Cold Light of Day

by Anderson, Toni

  Travers nodded at one of the guards standing by the door. “We’re done. Leave them in there until we’re out of the building.”

  Celida knew he’d ordered that for her benefit, and while the thought of him trying to shield her would normally piss her off, this time she appreciated his consideration. She fell in step with him as they headed back down the hallway. “Where to now?” She wanted to be put to work.

  He cut her a sideways glance. “Higher-ups want me to review your statements with you. Once we’re done you can help me do up some reports and start pulling on some of the threads we’ve uncovered. We’ve got files on over a dozen more cell members in the area.”

  “Sounds good.” She just wanted to dive back into her job and have something else to focus on other than worrying she didn’t have what it took anymore. She wanted to do something meaningful again, something that mattered. These past few weeks awaiting clearance from the doctors for her post-concussion syndrome had been the longest of her life.

  “Can you work late tonight?” he asked as they reached the elevators.

  “No, the friend I’m picking up is staying with me, so I can’t just ditch her.”

  “Zoe? Tuck’s cousin?”

  She wasn’t surprised he’d guess that. It was no secret how close she and Zoe were, least of all to Tuck. Fate continually brought him in and out of her life. “Yeah.”

  Celida had first met Zoe through Tuck back when they’d been partnered together right after graduating from the Academy. She and Zoe had stayed close ever since, even though she and Tuck hadn’t kept in contact much.

  She wished it were different, but in truth his mixed signals drove her freaking crazy. She knew he was as attracted to her as she was to him, yet he wouldn’t go there. Not even once they’d stopped working together and he’d moved on to HRT, removing the professional reasons for him keeping his distance.

  She never knew how he’d be when they saw each other. He’d flirt with her one minute and be remote the next. It drove her insane, so she’d stopped tormenting herself and limited her contact with him for the past year. She was sick of being in limbo with him.

  “He was pretty torn up about what happened to you, you know,” Travers said.

  She nodded, surprised he’d say that to her, or why he’d even care. She did know Tuck cared, however. It was his refusal to move beyond friendship that baffled her.

  Whatever had happened in the hours after the attack was fuzzy for her, but she distinctly remembered Tuck being there with her in the hotel room at some point, his ruggedly handsome face leaning over her when she’d been on the stretcher, the deep blond waves gleaming in the artificial light overhead. His chocolate-brown eyes had assessed the damage to her face as he spoke to her in his deep Alabama drawl, those powerfully defined arms braced on either side of her.

  They worked you over pretty good, huh, sunshine?

  Coupled with the obvious concern on his face, that endearment, something she’d only ever heard him use with her and not very often, had nearly made her burst into tears. She didn’t remember much after that except waking up in the hospital later that afternoon, alone. She hadn’t remembered seeing Tuck there, although he’d apparently come by to visit her once more before she was discharged. He’d told her she’d been sleeping and he hadn’t wanted to wake her.

  Celida sighed inwardly. Maybe the truth was he’d been relieved at not having to be alone with her.

  Since then he’d called her a couple times but the conversations were kind of awkward because she didn’t know what the hell to say and wasn’t going to make herself more emotionally vulnerable to him than she already was. The one time she’d skirted the issue of their relationship status—or lack thereof—he’d said something about things in his life being complicated, but hadn’t elaborated. And once he’d found out Zoe was staying with her when she was discharged from the hospital, he’d rarely called, apparently finding it easier or more comfortable to pass messages through his cousin instead.

  She’d flat out asked Zoe what was going on in his life that was so damn complicated it prevented him from spending time with her, but her friend had refused to answer, instead saying she would have to ask Tuck herself. Whatever the complication was, she knew it had to be significant. She’d been driving herself nuts ever since, trying to figure out what the hell that cryptic comment meant.

  Celida shook her head at herself. The man was former freaking Delta, for Chrissake, as badass as they came. Why the hell wouldn’t he just tell her whether he was interested or not, once and for all, and put her out of her misery? He wasn’t the type to string a woman along, so she knew he must have his reasons.

  “I’ll meet you back at the office,” Travers said as they headed for the door to the parking lot.

  She pushed it open and stepped out into the bright June sunshine with Travers right behind her. They split up, him going to the opposite side from where she was parked. Her vehicle was to the left of the main entryway.

  She started up the sidewalk, adjusting her grip on her briefcase as she passed the first car parked along the curb—

  A loud boom shook the air. A pressure wave slammed into her, the explosion close enough that it felt like someone had kicked her in the chest with an assault boot. Heat blasted her. The air whooshed from her lungs as she fell backward, her left arm and hip taking the brunt of the impact as she hit the sidewalk.

  Fighting for breath, heart racing, she rolled onto her stomach to assess the situation. Footsteps pounded on the sidewalk behind her. Hard hands gripped her beneath the armpits and hauled her to her feet, dragged her back to the building entrance. Travers.

  “Are you all right?” he demanded.

  “Yeah,” she mumbled automatically as she scrambled to gain her footing, ears ringing from the concussion.

  The uniformed Marines were running toward them, weapons drawn. The front door and windows on the first two floors of the detention center were blown out. Their shoes crunched on the broken glass.

  Before they slipped inside the building she dared to look back to see what the hell was going on. What she saw made her stomach clench.

  A tall plume of black smoke boiled up from the end of the row of parked cars, like a mini mushroom cloud. Beneath it, her vehicle and dozens more near it were blackened hunks of twisted metal, completely engulfed in flames.

  Targeted

  (Hostage Rescue Team Series #2).

  KINDLE STORE

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  Acknowledgments

  I want to thank Angela Knight’s husband Lieutenant Michael G. Woodcock for detailed information on how polygraph results are stored, and other assorted details. I probably shocked him when I yelled out of the elevator in San Antonio, asking if I could email him with questions. Big thanks for understanding the crazy minds of authors. Also, Angela Bell, Office of Public Affairs, Federal Bureau of Investigation, for answering my many and varied queries about evidence storage, and procedure—thanks for your patience. And author Saranna DeWylde who generously talked me through various prison details. The author community never fails to amaze me with their varied experience and willingness to share. Needless to say, I used artistic license with the information they provided and any errors or mistakes are mine.

  As always, biggest thanks go to my amazing critique partner Kathy Altman—she rocks! Thanks to my editors, Alicia Dean and Joan at JRT Editing, who helped make this manuscript shine. I’m very grateful to Syd Gill for interpreting my vision and creating the awesome covers for the Cold Justice Series.

  Thanks to my beautiful family, near and far. And also to my readers and friends both in real life and online—especially the other authors from the Dangerous Attraction box set, Not Your Usual Suspects blog, and the Montlake Romance authors. It’s great to have such beautiful support.

  About the Author

  Toni Anderson is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Auth
or of Romantic Suspense. A former marine biologist, Anderson traveled the world with her work. After living in six different countries, she finally settled down in the Canadian prairies with her husband and two children. Combining her love of travel with her love of romantic suspense, Anderson writes stories based in some of the places she has been fortunate enough to visit.

  Toni donates 15% of her royalties from Edge of Survival to diabetes research—to find out why, read the book!

  She is the author of several novels including Dark Waters, The Killing Game, and A Cold Dark Place. Her novels have been nominated for the prestigious Romance Writers of America® RITA® Award, Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence, and National Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense.

  Find out more on her website: www.toniandersonauthor.com or sign up to her email list to receive up-to-date information on new releases, exclusive offers and prizes.

  Reviews

  COLD PURSUIT

  (Cold Justice Book #2)

  “I’d highly recommend Cold Pursuit to any romantic suspense reader.” —Harlequin Junkie

  “Toni Anderson’s new Cold Justice series is sizzling suspense and hot romance – the perfect summer read!” —Mom’s the Word.

  A COLD DARK PLACE

  (Cold Justice Book #1)

  “Toni magically blends sizzling chemistry between Alex and Mallory with lots of suspenseful action in A Cold Dark Place. At times I wanted to hide my eyes, not knowing if I could face what might or might not happen! The edge of your seat suspense is riveting!” —Harlequin Junkies.

  “Recommended for fans of Toni Anderson and fans of dark romantic suspense. You’d definitely love this one!” —Maldivian Book Reviewer’s Realm of Romance.

  DARK WATERS

  (International bestseller. National Readers Choice Awards Finalist)

  “In this action-packed contemporary, Anderson (Dangerous Waters) weaves together a tapestry of powerful suspense and sizzling romance.” —Publishers Weekly.

  “The pacing in this book is superb. The tension really never lets up … I never felt there was a good ‘stopping point’ in this book, which is probably why I was reading all night.” —Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.

  DANGEROUS WATERS

  (International bestseller. 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award Finalist)

  “With a haunting setting and a captivating cast of characters, Anderson has crafted a multifaceted mystery rife with secrets. Readers will have to focus, as red herrings abound, but the result is a compulsively engrossing page-turner.” —Romantic Times (4 Stars)

  “A captivating mix of suspense and romance, Dangerous Waters will pull you under.” —Laura Griffin, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author

  “With vibrant writing, a cast of damaged, captivating characters and a plot that’s deliciously diabolical, Dangerous Waters will have you mesmerized from page one.” —HEA USA Today

  “The vivid picture of the scenery adds ghostlike images to the dark and dangerous mystery. Plot twists interlock, never letting up until the last pages.” —Coffee Time Romance (5 Cups)

  THE KILLING GAME

  (2014 RITA® Finalist, and National Readers Choice Awards Finalist)

  “The Killing Game is an exhilarating, masterfully-crafted mix of life-and-death adventure and political intrigue. It’s also a riveting romance, and with the author’s trademark gritty and evocative prose, wily imagination and fierce respect for the plight of the snow leopard and the war-torn country it inhabits, this book is one unforgettable read.” —Kathy Altman Goodreads Review. (5 Stars)

  “I’d recommend this to any romantic suspense reader looking for a unique, intricately woven story that will really touch you.” —Peaces of Me (5 Stars)

  “This is a smart story. This is a sexy story. This is a well written story. This is one of my favorite romantic suspense stories I’ve read all year. I wish there was more!” —Love Affair With An e-Reader (5 Stars)

  EDGE OF SURVIVAL

  “Anderson writes with a gritty, fast-paced style, and her narrative is tense and evocative.” —HEA USA Today

  “… more substance than one would expect from a romantic thriller.” —Library Journal Reviews

  “Edge of Survival is without a doubt, one of the most exciting, romantic, sexy stories I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year and I will definitely be looking for more by Toni Anderson.” —Blithely Bookish (5 Stars)

  “Sensual, different; romance with a bit of angst, just how I like them; Edge of Survival is a romantic suspense not to be missed.” —Maldivian Book Reviewer’s Realm of Romance (5 Stars)

  “Whoever thinks a story concerning a woman who does fish research would be boring hasn’t read Edge of Survival!” —Book Lovers Inc. (5 Bookies)

  STORM WARNING

  (Best Book of 2010 Nominee—The Romance Reviews)

  “Storm Warning is an intense, provocative paranormal romance with a suspenseful twist…This is a book that I am unquestionably adding to my keeper collection.” —Night Owl Reviews (TOP PICK)

  “It is exactly the way I like my romantic suspense novels to be.” —The Romance Reviews

  “The plot is full of suspense and some pretty incredible plot twists. … will have you on the edge of your seat.” —Coffee Time Romance & More

  SEA OF SUSPICION

  (Best Book of 2010 Nominee—The Romance Reviews. National bestseller.)

  “Deeply atmospheric and filled with twists and turns, Sea of Suspicion kept me flying eagerly through the pages.” —All About Romance

  “Sea of Suspicion is one heck of a book! The twists, turns, passion, and many colorful characters give Ms. Anderson’s novel a delightful edge.” —Coffee Time Romance

  “Set along the coast of Scotland, Sea of Suspicion is a riveting story of suspense and the depths and heights of human character.” —The Romance Reviews

  HER LAST CHANCE

  (2014 Daphne du Maurier finalist)

  “A high intensity story, with action from the first page on, an intricate suspense tale with twists and turns that are surprising and a conclusion that is as near to closure as is possible to come. The characters are deep and rather brooding, but manage to lose themselves in each other. And the writing is clever, hot and altogether fabulous!” —Ripe for Reader

  “From the opening scene I was turning the pages totally entranced in the story. I’ve loved all this authors books but at this moment this has to be my favorite.” —SnS Reviews

  HER SANCTUARY

  (National bestseller)

  “Her Sanctuary is a riveting fast-paced suspense story, filled with twists, turns, and danger. As the story flows seamlessly between the protagonists and antagonists, the tension rises to fever pitch. Just when you think you know the good guys from the bad, Anderson provides a surprising twist, or two.” —Night Owl Romance (TOP PICK)

  “Her Sanctuary is a book I can easily and highly recommend for all readers and lovers of great books. It is truly worth every minute it takes to read, so head over to The Wild Rose Press and pick up a copy today.” —WRDF

  “Suspenseful, riveting and explosive, this reader absolutely loved this story.” —Fallen Angel Reviews (5 Angels)

  “Ms. Anderson presents us with one fantastic story that has me wanting more.” —Romance Junkies (4.5 Blue Ribbons)

  “For a fast paced, enjoyable read filled with secrets and surprises, Her Sanctuary will fill all your expectations.” —Romance Reviews Today

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Also by Toni Anderson

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  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 Thirt
een

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from The Killing Game

  Excerpt from Targeted

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Reviews