The Silent Witness

The Silent Witness
Dani Sinclair

Mysterious, secretive…and sexier than ever!Good girl Nicki Michaels once had a steamy affair with wild, sexy Alex Coughlin–but he'd left town without a word. When he returned and kept his distance, Nicki hid her broken heart and held her head high. Then she became a witness to murder…and Alex came to protect her.Alex stayed away to keep Nicki safe from his undercover investigation–now she was in the middle of it. The fiery beauty rekindled passion Alex thought he could control, until he tasted her lips once more. With a killer trying to silence Nicki, love was a distraction Alex couldn't afford–and one he could no longer deny…

A midnight visitor

“Alex?” Nicki sat up, all too aware that she was naked beneath her sheet. “What do you mean, coming in here scaring me half to death in the middle of the night? Who do you think you are?”

“Your first lover?” He sat down on the bed, much too close to her. She could feel the heat of him against her hip right through the sheet. “Talk to me, Nicki. Tell me what you saw last night.”

“Why don’t you tell me why you’re here? Why now, when you’ve been in town for months?”

“You knew that?”

“That you were back?” She hoped he didn’t hear the pain she tried to bury deep in her heart. “Have you been gone so long you’ve forgotten what it’s like to live in a small town?”

His hand stroked her cheek. The caress made her shiver. “You’re still soft as midnight.”

She didn’t want to respond to his touch, but it would have been easier to stop breathing. She stared into his eyes and tried not to want him anymore. “We aren’t the same people, Alex.”

His mouth descended, covering hers. Firm lips demanded a response. This wasn’t the kiss of her dreams, or her memories. This was an assault of raw passion.

He broke away. “Yes, we are.”

Dear Reader,

I’ve been fascinated by Alex Coughlin since he appeared in For His Daughter. The man just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Since he insists on popping up, I decided he’d better explain why he walks so close to the edge with his dangerous, dark good looks and his collection of less-than-savory friends.

And as soon as I started writing, I discovered I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t forget him. Nicki Michaels is about to watch her peaceful, uneventful life blow sky-high when she tries to help a friend and finds herself on the wrong side of a two-way mirror, staring at the one man she’s never been able to forget.

Nothing is ever what it seems in Fools Point. I hope you’ll enjoy The Silent Witness.

Happy Reading!

Dani Sinclair

The Silent Witness

Dani Sinclair

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

For Mary McGowan and Karin and Rita Shaughnessy with thanks. A special thanks to Kelsey Roberts. And always for Roger, Chip, Dan and Barb.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With the premiere of Mystery Baby for Harlequin Intrigue in 1996, Dani Sinclair launched her dream career. An avid reader, she never took her own writing seriously until her only sister caught her between career moves and asked her to write a romance novel. Dani quickly discovered she could combine her love of action/adventure with a dash of humor while creating characters who find love together despite the odds. Dani lives in a Maryland suburb outside of Washington, D.C., a place she’s found to be a great source for both intrigue and humor!

Books by Dani Sinclair

HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

371—MYSTERY BABY

401—MAN WITHOUT A BADGE

448—BETTER WATCH OUT

481—MARRIED IN HASTE

507—THE MAN SHE MARRIED

539—FOR HIS DAUGHTER* (#litres_trial_promo)

551—MY BABY, MY LOVE* (#litres_trial_promo)

565—THE SILENT WITNESS* (#litres_trial_promo)

HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION

690—THE NAKED TRUTH

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Nicki Michaels—Her favor to a friend made her a target for murder. Now she must put her trust in the man who loved her and left her.

Alex Coughlin—The town bad boy is back—but this time, his reputation hides a bigger secret.

Thorton Biggs—His death was premeditated—was it also a setup?

Bernie Michaels—Nicki’s father knows more about Alex than he’s ever admitted.

Hope Michaels—Is Nicki’s sister a pawn, or a player?

Thad Osher—He has a bad attitude, but does that make him a crooked cop?

Ilona Toskov—What did she see in the alley, and who is she trying to protect?

Pavel Toskov—Ilona’s brother is handy with his fists.

Vic Unsdorf—Will silence cost him his life?

Matt Williams—The precocious teen knows more than he’s saying.

Contents

Prologue (#uac0379b0-12f5-54c6-8485-f85c5f062441)

Chapter One (#u2ec9661d-d068-5cfe-b779-0528428880fd)