Maggie's Revenge

by Jacquie Biggar

  Besides, he had Maggie.

  “Um, that was…”

  “A mistake,” she finished, patting down her hair as though they’d just had a tumble in bed. Now why did he put that thought in his head?

  He cleared his throat. “Yeah, maybe. I’m not going to apologize though, or say it won’t happen again.” Now, why’d he say that? “We’re two healthy, consenting adults. No harm, no foul, right?”

  She straightened her spine as much as her clothes. “Except there’s the small detail of code of conduct. What we did was wrong. It can’t happen again. Ever,” she said, turning his words and his gut upside down.

  Fine. He was better off without this headache anyway. He had more than enough issues to deal with, thank you very much.

  “Okay. It’s forgotten.” He sliced his hand through the air, cutting the tension rippling between them. “We better get a move on, Frank’s waiting, and the sooner we help him, the sooner he’ll assist me in bringing Maggie home.” He ignored her little flinch and continued up the path, the rest of the trip to the top made in silence.

  He could sense his friend’s curiosity as he cleared the rise and turned to offer Amanda a hand for the last few feet, frowning when she ignored him to scramble past on her own.

  “Brought company with ya, I see,” Frank said, his expression taciturn.

  Amanda didn’t wait for introductions. She stepped forward, hand outstretched. “It is an honor, Senior Chief Stein. Your reputation precedes you.”

  Frank’s big paw swallowed her hand, his smile a bright slash in the night. “I like your lady, O’Connor.”

  Adam snorted. “She’s my boss, as I’m sure you already guessed, now leave her alone. This is Special Agent in Charge, Amanda Rhinehold, the iron maiden of the DEA.”

  There was an awkward silence, then Frank pointed down the hill toward a ribbon of road they could see in the distance. “We’ve got company, showed up just before you arrived.” He handed the NVG’s to Adam.

  He lifted binoculars to his eyes and scanned the area until a truck and trailer unit came into view. He watched two men move back and forth between the open trailer doors and a hole they’d managed to cut in the fence as a third, on horseback, herded one cow after another toward them. The men swung lassoes and roped the confused cattle, easily leading them into the heart of the trailer.

  He listened as Frank patiently explained the cattle rustling to Amanda and his plan to shoot out the front tire on the truck, thereby stranding them.

  “And then what will you do?” Amanda asked. “Those men could be dangerous. They aren’t going to give themselves up without a fight.”

  “Well, no, ma’am,” Frank drawled. “I hope not.”

  Adam grinned. That was the chief.

  “Mr. Stein, it’s my job to caution you to call the police. Vigilante justice is frowned upon in the courts. I’d hate to see something like this ruin your impressive record with the Navy.” Amanda looked to Adam as if he could talk some sense into his friend.

  “Don’t worry, the chief knows what he’s doing. Those guys are lucky it’s him they’re stealing from. He might let them live.”

  She gave him the dead-eye stare. “That’s not funny, O’Connor.”

  She was back to building barriers between them. Not that it would do her any good, he was trained to maneuver around tough obstacles.

  He held her gaze as he offered his services to the operation. “I can take the shot.”

  Frank nodded. “I was hoping you’d say that. I’m going to work my way down and get around back of them for when the fun starts.” He tipped his hat, “Ma’am, if you could create a distraction… say a frightened scream at my signal, it would be appreciated.”

  Nonplused, Amanda raised her hands in the air. “If you’re determined to go through with this, there’s nothing else to say. Yes, I will give you my best maidenly cry, just please, please be careful.”

  “Concessions, Amanda? Careful, I’ll think you’re going soft on me.” Adam brushed a finger down her cheek, and turned away to inspect the chief’s Winchester .30-06 hunting rifle with a Leupold six by forty-two scope. “This should do the trick. Not quite as nice as my gun, but it’ll work.”

  “I have faith in ya, Ace.” Frank gathered up the bedroll they’d carried up the hill, gave Adam a fist bump, nodded at Amanda and disappeared into the night.

  “Ace? What is that about?” Amanda murmured, coming to stand at his side and watch as he prepared a spot for surveillance.

  Adam took off his jacket, rolled it up, and laid it on a boulder, then kneeled down, gesturing for her to follow suit. “It’s nothing, a nickname the guys on the team gave me.” He checked the rifle clip, made sure the gun was loaded, and took the safety off before carefully resting it on the makeshift pillow he’d made of his jacket. He handed the goggles off to Amanda and sighted down the scope, pleased when the truck came into sharp detail with a couple of turns on the gauge.

  “I need a pair of these,” she said.

  He glanced over and smiled at the picture she made, thick goggles jutting out from the sharp planes of her face like some sort of alien creature. She wasn’t beautiful in the accepted term of the word—not like Maggie—but she had this look that drew him with her smooth skin and cat’s eyes. Her boyish body with her long, long legs, narrow shoulders, and thin arms, hid a strength he was all too aware of—a force of nature. That was Amanda.

  Shrugging off the direction of his thoughts, he turned back to his surveillance, searching until he located Frank, already close to the bottom of the hill.

  “Get ready, the show’s about to start,” he cautioned her, his finger steady on the trigger. The minutes spun out, his pulse easing into the anticipation of battle. He loved this shit. It was in his blood.

  “Now,” she said, just before she let out an Oscar worthy shriek that bounced off the bluffs and created a tsunami of motion among the men below.

  Adam zoomed in on the left front tire, inhaled, and on the exhale, took his shot. Bulls-eye.

  The party was on.

  The horse reared, its scream blending with that of the Banshee screeching her warning to those below. The man on its back, caught unaware, tumbled off, landing close to the creature’s deadly hooves. Adam sent another shot into the air above the animal’s head and it took off galloping into the gloom. The cattle scattered, not caring who they mowed down along the way. One of the men fell—stopping Adam’s heart until he verified it wasn’t Frank—and was pummeled into the ground.

  Another thief made a run for the cab of the truck, only to be knocked off his feet by a blow to the head as Frank stepped out from between the two units. The man rose, and Adam caught the silvery glint of a knife in his hand. He took aim, but before he could pull the trigger, the chief had him in a headlock and didn’t let up until the bastard passed out.

  Two down, one to go.

  “Do you see the last one?” he asked Amanda, the limitations of his scope making it hard to do a wide search. She didn’t answer. When he glanced round, his heart dropped into his shoes.

  Amanda was gone.

  20

  Amanda questioned her sanity with every step she took down the steep embankment toward the cattle rustlers. She’d spent her career battling everything from drug lords to some of the most notable arms dealers of the past decade, but poachers were new. Wonder how it would look on her resume? At the very least she was facing a reprimand, but there really wasn’t a choice. She couldn’t ignore the danger to the man below. It was her sworn duty to protect those within their borders.

  The element of surprise was gone so she didn’t worry about noise, concentrating instead on retaining her footing on the rough terrain. It gave her a whole new respect for the uber quiet chief who’d made the trip down the hill without a sound.

  Gunfire erupted over her head and she let out a startled shriek. Was someone shooting at her? She ducked and pulled her service revolver, aware that it wouldn’t do much at this distance. Her pul
se pounded in her ears, making it hard to hear anyone who might be sneaking up on her. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, turning the night into lightning images. The cattle stampeding, lowing and panic stricken. Two men struggling near the back of the truck and one going down.

  Amanda glanced over her shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of Adam up the hill, but the shadows blocked him from view. Now that she’d come this far, she wasn’t sure what to do next. The chaotic trampling of the cattle made it treacherous to go any lower, and to be honest, she was out of her depth. Most of her time in the DEA was spent behind her desk, it didn’t prepare her for real life events.

  She had a choice; either cower behind this rock until the fight was over, or pull up her big girl panties and help.

  She swallowed hard and started down the slope.

  Adam made sure Frank was okay, grabbed the night vision goggles, and hurried after Amanda. What the hell was she thinking? They’d had the situation under control until she had to go and put her life in danger.

  If the cows or the rustlers didn’t kick her ass, he might.

  The goggles helped as he ran pell-mell down the hillside breaking every rule in the SEAL handbook. Just the thought of her lying under those hooves made his gut churn. Where was she?

  He stopped long enough to hike the rifle under his arm and scan the nearby rocks.

  There.

  He caught a movement near an outcropping at the eleven o’clock position. Good. At least she had the sense to seek cover. No, wait. There, she was, working her way down the slope about a hundred yards ahead. So, who…?

  Adam waited, even though his instincts urged him to put himself between her and the predator stalking her from above. He measured his heartbeats, slowing his pulse in preparation for the upcoming shot. The wind had picked up, blowing east toward his mark, so Adam adjusted the rifle to accommodate for the trajectory. He’d only have one chance; he’d better make it count.

  The man broke cover and followed Amanda—his first mistake. He was so intent on tracking her he skipped the three hundred and sixty-five-degree search that might… might have saved his sorry hide. Mistake number two.

  Adam took a deep breath, let it ease out of his body, and pulled the trigger.

  Three strikes, you’re out.

  The rifle’s report reverberated on the breeze, even as the would-be assailant’s arms flailed and his back bowed with the force of the bullet embedded in his spine. He tumbled headfirst down the embankment, coming to rest against a pile of rocks.

  Amanda froze, her body visibly quivering in the view through the scope. She turned and looked up the hill, staring straight at Adam though it would be almost impossible for her to see him with the naked eye.

  He lowered the rifle and strode down to the still mound. A quick check told him what he already knew, the man was dead. He stood and did another scan of the area with the NVG, but detected no more enemies. Frank was rounding up the cattle and sending them back through the fence. A closer inspection brought up the last rustler tied to the bull bar on the front of the pickup, head hanging low. He wouldn’t be going anywhere soon.

  With everyone accounted for, Adam continued down the slope until he reached Amanda. “You okay?” he asked, aware his voice was harsh, but dammit, she shouldn’t have taken off like that.

  “Yes,” she said, her head held high, even if her lips quivered. “I guess I owe you a thanks. I don’t know how he got behind me that way.”

  Because you let him.

  Rather than begin an argument, Adam nodded and started past her, halting only when she grasped his arm.

  “Are you mad at me?” she asked.

  Furious, he swung on her, ignoring her gasp. “What the hell do you think?” he growled. “You could have gotten yourself killed. What if I shot you thinking you were one of them?” He towered over her. “On an op we all have jobs to do, we don’t try to play hero. You might want to remember that the next time, or it could be you with a bullet in the back.”

  She stared at him with wide, outraged eyes. “How dare you,” she hissed. “I was trying to help your friend, you big oaf. And don’t pretend you can’t tell exactly what you’re aiming at, I don’t buy it. I already said thank you, I’m sorry if you don’t agree with my decision, but fortunately, it doesn’t matter what you think. I’m still the boss.”

  Her attitude drove him crazy. He yanked her to him with his free hand, wrapped the arm holding the rifle around her back, barricading her close to his body, and lowered his mouth to hers, as much to shut her up as to fuel the flames burning him from the inside out. At the first touch his passion ignited.

  She wrenched away. “What are you…”

  He stared down at that kiss-me mouth and held back a groan. “It was either that or turn you over my knee,” he muttered. “Look, you scared me, okay?”

  Her expression softened. She leaned into him and placed her hand right over the spot where his heart boomeranged in his chest. This time she initiated the kiss and he reveled in the butterfly touches that teased as much as they tormented. It was all he could do to hold back, let Amanda take the lead, show him the way.

  She stopped, stared up at him, then lifted her hand to the nape of his neck and tugged him close. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, before placing a soft, tender kiss to his mouth that did strange things to his insides. “We better go help your friend.”

  Adam nodded, though it took a moment for the words to penetrate. He followed her lithe form the rest of the way down the hill and tried to pretend nothing had happened, when in fact it felt as though his whole world had shifted. His entire focus had been centered around Maggie’s recovery and his dream of her forgiveness. He didn’t know what to do with the feelings he was developing for Amanda.

  She was smart, beautiful, independent, and so far beyond his reach he may as well try for those stars mocking him overhead. She was his freaking commander. It didn’t get more complicated than that.

  And besides, he was in love with Mags. Wasn’t he?

  They’d been on again, off again for so long now he was beginning to wonder if they were meant to be. Not that he could have that conversation with her anytime soon. When they brought her back she would need to be handled with kid gloves. Shit like she’d been through… it messed with a person’s head. It would be a long while before she decompressed. He knew, he’d gone through it himself after the shooting. She’d been his savior then, and by God, he’d be hers now.

  “What are you going to do with this guy?” Amanda was asking Frank as Adam rounded the front of the truck.

  The man in question sported a split lip and a sullen face as he jiggled the cuffs and glared at his captors. “You have no right holdin’ me. Me and my buddies were jus’ out for a drive.” He spat at their feet. “You best let us go, or there’ll be hell to pay. You don’t know who you’re messing with.”

  Frank grabbed the jerk by the shirt. “Look around ya. Everything for twenty miles in any direction is mine.” He gave the guy a shake. “Mind explaining what you planned on doing with my cows?”

  The man paled, then straightened his spine, chin lifting belligerently. “Them cows were roaming free. We was doin’ you a favor by rounding them up for ya.”

  Adam snickered. The fool didn’t know when to shut his trap.

  Frank stepped closer, so close he was almost on top of the creep. “A favor, huh? We’ll see how much your so-called favor is going to cost by the time I get my cattle rounded up and the fence you destroyed put back together again. I have a feeling you’ll be doing favors for a long time to come.”

  He stepped back and shook his head. “This idiot is one of a bunch we’ve had our eye on for a while now. They’ve been hitting all the ranches in the area. I say we take him into the back forty and have a Sunday-go-to-meeting with him—teach him right from wrong and see what shakes out.” He looked at Adam. “You in?”

  Adam kept his face straight. “You bet. I’m always up for a little fun.”

 
Amanda frowned, but kept her silence.

  “Hold on now,” the rustler said. “Maybe I wasn’t remembering it quite right.” He nodded as though it was all coming clear. “Yeah, it was my buddy’s idea.” He glanced into the now quiet field and gulped. “We was jus’ supposed to make life rough for the landowners, but Steve, he says we may as well make some coin while we’s at it, so we take a few cows here, and a few there, and sell them over the border. No one’s any the wiser, you know?”

  Now it was Frank’s turn to frown. “Who told you to bother the ranchers? Why?”

  The guy shrugged, his shoulders bony under his shirt. “Hell if I know. It’s all done by phone. C’mon, man, let me go. They’re going to kill me.”

  “You’ll be lucky if I don’t.” Frank scowled. He strode to the back of the trailer and closed the door with a bang, frustration obvious in his stance. “It’s like fighting a ghost. We’ve been trailing these guys for months, and we’re no closer now than we were to begin with.”

  Amanda stepped forward. “I can’t make any promises, but if you help us, I’ll see what I can dig up. Someone has to know something.”

  Frank looked to Adam for confirmation.

  Adam nodded. “You can trust her, Chief. She has the nose of a bloodhound.”

  Amanda glared.

  Frank jerked his chin toward the prisoner. “I’ll have to turn him in, then I’m all yours. What’s the job?”

  “We need you to take us into Mexico,” Adam said, his pulse throbbing. “We’re going after Maggie.”

  21

  Finally. Frank glanced in the rear-view mirror at the receding lights of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Two heads, one dark, one light, rested close together on the back seat of his mom’s Buick. It had taken some convincing, but the next few days would be tough ones, Adam and SAC Rhinehold needed the downtime. Going in hot the way they were, there wasn’t time to get through the legalese required for Federal Agents to carry firearms from country to country so they’d made the drive across the border.