A thrilling new tale of romantic suspense from Bounty hunter Elle Randolph takes on every case she can, in an effort to outrun herself. Three years ago, she was the only one who walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is fueled by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. But her running is over when she’s identified as a person of interest in a murder investigation. Detective Ronan Clarke, a single dad for fifteen years, has been laser-focused on raising his daughter and serving the people of Mendocino County, California. He’s got everything under control--until a bounty hunter enters his jurisdiction, keeping secrets and bringing murder to his quiet town. The hunter is definitely involved in his current case, but exactly how is his question. Could she be his killer? As he unravels her secrets, he becomes increasingly troubled by what he finds. While Elle is forced to reexamine every painful memory of the life she left behind, Ronan grows more and more sure of her innocence. But can he trust himself to uncover the truth amid their growing attraction?

Autorentext

Karen Rose is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the New York Times, the Sunday Times (UK), and Germany's der Spiegel bestseller lists.

Klappentext

A thrilling new tale of romantic suspense from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.

Bounty hunter Elle Randolph takes on every case she can, in an effort to outrun herself. Three years ago, she was the only one who walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is fueled by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. But her running is over when she’s identified as a person of interest in a murder investigation.

Detective Ronan Clarke, a single dad for fifteen years, has been laser-focused on raising his daughter and serving the people of Mendocino County, California. He’s got everything under control—until a bounty hunter enters his jurisdiction, keeping secrets and bringing murder to his quiet town. The hunter is definitely involved in his current case, but exactly how is his question. Could she be his killer? As he unravels her secrets, he becomes increasingly troubled by what he finds. While Elle is forced to reexamine every painful memory of the life she left behind, Ronan grows more and more sure of her innocence. But can he trust himself to uncover the truth amid their growing attraction?

Leseprobe
Sarasota, Florida

Saturday, June 18, 10:45 p.m.

Three and a half years ago

Elle Randolph gripped the sleeve of her soon-to-be-ex-husband's tuxedo. It was what she'd been fearing since he'd guilted her into coming to the party. It was his mother's birthday, and did Elle really want to spoil his mother's big day by not showing up?

Of course I don't. She liked her in-laws. Mostly. They were nice people-mostly-and she didn't want to harm her relationship with them.

But Todd was an alcoholic. An abusive alcoholic whom his parents enabled.

As had Elle. For too many years.

She wanted to cry. She felt like a failure, once again. She'd folded.

She shouldn't have, but she had. Her reasons might have been right. Some of them, anyway. She did care about her mother-in-law and didn't want to ruin her evening. And maybe Elle had wanted just one night when she could pretend that everything was all right.

But now he was drunk again, making a scene. Berating a server. Threatening to punch the venue manager.

"Let's go home," she said quietly.

Todd yanked his sleeve free. "I say when we go home."

People were starting to stare.

"You're causing a scene, Todd."

"You're causing a scene," he said loudly.

And now it appeared that they were at the mocking part of the conversation. It was always the same. He drank. He got belligerent. He'd bluster and threaten. And, when they were alone, he'd hit. Sometimes the wall. Sometimes he'd hit Elle.

Sometimes he left bruises, but never where anyone could see.

She'd tried everything. Therapy, rehab. Trial separations. Nothing had worked.

Everyone would make excuses for him. No one would hold him accountable.

I will. If accountability looked like divorce, that was. Because he was going to be served the next day. She'd consulted a fellow attorney, one she'd known since law school. He'd drawn up the papers.

Todd didn't know. She'd warned him too many times that she'd leave him, but she'd always come back.

I'm done. She took a step back. Drew a breath. "I'm going home, then. You can call for an Uber when you're ready to leave."

His face turned thunderous. He grabbed her wrist. "You will stay," he hissed under his breath.

She swallowed hard, trying to subtly twist out of his grip because it hurt. But she had a reputation to uphold. Many of the attendees were past-and hopefully future-clients. She would stay professional.

"People are watching you." She pulled free, but only because he let go. She already had a red mark where he'd squeezed too tightly. "I'll see you at home later."

Except she wouldn't. She had a bag packed with a few pieces of clothing, but mostly with her personal documents and the mementos she didn't want to leave without. She could always buy more clothes later.

The bag was stashed in the trunk of her own car, which was parked in the parking garage at home, just in case she needed a quick escape.

Deep down, she'd known tonight would end this way.

I was so stupid to have come tonight. I'm an attorney, dammit. I should have known better.

She could be safely hiding in a hotel right now. She would be soon. She had a plan. She'd take her car to the parking lot of a supermarket and call an Uber to pick her up and take her to a hotel, leaving her car behind.

Todd was good at finding people. It was literally his job. He was a PI. She knew he'd put trackers on her car. She'd removed too many of them. She couldn't be sure he hadn't placed another in the two days since she'd found the last one.

She turned her back on Todd and walked away, feeling his venomous gaze burning into her back.

He'd been a good man once. But it had been a long time.

She'd been a smart woman once. Had possessed self-confidence and pride. She was still smart. She was getting out, and that was smart. And she would have confidence and pride again. That's a promise.

She found her mother-in-law and kissed her cheek. "Happy birthday, Eva. Good night." She stood on her toes and kissed her father-in-law's cheek as well. "Good night, Ray. I'm not feeling great. I think I ate something that didn't agree with me. I'm going home. Will you make sure Todd gets a ride?"

Ray looked over her shoulder, his jaw tightening, his eyes going cold.

Don't look. Do not look. But Elle couldn't seem to stop herself.

Todd was coming their way.

"He had a little too much again?" Ray murmured.

Elle only nodded. A lot too much. "I'll see you all later."

Having made her apologies, she found her valet ticket in her purse and handed it to the young man waiting at the country club's entrance. He gave her a respectful nod. "I'll be quick, ma'am."

"Thank you, Donny." Hurry, hurry, hurry.

She just wanted to get out of this place.

It was difficult to maintain her outer calm when her heart was beating so hard, though she'd had a lot of practice over the years. But she was painfully aware that other club members were watching her. Waiting for her to break down. For her to hang her head in shame.

Waiting for her…