Her One and Only Hero by Sharon Hartley

Author:Sharon Hartley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-10-04T13:53:43+00:00

* * *

AFTER PASSING THROUGH the toll gate on I-75 where the interstate turned into Alligator Alley, a pathway through the Everglades, Dale placed a phone call to his commanding officer. Tampa was four or five hours away, depending on traffic. They’d be lucky if they made it to the downtown FBI office before 5:00 p.m.

Today was the last day of his personal leave. He had no choice but to request more time.

“Who are you calling?” Fran asked when the ringing sounded over the hands-free technology. He also had no choice but to let her listen to the conversation unless he wanted to drive a two-ton bomb at seventy-five miles an hour one-handed. So not happening.

“My boss,” Dale said.

“Marshall.” His lieutenant’s grainy voice floated into the interior of the SUV.

“LT, it’s Officer Baldwin.”

“Yeah, Baldwin. How’s that personal business coming along?”

Dale gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Not well, sir. I need to request more time.”

A long pause stretched out. Finally LT said, “Sorry to hear that, son.”

“I have the time coming to me, sir.”

“Maybe so, but brass has canceled all leave because of the suspensions.” The sound of shuffling papers filled the silence. “You were my first choice for the new joint task force. Is something going on that I need to rethink that decision?”

Next to him, Fran strangled an outraged noise. Dale shot her a quelling look.

“No, sir. I’m still the right man for the job,” he said. “That op doesn’t gear up for another three weeks.” Of course Marhsall knew that.

“You going to need three weeks, Baldwin?”

“I hope not, sir. But this is family business, and it’s gotten complicated. More so than I anticipated.”

“Where are you? Sounds like you’re on the road.”

“I’m driving to Tampa.”

A staccato noise came across the speaker that sounded as if Marshall drummed a pencil or a pen on his desk. “Very well. You’ve got two more days.”

“Could we make it three, sir? Tampa is a long drive.”

“Two days.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“We’ll have a conversation about your focus when you report for duty, Officer Baldwin.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And whatever the hell you’re up to, be careful.” Marshall disconnected.

Dale released a breath and relaxed against the headrest. Had he screwed his chances for appointment to the terrorist task force? He’d known Marshall would give him a hard time about the additional leave. That’s just who the man was, but would he really take away that plum job?

Damn, but he wanted that assignment. He’d lost too many buddies in the desert, wanted to stop the assholes hell-bent on destroying the American way of life. Plus, he liked working with the feds. He’d worked his butt off to put himself on Marshall’s radar.

Funny though. Now that he had a daughter, the task force no longer seemed quite so important.

“Does your boss know you’re looking for your daughter?” Fran asked.

“My boss doesn’t know I even have a daughter,” Dale said. “I’ve only known it—what? Forty-eight hours?”

“Maybe if you’d told him, he would be more understanding.”

Dale shot her a quick look. She might be right about that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.