Blazing Star. Suzanne Ellison

       WELCOME TO TYLER. CHANGES ARE AFOOT...

      Tyler’s got a new female police captain—and everybody’s talking!

      Come on down to Marge’s and share the speculations of America’s favorite hometown.

       SHE SEEMS TOUGH AS NAILS

      When Tyler’s favorite son Brick Bauer loses a promotion to outsider Karen Keppler, no one is pleased—least of all Brick.

       BUT THEY CALL HER “CAPTAIN CURVACEOUS”

      Thoughts of his beautiful new boss, however, are soon keeping Brick awake nights.

      Unfortunately, no-nonsense Captain Keppler has this rule about not dating subordinates....

      Previously Published.

       “Crawled into your office to hide, did you, Karen?”

      He didn’t give her a chance to answer before he roared on. “Funny, I didn’t take you for a quitter. I thought you were the type to face things head-on!”

      “Brick,” she pleaded, “please understand. This can’t continue. I need the respect of the community. The support of my men.”

      Suddenly she felt two broad, male hands on her waist. “None of that’s going to keep you warm at night, Karen. None of it’s going to put out the fire burning deep inside you.”

      Then his lips claimed hers. It took all her strength to wrench herself away.

      “Listen to me carefully,” she said coldly, through her misery. “If you ever touch me like that again, Lieutenant Bauer, I will have your badge!”

Dear Reader,

      Welcome to Mills & Boon’s Tyler, a small Wisconsin town whose citizens we hope you’ll soon come to know and love. Like many of the innovative publishing concepts Mills & Boon has launched over the years, the idea for the Tyler series originated in response to our readers’ preferences. Your enthusiasm for sequels and continuing characters within many of the Mills & Boon lines has prompted us to create a twelve-book series of individual romances whose characters’ lives inevitably intertwine.

      Tyler faces many challenges typical of small towns, but the fabric of this fictional community will be torn by the revelation of a long-ago murder, the details of which will evolve right through the series.

      Renovations are almost complete at the old Timberlake lodge. They’re gearing up for the Ingallses’ annual Christmas party, which hasn’t been held at Timberlake for decades! There’s a new owner now, a man with a personal interest in showing Tyler folks his financial clout and with a private objective in reclaiming the love of a town resident he romanced long ago.

      Marge is waiting with some home-baked pie at her diner, and policeman Brick Bauer might direct you down Elm Street if it’s patriarch Judson Ingalls you’re after. Brick calls Kelsey’s boardinghouse home, and you’re always welcome there. In fact, new police captain Karen Keppler is about to move into Kelsey’s herself. So join us in Tyler, once a month for the next eight months, for a slice of small-town life that’s not as innocent or as quiet as you might expect, and for a sense of community that will capture your mind and your heart.

      Marsha Zinberg

      Editorial Coordinator, Tyler

      Blazing Star

       Suzanne Ellison

      

www.millsandboon.co.uk

      For Betty Cook, who’s always there to lend a hand

      Special thanks and acknowledgment to Suzanne Ellison for her contribution to the Tyler series.

      Special thanks and acknowledgment to Joanna Kosloff for her contribution to the concept for the Tyler series.

      CONTENTS

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

Dear Reader

       Title Page

       Dedication

       Acknowledgments

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

       Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

      BRICK BAUER PARKED his old black pickup outside the main gates to the Schmidt farm, then hurried up the long gravel walkway that led through the dark to the house. It was already after eight, and he hoped the chief’s retirement party would be in full swing by now—the bigger the crowd, the less conspicuous his token appearance was likely to be. A half hour or so ought to do it, just long enough to say hello to everybody who’d be sure to notice if he lacked the courage to show up here tonight. All week he’d felt like a bug in a specimen jar, and he had no intention of spending the next week the same way.

      Since last Monday, Brick’s name had been on the lips of every housewife who had her hair done at Tisha Olsen’s Hair Affair, every cop who hung out at Marge’s Diner and every