Ultimate Cowboy by Rita Herron Read Free Book Online

this guy off that we’re getting close to uncovering his identity.”
    “ Are you getting close?” Brody asked, his patience on thin ice.
    Julie tensed, one hand worrying her jacket buttons. “We think so,” Julie said. “In fact, we’ve narrowed down stores we suspect may be targeted next and are placing undercover officers onsurveillance duty to monitor them.”
    Brody’s heart pounded as he imagined Julie in a car at night watching for a group of robbers to attack a store at gunpoint.
    Cold fear knotted his stomach as he realized the danger she was putting herself in.
    “Are you working these stakeouts?” he asked.
    Julie’s gaze met his. “That’s my job.”
    “Then I’m going with you.”
    Chief Hurtand Agent Cord mumbled disagreement, but Brody stood his ground. “You have to let me do this. If you catch Will in the act, I may be the only one who can reach him.” He walked over and pointed to the board of boys. “You said yourself that finding him may lead to these other victims. You can’t afford not to let me go.”
    * * *
    J ULIE KNEW Brody was right. But that didn’t mean she had tolike it. This case was difficult enough for her—the guilt kept sneaking up on her at the oddest times and had kept her awake the last few nights—but the thought of working alongside Brody made her even more jittery.
    Just breathing in the same air as Brody made her want him again.
    “You know I’m right,” Brody said in that gruff voice that twisted her insides.
    “He has a point,” ChiefHurt said.
    Julie fidgeted. “I know, but it could be dangerous.”
    Brody glared at her. “It’s not dangerous for you?”
    He was practically daring her to admit that she was scared. “It’s my job,” Julie said, knowing Brody was one of those macho cowboys who thought he was tougher and rougher than any woman ever could be.
    Agent Cord chuckled. “Hey, how about a truce, you two? The mostimportant thing here is to stop this gang and find out who’s behind it. That is, unless it’s just a group of street thugs led by the older boy Kyle.”
    “My brother is not a street thug,” Brody said, obviously irritated. “However he’s involved in this, there’s a story behind it, and it started seven years ago when he was abducted.”
    “You still don’t know for certain that he was abducted,”Agent Cord said, raising an eyebrow. “He could have run away.”
    “That’s ridiculous, Will would never have done that. He was a happy, well-adjusted kid back then.” Brody’s gaze veered to the wall. “And if the cops had done their jobs, Will could have been saved, and so could these others.”
    “That’s not fair, Brody,” Julie cut in, her look tortured.
    Chief Hurt threw up his hands. “Castingblame is not helpful.” He pivoted toward Brody, and crossed his arms. “I agree that if the boy with the gun is your brother, then you might be able to reach him. But remember, Brody, you are not an official law officer. You will stay behind the scenes and take orders from Agent Whitehead.”
    Julie bit back a smile at the uncomfortable look on Brody’s face. He was accustomed to being in charge.Taking orders from her would probably make him change his mind.
    But he cast her a look, his jaw tightening. “I’ll do anything to get my brother back, even if it means taking orders from her.”
    Julie frowned, but Chief Hurt took the lead, assigning each of them different territories to cover.
    “I have a friend in law enforcement who might be able to assist,” Brody said. “DetectiveMiles McGregor. He worked the Slasher case a few months ago.”
    “Sure, I know him,” Chief Hurt said. “I’ll call him and catch him up to speed.”
    The meeting was dismissed, and Julie summoned her professional demeanor, knowing she couldn’t allow herself to feel anything for Brody now.
    He was a case, an unfinished one, but one that she needed to close.
    And that was all he couldever be.
    * * *
    “S O HOW do we do this?” Brody