A murder witness must protect her unborn child—and her heart

A Coltons of Red Ridge thriller

One night of passion with Officer Nash Maddox left Dr. Patience Colton breathless—and pregnant! The two are unexpectedly reunited when Patience becomes a witness to a murder and K-9 cop Nash rushes to her rescue, along with his canine companion. The two will stop at nothing to protect their growing family, but a killer has other ideas...

Former naval intelligence officer and US Naval Academy graduate GERI KROTOW Draws inspiration from the global situations she’s experienced. Geri loves to hear from her readers. You can email her via her website and blog, gerikrotow.com.

Also by Geri Krotow

The Pregnant Colton BrideHer Christmas ProtectorWedding TakedownHer Secret Christmas AgentSecret Agent Under FireThe Fugitive’s Secret ChildReunion Under FireThe Billionaire’s Colton Threat

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Pregnant Colton Witness

Geri Krotow

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07940-2

THE PREGNANT COLTON WITNESS

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

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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For Ellen—it’s been a joy watching you turn into the

beautiful young woman you are.

Acknowledgements

A special thank-you to Deanna Reiber, DVM, USA (Ret.) who provided me with veterinary insight and advice as only a USNA sister alumna can do.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Extract

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

The Red Ridge, South Dakota, autumn morning sky streaked pink and violet across Black Hills Lake. Dr. Patience Colton, DVM, took a moment to soak it all in. Nestled in the northwestern part of the state, Red Ridge—and more specifically, the town’s K9 clinic—were home to her. The only place her heart ever found peace. She committed the view of the mountains to memory, knowing there stood a good chance she’d never look at it, or anything, the same way again. It all depended upon the results of the simple test kit in the Red Ridge Drugstore bag that she clutched in her left hand.

No one had seen her yet; none of the staff knew she was already at the K9 clinic, ready for another day of veterinary medicine. She could run—but to where? Her townhome? Her cabin in the mountains? Another state, where her veterinary license wouldn’t be valid? If the test proved positive, running wasn’t going to change it or the overwhelming implications. Running away might be an option for another person, but not her. Patience never backed down from a challenge, and what might be her toughest yet was no exception.

She sucked in the crisp mountain air before she entered the building, hoping for a few minutes to herself to figure out if the signals from her body weren’t random.

Fifteen minutes later, she wondered if maybe running away wasn’t such a bad idea.

“No. Freaking. Way.” Patience’s hands shook as she spoke under her breath, staring at the test strip she’d used only minutes earlier to determine if she had skipped a period again for any reason other than stress. She stood in the restroom of the Red Ridge County K9 Clinic, her clinic, and struggled to get a grip. Locked in the staff bathroom, the weight of how her life was changing triggered a gush of tears. It had been a mistake to do this at work.

She couldn’t be caught like this—crying over a pregnancy test result. “Calm down.” She gave herself the same advice she wished she could give her K9 patients when they were stressed.

It hadn’t been uncommon for her to miss one or two cycles while in veterinary school and also working extra hours at a part-time job to help pay for her expenses. And the last few months had been incredibly stressful, not just for her but for all of Red Ridge. The modestly sized town was in the midst of a criminal crisis. Patience worked closely with the Red Ridge Police Department, as well as the K9 training center, the latter of which housed the clinic. So it was impossible to not be aware of the stress placed on the RRPD over the local serial killer, dubbed the Groom Killer. Red Ridge had erupted into all-out panic after the fifth and most recent groom-to-be had been murdered. With a population of thirty-five thousand, it made for a lot of fear in the air.

She grabbed ahold of the sink counter, her fingers crushing the cardboard box that she’d pulled the test kit from. It had felt odd sneaking into the local drugstore and purchasing three magazines, a candy bar and a ginger ale along with the test, as if the cashier wouldn’t notice the box. As if she probably hadn’t told all of Red Ridge by now that Dr. Patience Colton, DVM, could be knocked up. That was the problem with being an heiress to the richest family in a small town in South Dakota. Everyone knew your business.

As a K9 veterinarian, she prided herself on her steady hands and the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure. But her cool demeanor, practiced almost since birth, had shattered. All for one night of incredible sex with the sexiest bachelor in town.

Nash Maddox. They’d seen each other plenty since their sexual healing rendezvous three months ago. Nash was a K9 police handler on the RRPD and they often trained the dogs together. The heat that had passed between them a few months ago was still there whenever their eyes met, and she’d been tempted to ask him if he’d consider breaking their promise that their night together be a one-time-only event. But just as she’d get her nerve up, another crisis would hit the community and they had to save lives. Nash and his K9 partner, Greta, saved humans, while Patience saved dogs and other animals.

Maybe assigning blame for her predicament would help her anxiety. She tried to stir up some animosity toward the man who’d unwittingly gotten her pregnant, but couldn’t. They’d used protection, but it obviously wasn’t 100 percent. Nash wasn’t only the sexiest man she’d met in forever, but he was the consummate gentleman. He’d even agreed with her that their affair would be short-lived, with no emotional strings attached.

A sharp rap on the restroom door snapped her out of her misery.

“Dr. Colton? Are you there? We have an emergency surgery en route. Gunshot wound. Canine, civilian.” As though through her favorite jar of apple jelly, Patience heard her veterinary assistant’s voice, but couldn’t shake off the shock of finding out she was pregnant.

Pregnant with Nash Maddox’s baby. Would it look like him? The tall, muscular blond officer had the most beautiful hazel eyes. They’d be perfect whether the baby was a boy or girl. Whether they had Nash’s sandy hair or her own brunette.

More rapping, this time louder. “Patience?”

“I’ll be right out, Grace.”

As much as it was a total shock, she felt she needed to mark the occasion somehow. Patience quickly washed her hands and then pulled her phone out of her pocket. She made a note of the date and time, and was startled by the sudden flash of her future that her mind conjured up. Telling her child exactly when she’d found out he or she was on the way into the world, and how she’d felt about it.

It was at this moment that she knew she was keeping the baby. Nash had a lot of his own family issues and she was certain having another child on top of raising his four orphaned half siblings wasn’t part of his plan. No matter. This was her life, and now it was going to have to revolve around a baby.

Could she do this?

The sound of doors slamming open, shouts of the arrival team, forced her back to the present. She sought her eyes in the mirror, used to saying a positive affirmation before jumping into a tough case. All she saw reflected back at her was the unanswerable question. Would she be able to be a better parent than either of hers had?

Nash Maddox groaned at the sight of the large kitchen that was the heart of the home he’d inherited when his parents had been tragically killed in an auto accident five years ago. Drips of maple syrup dotted the table and floor, pancake mix powdered the countertops, and four dirty, sticky dishes were piled in the sink. He’d been so busy getting the kids out of the house in time to catch the school bus that he’d neglected to make sure they each picked up after themselves. He had to be at work in fifteen minutes, which gave him eight minutes to straighten up. Usually Paige, the oldest at seventeen and a busy high school senior, corralled her siblings into cleaning up. Her studies and social schedule were preoccupying her again.

“Why didn’t you tell me they’d made such a mess?” He spoke to his K9 partner, Greta, a Newfoundland. Nash knelt to meet her eyes and scratched under her chin, ignoring the profuse drool that spilled out of her wobbly cheeks and pooled onto the already sticky floor. “You are such a good girl, Greta. We’ll be at work soon, I promise.” He patted her head and she flopped her tail on the ground, her wags loud and slow. Greta was the epitome of a family dog at home, but a fierce K9 on the job. In so many ways, she’d been his anchor these last challenging years.

Until a spectacular night with the K9 clinic veterinarian, Patience Colton. He’d not thought it possible for a woman to soak into his psyche after only one evening, but Patience had. Whenever he found his anxiety rising due to something as simple as the kids messing up the kitchen, or more serious reasons, like trying to find and apprehend the Groom Killer, his mind went back to that night like a homing pigeon.

He closed the sink drain and added liquid soap to the running water, reminding himself for the fifth time in as many days that he had to call the repairman. He didn’t have time to be hand-washing his half siblings’ endless dishes. They had a chore list that they were actually pretty good at following, but his rule was “academics first,” and with the heavy backpacks that came home, the dishes seemed to pile on. Nash was accomplished at many things, but fixing a cranky dishwasher wasn’t one of them.

As the bubbles grew into a frothy mound, his mind flashed to the soft, very sexy rounds of Patience’s breasts. It hadn’t been the smartest thing he’d done, giving in to his needs, but he had no regrets over their one-night stand almost three months ago. A surge of protectiveness toward that night—no, toward Patience—blindsided him. It wasn’t fair to call it a one-night stand. It had been more. Or maybe he’d misinterpreted the obvious pleasure she’d enjoyed at his hands as more than the sexual release they’d shared.

He wasn’t dating anyone regularly, how could he with four half siblings to take care of? But that night with Patience had reminded him that he needed some caretaking himself. And while both he and Patience had agreed that one night was all their lives allowed, both for time and family reasons, maybe they shouldn’t have been so hasty in their agreement. He sure wouldn’t mind seeing her again.

A beautiful woman like Patience was probably already involved with someone else. Although she’d said she wasn’t, and that she had no plans to date anyone. She needed her personal life to remain simple, she’d said, because of the heavy demands being the K9 vet and community vet in general made on her. Didn’t they all have demanding jobs, though, in Red Ridge? The small mining town was incredibly productive for its size, and required nearly every citizen to do their part to make the municipality thrive. Besides, if Patience was anything like him, no matter how busy life got there were those moments of realizing you were missing something... Yeah, maybe he’d ask her out again. Of course, that could lead to more than he was able to handle, but he wanted to handle Patience—

The house phone rang and he answered, cradling the receiver between his jaw and shoulder. “Maddox.”

“Nash, it’s dispatch.” He recognized Shelly Langston’s voice. She worked dispatch for Red Ridge County since he’d been on the force, and probably ten years before that. Shelly filled in whenever Frank Lanelli, the senior dispatcher, was off.

“What do you have, Shelly?”

“We’ve got a child who fell off a bike on the way to school, over the highway shoulder on Route 10. They want Greta on the scene.”

“We’re on our way.”

He hung up and motioned for Greta, but she was one step ahead of him, at the door with her leash in her mouth.

“Good girl. We’ve got today’s first job.”

They worked as one, leaving the house, getting into the police K9 vehicle, arriving on scene and helping to determine if the child had fallen by accident or if a vehicle had forced them off the road. Greta used her expert sniffer to relay information and Nash translated to the officers and first responders. Immediately after they’d wrapped it up, they were called to a home burglary downtown, and then later, to the site of an arson. Before their shift finished, Nash and Greta had participated in no fewer than eight cases, from shoplifting to drug dealing to escorting a lost memory-care patient back to his care facility.

No matter how long the day grew, as tiring as the work was, thoughts of a brilliant evening with the lovely Patience Colton never left him. Maybe he’d scrape up the nerve to call her. In an unofficial capacity, of course.

Patience looked at her staff, all gathered in the break room. Reception was closed after normal clinic hours, and they’d endured an especially long day of surgeries and urgent calls.

“That’s it for today, folks. Unless we have another emergency call, I want everyone going home and getting a good meal and rest. This weekend could end up being just as taxing.” She referred not just to the fact that the K9 unit was often busiest on weekends due to a surge in criminal activity, but the fact that weekends were when weddings happened. Most couples had quietly postponed their weddings once it was a clear a killer was targeting grooms, but everyone was on edge, worried that the Groom Killer could strike again at any moment. There were always couples who wouldn’t let anything stop them from their big day.

“Do you think that the animals are trying to tell us something, Doc?” Pauline, the newest vet tech, didn’t ask the question with cynicism. She was new and trying to absorb all she could about how the facility worked. The staff had discussed more than once the apparent connection between animal distress and human anxiety. Animals were empathic, and Red Ridge’s pets had to be feeling the edginess of their owners these last months. It’d be abnormal to not be worried about the serial killer.

“It doesn’t matter what I believe. It’s fact that they seem to have an edge on us when it comes to predicting bad behavior, and to a T each patient has demonstrated the signs of stress brought on by a perceived threat. Our resident parrot has been squawking twice as much, the cats have been mewling no matter their pain level, and the dogs have whimpered at random times. While any of that could be coincidence, as we’ve had a high number of surgeries this week, I’m inclined to trust experience. Go home and get some rest—you could be called back within hours. Let’s all pitch in and get Surgery cleaned up. I don’t want anyone tackling that alone—we’ve made a mess!” Her staff laughed and she used the energy to buoy her through the next thirty minutes of a thorough scrubbing down of their operating room.

It was a mess from the day’s routine spaying and neutering surgeries, and the unexpected gunshot wound. She’d spent two hours picking out birdshot pellets from a sweet labradoodle’s right haunch. These were all in addition to the regular duties she had as the K9 veterinarian. The RRPD encouraged her clinic to help the community whenever possible. But her first duty was always K9.

Not to mention the personal connection. The Red Ridge K9 unit, training center and clinic were dedicated to the memory of Patience’s mother, who’d died in childbirth. Her father, Fenwick Colton, lived up to his reputation as a wealthy, self-serving ass most of the time. But when it came to her mom’s legacy and the K9 facility, Fenwick didn’t waver. Until recently, when he’d threatened to shut down funding because of Colton Energy’s dwindling bankroll.

Her father had put his family through its paces, fathering five children by three different wives. Her older half sister, Layla, was the only one from Fenwick’s first marriage, while Patience and her older sister, Beatrix, were from his second trip down the aisle. After their mother died birthing Patience, Fenwick remarried again and had her younger half brother, Blake, and then half sister Gemma. While Patience enjoyed a pretty good relationship with all of her siblings, she’d always felt closest to Layla. She’d taken her cue from hardworking Layla, too, dedicating herself to veterinary work as diligently as Layla did to Colton Energy.

Which made Patience furious with her father for mismanaging his funds and putting the K9 program at risk. She was convinced that it was by no fault of Layla’s that Colton Energy was struggling. If anything, Layla’s contributions kept the company from going belly-up much sooner. Patience wanted to ask Layla more detailed questions about it but her caseload prevented her from digging too deep into the financial records. She trusted her corporate tycoon half sister to fill her in on the details. Not that Layla was thrilled to share anything with her. Not since Patience had blown up at her for agreeing to an engagement to that old geezer Hamlin Harrington. His son, Devlin, was Layla’s age, for heaven’s sake. But all Fenwick saw was that Hamlin’s money would save Colton Energy and the Red Ridge K9 facility, and so that was what Layla focused on. As much as Patience loved her job, nothing was worth her sister’s happiness. She’d begged Layla to call of the wedding.

Layla disagreed. Their epic fight had occurred hours before Patience had found blessed escape in Nash Maddox’s arms.

Once the cleanup was done, she dismissed her remaining staff. Patience relished the alone time, a chance to pick through her thoughts over her family’s conflicts.

She stopped at the sink and ran the hot water, hoping she’d still be able to convince Layla to come up with another way to make bank. While she was grateful that Layla’s fiancé had postponed their wedding until the Groom Killer was caught, Patience still couldn’t contain the revulsion she had toward her sister’s fiancé. Naturally, their father wanted the killer behind bars so that the wedding could happen as soon as possible. Fenwick Colton was always about himself and his company and he’d stop at nothing to get the money out of Hamlin. Worse, Fenwick threatened to cut off his K9 endowment if the Groom Killer wasn’t apprehended ASAP. Patience shuddered at what she’d heard her father tell the police chief. Do your job or you won’t have one. Even as the mayor of Red Ridge, Fenwick was clueless as to the man-hours and emotional dedication required to nail down a hardened criminal, and it took that much more effort to corner someone as wily as the Groom Killer. But even her father’s intimidation hadn’t produced the killer, not yet.

“What are you going to do for dinner, Doc?” Ted Jones, the college student who volunteered as he waited to apply for vet school, spoke up as she washed her hands. Normally she didn’t mind having a meal with him and answering his myriad questions on the application process, but she was spent.

“I’ve got a lot of food in the staff refrigerator, and it’s my turn to pull night duty. You go ahead and get out of here. Don’t you have midterms to study for?”

“Yeah, I do. Thanks, Doc.” He grinned and sauntered off. Patience enjoyed the camaraderie her staff shared, paid and volunteer alike. It was what had made her want to be the K9 vet for the RRPD. The sense of belonging and being part of a bigger picture had wrapped its arms around her the minute she’d walked in here three years ago.

Patience waited until everyone had left the building before she went back into her office and sat at her desk. She needed some time to ground herself before eating dinner and then starting the care rounds for the dogs and cats, and the one parrot they were boarding for an elderly woman who’d broken her hip and was in ortho rehabilitation for the next month. Patience opened her top desk drawer and gazed at the pregnancy test result from this morning.

“Well, look at that. Still pregnant.” She giggled at her own joke, but her laughter turned to sobs as the enormity of her circumstances hit her. She was going to have a child and had no clue how to handle a baby. A puppy or kitten, sure, she could do that blindfolded. But a human child, her child?

Her father had been absent at best, throwing himself into his work and accumulation of wealth her entire life. Patience had never known anything but the selfish man Fenwick Colton was. Yet she’d never given up on him, or broken contact with her full and half siblings. Family was important to her.

A baby.

She was going to have a baby. Her profuse tears had to be from the hormones, since she usually prided herself on her self-control.

Loud guffaws sounded from the boarding area and she sniffed, unable to keep the grin from breaking through her tears. Mrs. Bellamy’s scarlet macaw was hungry. Patience’s stomach grumbled in response, and she wiped her cheeks with a tissue.

“Coming, Gabby!”

The brilliantly hued bird tilted her head in welcome and made kissing noises with her smooth white beak as Patience walked into the huge room and opened the birdcage door.

“How are you doing, sweetie?”

Gabby climbed out of her cage and onto the playpen atop her dwelling as Patience gathered some mixed veggies from the freezer and heated them in the microwave. The parrot let out a loud shriek that was half laugh, half scream.

“Stop it, silly. You still have plenty of pellets and nuts in your bowl, beautiful bird.”

After Gabby was busy with her warm supper, Patience checked on her other charges. Most of the post-op animals were resting, the effects of anesthesia and their bodies’ ordeals exhausting them. But Fred, the labradoodle gunshot victim, had his big brown eyes open and managed to wag his tail the tiniest bit when she approached.

“It’s okay, Fred. You’re doing great.” The poor dog had done nothing to deserve the hit from a bird hunter’s gun. It had been a legitimate mistake, as Fred had escaped his owner’s yard via a broken fence post, and the hunter wasn’t in a residential area. With his caramel coat, Fred had blended in perfectly with the South Dakota hills and underbrush. Fred and the hunter had been after the same duck. Fred had inadvertently saved the duck’s life.

“What am I going to tell Nash, Fred? How will I tell him? He needs to know, so there’s no sense trying to be all trauma drama and play ‘I’ve got a secret’ about this.”

The dog’s eyebrows moved as if he understood her dilemma. A part of her brain knew that Fred was a dog, and he was in the midst of serious recuperation, but as she looked around the room full of animals, he was her best bet.

She leaned in closer and opened the kennel door to stroke his sweet, fluffy head. “Let’s pretend you’re Nash and I go up to you. Should I go over to the RRPD? Or call him? No, can’t do this over the phone. This is a serious matter. I’m having his puppy! I mean, his baby. My baby. Our child.”

Gabby’s shriek of laughter rent the room and Patience jumped. “Jeez Louise, Gabby, you scared me! But you’re right.” She gently closed Fred’s crate door and went back to the macaw, who’d polished off her veggies and was scraping her beak clean on the cage bars. “Come here, sweet birdie.”

Gabby promptly got on Patience’s forearm and leaned close to her face. “Give me a kissy.” Gabby’s voice perfectly mimicked his elderly owner’s and Patience laughed. As shocking and emotional as her day had started, this was the best therapy anywhere. Being with her animals. Of course, they belonged to their various owners, the K9s to their handlers at the RRPD, but while they were under her care, they were her responsibility. It was a sacred commitment.

Right now, Gabby needed some human touch and affection. And Patience needed to calm down before she faced Nash again, most likely in the morning, to tell him the news. They were having a baby. Well, she was. She in no way expected anything from him.

“Okay, Gabby girl, come here and I’ll have you and Fred help me practice telling Nash.”

The parrot stepped daintily onto the T-stick Patience used to handle the exotic bird to prevent a bite. She’d learned the method during her avian course in vet school. As much as Gabby wanted to be on her shoulder, Patience never allowed it. Just as she exuded an alpha energy around the K9s and other dogs, she kept birds from thinking she was a tree and her shoulder a branch by using the perching tool.

She walked with Gabby the few steps to Fred’s kennel, which was at eye level.

“Now, you two tell me what sounds better. First choice—Nash, I’m pregnant and keeping your baby. I don’t need you to do anything. You’ve done quite enough already.” She looked from Fred to Gabby, surprised to find that they were both staring intently at her. Gabby was used to touring the dog kennel with other members of the staff for a break in the monotony of her cage. Fred wasn’t reacting to the parrot as he had to the duck earlier. Of course, he was heavily sedated.

Since both animals didn’t react, she tried again.

“Too serious? Well, having any man’s baby is serious business, but I get your point. How about this... Hey, Nash, how have you been since we hooked up after the K9 training session? In case you were wondering, your sperm is viable. I’m pregnant! Congratulations!”

Fred’s tail gave a firmer thump than earlier and Gabby nuzzled her huge white beak into her brightly feathered chest, inviting touch. Patience gently scratched the back of the bird’s nape, marveling at the silky soft skin under her feathers. Gabby made lovey-dovey noises, indicating her enjoyment of the contact.

“Okay, you both seem to like option two. I think it’s going to need more work, though. I’ll think about it and we’ll practice again after dinner.” She walked Gabby back to her cage and put her inside. The bird went obligingly but Patience had to coax one claw off the T-stick. “Sorry, hon. I know you’d rather be out, but your cage is the safest bet until I come back.”

Back in the staff area, she heated up the leftovers from last night’s dinner—or was it two nights ago?—and streamed two episodes of her favorite sitcom on her laptop as she ate. She had to make a concerted effort to eat as nutritiously as possible, especially now.

She was going to be a mother. Have her own family. Thinking of it, the prospect was at once terrifying and thrilling. She had shared a bumpy relationship with her father since she’d gone to college and vet school on her own, scraping and saving to pay back every cent of her loans. Fenwick had watched in exasperation, trying to convince her that she didn’t have to make things so hard on herself. She had her own trust fund.

But Patience had to know that her degree and career were hers. It wasn’t another freebie from being born into a rich family.

Her phone lit up with a call from Layla. Patience considered ignoring it; she wasn’t about to tell anyone she was pregnant until she told Nash. And even then she wanted to keep this to herself for a bit. As the phone vibrated, she put it on speaker.

“Hi, Layla. What’s up?”

“Where are you? I need a drink. I want you to meet me downtown.” Layla sounded just like their father. Her harsh countenance grated at times, same as Fenwick’s. But unlike him, she was soft and kind underneath her hard corporate exterior.

“I’m on duty.” Thank goodness. Patience wasn’t ready to face her half sister yet. Layla always seemed to sense what was going on with her, as different as they were. “I’m tied to the clinic all night.” Not completely true, as she could call on a volunteer to watch the patients at any time. She was still miffed at Layla for getting engaged to Hamlin Harrington. No business, even Colton Energy, was worth a marriage of convenience. Screw the millions Hamlin promised Fenwick he’d pour into the utilities company.

“We had a labradoodle come in with birdshot and I need to make sure he stays comfortable through the night.”

“Oh, that’s awful! Who would do such a cruel thing?” More proof that Layla had a kind heart. She loved animals as much as Patience did.

“It was an accident, truly. Trust me, if I thought it was foul play I’d have called the RRPD.” Animal welfare was a safe topic with Layla, who was otherwise too preoccupied with her corporate role as Colton Energy VP for Patience’s liking.

“Make sure you report it if you change your mind.” Layla never seemed to realize that Patience had her DVM and was fully capable of deciding when and why on the calls into the RRPD. Not to mention her K9 certification.

“What are you up to now, Layla?” She heard the hard edge in her voice but it couldn’t be helped. It rarely could with Layla.

“Since my sister can’t meet me for a drink at the only decent bar in town, I think I’ll spend more time here in the office. There’s always more to do, and I’ll need to have things in order for when we have our cash flow back in the black.”

Patience gritted her teeth. Layla was goading her. When it came to the subject of Layla’s secret engagement with the smarmy Hamlin, silence was the best approach.

“Patience?”

“I’m here.” She rolled her eyes and popped a grape into her mouth. Good thing they were on speakerphone and not doing their usual video call.

“You know your judgment is stinking over the line, don’t you?” Layla’s tone was pure corporate executive with a dollop of big sister.

“I haven’t said a thing!” Either the grape had been sour or she was reacting to Layla’s tone, for her stomach began to roil. She’d felt fine for the most part, until she realized she was pregnant. And thought back to how shaky her stomach had been the last couple months. Another reason to put off meeting Layla. Her sister would connect the dots in an instant if Patience turned her nose up at food and, of course, alcohol. Gourmet meals paired with fine wine were the one luxury Patience indulged in, and only with Layla, on occasion.

“You don’t have to say anything, dear sister. I do think Hamlin cares about me, by the way. Dad’s putting pressure on us to make it legal ASAP, but with the Groom Killer around, Hamlin’s rightfully nervous. I know you don’t approve of us or how we’re handling our engagement. But it is what it is, little sis. I’m doing what you always say you believe in and putting family first.”

“By keeping it secret?” Stung by Layla’s accurate assessment, she couldn’t help but to strike back.

“From the public. There’s a serial killer on the loose, or have you forgotten?”

Patience remembered she was alone in the K9 clinic, and saw the darkening October sky through her office window. The early sunset was a sign of the winter to come, not a harbinger of more killings. Her body thought otherwise as shivers ran down her spine.

“Of course I haven’t forgotten. But Hamlin’s just like our father. His priority is always business and that means Colton Energy. Above all else, Layla, even your marriage.” She almost choked on the word marriage, and yet guilt tugged at her. How could she judge anyone, even Hamlin, for postponing the nuptials? A psycho intent on killing grooms remained at large. Even if Hamlin had the resources to provide himself with the best security on the planet. And she had to admit, if only to herself, that she was a hypocrite. She’d been relieved that the wedding was called off for now. The thought of Layla on Hamlin’s arm made her sick, and it had nothing to do with baby hormones.

“Tell that to Bo Gage, Michael Hayden, Jack Parkowski, Joey McBurn or Thad Randall.” Layla’s sharp reply sounded as if she was a woman sure of her place in life, but Patience saw through her sister’s smoke screen. Red Ridge wasn’t a tiny town, but it was small enough that they’d both known all five victims, at least as acquaintances. “And the RRPD still hasn’t caught our cousin Demi—if she’s the killer, of course.”

Layla referred to Demi Colton, a bounty hunter whose relation to the murders was circumstantial at best. Patience didn’t know Demi well as they hadn’t spent a lot of time together growing up, or now as adults. But she didn’t believe the gossip one bit, not since Demi brought in an injured dog to the clinic shortly before she’d fled. Demi cared. Killers didn’t.

“She’s not. She’s only a suspect.”

Demi had left town right after Bo Gage, the first victim, had been found. Because Demi and Bo Gage had been engaged for a week, until he’d dumped her for Haley Patton, there was circumstantial evidence, as well as motive, for Demi’s guilt. It made no sense to Patience, though, because Demi had zero relationship to the other victims. But community opinion named Demi as the killer. Fortunately, the RRPD worked with facts, as did Patience.

Patience had to stand up for the truth, even if they flew in direct opposition to popular opinion. She put her trust in the RRPD’s investigative capabilities over fear-fueled town scuttlebutt.

Layla’s silence grew long and Patience wondered for the umpteenth time if her sister needed her to talk her out of the Hamlin Harrington agreement.

“Layla, you know I admire your loyalty to Colton Energy and our father, even though he doesn’t deserve it. And we haven’t talked about it since the fund-raiser, for obvious reasons, but are you sure you still want to marry Hamlin?”

“Of course I do.” Her prompt reply was too quick, too reactionary. “Look, I’m not the one who went off the Colton straight and narrow. I’m holding up my part of the family business.” Nice dig at Patience, who’d eschewed accepting the family legacy of becoming a financial wizard, like her father and sister. Finances had never appealed to her; serving others had.

“That doesn’t mean you have to marry a man you don’t love.”

“Who says I don’t love him?” Didn’t Layla hear the lack of conviction in her own reply?

“Please. We can agree to disagree about your engagement, but we need to drop the pretense that you care for Hamlin if we’re going to remain sisters.” Patience would never have been so direct even a day ago. Was the baby giving her some kind of relationship superpower? Where she was realizing the preciousness of life and wanted to protect her bond with her sister?

“I wish I could tell you more, Patience, but you’re going to have to trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

“I’m here if you need me, Layla. Let’s meet sometime next week, after I get through this weekend.”

Layla’s sigh sounded over the phone’s speaker, and Patience felt sorry for her sister—almost. It was her decision to become involved with Hamlin, a man their father’s age and just as disagreeable and greedy when it came to business. They weren’t wealthy by accident. Although Fenwick’s recent investment blunders were bleeding the company funds to near bankruptcy. From a pure economic standpoint, Colton Energy was desperate for what Hamlin Harrington offered.

Gabby’s screech reached through the walls. Layla gasped. “What was that?”

“Our resident parrot. She’s ready to come out of her cage again and stretch her wings. I’ll give you a call later tomorrow, when I’m off duty, okay?”

“Maybe we can meet for a meal, then? With a nice bottle of red. My treat.” Layla’s infectious optimism made Patience laugh. It’d be soda water for her from here on out, but Layla didn’t need to know that yet.

“We’ll see.”

Chapter 2

Patience managed to get all the animals taken care of by eleven o’clock that night. Her legs thanked her as she lay down and stretched out on the folding bed assigned specifically to the overnight watch. She rotated the duty with another local veterinarian, who worked for the clinic on a contract basis, and the vet assistants. She’d thought that finding out she wasn’t just bloated or had gained a few pounds, but was in fact pregnant, would keep her up all night. What did she know about being a mother? And what was she going to say to Nash? How was she going to tell him? How could she make sure he completely understood that she wanted nothing from him, needed nothing?

Snuggling into the rose-printed down comforter she’d brought from home, she promised herself she’d worry about it later. She had a few hours before the next rounds. She fell into a sound slumber that lasted until the alarm on her watch pinged at 2:00 a.m.

She blinked in the stillness, her mind blank for a brief second until reality seeped back in. Her entire life had changed only hours earlier with the positive sign on the pregnancy test’s pee stick. Stretching her arms and legs, she chuckled in the inky dark. Who was she kidding? Her life had changed almost three months ago after the K9 training seminar with Nash. They’d made this baby while the summer sun was still shining, before autumn was more than a thought. And now the fall was passing quickly, the cold arctic winds beginning to dip down into the mountains.

Anxiety mounted at the task ahead of her and she sat up. Her job at the moment remained to care for her animals—the clinic’s caseload.

Patience mentally ran through the patients that needed to be checked and, in particular, walked. Fred was the only canine needing a walk, unless some of the other dogs asked to go. Moving through the familiar steps she’d done countless times when she’d had night duty gave her comfort in the midst of the chaotic change a baby added to her life. But it didn’t erase her exhaustion. No wonder she’d been dragging the last month or so. It wasn’t the change of season or heavy workload—she was pregnant!

As an extra bribe to herself to get up and get going, she planned to take a look at the trees surrounding Black Hills Lake in hopes of spotting a great horned owl. There was a family of the majestic birds that roosted in the nearby fir trees, but the nocturnal animals were difficult to spot most nights and impossible in daylight hours. Tonight, with the full moon and predicted clear skies, she hoped to see one of the creatures’ unique silhouettes.

Patience loved the squeaks her sneakered feet made on the floors when the clinic was closed and she had it all to herself. It was just her, the animals she loved so much and the sense of purpose being a K9 veterinarian gave her.

The motion-detector lights came on as she walked through the corridor that ran along the back of the building. No sounds came out of the kennel. A good sign. This time of night it was usually silent, but if an animal were really ill, this could be the worst time for them, too. She let out a breath of gratitude as she saw that all the animals were quiet and resting peacefully in their respective kennels. The usually feisty Gabby had her head tucked firmly under a wing, one eye peering at Patience as if to say “Don’t bug me.”

“Hi, sweetie girl,” she whispered to the parrot as she walked by.

Fred was her main concern. The labradoodle needed to get an easy walk in, not so much to relieve himself as to help with the healing and to prevent his muscles from freezing up. He acknowledged her with half-open eyes, a tiny wag of his fluffy, untrimmed tail. She smiled at his sweet face. “Come on, boy. Let’s go for a little stroll.”

She braced her core muscles as she gently half lifted the eighty-pound dog onto a portable ramp and onto the clinic floor. How had she not noticed the way her stomach was beginning to bulge out? She’d had strong abs all through vet school, as it was essential to being able to do her job well. And while the strength was still there, she was going to have to start modifying her routine soon. Heat crawled up her neck. Had her coworkers noticed her changing shape and simply remained quiet out of pure professionalism?

No, her sister would have noticed if she looked heavier or larger in her belly area. Layla was all about keeping up appearances. If it wasn’t such an ungodly hour Patience might be tempted to call Layla and share her situation. But then their father would find out, since Layla worked so closely with him and it’d be almost impossible for her to keep her mouth shut. Patience loved her sister and they shared a close bond, but it was probably best to keep this news to herself for the time being. She’d tell all her siblings—Layla, Bea, Blake and Gemma—when she was ready. She ignored the obvious: Nash Maddox needed to be told first.

Snapping a collar and leash onto Fred, she waited for him to steady his legs before they walked to the exit. “Here you go.” She wrapped a dog jacket made from space blanket material around him, being careful not to touch his suture area. Normally a large dog like Fred wouldn’t need a coat, but right after surgery it was her clinic’s protocol, and the night temperatures were dropping precipitously as autumn faded and winter hustled in. She’d had what—three, four winters in her clinic so far?

Her clinic. She’d worked so hard through vet school, hoping to work with K9s, never dreaming she’d land such a plum job. It was a plus to be able to live and work near her family, even when they demonstrated a multitude of reasons she might want to consider a job elsewhere.

And now she was expanding the Colton family by one.

Yes, the everyday physicality of her job was going to need some modification as her pregnancy progressed. Lifting heavy dogs was going to have to take a back seat to her baby’s safety. That was what the other staff members and volunteers were for. She’d get through it.

She shoved gloves on and zipped up her ski jacket, bracing for the cold mountain air. South Dakota in October was not only desolate but could be bone-chilling. Thank goodness it hadn’t stormed today, and there was bare, dry ground for Fred to relieve himself on. Having to take care of his needs on sticky mud or frozen snow would have been tough on her patient.

“Here we go, buddy. Get ready for some cold.” She draped the binoculars they kept on a hook near the door around her neck. Still no sign of clouds, so she might see a great horned owl, after all. Ever since she’d been a little girl she’d loved searching trees for birds. Identifying them played second fiddle to enjoying their unselfconscious way of living. And who didn’t want to watch a feathered creature fly?

The air didn’t disappoint—it was freezing—as she and Fred stepped into the fenced yard area where the dogs could run free, whether they were boarders or healing from treatment. It was atop a hill, on the way to the mountains, and overlooked Black Hills Lake. The yard sloped down to where the RRPD had installed a small concrete pier for training purposes. The insides of Patience’s nose stung from the harsh temperature, but the beauty of the view was worth it.

“How are you doing, Fred?”

Fred didn’t respond to her verbal inquiry, but sniffed the ground and in short order lifted his leg against a small bush. A burst of relief filled her, warming her from the inside out. Nothing was more satisfying than to see a patient recover quickly and return to normal. As Fred resumed sniffing the frosty ground, she looked up at the stars that speckled the dark sky, the full moon their only competition. She and her canine companion could stay out a few minutes more before the cold became a concern for Fred’s healing body.

A creaking sound floated through the air and she turned her attention to the lake. It was beginning to freeze over with a thin crust of sparkling ice, but was too deep to solidify in just one cold night. A movement caught her eye and she noticed a small boat in the middle of the lake, approximately two hundred yards from shore, dead center from where she and Fred stood. Patience blinked, hoping she was imagining the warning signals from her tightening gut. It was too early for ice fishing and too late, as well as too cold, for anything else recreational.

Something very wrong was happening on Black Hills Lake.

She raised the binoculars with shaky hands and focused on the boat. What she saw seemed out of a nightmare. A tall figure, masculine in stature, was holding the limp body of a woman in his arms, her slim limbs hanging lifeless. At least Patience believed it to be a woman, as the figure had long hair. The pale gold strands hung over the man’s arms and reflected the moonlight. Her gut tightened painfully and Patience held her breath, waiting for the woman to wake up. Wake up!

Before she could yell to let them know they were being watched and should cease whatever they were doing, the man dropped the woman over the side of the boat. There was no struggle, nothing but the soft splash as the body disappeared from sight. As if it’d never been there.

Patience couldn’t stop the gasping cry that escaped her lips. Her exclamation, while not at top volume, carried across the eerie stillness. Frozen in place, she kept the binoculars focused, noting whatever details she could.

Icy shock crept over her as the man turned toward the clinic, searching for the source of the sound. She saw the moment he spotted her on the shore, his ice-blue eyes clear and sinister in the moonlight, through the binocular lenses. She didn’t recognize him, but knew that he saw her, and his frown was the only warning she had before he leaned over and started a high-power motor she hadn’t noticed before. Patience dropped the binoculars to her chest and scooped up Fred, adrenaline lending her strength. She’d lifted heavier dogs before, but she never had to move this quickly with them.

“Hang in there with me, Fred.” She ran back into the clinic and quickly put him in his kennel. Her phone was on her desk where she’d left it, but she had to lock the back door before running for it. When she turned the standard lock, she looked through the window and noted that the boat had carved through the thin layer of lake ice and the hulking man was close to the shore behind the clinic. He was clearly aiming for the small pier that the RRPD used for its launches and when training the K9 divers.

Patience went into alert mode, following the protocol practiced in drills with the RRPD. She locked herself in her office, grabbed her phone and went to the gun safe as she called the dispatcher.

“Nine-one-one. What’s your emergency?” Frank Lanelli’s familiar, confident voice eased her nerves as she rattled off her circumstances. All the while she unlocked her gun safe, took possession of her weapon, ensured it was loaded and then climbed under her desk, her designated safe spot.

A shot rang out and she couldn’t keep from flinching. She knew the killer must have gotten through the outside security fence by now, which she told Frank.

“The shot I heard had to be him breaking through the outer gate.”

“Good action, Patience. You locked the back door up tight. That will slow him down, too.” Frank had known her since she was a kid and had five children of his own, whom she’d gone to school with. He was an anchor for the Red Ridge County emergency dispatch system. “Where are you now?”

“I’m in my office—the room closest to the kennel, farthest from the clinic’s back entrance. I’m under my desk with my .45.” She heard a crash and instinctively tightened her hold on her weapon. “I think he just broke a window.” She couldn’t help gasping for breath.

“Where are you, you bitch?” The man’s roar reverberated through the walls.

“Oh, no. He’s coming for me, Frank.” Frantic, she tried to focus, figure out what to do next.

“Hang on, Patience. Was that the intruder yelling?”

She clung to Frank’s voice. “Yes. That was him. He’s angry and calling me a b-b-bitch.” She could barely breathe as fear’s noose tightened the muscles around her chest, where her heart raced. She felt its beats on her thighs, pressed up against her as she was folded under the desk. And against her baby bump. Her baby. Please, please let her make it through this. For the baby if nothing else.

“You’re good, Patience. You locked your office door?”

“Yes.”

“And turned off the lights?”

“Yes, but he has a weapon—”

“Tell me what you hear, Patience.” Frank’s voice remained steady and clear.

“He’s calling for me. He’s going to kill me, Frank.” And the baby. The baby no one but she knew about.

“No one’s going to hurt you, Patience. You’re doing great. You have your weapon ready to go. Keep me on the line. Keep talking if you can. If you have to put your phone down, keep it on, okay? Two units are en route. You’re certain you saw a body go into the lake?”

“Yes, positive.” She repeated the details of what she’d seen. “Even if she was alive, there’s little chance she still is. She looked unconscious, or dead, and the water is too cold.”

“Okay, we’re dispatching one K9 team now. That will be Sergeant Maddox with Greta. They’ll go straight to the lake. You stay put until the other RRPD units arrive.”

All she heard was Nash’s name. Nash would make it okay. He was an accomplished, practiced, proficient K9 officer.

Frank continued with the running commentary, but even his professional expertise, his years of calming traumatized citizens, couldn’t soothe her. There was an intruder in her clinic, most likely a murderer. The doom that shrouded Red Ridge over the Groom Killer had nothing on the dread that choked her. Had she found out she was going to have a baby today only to lose everything at the hands of some evil stranger?

A loud crash, followed by the sound of splintering glass hitting the clinic’s floor, sharpened her senses. He was breaking the kennel windows that lined the corridor. The dogs started barking and Gabby shrieked in outrage. Please don’t let him hurt the patients.

“Where are you? Come out now or I’ll take out your precious animals!” And he had a weapon to make good on his promise.

He was closer, too close. Patience tightly hugged her knees, weapon ready in her right hand. She’d do whatever she had to do to stay alive and protect her baby.

“One minute out, Frank.” Nash spoke to dispatch, his siren blaring as he raced through town in his RRPD K9 SUV, Greta secured on the back seat. His entire shift had been routine until Patience’s call came in from the clinic. He had to help her, to reach her before the suspect did. He kicked himself for not calling her, asking her out again. And then immediately shoved that thought aside. There’d be time for self-reflection later, after Patience and the clinic were secure.

“Go ahead to the lake, Nash. We’ve got two units approaching the clinic.”

“How far out?”

“Three and four minutes.” Frank’s concern was audible. “Repeat, K9 officer is to go to the lake. Victim in the water.”

“I hear you. But I’m going into the clinic first if no other unit is there yet.” Nash was only a minute out, and seconds could mean the difference between life and death. He’d be damned if he let anyone harm Patience. He strained to see up the road, willing the clinic to appear.

“You’re right, Nash—we need you to go to the clinic first. We’ve now got a crazy man in the kennels, threatening Dr. Colton. She’s armed.”

“Copy that. Clinic first.” Like it was going to be anything else. A victim in the cold depths of the lake, even with his and Greta’s expert abilities, stood a slim chance of making it, if any. There was still hope for Patience.

Damn it. Why hadn’t he called her, reached out to her after their night together? If he got them through this, he’d make it up to her.

Greta whined in the back seat.

“It’s okay, gal. We’re going to get there.” Greta never made a sound unless reacting to her instinct that something was wrong. That made two of them. It was constant these days in Red Ridge, from the Groom Killer case to the incessant pace of drug crime.

The clinic buildings came into sight, and as they appeared on the horizon Nash expelled a harsh breath. He willed the vehicle to go faster, faster as he navigated the familiar road. The security lights were blazing, but no inside lights were visible. He also noted no sign of RRPD units, confirming Frank’s reported ETA for them, so Nash pulled around to the back, next to the fenced area for the dogs and K9 training.

Wasting no time, he got Greta out of the vehicle. With his weapon drawn, they ran for the building. Greta needed no orders, for they’d practiced and served together thousands of times. They were more than K9 partners; they were a team.

Nash went to let himself in through the secured fence, ready to punch in the code known only to himself as the lead K9 officer and Patience. His gut sank when he saw the broken gate, proof of forced entry. Together he and Greta ran to the clinic’s rear entrance, where he found shattered glass on the concrete doorstep, the door ajar. He signaled for Greta to jump over the sharp shards.

“Come on, Greta!” Employing the moves that were second nature to them, Nash and Greta went through a coordinated series of tactics that allowed him to ensure the way was clear, while she remained on alert for any unusual sounds or scents. Several of the windows that looked out onto the lake and lined the corridor had been smashed, but Nash noted that none of the animals in the kennels appeared to have been injured, and only a few were yipping or meowing in distress. The loudest of the bunch was Gabby, the bird Patience boarded so often she was becoming a familiar sight. What wasn’t usual was the huge red parrot’s screams that threatened to split his eardrums.

“Help, help!”

The parrot’s cries were downright spooky as he and Greta moved forward through the dark corridor. Patience. He had to get to Patience.

Chapter 3

Patience grasped her .45 and aimed it at the office door. The thug continued to pound on it after firing once, and it was beginning to splinter around the handle. She stayed steady behind her desk, resting her arms atop it, ready to shoot. Mentally, she recalled all she’d learned at the firing range, and in various training scenarios the RRPD had put her through in the rare event she’d ever need to protect herself or the K9s. She’d never expected someone to break into the clinic to come after her, though. To steal the valuable K9 dogs, sure, or to score prescription painkillers for street sales—specific crimes the clinic was at risk for. But to have a murderer break in and come after her? Not expected.

Adrenaline surged as she prepared to shoot, but she maintained her steady focus on the door, visualizing the shape of the man she’d take down.

And then...nothing. Footsteps running away. Sharp barks, more footsteps.

“Patience, Nash Maddox is on scene with Greta.” Her phone, on speaker, barked into the quiet office.

“You mean at the lake.” Despite the silence she remained ready to shoot. Her mind heard Frank’s calm explanation, but her nerves weren’t ready to stand down.

“No, he’s come to ensure your safety and apprehend the assailant.” Sirens reached her ears. “Stay put as he clears the front reception area.”

“Okay.” She heard Nash’s deep voice echo through the halls, heard Greta’s bark as the K9 team secured the clinic.

“RRPD is on-site, Patience.” Frank’s relief was evident. “Nash and Greta chased off the suspect, turned over security to the other RRPD units and are headed to your office now.”

“Thanks, Frank.” She let out a shaky breath, but still couldn’t let go of her weapon. What if the man had circled around back?

A knock sounded on the damaged door, followed by a deep bark—Greta’s.

“Patience, are you there? It’s Nash.” Greta’s second bark let her know the huge Newfoundland wanted to declare she was there, too.

Slowly, Patience unfolded from behind the desk. “Nash is at the door, Frank.”

“Affirmative. You can let him in, Patience. Repeat, he’s chased off the intruder and our units are on-site.”

“Patience?” Nash’s voice reflected concern, even muffled by the door.

“I’m here.” She unlocked the door and opened it, and was immediately engulfed by Nash in a bear hug. His arms pressed her to him, his solid, hard body the most comfortable thing she’d ever felt. Patience melted against him and let herself receive his warmth.

“Thank God you’re okay.” He placed his free hand, the one not holding his Glock, on her shoulder, and his eyes blazed with intent as he looked at her. “Are you? Okay?”

“I am. It was...” In a totally uncharacteristic move, tears fell from her burning eyes and she fought to speak. “I’m sorry. This isn’t like me.”

“It’s just the shock. I’ve had to fight tears on ops before, too.” He wiped one cheek with his thumb, then the other. She relished the rough, calloused slide of his skin against hers. It grounded her, allowed her to stop gulping for air.

“Thanks, Nash. You’re right. It’s shock, I guess.”

“And some adrenaline.” He dropped his arm and looked her over. “Did you hit anything while you were diving under the desk?”

“No, really, I’m fine.” She rubbed both eyes with the heel of her hand, and realized that she, too, still gripped her weapon. “Except I didn’t know I was still holding this.” She engaged the safety and placed it on her desk. “I think I used everything I ever learned in our practice drills over the last twenty minutes.”

“You probably did. And you handled it perfectly, from what I can see.” As she looked into his eyes she saw his conviction, and it chased away the dark cloud of anxiety that the killer had left in his wake.

“Where is he now?” Quakes of relief started to move through her. She’d done it. Nash had helped. The killer was gone.

“Hopefully, in custody. He took off toward the mountains. The RRPD will get him.” Nash sounded certain, but she wasn’t so sure.

“A man who’s so cold-blooded as to...to dump a body in the lake like that?” She shook her head. “He’s not going to get caught. Not this easily. I’ll bet he has a getaway car stashed nearby.”

Nash put his hand on her shoulder again. “That’s not your problem anymore. You’re safe. The clinic is secure. Get some water or coffee.” He nodded at the teakettle behind her desk.

“Okay.” Her stomach heaved at the thought of ingesting anything, but tea might be good. Her stomach—had Nash noticed her midsection was thicker?

“Stay put until the other officers show up. They’re here now, I think. Greta and I have to run to the lake.”

His attention was focused on the case at hand, not her burgeoning baby bump. She had to tell him. But not now, in the middle of a crisis.

She tried to offer him a wobbly smile. “The man came up in his boat—it’s on the shore at the bottom of the clinic property. You could take that out to where I saw him dump the body.” Shivers raced up and down her spine. “Nash, be careful. He’s—he’s going to kill you if he can.”

“He’s not going to hurt anyone else, Patience. You’re safe now.” He repeated that, as if he understood just how shook up the entire circumstance made her. “I’ll be back for you.” He paused, and for a moment that hung between them like eternity she thought he was going to kiss her. His eyes glittered with promise, one not solely related to the dark happenings of tonight. Dare she read anything into his heated stare? But instead of placing his lips on hers, he offered a wink instead. “Be right back.”

Nash and Greta disappeared into the corridor, and as she watched through the broken windows, they raced out the door and across the training area toward the lake, their movements in perfect unison. Her instincts told her to go into the kennel and calm her patients, but Nash was right—she needed to wait until she knew the entire property was safe again, that the killer hadn’t come back.

“Dr. Colton!” Officer Maria Ruiz caught her attention, waving from the other end of the corridor. Relief swamped Patience. If Maria was here, then what Nash said was true. The building was secure. For now. She’d feel better when he was behind bars, when the mental image of him sneaking back to kill her didn’t seem an inevitable outcome to her hyped-up brain.

“Maria. Thanks for clearing the place.”

“It’s my job.” Maria looked at her, then peered out a window toward the lake. The K9 team was in the boat after the evidence team quickly dusted it for prints and searched for evidence. The launch made its way toward where Patience had seen the woman’s body being dropped. “That Officer Maddox and Greta in the launch?”

“Yes. They’re headed for the center of the lake, by the dive platform.” Patience had a hard time reconciling the spot with where they trained the diving K9s and sometimes sunbathed during the summer. “It’s where the suspect was when I saw him with the woman.”

Maria nodded. “Yeah—the other K9 unit is already there. See the other launch? They just said Greta’s going to be diving.” She looked around Patience’s office, checking every cranny and under the desk before she was satisfied. “You should be safe in here for now. How did the man get into the clinic to begin with?”

“I heard a gunshot when he was still outside. I think he must have broken through the security gate and then smashed a window to unlock the back door.”

As she replied Patience realized how slim the chances were that the thug was able to not only expertly break through the eight-foot security fence, but also enter the clinic so quickly. “He had to be trained to do this. Or knew the codes.” But then that would mean someone they trusted was a criminal. Or maybe one of her staff had unwittingly given information to the wrong person.

Maria watched her with a gravity reserved for their toughest cases, reflecting Patience’s concerns. “That he knew the codes seems unlikely—we’ll check to see if he actually shot the outer gate, and determine exactly how he got in. At the very least he has a good understanding of the clinic’s layout, judging by how quickly this escalated. The fact that he came right to your door...” She assessed Patience with a compassionate gaze. “Do you want to come out back with me?”

“Sure.” There was nothing she’d like more than to see the assailant caught, or better, the woman he’d dumped into the lake still alive and okay. And staying in her office alone right now wasn’t high on her list of fun things. Patience needed to be with people, and Maria’s grounding presence fitted the bill.

They walked past the kennel and Patience noted that most of the patients were amazingly calm, even with the wide-paned windows shattered. “We’ll be back, everyone.”

“Do you think they understand they’re okay now?” Maria spoke as they reached the back door, which had clearly been broken through, its window also smashed.

“Absolutely. Gabby, the parrot, is being quiet—that’s telling. When she gets riled up, she can incite a puppy and kitty riot in there, let me tell you.”

Maria laughed. “At least your sense of humor hasn’t left the building. That’s a good sign.”

“Probably.” She wasn’t feeling particularly jovial, but more like punch-drunk. The adrenaline comedown affected everyone differently. The baby’s welfare gnawed at her. Adrenaline flooding her system was bad enough; it couldn’t be great for the baby. She had to make an appointment with her doctor soon, and get a referral to an ob-gyn if necessary.

Thoughts of the baby’s needs took a back seat as they approached the open gate. Patience saw bullet holes in the area surrounding the keypad.

“I’ve got to take photos and gather evidence.” Maria pulled out a plastic evidence bag.

“Of course. I’m going to see if I can watch the dive ops from the deck.” Patience jerked her thumb over her shoulder, indicating the clinic’s small pier. There were a half-dozen launches used for K9 and police diving exercises and ops. Three were out in the center of the lake. “Thank you, Maria. I wouldn’t have left my office if you hadn’t shown up.”

“No problem.”

Once she was on the deck, looking across the icy water, it hit Patience how close the killer had come to reaching her. The fact she’d made it back to the clinic and managed to lock the door was incredible, seeing how easily he’d broken through the fence. It had felt as if she’d run miles with the recuperating labradoodle in her arms, but it had been less than a hundred yards. Too close.

Her heartbeat raced and she closed her eyes. The baby needed her to be calm. Patience reminded herself what Nash had emphasized: she was safe. But the woman the man had dumped in the water—probably not. Patience quickly refocused on the dive operation.

With the binoculars still around her neck, she used them to watch the divers from the shore, ignoring the cold as she shivered in her jacket. It was clear that Greta wasn’t having the luck she was expected to, as Nash and the other K9 officers repeatedly encouraged her to go back under, to find what they knew was there. The woman with the long pale hair. Finally, Greta’s large head surfaced and Nash’s arm signaled for the other officers to help. Patience made out something in Greta’s mouth as several shouts from the assembled RRPD officers echoed across the water.

“We have something!”

“Positive contact!”

“Pull her up!”

The rescuers got the body on board a slightly larger RRPD vessel normally used in the warmer months when boaters and swimmers got into trouble. EMTs who’d joined the op worked over the woman, valiantly attempting to ascertain if she’d survived, or had a chance of life once at the hospital and warmed back up. But the pit in Patience’s stomach confirmed what she already knew—there was no way the victim had survived her chilling plunge.

“Good dog.” Nash gave the hand command for Greta to shake herself off, and she did so, her huge bulk moving with unexpected grace aboard the small launch. The woman Greta had found was unresponsive and already being transported to the Red Ridge Medical Center, on the off chance she could be miraculously brought back to life. Nash wasn’t expecting good news, though, as she’d been in the water for too long. There was a gash on her forehead that appeared lethal. He suspected she’d been dead already when the killer dumped her.

Frustration that the killer had gone free chased away the relief he felt over Patience’s survival. Someone cold-blooded enough to kill and dump a woman in the chilly lake waters wouldn’t have hesitated to kill a possible witness. Thank God Nash and Greta had made it there in time.

“You’re a good girl, Greta.” He petted her, wet fur and all.

“They both are good dogs.” Officer Mike Georges stood next to him, his Belgian Malinois, Rocky, under a space blanket. Mike had been first on the scene and Rocky had dived for the woman with no luck. It was common knowledge that Greta was their best water dog, but Rocky was well trained, too, as were the several Belgian Malinois on the K9 team. Still, Nash couldn’t help the surge of pride at Greta’s job well-done.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get out here sooner.” Nash knew that it didn’t matter—they’d all been too late to save the woman. Still, he’d had an option and he’d chosen to rescue Patience from the intruder over heading for the lake. He’d do it again, even if dispatch hadn’t agreed.

“We both know it wouldn’t have made a difference, unfortunately. And we were here at least five minutes ahead of you, with no luck.” Mike’s face was grim, softening only when he looked at his K9. “Is Dr. Colton okay?”

“Yeah. She was armed for bear and ready to take out the jerk.”

Mike nodded. “She was a great study when we did our training last time. And her shot is perfect—as good as any officer’s.”

“I know.” And he did. Nash knew a lot about Patience Colton that would cause Mike to raise his bushy eyebrows. More than he should, in fact, for a woman he’d known only one night, no matter how incredible. He couldn’t help noticing her whenever she was in the vicinity, or listening extra carefully when one of the other police officers mentioned her name in passing.

“I’m going back to check on her. She can give Greta a quick look over, too.” He knew Greta was okay; the dog was bred for cold water activity. Newfoundlands excelled at pulling half-ton nets full of fish, as well as soaked men, aboard ships in the northern Atlantic. A quick dip into the bone-chilling lake in the middle of autumn was all in a day’s work for Greta. In fact, judging from the dog’s smile as she panted, she wouldn’t hesitate to jump back into the water. It was in her DNA.

Still, Patience insisted on looking over all the K9s after they’d performed any particularly demanding task, or had worked for an extended length of time. Another reason she was so respected by the RRPD. Dr. Patience Colton cared for her charges.

“You look like you need a rest, too, Nash.”

“I’m good.” He’d be better once he was with Patience again, saw that she was doing all right. She’d set off his internal warning radar as quick as any one of the kids. More so, in some respects.

“Okay, then, I’ll see you in there in a bit. Rocky’s going to do a sniff check around the clinic and then we’ll go see if we can figure out what direction our man in question headed. I’ll take Rocky into the clinic for his check after that.”

“Juliette and Sasha will be in on that, won’t they?” RRPD Officer Juliette Walsh was dating Patience’s brother, Blake, and was the K9 partner to their strongest sniffer, a beagle named Sasha.

“For sure, but we can help, too.” Mike nodded at the streaks in the eastern sky that heralded sunrise. “We may as well finish out the morning. See you back at the station.” They’d reached shore and Nash was relieved to see at least six patrol cars, lights blazing, parked alongside the clinic. He knew Patience was safe, but he still felt the tight band around his chest loosen as he drew closer. As if he was the one person who could keep her safe.

It was purely his concern for a colleague. And okay, he felt a sense of responsibility because they’d had that night together. Which underscored why he wasn’t in a place to get involved with anyone. If he was this connected to Patience after only one night of sex, along with working together, he’d be doomed if he seriously dated anyone.

Patience isn’t just anyone.

He shrugged off his annoying conscience and nodded at the RRPD officer guarding the clinic entrance, who let him pass.

Greta followed alongside him, down the long corridor to Patience’s office. But they didn’t have to go that far; he saw her in the kennel, through the portion of the glass wall that was still intact. She was talking to another officer, but when she saw Nash her expression softened and she gave him a half smile. Before he could acknowledge her silent greeting, however, the smile faded and creases appeared on her forehead. He remembered them in a different context, when she’d broken apart in his arms, her orgasm shaking both of them. But she wasn’t in his arms now, and this expression wasn’t that of a woman in the throes of passion. Patience looked worried. As if something about him made her anxious.

Patience stopped Maria midsentence.

“I’m sorry, but will you please excuse me? I’ve got to examine Greta.”

She walked up to Nash and Greta, waiting in the main corridor.

“Nash, wait.”

He turned around and she couldn’t read his expression.

“I—I should take a look at Greta. Please bring her into the exam room.”

She didn’t wait for him to answer, but shoved open the door to the large space. Within seconds she’d lowered the stainless steel table in the middle, and Nash led Greta to stand on it. He held her by the harness while Patience grasped the dog’s collar, then used the foot pedal to raise the examination table. Nash removed Greta’s harness and stepped back to allow Patience the space to care for the dog.

“She’s fine. Just wet,” he stated.

Nash’s bond with Greta gave Patience the first sense of normalcy since she’d seen the woman’s lifeless body slip into the lake. She mentally shook the image away.

“How long was Greta in the water?”

“Not more than twenty minutes tops. She dived four, five times before she found the victim.”

“It was a woman.” Patience wasn’t asking. She knew what she’d seen.

“Yes. And she was deceased. They tried to revive her, but...” He grew quiet. Hypothermia and longevity in cold water weren’t something he had to explain.

“But they couldn’t. To be honest, I thought she was dead as he held her. Nothing I can prove, of course, but that’s what my gut told me.”

“Gut instinct is there for a reason.” Their gazes met and it was as if Nash tried to communicate something else. Did he regret they’d only had one night together, too? Patience broke the eye contact and turned back to her examination.

“You did good work, Greta.” She spoke softly to the canine, pausing to shoot him a quick glance. “Has she shown any signs of distress?”

Patience felt along Greta’s abdomen, her flank. As she pressed her stethoscope to the dog’s rib cage, she was acutely aware of Nash being so near.

“No, she’s good. Another day of work for a Newfie, right, Greta?” He spoke with ease to his K9 partner, underscoring the tangible bond between them.

“She’s fine. Good to go. We can get her dried off in the grooming area.” Patience lowered the table and Greta promptly walked over to Nash, then plopped down. “And she’ll need to rest for the remainder of the day. It’s normal for her to be a little more tired—that water is frigid.”

“Yeah, I was worried when she had to dive down more than a few times. I’ll keep her harness off until she’s completely dry.” At the concern etched in his face, Patience realized with a start why she’d been attracted to him in the first place. The reason she’d given in to her desire and agreed to their night of passion. His dedication to duty, his ability to put others before himself. This was a man raising his four half siblings. How many men in their twenties would do that? Warm, tingling awareness lit up her insides.

“What?” He looked at her as if he’d heard her thoughts.

The result of her attraction and their shared night was so obvious to her as she stood in front of him, her belly on full view under her scrubs. While she knew no one else might notice yet, it would be a matter of days or maybe a week or two before her weight gain became obvious. Heat spread over her chest, up her neck. Now or never.

“Nash, we need to talk.” Could she sound any more commanding? This was not something to break to him in a rough way. “Can I make you a cup of tea, coffee? There’s hot chocolate in the break room, too, if you’d prefer.”

His face went blank before his steely determination returned. “Uh, no, thanks. Yes, we do need to talk. Not here, though. I have to escort you to the police station so that you can file a report.”

Her heart sank at how professional he sounded. And for good reason. The sooner she gave her report, the more accurate it would be. The better chance of providing a tidbit of information that might aid in apprehending the suspect. She needed to tell Nash she was having his baby, but it would have to wait. Again.

“I anticipated that. My standby is on duty now, for the duration. I’m free to give a statement.” And go home after and sleep in her bed, which sounded divine. “As soon as we get Greta dried off, we can go.”

Nash nodded, and she sensed a tension in his body. It could be the adrenaline from such a demanding op. But when he looked up at her, she saw vulnerability.

“Patience, I’m so sorry. I’ve been an ass. I should have contacted you before work put us together again. I’ve thought about you often since our night together.” His eyes shone with what could be longing, attraction. Nonsense—he was tired from the recovery op.

“No worries, Nash. Why don’t you take Greta to the grooming station and use the power driers? The sooner she’s dry, the sooner we’ll all get to bed.”

Her face immediately heated. If Nash noticed her self-consciousness over the unintended reminder of their night together, he didn’t reveal it. He had Greta by her leash and his hand on the door. “I just wanted to say that I’m really glad I got here when I did. Tonight.”

Of course, that was what he was going to say. Patience swallowed, knowing in that instant that telling him he was tied to her forever as her baby daddy was something she had to do pronto. But not here, not in the midst of trying to find a murderer.

“Thanks. Me, too. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I know I’d have had to fire my weapon.” She couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through her. And she wasn’t the shaky type. Digging deep, she tried to find the woman she’d been just yesterday. The uncompromising K9 veterinarian who knew what she wanted. Instead of the emotional wreck she felt like, wondering how on earth she was going to raise a baby.

Nash’s hand dropped from the door handle and he closed the few feet between them. His touch was firm, warm, reassuring as he squeezed her shoulder. It was meant as a collegial reassurance, so why did it send lightning bolts of awareness through her?

“You didn’t have to use your firearm. And if you had, you’d have protected yourself. You’re a brilliant veterinarian, Patience, but you’re also a great shot. I was there on the firing range with you during our last weapons refresher, remember?”

She nodded. “I do. Thanks, Nash.”

He flashed his trademark sexy smile at her before he led Greta out of the room. Patience listened to their footsteps, walking in sync as they always did. Nash and Greta made a great team.

And now they were going to have a baby to fit into their routine. If Nash wanted to participate as a father. She’d thought for certain he wouldn’t, but the man who’d protected her tonight wasn’t the kind who balked at a challenge. And helping to raise a baby while still the guardian for his four half siblings would be the challenge of a lifetime.

Of course, he didn’t know about it yet. She wished she still had the clinic all to herself, because she needed to talk to labradoodle Fred and scarlet macaw Gabby most desperately now.

She needed the words to tell Nash Maddox she was pregnant with his child. Yet the image of the woman going into the water, the terror that had sliced through Patience when she’d thought the killer would harm her and the baby, put a dreadful pall over such happy news. Now she understood how the would-be brides and grooms all over Red Ridge felt. The threat of being murdered trumped the desire to host even the most joyous occasion.

Patience squared her shoulders. No one would harm her child or erase the thrill of anticipation at his or her existence. But even as she made the silent vow to herself, a shiver of knowing rushed over her.

The Lake Killer wanted her dead.

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