In Plain Sight

By Alison Packard

Romance writer Maya Lange is stuck in the small town of Two Forks, Wyoming. It's not the happily ever after she wanted for herself, but neither was dating a man who runs a criminal enterprise or witnessing a murder. Now she's in witness protection, with a new name she hates and a permanent mistrust of men. That doesn't keep the sparks from flying with her neighbor, Josh Madsen, though she suspects he's hiding secrets of his own. She's right to be wary. Josh is actually Jace Reed, a former undercover NYPD officer hiding from the mob. Jace knows his beautiful and mysterious new neighbor isn't who she seems. Is she there to spy on him or to kill him? All he knows for sure is that she's tempting him to do things he hasn't thought about in years. How can either of them learn to trust when surrounded by so many secrets?

  

Former bull rider Ryan McCallister has returned to Two Forks with one goal in mind: to win back his childhood sweetheart, local bakery owner Katie Crawford. Ryan left eight years earlier for all the right reasons, but Katie doesn't know that. All she knows is that he broke her heart. Can she trust him enough to take a second chance on love?  

 

As Katie befriends Maya and Jace works with Ryan on his ranch, their lives become entwined in ways none of them ever expected. Will their shattered pasts destroy the hopes any of them might have for a happy future? The truth is hiding in plain sight. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alison Packard
• Release date: Jan 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9780986355165

Alison Packard

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison now lives in Southern Nevada with her adorable rescue dog, Bailey. She writes heartwarming contemporary romance with a dash of spice, and loves chocolate, reading and taking Bailey for walks in their favorite park. For more info and to sign up for her newsletter visit: http://alisonpackard.com/

Book preview

Chapter One

Hey there, friend. How’s it going?

Jace Reed nodded at the older man sprawled comfortably on a chair outside the hardware store. I’m good, Grady, he said, stepping over Grady’s dog. The mutt was about as old as his owner and tended to nap in front of the door. The dog didn’t care that he was blocking the entrance, and Grady didn’t seem to care either.

It’s gonna be a hot one today, Grady said good-naturedly. Lucky for you, your property is on the lake. By the way, the missus and I are throwing our annual Fourth of July barbeque next month. We’d sure like it if you’d come by and set a spell.

Jace paused, his hand on the door. Set a spell? Who talked like that? Oh yeah, how could he forget? The whole town. Thanks, Grady. I’ll think about it.

Grady chuckled. Boy, you are too damn antisocial.

So I’ve been told, Jace replied, opening the door. The cool air inside hit him immediately. It was a welcome relief from the heat. Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him.

Why hello, Josh. Grady’s wife, Mattie, gave him a friendly wave from behind the counter. What brings you by?

Would he ever get used to his new name? Even after six months, it still felt foreign. I need a drill.

A smile beamed across Mattie’s weathered face. Back of the store. We’ve got the latest model. Came in about two years ago.

Jace gave Mattie a half-smile and headed for the back. There had to be a newer model, but it didn’t matter. He was going out of his mind trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life and needed something—anything—to take his mind off the fact that he was in the middle of nowhere.

He found the drill with no problem. Pulling the box off of the shelf, he dusted it off and headed to the front of the store. On the way, he stopped at a rack of batteries. He was searching for the right size for the new smoke alarms he’d recently installed when the door opened.

Sorry about that. The woman’s husky voice held a tinge of regret. I didn’t mean to step on your dog.

Just remember to look down, young lady. Grady’s tone was jovial. Old Jasper here don’t move for nobody. Not even a pretty young thing like yourself.

Pretty young thing?

There weren’t many of those in Two Forks. Curious, Jace looked over the top of the rack. The moment he saw the woman, it was apparent Grady needed glasses. The woman wasn’t just pretty; she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her face was heart-shaped, her eyes dark, and her equally dark hair flowed over her shoulders like a silken waterfall.

Unable to look away, he let his gaze roam over her. Dressed in snug jeans and a white halter top, the woman was petite but curvy. The high heels she wore were impractical, but damn if they weren’t sexy as hell.

I’ll remember that, the brunette said as she closed the door.

Never mind that old dog, Mattie said with a chuckle. He gets stepped on at least twice a day and never moves a muscle. What can I do for you?

The woman gave Mattie a tentative smile. I need directions.

Where to, hon?

She pulled a slip of paper from her oversized purse. Cedar Lake Road.

Jace tensed. Cedar Lake Road was where he lived. What business did she have there? There weren’t that many houses on that side of the lake.

That’s not far at all, Mattie said. Just follow Main Street down past the railroad tracks, turn left on Poplar Bluff, and then go about five miles. You can’t miss it.

Thanks. She shoved the paper back into her purse. Is there a grocery store in this town?

The way she said ‘this town’ made him think she wasn’t too impressed. Jace couldn’t fault her for that. He’d been in Two Forks for six months, and except for the lake outside his back door, he wasn’t impressed either.

Mattie snorted. I wish. The closest supermarket is about twelve miles away in Baker Junction, but just around the corner, we have a nice little market. Vern’s stocked it with the basics, but if you want more than that, you’ll have to take a drive.

This is the middle of nowhere, isn’t it?

Jace nodded in silent agreement. She didn’t know the half of it.

Afraid so. You just visiting?

No. Her heavy sigh was almost comical. Two Spoons is my new home.

Jace smothered a laugh. He could only imagine the expression on Mattie’s face. She was very proud of her hometown, even though it was possibly the tiniest speck on the map of Wyoming.

It’s Two Forks, hon, Mattie said after a few seconds.

Oh. Sorry.

Mattie chuckled. We’re a small town, but you’ll never meet finer folks. Where are you from?

San Francisco, she said, hesitating a little too long for Jace’s liking.

What brings you here? Mattie asked.

Good question. Jace wanted more information about the dark-haired knockout, and since Mattie was the number one gossip in town, he’d be able to find out everything he needed to know without expending too much effort.

I’m a writer. I’m doing some research for a book, she said. This time there was no hesitation. Still, something was off about her. Well, I guess I’ll check out that market. It’s around the corner, you said?

Yeah, hon. Turn right as you go out the door, and it’s just around the block. You can walk there easy as pie.

Thanks. She gave Mattie a wide smile. It transformed her face and took his breath away.

You’re welcome, Mattie replied. If you need anything, just pop on over. I’m here most days minding the store.

I’ll do that. The woman opened the door.

What’s your name, hon?

Sara, she said. Sara Jones. There was that hesitation again, and Jace had a gut instinct Sara wasn’t her real name.

"What’s your name?" Sara asked.

I’m Mattie. Short for Matilda. The old coot sittin’ on the chair out front is my husband, Grady, Mattie said with affection. And you met our dog, Jasper. Welcome to Two Forks, Sara Jones. It may not be much, but I betcha in six months you’ll never want to leave.

Jace’s grimace matched Sara’s. Mattie was crazy about Two Forks, but that was because she’d probably never been outside the county, much less the state. Sara nodded and stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

Josh! Mattie bellowed. You alive back there? Reaching for a multi-pack of batteries, he moved to the front of the store and met Mattie’s shrewd blue eyes. Looks like you got a new neighbor, she said as he set the drill and the batteries on the counter. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, she added with a wily grin as she punched the keys on the older-than-dirt cash register.

I told you I’m not interested in hooking up with anyone, Jace said. Mattie had tried to set him up with two women since he’d come to Two Forks. And while Sara Jones had piqued his interest, he wasn’t going to let Mattie Jenkins play matchmaker. For all he knew, Sara Jones could be a part of the organization he’d recently exposed and had put a million-dollar bounty on his head. Their reach was long, and because of that, he was wary of everyone. It was a hell of a way to live, but that was how it had to be. He wasn’t interested in dying anytime soon.

She’s a looker. Mattie picked up the batteries and squinted at the price tag. But I figure you saw that for yourself since you were hiding behind the battery rack, gaping at her. She met his guilty eyes and grinned. Didn’t peg you for the shy type.

Jace didn’t typically get rattled, but he had no clue Mattie had spotted him eavesdropping. Living in Two Forks had affected his surveillance skills. I was looking for batteries, he said, holding her amused gaze.

Yeah, and Reba McIntyre is my sister. Mattie let out a snort as she rang up the batteries. You need a bag for this stuff?

No, thanks. Jace pulled his wallet from his back pocket and counted out a few bills.

Mattie opened the cash drawer. I reckon Sara Jones’s renting the Vincent place, she said, taking the cash. That’s the only property out by the lake for rent.

That’s the place near mine, right?

Yes. Mattie handed him his change. He tossed it in a plastic donation bin next to the cash register as she closed the drawer and gave him another wily grin. And I think it’d be neighborly of you to go over to the place and see if she needs any help moving in.

I’ll think about it, Jace said, picking up the drill and the batteries.

Mattie sighed. It’s not right you living out there like a hermit, Joshua.

I like being alone.

It’s not natural. Mattie put her hands on her ample hips and studied him thoughtfully. God created us women for a reason, you know. She chuckled. And I saw the way you were looking at her.

And how was that?

The way Grady used to look at me when we first met. She shook her head, and a wistful smile curved her lips. Lordy, the look in his eyes used to practically singe the clothes right off my body.

I gotta go, Jace said before she could continue. He’d already heard way more than he wanted or needed to. I’ll see you the next time I come to town.

Go see about your new neighbor, Mattie called after him in a stern voice as he headed for the door. It’s the right thing to do.

Okay. He opened the door and stepped outside to find Grady and Jasper exactly where they were sitting when he went inside.

Grady looked up at him with a crooked grin. The scenery in this town just got a whole lot better. Jace closed the door and stepped over Jasper. The dog didn’t move a muscle. She’s headed for the market. She said she had to pick up some groceries before she headed out to the lake. You might want to mosey on over to Vern’s and strike up a conversation with her.

Not you, too. Jace frowned.

Grady leaned back in his chair, tipping his Stetson back to reveal a pale forehead above his deeply tanned face. Boy, I can understand you not wanting to go out with those women Mattie tried to set you up with. It’s slim pickings in this town for a man your age. Staring up at him, Grady scrubbed a hand over his jaw. But if you pass up the opportunity to get to know this little filly, you might regret it.

I might, but I doubt it. Jace turned and headed for his SUV.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Grady called after him.

Pulling his keys from his front pocket, Jace unlocked the door and slid into the SUV. After starting the engine, he slipped on his sunglasses and tamped down the urge to head over to Vern’s Market. Sara Jones intrigued him, but there was something about her that wasn’t quite right. A beautiful woman like her stuck out like a sore thumb in a town like Two Forks, and her sudden arrival seemed suspicious. And although he wasn’t supposed to be in contact with anyone from New York, he and Morelli had managed to circumvent that particular mandate pretty easily. The feds had no clue they were in contact. No one did. Morelli was that good.

The first thing he would do when he got back to his house would be to contact his friend and have him work his cyber magic. If Sara Jones was who she said she was, then there would be no problem. But if she was connected to the violent organization he’d barely escaped from with his life, he didn’t care how beautiful she was, he would show her no mercy.

Standing on the deck overlooking the lake behind her new home, Maya Lange hated to admit it, but the view was spectacular. It was the only thing in Two Forks that could be called that, though. She’d passed through several small towns in her day and found them charming, but that was before she’d been forced to live in one.

What was she supposed to do in the middle of nowhere?

There was no way she could stay in a place like this for the rest of her life. There was nothing to do, and as far as she could tell, hardly any people. The sign at the city limits said the population was two thousand, but that number seemed like a stretch after driving through town.

Although a loner by nature, she still enjoyed the comforts and conveniences of city life. She hadn’t seen a single Starbucks since she got off the small plane fifty miles from this godforsaken place, and that wasn’t natural. Where did people get their coffee?

Her new home was nicer than she thought it would be. The deck she was standing on overlooked Cedar Lake. It was large with more than enough room for a picnic table and chairs. And since it appeared she’d be here for a while, she planned to buy something comfortable to sit on so she could enjoy the view and write.

At the far end of the deck, some steps led to a narrow wooden dock. The dock jutted out over the smooth-as-glass water, and a small boat was tied up to one of the moorings. A metal railing was attached to the end of the dock.

Moving to the steps, she descended them and walked out onto the dock. Her heels made a clicking noise on the wood as she cautiously moved forward. At the end of the platform, she stopped and took in the view. The late afternoon sun glittered on the water. The lake sparkled like diamonds, and its serene beauty seemed inconsistent with the flat, dusty terrain she drove through to get to Two Forks.

The dock faced west. In the distance, the rugged peaks of a mountain range cut into the sky. The sun would set there, and she suspected the sunsets would be spectacular. There was a fringe of trees on the other side of the lake, and she wondered if there were houses on the other side.

A mechanical whine shattered the quiet, startling her. She turned toward the sound. About forty or so yards away was a dock much like the one she was standing on. On it, a man was wielding a power tool and appeared to be fixing the wooden railing on the dock.

Lifting a hand to shield her eyes from the sun’s glare, she could see that the man was muscular. He was shirtless, and his skin tanned a deep golden brown. She couldn’t make out his features, but that was fine with her. She was content to gaze at his perfect body. Even from this distance, she was able to admire his rippling muscles. As neighbors went, she could certainly do worse.

The noise stopped, and the man looked up at her as if he’d sensed her presence. Flustered at being caught gawking, she lowered her hand, and her heart started to pound as their eyes met across the expanse of water.

You just move in? he called out, lowering the drill to his side. The move made him look like a gunslinger, albeit a modern-day one without a shirt.

Yes, she said, her mouth dry for no good reason. Okay, maybe the reason was the way his broad chest tapered down like a vee to lean waist. His jeans were faded, and rode low on his hips. Yeah, that was probably why her mouth was dry, and another part of her anatomy wouldn’t be if she stared at him for much longer.

You need any help?

No. I’m good. She wished she could see his face more clearly. If his face was half as impressive as his body, she might need to jump into the lake to cool off. But thanks for asking.

You’re welcome. If you need anything, let me know.

I will, she said. What’s your name?

He wiped his brow. Josh.

I’m Sara. She wished the feds had given her any other name besides the name of her high school nemesis. The horrible girl made her life miserable for four straight years, and while it wasn’t rational, she’d hated the name ever since. How long have you lived here?

About six months.

And you’re still here? she asked. Why would a gorgeous specimen live in such isolation? Unless he wasn’t alone. A man that hot most likely had someone in his life.

It’s not so bad, he said after a few seconds. He lifted the drill. I’d better get back to this before the sun goes down. Let me know if you need anything. He turned back to the railing and powered on the drill.

A bit disappointed their conversation was over, Maya’s gaze lingered on his muscular back. Maybe Two Forks might not be as dull as she’d initially thought. But then, a man was the reason she was living smack dab in the middle of the country, in a town with only one main street and no Starbucks. She turned on her heel, walked back to the deck and into the house. It would be a cold day in hell before she ever trusted another man. No matter how damn hot he was.

Chapter Two

After taking a shower and changing into a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt, Jace twisted the cap off of his beer and sat down on the sofa across from the flat panel television he’d mounted on the wall in his living room.

Reaching for the remote, he turned on the television, grateful for the satellite antenna installed on his property. There was no cable service, and he knew for a fact if he didn’t have a television to occupy at least some of his time, he would have left Two Forks months ago.

Glancing at the front door, Jace couldn’t help but remember all the times he’d hated it when Morelli would walk into his apartment uninvited. It had annoyed the shit out of him, but now he missed it. He’d give anything for his friend to barge in and unload his latest problems on him. Hell, he’d even welcome Morelli’s annoying girlfriend if she showed up on his doorstep. He was that desperate. Of course, after five minutes, he’d have to kick her out because her constant yakking was enough to make him go stark raving mad. But for those five minutes, he’d at least feel like he was still Jace Reed.

The ring of his cell phone pulled him from his rare bout of self-pity. Tossing the remote on the sofa next to him, he got to his feet and moved to the kitchen. Picking up the phone, he didn’t bother to look at the caller ID. Talk to me, he said.

Greetings and salutations, Morelli said with his customary enthusiasm. It’s me. Morelli.

I know it’s you, Morelli, Jace said, happy to hear a familiar voice. You’re the only one who has this number. Leaning against the counter, he stared out of the kitchen window. The sun had set, but the sky wasn’t completely dark, and he could still make out the lake's calm water. I need you to do a background search for me. I don’t have a lot of information, but do the best you can.

Ah, a challenge. Color me intrigued, Morelli said. Tell me more.

I want you to find out everything you can about a woman named Sara Jones. She’s a writer, supposedly from San Francisco.

Supposedly?

That’s what she said, Jace replied. But I have a feeling she’s not who she says she is.

Your instincts are usually on point. You were right about the Alastair organization.

Thinking of the Alastair brothers, Jace’s jaw tensed. Both were now in federal custody in different parts of the country, but their organization was global. Ian Alastair had already been convicted and sent to prison. His brother would probably do time as well. But it didn’t matter; their loyal minions would carry out their orders. The ruthless brothers would have no problem running their organization from behind bars.

Do you have any other information on Sara Jones? Morelli asked.

Dark brown hair and eyes, about five-two and very attractive, Jace said, picturing her as she stood on the dock earlier. I’m not sure of her age, but if I had to guess, I’d say she’s in her early thirties.

I’ll proceed with an online search and contact you as soon as I have some information.

Thanks. How are Mark and Jan?

Still grieving. It’s hard to see them suffering when I know you’re not dead.

As much as Jace missed his brother and sister, he wasn’t going to endanger their lives. He wished he could tell them he was alive, but until he could figure out how to do it safely, he couldn’t take that risk.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. It was time to visit the barbershop in town. A visit he wasn’t looking forward to. The men that hung out in the shop were a curious bunch. They had made it their life’s mission to find out every detail of his life, and since he didn’t talk much, it made them even more curious.

I assume you heard Alastair’s twin brother has been arrested, Morelli said.

I saw it on the news. The feds got lucky. The report I saw said they arrested him for the murder of an undercover federal agent. There’s an eyewitness, but they’re keeping whoever it is under wraps.

A wise decision.

Yes. Jace hoped the feds had the witness well protected. From all accounts, Hugh Alastair was even more deadly than his brother. What else is going on? he asked, changing the subject.

The usual, Morelli said and proceeded to regale Jace with the latest gossip. And while he wasn’t usually interested in idle chat, he listened because it gave him some connection to the place where he’d lived his entire life—a place where he would never return.

On the second day of her new life, Maya locked the front door and silently cursed her high heels as she walked with careful steps to the white truck the marshal had given her the keys to the day before. For the first time since she’d met him, the man had smiled.