Game of Fear (Montgomery Justice #3)(52)

They needed her to tunnel into the federal classified systems.

She looked around surreptitiously. No one was near.

She scanned the small box she’d pulled up. Lines and lines of code streamed past her. She typed furiously, then copied them.

Seconds later, she’d tunneled her way into the computer system. The camp’s administrative network hadn’t been that difficult to breach. It seemed too easy, but maybe they thought no one would care about mundane mail programs.

Maybe Ashley had found a vulnerability no one had considered.

Niko rose from his station.

Quickly, Ashley typed a few lines over those she’d copied. By the time he arrived, the box was closed and everything looked normal.

He walked over and studied her screen, one hand resting on her shoulder.

Ashley’s breath caught. Did he know what she’d done?

He scanned the program, then nodded. “I like the approach you’re taking. It might work.”

His hand lingered on her shoulder and she fought not to shudder. He gave her such mixed messages. Was he trying to help her, or waiting for her to screw up?

The moment he turned his back, she flicked to the other window and typed in a very familiar address, then she said a small prayer and hit “Send.”

She just prayed her sister understood.




Gabe plowed through the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office doors. “Deb Lansing? Where is she?” he called out to the deputy on duty.

Before the guy could speak, Deb strode into the main lobby, anger and frustration on her face.

“I’m right here.” She sported a nasty bruise on her cheek. She headed toward him, her tension visibly releasing with every step.

Gabe raced to her and hugged her tight. He couldn’t care less who saw them. He could have lost her. She’d been in danger and he hadn’t been there.

“Don’t do that to me again,” he whispered in her ear, then covered her mouth with his.

He pressed her close and she didn’t pull away. Instead, she nestled in and wrapped her arms around his waist. She softened against him and his world went right. He couldn’t resist, drinking in the sweetness of her. One taste, and he knew she was okay.

An awkward cough from a nearby deputy made Gabe raise his mouth.

Gabe looked into Deb’s green eyes. He traced his thumb down her reddened cheek slowly.

“Who did this to you?” he growled. “I’ll pound him into the ground.”

Deb grinned, not moving from his arms. “It’s okay, I pretty much took care of that. I used a few other street moves my brother Rick taught me before I went to Afghanistan. Menken’s not going to be walking steadily anytime soon. Injured balls and aching kidneys will do that to a guy. The concussion from having his head bounced off the floor a few times probably doesn’t help much, either.”

“Menken?” Gabe repeated. “Deputy Menken did this to you?” So, it was one of Tower’s henchmen. “What happened?”

She filled Gabe in quickly. “I don’t know if I interrupted a burglary or what. Menken hid in my hall closet, then he came out of my bedroom fighting,” Deb said. “He must’ve been all over the apartment. He tried to steal my underwear, jewelry, and a pair of red high-heel shoes.”

“So this was a burglary? A stalking? What?”

“I’m not sure. At first, I figured it had something to do with our investigation, but I don’t know. Menken is one sick puppy. The underwear proves that. The cops told me he put one pair in his pocket.” She shuddered.

Gabe gave her another hug.

She winced. “Careful, I’m sore. We had a knock-down, drag-out battle over the guns. I’m going to be black and blue all over.”

“Guns?” Gabe held her gently in his arms. “Remind me not to piss you off, Lansing.”

She smiled up at him. “Consider it done.”

She winced again, and his gut clenched. “I should have been there.”

“I’m tougher than I look.”

Gabe leaned down for another kiss. “You shouldn’t have to be.”

“Montgomery,” Tower snapped. “What the hell are you doing sucking face in here? This is a sheriff’s office, not a bedroom.”

Gabe stiffened. Keeping his arm around Deb, he slowly turned around. “Sheriff Tower, you don’t seem to have control of your staff. Is Menken just the next dirty cop to be revealed on your payroll? Like your son?”

Tower flushed. “Leave my son out of it. And nothing’s been proven. It’s her word against his. Now, get out of here, before I arrest your girlfriend for assaulting a sheriff’s deputy.”

Fighting with everything inside of him not to lay Tower out, Gabe stiffened his spine and faced the sheriff he would never respect. “Menken’s the one who broke into her apartment.”

“So she says. She could have invited him in. Seems to me she’s not too picky if she lets you paw her like that in a public place. We have names for those kinds of women.”

Deb grabbed Gabe’s arm before he could lunge at the sheriff. “Leave it. He’s not worth the fight he’s trying to provoke.”

As they turned and pushed open the door, Tower yelled, “*-whipped, Montgomery? Guess being a gimp has made you chicken.”

Deb’s hands tightened on Gabe’s arm and she yanked him outside. “It’s not important.”