After nodding to the two men, Ryan took the wooden porch steps two at a time. As he pulled open the screen door and stepped into the cheery farm kitchen, Betty Carson greeted him. Im glad they found you, Ryan. Shes in the living room. Go easy on her. Poor thing is as scared as a newborn baby rabbit.
Ryan gave Betty a reassuring smile. Ill be gentle.
He stepped around her and walked into the dimly lit living room. Like a lot of farm folks, Betty Carson kept the main part of the house cool by drawing heavy curtains to block the hot morning sun. The front room was dark, the furniture sitting amidst a heavy gloom.
In spite of the poor light, Ryan spotted the woman immediately. She sat in the cushioned easy chair occupying the far corner of the room. She was covered from neck to feet with a hand-stitched quilt-one of Bettys legendary homemade quilts, no doubt. Her legs were drawn up beneath the blanket, and her chin, small with a slight indentation in it, rested on her knees.