Midnight Cowboy by Linda Castillo

Author:Linda Castillo [Castillo, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780373692309
Goodreads: 577358
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-12-14T00:02:57+00:00

Chapter Eight

The meaning of the words registered slowly in a brain that didn’t want to believe. Disbelief and a deep sense of violation rose inside Bo. The MIDNIGHT Agency was a top-secret organization. Very few people knew of its existence, even fewer knew where the agency headquarters was located. How the hell could something so catastrophic happen?

“Casualties?” he heard himself ask.

“Going to be heavy.”

Bo knew it was bad when cool-headed Mike Madrid sounded shaken. “What about damage?”

“The blast was powerful, took everyone by surprise. Most of the second floor is gone. Dozens of people are missing. A dozen more are hurt badly.”

“Cutter?”

“Missing.”

Bo cursed. “Missing in the rubble or missing as in someone took him?”

“All we know at this point is that there’s no sign of him anywhere.”

“He was in the office?”

“He’d logged in.” Madrid sighed. “Look, we’ve got a lot of chaos right now. Phone system is down. Cops and feds and Homeland Security are on the scene. Acting director initiated a Code ninety-nine.”

The initiation of a Code ninety-nine indicated an emergency situation, alerting and activating all MIDNIGHT agents. Bo wasn’t an agent. But he knew in his gut this involved him. He knew it involved Rachael Armitage. Just as he knew Sean Cutter had probably been the target….

“I’ll lay odds that Viktor Karas will take responsibility for the bombing.” The words elicited a slow rise of fury.

Madrid was silent. Bo could hear chaos in the background now, sirens and shouting and a male voice barking out orders. “This is his style. Hit hard and fast and unexpectedly. Take what he wants then get the hell out.”

“The collateral damage is a bonus.”

Bo had turned away from Rachael, but she was circling him, watching him. She knew something was wrong and wanted to know what it was.

“Cutter was supposed to send a chopper out here once the fleet was inspected,” he said.

“Not going to happen, Bo. Whoever did this hit the hangar, too. Half the aircraft are gone. The other half will need to be inspected for explosives. We lost at least one pilot. Another is still unaccounted for.”

“Karas knows where we are,” Bo said.

“Then I suggest you get the hell out of there.”

The suggestion made him feel like a coward. Two years ago Bo would have made a stand. He would have told Madrid they’d be waiting for Karas when he showed. It shamed him that his own fears kept him from doing what he knew needed to be done. “I’m going to get off the line, Madrid. I don’t want anyone picking up this signal off the cell tower.”

“Sure.”

“Keep me posted on Cutter, will you?”

“Roger that.”

Bo snapped the phone closed.

“What the hell is going on?”

Bo looked at Rachael. Her eyes were wide and questioning. She looked pumped up and ready to pounce on him. He wondered how she would react to learning Cutter was missing. But deep inside he knew. She was going to want to go after Karas.

“MIDNIGHT headquarters was bombed,” he said.

She stiffened as if steeling herself against a blow.

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