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Redemption At Hawk's Landing
Rita Herron
He needs to find his sister, but his heart is luring him away.The murder of her father has brought Honey Granger back to her small Texas town, but despite his attraction to Honey the hot Sheriff, Harrison Hawk, has his own motives for looking into her father's death – his sister has disappeared.
A missing sister, a murdered father and a dangerous reunion years in the making.
The last place Honey Granger wants to be is Tumbleweed, Texas—the judgmental town that made her childhood a living hell. But when Sheriff Harrison Hawk informs her that her alcoholic father has been murdered, she reluctantly joins his investigation. The sexy sheriff has long suspected Honey’s father in his sister’s disappearance and vows to solve both mysteries. But keeping his professional distance from the vulnerable blonde proves nearly impossible. He’ll guard her 24/7 until her life is out of danger. But how will she feel if Harrison proves her father was a murderer?
Badge of Justice
“I’m going to find out who did this,” Harrison said. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Honey.”
She started to say something but he stopped her. “Shh.” He pressed his finger to her lips to quiet her. “I mean it. People in this town haven’t been nice to you and it’s not right. I should have stood up for you a long time ago, when we were kids.”
A blush stained her face and she averted her eyes as if bad memories had assaulted her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of the past.”
“I can’t ever forget the past,” Honey said. “Not until we figure out if my father killed your sister.”
Their gazes locked. Tension escalated. Emotions and desires flamed between them.
She shivered and Harrison realized he’d wanted to soothe and protect and touch her ever since he’d seen her at the morgue.
No longer able to resist, he stroked her cheek with the back of his thumb, then lowered his head and kissed her.
Redemption at Hawk’s Landing
Rita Herron
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
USA TODAY bestselling author RITA HERRON wrote her first book when she was twelve but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded storytelling to kids for writing romance, and now she writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. Rita lives in Georgia with her family. She loves to hear from readers, so please visit her website, www.ritaherron.com (http://www.ritaherron.com).
To the fans of The Heroes of Horseshoe Creek series
who asked for another family—meet the Hawks!
Contents
Cover (#u8bba113e-35f0-58e7-8118-4dc5f14219d0)
Back Cover Text (#ub81174aa-1bf2-56fb-a57a-c5e63dbfd9c6)
Introduction (#u590f5ce0-82a2-5c4e-acff-810e5c78f330)
Title Page (#ud69e707d-7090-505f-92d5-2b1cccb61bb2)
About the Author (#uccde9c05-05bf-5a8c-a99b-52bc93863418)
Dedication (#u8f1c7939-45db-5da7-966d-65247ded071a)
Chapter One (#ub177d139-ad21-50e5-96ea-cc5c34918a38)
Chapter Two (#u47b11212-d662-5ac6-928d-7e462cc5931f)
Chapter Three (#u8678bb93-f775-53cc-84e2-84e70aac6de7)
Chapter Four (#uad12e3c1-e1b3-5c2b-8e49-c5e2895b37dd)
Chapter Five (#u85426adc-ecba-51c0-b721-a416a66f3e5c)
Chapter Six (#u13a1e10c-def6-533d-b577-05723086bb5a)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u244747f7-4056-50ea-9982-5a2b658f93e0)
The dead man lay sprawled on the mountain ridge at Dead Man’s Bluff, his eyes blank, his arm twisted at an odd angle.
He’d probably broken it in the fall. Blood matted his graying hair from where he’d hit the rock as he’d gone over the edge of the ridge.
Sheriff Harrison Hawk cursed. Dammit, he’d recognized him immediately.
Waylon Granger.
The man his mother blamed for his sister’s disappearance eighteen years ago. They’d never been able to prove he was at fault, though.
And now he was dead; they might never know the truth.
Curiosity over what had happened nagged at Harrison. Granger was a known drunk, and a mean one. Even his daughter, Honey, had left home after high school graduation to escape the bastard.
What was Granger doing here at Dead Man’s Bluff?
This was the teenage hangout—just as years ago he and his friends had been drawn to the swimming hole and dark mines with the mysterious ghost stories that surrounded them, the local high schoolers still frequented it.
The two thirteen-year-old boys who’d called in the body sat hunched by Granger’s rusty pickup, their young faces etched in horror.
The scent of death hit Harrison, the summer heat accentuating it.
Memories of the night his little sister, Chrissy, had gone missing bombarded him. The years since hadn’t dulled the pain or trauma. It felt as if it had happened yesterday.
He was seventeen at the time and supposed to babysit his siblings that night while his parents attended a party. Instead, he’d sneaked out to meet his buddies at this very place.
He inhaled sharply. He’d thought Lucas, fifteen, would watch their thirteen-year-old brother, Dexter, eleven-year-old Brayden and their ten-year-old sister, Chrissy. But Lucas had a friend visiting and hadn’t noticed when Chrissy and his youngest brother, Brayden, sneaked out. Dexter claimed he and Chrissy had argued because he was playing video games and she kept interrupting. Brayden and Chrissy rode their bikes to the bluff to see what Harrison was up to.
While they were exploring, Brayden tripped and sprained his ankle. Chrissy went to get help. Brayden thought she’d run to Honey Granger’s, but Honey denied seeing her that night.
The sheriff organized a search party, and they’d searched the mines and town and dragged the swimming hole. But they hadn’t found her.
Someone claimed they’d seen Granger’s truck drive by, casting suspicion on him. Granger denied picking Chrissy up or having any contact with her.
Desperate for a big-sister role model, Chrissy had taken a shine to Granger’s daughter, Honey. But Harrison’s mother didn’t like Honey and had forbidden her from hanging out with the teenager.
Honey’s father didn’t allow Honey friends or visitors, so Harrison’s mother suggested that the man had caught Chrissy on their property, lost his temper and done something to her.
The boys’ voices sounded from Granger’s truck and dragged Harrison back to reality. The taller one stood and walked toward him, his eyes wide with fear. “C-can we go home now, Sheriff?”
Harrison felt for the boy. He and his friend were only kids and had no business being out here by themselves. The mines and bluff were dangerous.
Hopefully they’d learned their lesson.
Unfortunately neither had seen anyone else at the bluff. They’d been horsing around, throwing rocks off the ridge when they noticed the vultures, then spotted Granger’s body on the ledge below.
“Yeah, but be careful. If you think of anything else you saw, call me.”
The boy nodded, then jogged over to his bicycle. His friend joined him, then the two of them began pedaling as fast as they could to get away. Tonight they’d probably be glad to go home to their parents.
A siren wailed in the distance, indicating the rescue team and crime team were approaching. Once they recovered Granger’s body, they’d transport it to the morgue for an autopsy.
Although most likely Granger had been drunk and had simply slipped and fallen, Harrison had a job to do. Whether or not he liked the man didn’t matter.
He had to verify that his death was accidental.
His stomach knotted. He also had to call Honey and deliver the news that her father was gone. It was one conversation he dreaded.
* * *
HONEY GRANGER WIPED perspiration from her forehead, the Austin summer heat stifling as she studied her latest project—a brick ranch built in 1960 that she was renovating.
The scent of dust and old weathered wood blended with the hint of new pine she’d bought to replace the rotting boards on the kitchen floor.
Adrenaline pumped through her. Taking dilapidated, run-down houses that had been left for dead and refurbishing them was challenging but stimulating. She loved transforming the ruins into something beautiful, and had built a successful business out of it.
She’d been trying to do the same for herself for years—take the battered girl who’d run from Tumbleweed, Texas, and make her into something to be proud of. Sometimes she thought she’d succeeded.
Other times she felt like the tainted teenager with the thrift store clothes and shady family, who’d run away when the gossip and rumors became too crushing.
Her contractor and business partner, Jared North, strode toward her, swinging his sledgehammer.
Today was his favorite part—demo day.
He tilted his hard hat. “You want that wall between the kitchen and living room knocked out?”
Honey nodded. “Everyone wants open concept these days, to be able to see their friends and family while they cook and entertain.”
“Got it,” Jared said. “It’s load bearing, though, so we’ll have to install a support beam.”
“It’ll be worth it.” Honey stepped back, mentally picturing the reconfigured design of the kitchen. “With the wall gone, we can install upper and lower cabinets, and build a large center island, maybe from reclaimed wood, for more prep space and storage beneath.” She walked over and examined the fireplace. “Remove the Sheetrock. My guess is there’s shiplap below it. Exposing it will add character to the space.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Honey laughed at his mock salute. The planning and design stage, she was in charge. But when it came to the actual construction details and labor, Jared took command and she saluted him.
“How about the bathrooms?” Jared asked.
“We’re gutting them.” The outdated tiles and flooring had to go. She just hoped they didn’t find water damage or mold.
