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

  “Stay here,” Henry ordered. “There could be more than one shooter.”

  She nodded and watched as he disappeared. Without his weight keeping her arms down, Cassie was able to reach up and touch the scar on her neck.

  Then she dropped her hand to her stomach.

  Henry’s voice joined the chorus of the law enforcement in the diner. It had been so long since she’d heard it like this. Panic and determination. Fear and anger. Uncertainty and planning. And then there Henry was, among them, adding to the group. It had been over seven months since she’d seen him. Now there he was after no contact whatsoever.

  And still he’d tried to protect her.

  Cassie rubbed the bump beneath her loose-fitting shirt.

  Henry Ward had no idea he’d just protected his unborn child, too.

  THE DEPUTY’S BABY

  Tyler Anne Snell

  Tyler Anne Snell genuinely loves all genres of the written word. However, she’s realized that she loves books filled 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.

  Books by Tyler Anne Snell

  Harlequin Intrigue

  The Protectors of Riker County

  Small-Town Face-Off

  The Deputy’s Witness

  Forgotten Pieces

  Loving Baby

  The Deputy’s Baby

  Orion Security

  Private Bodyguard

  Full Force Fatherhood

  Be on the Lookout: Bodyguard

  Suspicious Activities

  Manhunt

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.

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  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Henry Ward—After a stint in undercover work ends in tragedy, this new deputy just wants a clean slate. It isn’t until there’s an attack on the sheriff and he discovers a clue from his past that he realizes simply walking away isn’t an option, especially when a woman he spent one amazing night with comes back into his life. And she’s pregnant with his child.

  Cassie Gates—Dispatcher for the sheriff’s department, this longtime employee has been through her own set of traumas due to the danger of the job. Yet, after an even more dangerous threat comes to the county and sets its sights on her and her unborn child, she turns to the only person who is just as committed to seeing the madman stopped.

  Calvin Fitzgerald—Henry’s former partner and close friend was killed in an undercover operation years ago yet is somehow connected to the current trouble that’s found its way to Riker County.

  Michael—The mystery man known only by a first name could be the key to figuring out what’s going on. If only he can be caught.

  Kristen Gates—As Cassie’s sister and neighbor, she finds herself in the middle of danger when she refuses to leave her baby sister’s side.

  Hawk—Owner and bartender of The Eagle, he’s made himself known as a friend to local law enforcement and is more than willing to help them in a pinch.

  Suzy Simmons—Chief deputy and right-hand woman to the sheriff, she’s the one everyone looks to when danger sweeps across the county.

  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

  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

  Excerpt from Cowboy Above the Law by Delores Fossen

  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 ag
ain 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 cent
er 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.