Hearts Under Siege by Natalie J. Damschroder

Author:Natalie J. Damschroder [Damschroder, Natalie J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, General, Romance, Natalie J. Damschroder, Hearts Under Siege, romance series, Entangled Publishing
ISBN: 9781622664948
Google: xxDHAgAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00I6ZJ8KE
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2014-02-24T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Molly had never felt a change in atmosphere as sudden and terrifying as the one just now. The dim light in the attic bedroom was no longer cozy, but sinister. Hope had winked out of existence, the block letters spelling out the possibility, not that Chris was alive, but that he’d been murdered.

Brady’s legs had given out and he’d dropped onto the side of her bed. The disorientation of going from “about to be kissed” to “unspeakably shocked” left her dizzy. But she had to overcome it. Had to, once again, be strong.

And to start thinking logically. She stared at the pages in front of her. They weren’t the usual mission report. “Brady, wait.” She flipped through the half-dozen sheets of paper, skimming, catching phrases and sections on each. “This isn’t a completed mission.”

“No.” He sounded empty, distant. “He didn’t complete it.”

“No, I mean, this isn’t a final report. Wouldn’t a final report be in here by now? What if—” She swallowed. “What if ‘canceled’ means the mission? Not Chris?”

Brady stared blankly up at her. Then understanding slid into his expression. His eyes focused again, heating up. He stood. “Maybe. I never had a canceled mission.”

“So you wouldn’t know what the report would look like.”

“No.” A tiny spark of hope flared in his expression.

“Okay.” She inhaled deeply and took his hand. “Come here. Sit. Let’s look at this.” As she backed to the other bed, drawing him with her, his hand tightened on hers until her bones shifted. They sat, and she set the file aside to concentrate on the special sleeve she’d taken the papers from. It was opaque and green. The white label on the front had no words, only the notation “#476-1B” in stark black type.

“Do you know what this means?” She showed Brady. He took it from her, flipped to the blank other side, then back again. “No. It’s not a mission number. Those are all six digits.”

“Right. Data’s not designated this way, either. That’s by date and an agency code.” She felt him look at her and shrugged. “I never figured out which agencies were which codes.”

“I’m sure SIEGE would be happy to hear that.”

“Pfft. I can’t be the only conduit paying attention.” She didn’t pick up the papers right away. Brady’s tone was clearer, and he looked less shell-shocked. She wanted to give him a little more time before they started reading and all the blood drained out of his head again. “So what do you think the number refers to?” she asked him, but he shook his head.

“No idea.” He held out his hand for the papers. She reluctantly handed them to him, and they started reading together. The top of the first page was similar to the mission reports, with basic parameters in a code she couldn’t decipher. But Brady knew enough to make reasonable guesses. He pointed to the space on the form for location.

“This is strange.”

“So far, everything is.”

“He went to Canada.”

She shrugged. “So? Don’t you guys go everywhere?”

“Yeah, but we spend a lot more time in unstable countries.

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