by Elle James
“Not so old. Still young enough to kick Mad Dog’s ass—”
Again, Sadie touched Hank’s arm.
Hank sighed. “It takes some getting used to, having to watch my language around Emma.” He handed the baby to Sadie and held out a hand to Jolie. “Glad to finally meet you. I’ve heard good things through the grapevine.”
Jolie gripped the man’s hand, but instead of shaking it, Hank pulled her into a bear hug. “We’ll do whatever it takes to help you.” He stepped back and waved to the other two men. “Guys, this is Jolie. Jolie…” He pointed to the first man, a brute of a guy with brown hair and brown eyes. “This is Bear, a former Delta Force soldier. His fiancée is a good friend of Sadie’s.”
Bear nodded and extended his hand.
Jolie shook it, amazed at the power behind the grip. “Nice to meet you.”
“And this is Kujo,” Hank continued, waving the other guy forward. That’s when she noticed the German Shepherd at his heels.
“Pleasure,” Kujo said and shook her hand. “My partner is Six.”
“Six?” Jolie questioned.
“It’s a long story,” Kujo said. “The short version is that he was the sixth MWD—military working dog—”
“Will he take my arm off if I pet him?”
Kujo laughed. “No. His specialty was bomb-sniffing. But he can take a man down if given the right command.” He nodded toward the dog. “Go ahead.”
Jolie reached out a hand, her fingers curled under in case the dog decided they looked like a threat or food.
Six sniffed her hand but didn’t bite.
Emboldened, Jolie slipped her hand along the dog’s jaw and up to his ears where she gave him a good scratch.
Six leaned into her hand, closing his eyes as if in heaven.
Jolie chuckled. “He’s beautiful.”
“Could have used him this morning,” Mad Dog said.
Hank frowned. “What happened?”
“Can we take the conversation inside?” Sadie said. “It’s a little cool to have Emma out much longer.”
Hank held the door for the group to enter the house.
Sadie led them into a massive living area with cathedral ceilings and giant picture windows overlooking the Crazy Mountains.
“I’ll get drinks. Everyone up for lemonade? It’s too early for beer.”
“It’s never too early for beer,” Bear said. “But lemonade sounds great. Thanks, Sadie.”
Sadie disappeared with Emma.
Jolie and Mad Dog spent the next fifteen minutes giving Hank the rundown of all that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
“You really could have used Six this morning,” Kujo commented. “He might have saved you a truck.”
“He might have saved more than that, if Jolie hadn’t had the wherewithal to get us the hell out before the bomb detonated.”
Sadie returned with a tray filled with a pitcher and six glasses. “Emma’s down for a nap.” She poured a round of drinks for everyone and perched on the arm of a leather chair. “Sounds like you need more protection.”
Hank paced the floor head down, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Lambert said you were to work autonomously in your efforts to find this Nadir dude, and I understand his motives. Nadir might not make a move if he thought Miss Richards was surrounded by a team of trained operatives. She has to appear unguarded and unprotected for him to feel like he can come out of hiding to take her down.” Hank stopped pacing and looked up. “It would defeat the purpose of luring him to Montana.”
“Exactly,” Jolie said.
“So, how do you explain your presence with Miss Richards?” Hank asked.
Jolie’s cheeks heated.
Mad Dog glanced at her, and then back to Hank. “I’m undercover as Jolie’s fiancé.”
Bear, Kujo and Sadie all grinned.
“Perfect,” Hank said. “No one would question that you’re sticking close to her. Newly engaged couples tend to be all over each other.” His lips quirked upward on the corners. “Right, Sadie?”
She smiled. “We were.”
“How can we assist if we can’t get close?” Bear asked.
“We get close enough and wait for a call for help,” Hank said.
“Except, we don’t have a land line out at the house, and we don’t get cell phone coverage.”
Hank nodded. “I have a solution for that. Follow me.” He led the way to a door with a specialized keypad, similar to the ones used at CIA headquarters.
He entered a code and pressed his thumb to a reader. A loud click could be heard. Hank gripped the door handle and opened the door.
Stairs led into a darkened basement.
Jolie followed Hank, and the other three men descended after her.
As Hank neared the bottom of the staircase, motion-sensor lights blinked on, illuminating a large room.
A big man with blond hair and blue eyes sat in the corner, staring at a computer. He looked up and blinked. “Wow, I didn’t realize the lights went out until they came back on.”
“Jolie, Mad Dog, this is Swede, former Navy SEAL and current computer guru. When he’s not out chasing bad guys or guarding celebrities, he’s hacking into systems all over the world.”
“Mad Dog.” Swede nodded. “Heard about you from Hank. Just sorry we didn’t cross paths on active duty.” He rose, stretched and crossed the room to shake hands with Jolie, and then Mad Dog. “Hank told me what you’re up against. I’ve been surfing the net, looking for chatter. Think I found some.”
“Yeah?” Mad Dog shook the man’s hand. “Like what?”
“Heavy recruiting, tapping into the locals in this area.”
Jolie’s gut twisted. She glanced at Mad Dog.
He was looking at her.
“Could you trace the chatter to an IP address?” Hank asked.
Swede held up a sticky note. “Better than that, I traced to an IP address, and from there, a physical address.”
Mad Dog took the paper and handed it to Jolie. “Recognize the address?”
She read it and shook her head. “Not off the top of my head. I know the general direction but not who lives there.”
Hank turned to Swede. “Have Taz and Boomer check it out.”
“We should go with them,” Bear offered.
“If possible, I’d rather they sneak in and out without being seen,” Hank said. “I want these people to continue their chatter. We might learn more from them, if they think we aren’t on to them.”
“Should we send Six with them?” Kujo stepped up. “If this gang is involved, they might have booby-trapped this location like they did the cave.”
“No. Six needs to go with Mad Dog and Agent Richards in case her house has been rigged with explosives. We’ll let Taz and Boomer know to be on the lookout for tripwires.”
“Taking Six is an offer we can’t afford to pass up,” Mad Dog said. “You’ll have to give me a crash course in the commands.”
“And Six will have to familiarize with you on those commands,” Kujo said. “It took me a while to calm him down after his last deployment. He suffered PTSD from too much time in theater. We need to get him used to answering your commands. He doesn’t answer to just anyone.”
“Right,” Mad Dog said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Jolie from being blown up in another IED explosion.”
“You said you didn’t have a land line or cell phone coverage at your place.” Hank opened a cabinet and pulled out a satellite phone. “Take this. It should be able to pick up a signal just about anywhere.” He checked the battery, and then handed it to Mad Dog. “And you might need more firepower.” He opened another door and led them deeper into the basement.
The light blinked on, shining onto racks of rifles, shotguns and military-grade weaponry. “If you need it, take it. That’s why we have such an extensive armory.”
“Expecting World War III?” Mad Dog asked.
Hank laughed. “No, but we’re ready for a riot or a takeov
er. I want my team to have whatever they need to get the job done, no matter how big or small.” He looked to Mad Dog then to Jolie. “That being said, if either of you needs anything…”
“I have all the weaponry I need,” Jolie said.
“I could use a rifle and three dozen rounds,” Mad Dog said, “as well as nine-millimeter rounds.”
Hank selected an AR15 rifle with a scope and loaded several boxes of cartridges into a bag. “Communications equipment?”
“Two-way radios for me and Jolie,” Mad Dog said, his voice clipped.
“Done.” Two tiny radio headsets were loaded into the bag.
“GPS tracking chip for Jolie and a tracker for me.”
“I refuse to be microchipped like a dog,” Jolie muttered.
Hank grinned. “I have something better.” He reached into a drawer and pulled out a necklace with a pretty ruby-colored stone. “Do you wear jewelry, Agent Richards?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“Start now. Not only is it pretty, it has a tracking chip embedded in the stone’s setting. My wife wears one, and I’m getting them for all my men to give to their significant others. We hope we never have to use them, but if we do, we’ll be a lot faster finding you than without it.”
“I’ll wear it.” Jolie wasn’t sure she liked being tracked, but given the current situation, she figured it would be smart to give her protectors a clue as to where to find her should Nadir manage to capture her.
Jolie and Mad Dog spent the next hour with Kujo and Six, familiarizing with the dog and the commands they might need to deploy the animal. By the time they finished, Sadie and Hank had lunch on the table in the dining room.
The men spent the meal sharing stories about their years on active duty.
Jolie could relate to some of their exploits, but not to the dust and grit in their hair and eyes. She’d never been to the Middle East. Most of her assignments had been in Europe and Russia.
Though some of the men hadn’t served with the others, they shared a strong bond of brotherhood.
Sadie leaned over and whispered in her ear, “They’re pretty amazing, aren’t they?”
Jolie nodded. “They’ve sacrificed so much.”
“And so have you. It can’t be easy for a woman in a mostly man’s field, doing what you do.”
Jolie nodded. She’d been in tight situations where her abilities to blend into the woodwork and escape quickly had been the only reasons she was still alive.
But she’d worked very much on her own, not in a team, like the SEALs and Delta Force guys had. They had people to depend on and who depended on them to get them through the rough spots.
Jolie realized she was glad Mad Dog had come along when he had. Facing her old home was hard enough, without having to deal with a terrorist on her trail. She might not admit it to Mad Dog, but she was glad he had her six.
All too soon, lunch was over and it was time to head back to the Rocking R Ranch. If the chatter on the internet was any indication, Nadir knew where she was and had enlisted people to help him in the effort to take her out.
She might as well get back, dig in and be ready before nightfall. If anything was going to happen, it would probably happen that night. The box of condoms would have to wait.
12
Mad Dog drove back to town with Jolie in the passenger seat and Six in the rear of the vehicle, lying patiently on the carpet. Knowing he had a bomb-sniffing dog made him feel a little better about staying in Jolie’s house that night.
Hank had promised to have Swede and Kujo nearby, without being too close, in case they needed backup. They would be a satellite phone call away.
Once they reached Eagle Rock, Jolie’s cell phone beeped.
She dug in her back pocket and pulled it out. “Who would be texting me? I don’t give out my number to just anyone.” She read the message and her face paled. “What the hell?”
“What does it say?”
“It’s a warning.”
Mad Dog pulled the SUV over on the side of the road, scanning the buildings around them and the rooftops for any potential threat. “From who?”
Jolie shook her head. “Caller ID is blocked. I don’t know.”
“What exactly does it say?” he asked.
“Leave Montana, or else.” She glanced up at Mad Dog, and then back at the phone. She typed with her thumbs, talking as she did. “Or else what?” After she hit send, she waited for a reply, but none came.
Mad Dog had the satellite phone out and was hitting the numbers to connect with Hank.
“Already in trouble?” Hank’s voice came across on the first ring.
“Jolie got a text on her cell phone here in town. Blocked caller. Can Swede trace that text?”
“If not, we have connections with people who could.”
Mad Dog handed the sat phone to Jolie. She gave Hank her phone number and told him what the message said.
“Cryptic.”
“Yes, but who would have my number? I don’t give it out.”
“I’ll have my people look at it and get back to you as soon as they know anything.”
“Thank you.”
“Jolie, is Mad Dog close?” Hank asked. “He needs to hear this as well.”
Jolie leaned across the console and held the satellite phone where she and Mad Dog could hear at the same time.
“We’re both here, sir,” she said.
“The IP address we talked about earlier belongs to a Mr. Ty Kingston. Name sound familiar?”
Her eyebrows drew together. “Sounds familiar, but I don’t remember him. I’ve been gone eight years.”
“He was an older gentleman. Your father might have known him. It appears he died six months ago, but his place still has electricity and a satellite dish. No one bothered to shut it off. Taz and Boomer checked it out. They didn’t find anyone there at the time, but the place is tucked back in the woods away from the road. Unless someone was going there, no one would suspect it was still occupied.”
Jolie gave Mad Dog a charged glance. “Someone has to be paying the bills, or the services would have been cut off.”
“Swede learned from the friendly lady at the electric company that the bills have been paid for with money orders. It’ll take longer to trace the source of the money orders. We suspect the satellite internet service was funded in the same way. I’ll let you know if we learn anything else on that, and on the blocked caller. In the meantime, watch your back, and call us at the first sign of trouble.”
“Yes, sir.” Mad Dog ended the call and shifted into DRIVE. “Are you sure you want to go back to your house?”
Jolie sat, staring straight ahead. “I came out here to bait a terrorist. I don’t plan on leaving without accomplishing my mission.”
Mad Dog chuckled, though he didn’t think her words were funny. “I thought that would be your response. Let’s go catch Nadir.”
Flashing lights ahead of them made Mad Dog pause before pulling onto the road.
Sheriff Barron pulled up beside him, got out of his patrol car and stepped up to Mad Dog’s window.
Mad Dog lowered the glass.
“I’m glad I caught you two. I just got back from your ranch after spending a couple hours there with the state crime lab folks.” He shook his head. “You two are lucky to be alive. Your truck is a complete loss.”
Mad Dog already knew that. “They find anything that would link the bombing to anyone?”
“Not yet, but they loaded your truck onto a flatbed and hauled it off to their lab. Which could be days, if not weeks, before they untangle that mess.”
Jolie leaned across the console. “Is it clear for us to return to the house?”
“You can go home,” the sheriff said. “But I suggest you stay in town. Whoever did that is playing for keeps.”
“Thank you, Sheriff, but I prefer to sleep in my own bed.” Jolie opened her jacket. “We’re armed, and we have a bomb-sniffing dog. Hopefully, we won’t be caught unaware
again.”
The sheriff drew in a deep breath and let it out. “Okay, then, I’ll have one of my men swing by later tonight. Don’t shoot him.” The man straightened and turned toward his vehicle.
“Sheriff Barron.” Jolie’s voice stopped him.
He turned and bent to see her through the window. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t send one of your men. If anything happens out there, I’d rather your guys weren’t caught in the crossfire.”
Sheriff Barron frowned. “Jolie, that’s what we’re here for.”
“You’re here for the good people of Eagle Rock. Not for people like me who’ve purposely brought trouble home.” She grimaced. “I wish, now, that I hadn’t. So please, don’t send your men by. I’d hate it if one of them was hurt because of what I’ve done.”
The sheriff’s frown deepened. “Jolie, I’ve known you since you were a little girl. You are one of the good people of Eagle Rock. You deserve our protection as much as anyone. But if you don’t want us out there, I can’t force you to go along with my wishes.” He touched a finger to his cowboy hat. “Take care of yourself. I’d like to see you stay here and make it your home again.”
“Thank you, Sheriff.” Jolie sat back in her seat and stared at the road ahead. “Take me home, Caleb.”
Mad Dog complied. They had a job to do. Though he wanted to wrap her up in an ironclad safety net, he couldn’t. She was a CIA agent. He was there to protect her, but more importantly, he was there to eradicate the threat.
* * *
Jolie’s gut told her Nadir was near, and that he would make his move soon. If not himself, then with his recruits. She had to be ready for either event.
So intent on getting home and setting up her defenses, she missed the flash in the side mirror.
“Hold on,” Mad Dog said. “We have company.” He jammed his foot on the accelerator, and the SUV shot forward, speeding through the twists and turns of the mountain road.
Just as Jolie turned to see what was behind them, an old truck slammed into the SUV’s left rear bumper sending them spinning sideways into a curve with a steep drop-off on one side.
