Hell or High Water by Jerrie Alexander Read Free Book Online Page B

he’d be there to prevent it.
    From the corner of his eye, he detected movement. The Mercedes that had followed her from the church was pulling away from the curb. No way was this bastard tagging along after the women.  
    Nate rode up beside the car at a stop sign and knocked on the window. He doubted the occupant would start trouble out in the open.
    “You wouldn’t be tailing those two women. Would you?” He spoke to the dark-tinted glass. “Why don’t I tag along with you for a while?”  
    The driver drove backward a few hundred feet, executed a U-turn, and then drove off. Nate was right behind. After a few miles, he sped down an exit, leaving the Mercedes with no idea where Kaycie had gone. Problem was, he didn’t know either. At least her blond bodyguard was with her.
    His reunion with Kaycie had gone pretty much as he’d expected. She hadn’t forgiven him. But, shit, ten years was a long time to hold a grudge.  
    Nate worked his jaw from side-to-side. A smile inched up his face. Damn, her right hand had moved faster than a gunslinger’s in a John Wayne movie. Nobody did mad as sexy as she did. Her entire body hummed when she was angry.
    She’d connected soundly, but not before he’d breathed in her scent. Nothing had changed. She still reminded him of green pastures, safe places, and sex. What was the old cliché? Too late to turn back now. Or was it?  
    He’d canceled his plan to tell Kaycie she’d picked up a tail when the woman named Holly had shifted her position, allowing the sunlight to glint off the gun she’d tried to hide against her thigh. Maybe Tyrell was right. Holly sure hadn’t blinked when Nate locked eyes with her.  
    He called Tyrell. “My office in one hour.”  
    “Something go down?”  
    “Enough. I’ll call Marcus and bring him in.”  
    Nate had to tell Kaycie someone was following her. What did they want from her? Or did they just want her?  
      ****
      Kay flipped down the sun visor on Tomas’s car and studied her reflection. His mirror confirmed she’d failed to hide the dark circles under her eyes with makeup.
    “You had to point that out?” She flipped the visor back into place.
    “Count on me to be honest.” He chuckled to himself.  
    She breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t grill her. Truth was, she’d spent half the night tossing, turning, and thinking about Nate. She would’ve bet money she would’ve recognized him from miles. She’d seen, mapped, and stroked every inch of his athletic body back in college. But now. Wow. He’d blossomed into a muscled version of a modern-day Tarzan, complete with shoulder-length black hair. Was the shaggy style rebellion against the requisite buzz cut the government had imposed on him?
    She’d spent too many years fighting off the heartache of losing him. To have her hormones betray her when his hands slid up her back really pissed her off. Let the Navy get excited over him. She wasn’t giving into those emotions. Never again.
    “You ready to go inside?” Tomas’s voice broke through her mental wandering.
    “Sorry.” She unbuckled and got out of the car. “I appreciate you hauling me around.”
    “No problem. Give me a shout when you’re ready to go home.”  
    Once inside the police station, she parked her butt outside Chief Compton’s office. He was her mentor, biggest supporter and had been helpful when she’d applied for the transfer to CPS. She chatted with his assistant and waited.  
    “Kay.” The chief’s booming baritone blasted her off the chair.
    “Coming, sir.” Kay hurried to follow him into his office. Winning the election hadn’t slowed him down.  
    “Sit.” He waved at a chair while he rounded his desk.  
    His tone didn’t have his usual friendly ring. He sat, leaned back, and folded his arms across his chest. Dark eyes studied her.
    “I need to be part of the investigation.” Pretending he didn’t know who or what they were talking about would have been a waste of