CA 50.5 Colby Agency Companion Guide (3 page)

Investigating 101—#22

Harlequin Intrigue

Todd Thompson had been given the greatest opportunity of his new career—a chance for a permanent position at the prestigious Colby Agency. His assignment: to locate a prominent geneticist’s missing and pregnant wife.

Trouble was, working side by side with Serena Blake—the brainy beauty who suspected foul play—provoked certain feelings Todd couldn’t ignore. And when a series of mysterious incidents put Serena in jeopardy, Todd vowed he’d stop at nothing to keep her safe… . But now, as the danger escalated around them, the hunt for a sinister criminal threatened to resurrect long-buried secrets that could threaten Todd and Serena’s future.

Serena and Todd solve the mystery and decide that there is nothing mysterious about how they feel. The two marry six months later and have a little girl.

Raw Talent—#23

Harlequin Intrigue

When a confidential file was stolen from the prestigious Colby Agency, it was A. J. Braddock’s mission to retrieve it. His assignment: locate Gabrielle Jordan, the enigmatic woman who’d vanished with the file. Except he never expected to find her hiding out in Mexico, safeguarding two boys after a failed kidnapping plot at the home of Trevor Sloan. Gabrielle’s fierce tenderness toward the youngsters stirred the former military man’s own protective instincts. Forced to rely on each other to stay alive, neither could resist the passion that simmered between them—leaving A.J. torn between duty and desire.

Gabrielle comes to terms with her past when the facts are brought to light. She and A.J. are now married but have decided children can wait a while longer.

The Hidden Heir—#24

Harlequin Intrigue

Ashley Orrick would protect her son at all costs. But escaping her all-powerful ex, whose infinite resources seemed almost impossible to elude, was one thing—shaking Victoria Colby-Camp and her exceptional investigators was another. One way or another Ashley had to protect her son from his devious father.

Keith Devers had finally made the leap from analyst to investigator, only to be presented with a conflict of interest. Something didn’t add up about Ashley. Was it her long scarlet hair or emerald-green eyes? Or was there something to her story about her ex-husband? Her desperation and maternal ferocity made Keith break all the rules. Fleeing from danger could get them only so far from the one thing they couldn’t escape—
runaway passions.

Keith retired from the Colby agency after Ashley proposed to him! Another happy ending with this little family.

A Colby Christmas—#25

Harlequin Intrigue

It was number twenty-five with the Colby agency…but would they close the file before Christmas morning came?

Golden boy Brad Gibson never expected that his climb up the corporate ladder would involve dodging bullets. But after he discovered corruption at a leading financial firm, someone wanted his head. Even worse, he feared he was about to lose an exciting opportunity to join the Colby Agency. Now on Christmas Eve he was locked inside a skyscraper equipped with a state-of-the-art security system alongside Colby Agency receptionist Elaine Younger, a doe-eyed beauty not to be underestimated. But with four masked men intent on bringing the agency to its knees, it was going to be a long night of gunfire and dangling mistletoe before Christmas dawned on the most dangerous couple in Chicago.

Brad and Elaine solve the case and save the day—if not the Colby Agency building. Brad and Elaine are married now. They work in the Colby Agency research department and have two lovely kids of their own.

A Soldier’s Oath—#26

Harlequin Intrigue–The Equalizers

Willow Harris needed someone who was willing to go beyond the law to get her son back. It was a dangerous mission in a foreign land against ruthless kidnappers who had her son. Hope was all Willow had…until she found the Equalizers.

Spencer Anders might have been new to the Equalizers, but he was a proven professional. Specializing in hostage retrieval, Spencer had earned his stripes overseas. Now with Willow in on the mission, anything could happen—things he couldn’t control. The only thing Spencer knew for sure: surrender was not an option.

Willow and her son, Ata, moved to Chicago to be near Spencer. They eventually married and had a sister for Ata. Victoria’s assistant, Mildred Parker, and Dr. Austin Ballard married, as well.

Hostage Situation—#27

Harlequin Intrigue–The Equalizers

Renee Vaughn went undercover to bring down a powerful drug lord. Finding her “in” to the reclusive criminal’s life was easy—his brother Paul Reyes was his polar opposite. He was a classic good man in a bad situation—and the Equalizers’ newest investigator was about to have her way with him. Finding themselves on the receiving end of a dirty double cross, Paul and Renee were running for their lives. As they joined forces to elude his brother’s hired guns, their attraction grew deeper. But would it withstand Paul discovering the truth about who Renee really was? Who was being held hostage here—when both their hearts were put directly in harm’s way?

Renee and Paul solve the case, revealing his ruthless brother. After a long, patient relationship, Paul asks Renee to marry him. They have recently had their first child, a beautiful little girl.

Colby vs. Colby—#28

Harlequin Intrigue–The Equalizers

With their reputations and Sunday dinner in jeopardy, Victoria Colby-Camp and her son, Jim, were at a standoff, and neither was about to give an inch when it came to Sam Johnson. He was Jim Colby’s newest Equalizer, but a mystery to everyone else—until the past caught up with him and investigator Lisa Smith was called in to drag him back to the City of Angels to clear his name.

Hired by the Colby Agency, Lisa was by the book in every way, except when it came to Sam. After all this time, she couldn’t forget him—and she had tried. With Sam framed for three gangland killings, Lisa found herself unraveling a man who trusted no one. But Sam would have to let Lisa in if they were ever going to expose a brutal killer before it was too late for the next victim…and the Colbys.

After an exhausting mission, Lisa moves to Chicago and is looking for a job with the Equalizers. She and Sam are married and expecting their first child.

Colby Rebuilt—#29

Harlequin Intrigue

Former U.S. marshal Shane Allen made one mistake on the job, and it cost him his reputation. Now he had a second chance, working an inside case for the newly rebuilt Colby Agency. And nothing, certainly not some tag-along woman, was going to ruin it.

After her sister’s murder, Mary Jane Brooks wanted only justice. And Shane was crucial to nailing those responsible, even if he did send her pulse racing. Keeping things professional was downright impossible, especially when Mary Jane kept putting out conflicting signals. If Shane’s instincts were right, this fragile beauty was a virgin in the worst kind of trouble—but was
he
ready to take it all away?

The Colby Agency has seen it all and was once nearly destroyed. But like the Phoenix, the Colby Agency is back! Shane and Mary Jane are married and have twin boys.

Guardian Angel—#30

Harlequin Intrigue

Who was the mysterious guardian angel? He’d succeeded where the FBI had failed, rescuing countless kidnapped children and bringing them to safety. His closely held hidden identity—as reclusive Nathan Tyler—was the only thing safeguarding his most private secrets. And they were about to go public.

Colby agent Anne Martin had a serial kidnapper on her hands and no viable leads. Except the Guardian Angel. Undisclosed liaisons with the vigilante weren’t safe. The man was no saint, but neither was she. And breaking all the rules was only the first step they would take together.

With the case closed, Nathan and Ann return to his hometown and marry. With a toddler in diapers, they have just learned they are expecting baby number two!

Identity Unknown—#31

Harlequin Intrigue

Colby Agency’s Patrick O’Brien knew only two things for sure: Sande Williams was a complete mystery and she was a woman in serious trouble. She was also gorgeous, but he wasn’t about to put that in his internal report.

She’d woken up in a morgue—with toe tag and all! How could that happen, and why didn’t she know who she was or where she’d come from? One by one the people associated with her were turning up dead. Was she an unwilling participant in an identity scheme or an accomplice? It was just the kind of case the Colby Agency took on—and just the kind of woman who could worm her way into Patrick’s closed-off heart. But would he be next in her line for termination?

This is the first time the Colby Agency loses one of its own. RIP, Windy Millwood. During their time together, Sande finds out her true identity: Angela Tapley. The Colby Agency launches a new department focused on finding the lost, and Sande/Angela is brought on board for it. She and Patrick have married recently and are hoping to start a family soon.

Small-Town Secrets—#32

Harlequin Intrigue

Since 2000 the Colby Agency has taken on the most private of investigations. They now announce their Elite Reconnaissance Division: Our only mission—to find the missing! Chicago,
Case Report #1.

* * *

Mission: Close a sixteen-year-old case—three teenage girls slain in a small Midwest town. Client: Dana Hall, twin sister of one of the victims. Troubled, amnesiac, alienated from family, suffering from horrific nightmares about the killer’s identity. Investigator: William “Spence” Spencer. Thirty-six. Bachelor. Top-notch skills, on the job 24/7. Showed exceptional sensitivity to client’s needs. Comments: Significant danger. Escalating threats against Dana’s presence in town.

Spence believed Dana was hiding something relevant to the investigation. Possibly he might be hiding something himself. Had his strong, naturally protective nature compromised his professionalism? There was always a first time.

After a roller coaster of a ride, Dana and Spence go back to Chicago and decide to give their relationship a go. Wedding bells ring and a mere twelve months later the two welcome their first child.

The Bride’s Secrets—#33

Harlequin Intrigue

Elite Reconnaissance Division: Our only mission—to find the missing! Chicago, Case Report #2.

* * *

Mission: Find a runaway bride. Expose her true identity. Target: Eve Mattson, self-described “problem solver” for hire. Had been on the wrong side of the law most of her life. Recently showed signs of putting the past behind her, especially after leaving the wrong guy at the altar. Investigator: J. T. Baxley, new employee who had mistaken his bride-to-be for an honest woman. Superior investigative skills, emotionally vulnerable, willing to take a bullet in the name of justice. Supervisor’s comments: Twists and turns no one saw coming. Attraction again developing between Baxley and Mattson? Neither ever trusted anyone. Reports that the two have been spotted in passionate embraces in the midst of lethal situations.

When the bad guys are brought down, J.T. and Eve make some decisions. Despite their painful past and being thrown into a whirlwind investigation together, love has flourished once again. J.T. and Eve give their relationship another go and rush to the courthouse to make it official. A real family is in their immediate future.

His Secret Life—#34

Harlequin Intrigue

Elite Reconnaissance Division: Our only mission—to find the missing! Chicago, Case Report #3.

* * *

Mission: Find the hero who didn’t want to be found. Client: A wealthy businessman who wouldn’t rest until he repaid the man who saved his family from a car crash—and fled the scene. Investigator: Jane Sutton, former army counterintelligence officer, was the proverbial “plain Jane.” Smart, tenacious, tough as nails, but longing for love. Didn’t bargain for the danger that surrounded her target, Troy Benson…or her irresistible attraction to him. Supervisor’s comments: On the lam from witness protection, Troy lives with a devastating secret from his past and trusts no one. Unwilling to let Jane help him reclaim his true identity. Reluctant to believe that what she really might find is the hero of her dreams.

With the case solved, Trace, aka Troy, and Jane let their relationship take its course. I am happy to report that the couple will be married this summer.

Christmas Past—#35
A Very Nascar Holiday

HQN Anthology

After a tragic mountain-climbing accident changed his life forever, NASCAR driver Jason Fewell hadn’t been himself, on or off the track. So he headed into the wilderness to face his worst fears—and miraculously found the one woman who could make him whole again. If only she hadn’t had secrets of her own.

After harrowing and treacherous climbs on the mountains and in their hearts, Molly and Jason follow their hearts to the finish line. The two are married and Molly is Jason’s number one cheerleader as he wins race after race.

First Night—#36

Harlequin Intrigue

As far as Christmas packages went, Brandon Thomas was one surprisingly gorgeous surprise. And at the moment he was in over his too-handsome head. He’d showed up at the Colby Agency offices covered in blood and desperate for help unraveling a mystery of murder. Luckily for Brandon, Merri Walters was a determined investigator not about to let an innocent bystander get railroaded—especially so close to Christmas.

With careful coaxing, Merri learned that Brandon unknowingly possessed information high-level people wanted to keep secret. Now the only challenge was keeping Brandon at arm’s length in order to make sure they both stayed alive to see the New Year.

Brandon and Merri fall head over heels in love and move in together. Wedding plans are under way! As a side note, Merri was also featured in two Bombshell books,
Silent Weapon
and
Silent Reckoning.