Nauti Dreams by Lora Leigh Read Free Book Online Page A

Dawg?” Rowdy asked then, his voice heavy, his
    chest still tightening, even after all this time.
    Johnny had been their cousin, and he had used them all. He would have killed them all if
    he could have. He had definitely planned to kill Dawg’s wife, Crista. Him and his lover,
    Jim Bedsford.
    “They picked up the team Johnny used to steal the missiles,” Dawg said. “Johnny and
    Bedsford are dead, and only they knew where the million in down payment was hidden.
    Hell, what’s left to find?”
    “We’ve missed something,” Rowdy suggested then.
    “What the hell could we have missed?” Dawg cursed. “His agent is back and Natches
    gets an anonymous call informing him of that fact? Doesn’t make sense, Rowdy. If the
    girl came back to get hot and sweaty with Natches, why the call?”
    Rowdy frowned at that. If it hadn’t been for the phone call, he’d have assumed that
    getting hot and sweaty was exactly what was on Miss Dane’s mind. But why would
    someone call and warn him?
    Rowdy felt the hairs at the back of his neck lift in warning, and he rubbed at them in
    irritation.
    “Yeah, that’s my answer, too,” Dawg admitted. “My neck is tingling like hell.
    Something’s getting ready to go down.”
    “And Agent Dane is putting Natches right square in the middle of it,” Rowdy realized.
    “So we cover him?”
    “And cause him to shoot us?” Dawg snarled in disbelieving amazement. “You know how
    much he likes shadows, Rowdy. We try to cover him and he’ll try to kick our asses.”
    That left one last option. “I have some contacts I can call on.” Rowdy was pulling the
    names up in his head as he spoke. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
    Dawg nodded. “I’ll do the same on my end. Call some of the old agents from last year’s
    op and see what they have to say.”
    “Someone has to watch out for Natches,” Rowdy insisted. “At least check up on him.”
    Dawg stared at him askance. “Fine, you do it. You’ve had Kelly longer than I’ve been
    with Crista. I kind of like my body in working order right now.”
    “You and me both.”
    Dawg breathed out roughly. “Flip for it or take turns?”
    Rowdy dropped back in the chair. “I guess take turns.” He was imagining the pain once
    Natches caught them. He was hell in a fight, and he would definitely fight.
    Dawg slunk down farther in his chair. “I should kill Cranston.”
    Rowdy grunted. “Give Natches time; he’ll do it for you.”
    And that was what they were both afraid of.
    TWO
    The next morning Chaya met with the team that had been pulled in to work the
    investigation Cranston had managed to get operational status for.
    The six men were older, late thirties to early forties, and would blend in well. Their
    various covers worked for the area and would provide rationale for their seeming
    nosiness.
    That would work in her favor, Chaya thought as she headed back to her room after the
    first, early morning meeting. They would gather bits and pieces of the gossip drifting
    around about the events of last year, and then Cranston could begin a list of persons of
    interest and the questions Chaya would ask.
    They were working in the blind though, and she knew it. The problem was they had been
    working in the blind for five years. It had to end here. She just couldn’t do this much
    longer. The reason she was back this time was Cranston’s bribes. Her resignation was
    still awaiting the stamp of approval.
    Gritting her teeth at the thought of Cranston dragging his feet on her resignation, she
    swiped her key card through the security pad and waited for the light to flicker to green
    before pushing the door open and stepping through.
    She allowed the door to close slowly behind her. She shrugged her jacket from her
    shoulders, unclipped the holstered weapon she carried just behind her hip and smoothed
    her free hand down the side of her skirt. She wished she had worn jeans.
    She dropped the jacket and weapon on the table, just inside the