The Deputy's Baby

DANGER BROUGHT THEM BACK TOGETHER.

WILL A SECRET BABY TEAR THEM APART?

As the newest deputy in town, Henry Ward is hoping to escape painful memories. Then a rain of bullets brings his history rising up again, throwing Cassie Gates directly into his path. He hasn’t forgotten their night together, seven months ago. And now that he’s seen her—pregnant with his child—Henry knows he’s fighting more than his past. He’s fighting for his future.

The Protectors of Riker County

TYLER ANNE SNELL genuinely loves all genres of the written word. However, she’s realized that she loves books illed with sexual tension and mysteries a little more than the rest. Her stories have a good dose of both. Tyler lives in Alabama with her same-named husband and their mini “lions.” When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s playing video games and working on her blog, Almost There. To follow her shenanigans, visit tylerannesnell.com.

Also by Tyler Anne Snell

Small-Town Face-Off

The Deputy’s Witness

Forgotten Pieces

Loving Baby

Private Bodyguard

Full Force Fatherhood

Be on the Lookout: Bodyguard

Suspicious Activities

Manhunt

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Deputy’s Baby

Tyler Anne Snell

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07919-8

THE DEPUTY’S BABY

© 2018 Tyler Anne Snell

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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This book is for Marjorie and Annmarie. You two have been by my side, rooting for me since before I could remember. Even now you two are my own personal cheerleaders, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better! You might have a dedication in this book but know that you help me write every single one. Love you!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Prologue

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 Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

Prologue

“Listen, I need you to buy me a drink.”

Henry Ward put his beer bottle back on the bar’s top and glanced at the couple next to him. Well, considering what the woman just told the man, he guessed they weren’t a couple at all. It was well past the afternoon, but the bar hadn’t yet filled up. If he hadn’t been so focused on mentally prepping for what he had to do the next day, he probably would have noticed that he and his bar stool companion weren’t alone.

“Say what?” the man next to Henry asked. He had a slight slur that sounded like he was trying to talk through a coat of syrup. That wasn’t exactly surprising considering Henry had watched him down four very potent drinks within the last hour. Ones that had no color other than dark brown and could be smelled a few feet away. The woman must not have had the chance to catch on to the fumes yet or just hadn’t registered the slur. Or maybe she didn’t care. Either way, it wasn’t his business.

Yet he couldn’t help keeping an ear turned to the conversation.

“I need you to pretend that you bought me a drink, I should say,” the woman was quick to add. There was some hesitation in her words, but she took the bar stool on the other side of the man, three seats down from Henry.

He glanced over to see the blond of her hair, curled and running down the length of her back, but couldn’t get a good angle on her face. He turned his gaze back to the TV over the bar area and fingered the label on his bottle.

“My, uh, sister Kristen just told me she’s bringing one of her coworkers over to meet me. She’s been trying to set us up for a while now and...well, she won’t take no for an answer. So I thought I’d take the option off the table.” The woman waited for him to respond. When a moment stretched on, she laid it out simply. “Can I just sit here and talk to you for a few minutes? Maybe throw in some fake laughing every once in a while for show?”

Henry snorted but then covered it up by taking another pull of his beer. Even though he’d been sitting in the Eagle longer than the man a stool over from him had been, he’d only had the one drink. The only reason he’d even left his hotel for the bar was nerves. He had a job interview the next day.

An important one at that.

“Sure thing, hon,” the man finally answered. The slur went past the subtle side and right to blatantly obvious. “I’ll be your shoulder to lean on all night long. You’re such a pretty little thing.”

Henry glanced over at the two again in time to see the woman’s hand, rising to grab the bartender’s attention most likely, stall in midair. There was no denying the man between them was drunk now. Henry knew she’d heard it clear as day.

And it had bothered her.

“Oh, you know, thank you for that,” she hurriedly said, hand already back on the bar’s top. “Really. But I just...well, you know I just realized how rude it would be to lie to my sister. I mean, she’s a pain, believe me, but I should just be honest with her. So thank you again, but I don’t think this was the best idea.” She was off the bar stool faster than the drunk man could probably process the movement. “I’m sorry for the interruption. Enjoy the rest of your night!”

“I don’t think so, sweetie,” the man managed to rasp.

Henry tensed as his neighbor started to turn around.

“You can’t just leave me hanging like that. It isn’t nice.”

Henry was a second away from making the man turn around on his stool, with more than a few stern words, but the woman beat him to the punch. Her voice, sweet as honey moments before, took on a sharp edge.

“If you think I’m not nice, then you wouldn’t like my Taser,” she said simply.

It did the trick.

The man mumbled and then was facing his empty glass again.

Henry smirked as the woman walked away. He didn’t look after her. He didn’t need to be doing anything other than worrying about his interview. Though admittedly he wanted the man next to him dealt with. Instead of minding his own business again, he caught the bartender’s eye and waved him over. He pointed his thumb at the man now cursing all women beneath his breath.

“I think this one needs a cab called in right about now,” Henry said.

The bartender, an older gentlemAn with no hair on his scalp but at least a year’s worth of hair on his chin, nodded. Without looking at the man in question, he sighed.

“One’s already on the way,” he said. “Gary gets pretty foul after four of his drinks. If I don’t send him off after that, he won’t pay the cabdriver when they get him to his place.”

“Good policy,” Henry admitted, impressed.

The man named Gary swore at the two of them but nothing that made sense.

“If you get him into the cab so I don’t have to, next drink is on the house,” the bartender added, annoyance clear in his voice. “I’d rather not deal with him tonight.”

Henry felt the now-room-temperature beer between his hands. It would be nice if he had a cold one. “Deal.”

He spent the next five minutes or so trying to get Gary to calm down. Even without the woman coming over, Henry would bet Gary could still have managed to get riled up all on his lonesome.

During the last two years, Henry had worked alongside men like Gary, known them like he knew himself. They were angry no matter the drink in their hand or the people at their side. The way they held themselves, the way they dressed, spoke and even held their glasses or bottles showed Henry men who were unhappy and, for whatever reason, wanted to stay that way.

Being around them was more than a job. It was an exercise. One that had worn him down to the point of exhaustion.

Which was why his interview the next day was important.

He needed a new routine.

Gary, however, didn’t seem to want anything other than his current mood. He grumbled and cursed as Henry took him to his cab. Henry watched after him for a moment. The night air was cool and apparently rare, according to the manager from his hotel. Henry almost considered going back to his hotel room and trying to get a good night’s sleep. But just as quickly, he realized that wasn’t going to happen. He had too much on his mind. Not to mention a free beer back inside.

It wasn’t until he had that free beer between his hands that a new wave of night air rolled in around a small group of people that Henry thought about the blond woman again.

It might have been a Wednesday, but apparently that did little to diminish the bar’s popularity. Ten or so patrons had eked in and were already either playing pool or sitting around, drinks in hand and conversations going strong. Finding the one person without either was fast work.

Henry wished he’d looked for the woman sooner.

Standing from a booth she’d commandeered in the corner, one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen was waving at the new group of people who’d just come in. The long, curly blond hair he’d already seen was half pinned back, showing an open face made up of high cheekbones and a long, thin nose. Her lips were rimmed in pink. Even from this distance he could still see the green of her eyes as they moved from who must have been her sister Kristen to a man who must have been her arranged date. Despite what Henry had heard her say about the man, he was impressed to see her expression gave none of her distaste away. Instead she was exuding nothing but enthusiasm and politeness.

It made something in him shift and before he had time to be surprised at himself, Henry did something he wasn’t expecting. With one look at the empty second pool table in the corner, he straightened his shirt, ran a hand through his hair and started to walk over to the group. His sights set squarely on the woman with green eyes.

The sister picked him up on her radar the moment he was a few steps away. It didn’t stop Henry. He felt a smile pull up his lips and hoped it was pleasant enough.

He also hoped the blonde hadn’t already committed to her arranged date. Or else things were about to get awkward.

“Hey, sorry, about that,” Henry started, eyes locked on target. “Work called and I had to answer.” He motioned back to the pool tables. “But one of the pool tables is open now if you wanted a rematch.”

The group turned to him as a whole, but the blonde didn’t miss a beat.

She grinned. “If you really want to lose again, then who am I to stop you?”

Henry didn’t have to fake the grin that stretched one corner of his lips higher.

“Wait.” The sister butted in. For a moment Henry thought the jig was up, but then she laughed. “She actually beat someone at pool?”

Henry shrugged.

“Believe me, I’m not proud about it,” he said. “I even owe her a drink because of it. A drink that’s past due now.”

The woman, once again, didn’t skip a beat. “Then let’s fix that, shall we?”

She smiled at her sister, said a quick, “Excuse me,” and followed Henry to the bar. Without another word between them, she ordered a drink. It wasn’t until the group she’d left behind settled into a booth that she spoke.

“I’m assuming you overheard my conversation with the man at the bar,” she said, voice low. It was back to honey.

“I did,” he confirmed.

Her smile returned.

“Thanks for helping me out,” she said. “In my sister’s words, as the baby of the family, I never know what’s good for me. She thinks that’s Stanley, and I think she has too much time on her hands.”

Henry snorted. “My brother plays that age card on me from time to time, too. I know the pain.”

The woman laughed.

It was a very attractive sound from a very attractive woman.

“I’m Cassie, by the way. Thanks again for being quick on your feet. You saved my night.”

“The name’s Henry. And I wouldn’t thank me yet.” Riding a genuine wave of excitement, he leaned closer, careful to keep out of her personal space but just close enough that he smelled her sweet perfume. He felt the new grin seconds before he heard it in his own voice. “I’m actually really great at pool.”

Chapter One

Henry was looking through the passenger’s side window at the Eagle, trying to pretend he wasn’t thinking of a beautiful woman.

“This is one of three bars in Riker County worth their salt,” explained the driver and temporary tour guide, Sheriff Billy Reed. His cowboy hat sat on the center console between them. It was a reminder that Henry was in the Deep South now where cowboy hats could be normal even if cowboys in Alabama were few and far between. “The owner, nicknamed Hawk because nothing gets past him, also runs the bar and does it well. He makes a mean drink and doesn’t put up with any nonsense. Also has a memory of steel. Go to him once or twice and he’ll know your drink for life. And when to send you off.” The sheriff cut a smile. “I suggest you don’t force him to do that, though. Getting on his bad side wouldn’t be the best thing to do if you want to fit in with our crowd. This is one of local law’s favorite haunts.”

Henry grinned, deciding not to tell the man he was sure he’d already met the famous Hawk and seen up close how he operated. Seven months ago he’d been in the bar the day before interviewing for the Riker County Sheriff’s Department deputy’s position. One he had now held for a week.

The night after the interview he’d left town fast and hadn’t been back since. However, Henry was sure he’d been there long enough to peg the man next to him as one of the good ones. Quick to laugh, quick to teach, more pride than most men showed in their entire lives just while staring at one bar within his jurisdiction. It was crystal clear that Sheriff Reed loved his job, his home and the people he had sworn to protect.

The only thing Henry hadn’t seen yet was how quick Billy went from fun-loving to business when something serious went down. Sure, Henry had read and seen news stories where the man and his department had been quick on their feet, but he was a man who preferred to deal in firsthand experience. Though, thankfully, no calls that week had been worthy of straining the department, the deputies or its sheriff.

But Henry knew it was only a matter of time.

Bad guys never took breaks for long.

The sheriff took the Tahoe out of Park, backed out of the street-side parking spot and into the two-lane. It was a little after nine in the morning and the small town of Carpenter was mostly sleepy. The Eagle and its surrounding businesses especially, since they catered to the nighttime crowds. Still, Henry kept alert as they drove through, trying to catalog everything he could about Carpenter.

Or maybe he was just trying to keep his focus anywhere but on the bar. Even though he’d only been there once, his thoughts had been sliding back to the place for months. Back to the night when he’d met a woman with honey in her voice and a smile in her eyes.

Back to the night when they had played pool, laughed a lot, and things had been anything but sleepy.

A pull of regret momentarily tightened his stomach. He only had one thing to remind him of that night outside of his memories. The small piece of paper tucked into his wallet was a constant reminder of one of the best nights he’d ever had.

And how a man like him shouldn’t have anything beyond that.

“Now that we’ve had a look at where some of the nightlife of Carpenter takes place, I want to show you a few spots of interest during the day,” the sheriff said. He paused before continuing and seemed to consider his next words. “Listen, Henry, I know that you’re used to fieldwork and that this ‘touring the county’ thing is probably driving you a little up the wall, but while sitting in a car as I point at stuff might not be exciting, it’s hard to serve a county you’re flying blind through.”

Henry didn’t dispute that.

He’d spent the last five years in Tennessee, bouncing around when the job called for it. Not too far a cry from South Alabama but enough of a difference that he couldn’t pretend to know the county’s flavor just yet.

Henry pulled his mind away from the blond-haired beauty he’d rescued from a blind date, and tried to refocus on the task at hand. This was the first day he’d spent out of the sheriff’s department. One of several days to come that he’d spend touring with the sheriff and the chief deputy before getting partnered with another deputy. Then, after a while, Henry would finally get his own cruiser and be able to get back to working alone.

He hoped.

It had been a long time since he’d had a partner, and he wasn’t itching to get back into the swing of being one of two.

Sheriff Reed’s guided tour took them through the whole of Carpenter, one of three small towns in the county but, according to Reed, they were barely scratching the surface of his hometown.

“Carpenter has been through a lot in the last decade or so. Heck, the county has been through a lot,” he said later when they pulled into the parking lot of a small diner across the street from the department. Apparently, it was also a law-enforcement favorite, and not just because of its close proximity. “It’s made the community stronger, but it’s also made the people that make trouble smarter. Trickier. Carpenter, and Riker County as a whole, has a lot of nooks and crannies, country roads and open land, not to mention a good deal of abandoned properties scattered throughout the towns and city, that all make it harder to do our jobs. To keep the community safe, to keep the bad guys from getting the upper hand. Which means we get to work harder and adapt so that never happens.”

He put the Tahoe in Park and cut the engine. Henry couldn’t help noticing the temperature on the dash read ninety degrees. Though that wasn’t counting in the humidity.

Billy glanced at the temperature, too, and smirked. “Which means after lunch I’ll start showing you the juicy stuff. Until then you’re about to experience one of the best burgers in town and one of the most powerful commercial air conditioners, too.”

“And I won’t turn that down, either,” Henry was quick to say. It wasn’t like they were allowed to wear shorts on the job to help fight the heat. Plus, it had been a long time since he’d had a good burger.

They got out of the Tahoe and started across the parking lot. It was summer and the heat kept sticking to its guns. The air was hot and heavy, pressing against his uniform without hesitation. Tennessee had its moments of uncomfortable, but one week in Riker County and he thought he understood the meaning of the word melting.

“You weren’t kidding about this place being popular with the badges,” Henry observed after trying to memorize their surroundings for later. He noted two cruisers at the corner of the building and, if he wasn’t mistaken, there was also a personal vehicle of Chief Deputy Suzy Simmons parked in front of the entrance.

“The power of good food in a small town is second to none,” the sheriff responded, seemingly not surprised by the turnout. “Though today it’s less about the food and more about celebrating.” Billy pulled open the door but paused to explain himself over his shoulder. “One of our dispatchers is finally back from an extended vacation. We love all of our department, but I don’t think I’m being too sentimental when I say she’s close to the heart of it.”

Henry had heard that one of the night-shift dispatchers was out of town, but he hadn’t thought any more on it. Carpenter might have been a small town, but Riker oversaw two more towns and one city. He hadn’t had a chance to meet all the deputies in the department, let alone all the support staff. He hadn’t even personally met the dispatchers currently working.

“Plus,” the sheriff continued with a smirk, “I may be a man of the law, but I’m not one to turn down a chance at cake.”

Henry laughed and followed him inside. It was a small room but efficient. Booths lined the right wall along the windows while a counter stretched across the other with stools in front. In the back corner three booths were filled with deputies, Chief Deputy Simmons, and even one of the detectives, Matt Walker. Some were off duty; others wore their uniforms. All were seemingly in good moods.