Silent Protector by Barbara Phinney

Author:Barbara Phinney [Phinney, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Religious, Suspense, Fiction
ISBN: 9781426865114
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

Ian shut the freezer door. He’d actually been thinking about donating this refrigerator to the Callahans. The bedroom that had burnt was right beside the kitchen, and the old refrigerator had shorted out in the fire.

But he doubted Jenny Callahan would want this thing after what he’d just shoved into it.

“This is the same kind of military web belt used in several Central American countries,” he told George, who’d followed him inside.

“Are you sure?”

Ian began to wash his hands. “About four years ago, just before I left the marshals, I participated in Op Mac and Cheese with the Marines and the SEALs.”

“Op Mac and Cheese?”

“A feel-good operation, created to foster the spirit of cooperation between various forces. To help overcome any feelings of distrust. We worked with some Central American military forces, too. So we all could familiarize ourselves with how the others do things.”

“And did it work? Do they get along now?”

Ian shrugged. “The jury’s still out.”

George chuckled. “Back to the problem at hand, how did a web belt used by a Central American country’s military get on this island, and why is it soaked in blood?”

“We both know that this has something to do with Charlie.”

Losing his smile, the older man nodded. Ian had filled in the ex-marshal with the details of how it was all tied to the illegal importation of drugs. Including how William Smith and Jerry Troop were implicated in an assassination attempt in Central America. Their cartel wanted a prominent politician killed. The politician was bringing the drug lords and crooked police officers to justice. He represented too much of a threat to the cartel, which had diversified into trafficking humans. They were losing the fear they’d instilled in the general population.

“Did Liz agree to ask Charlie about what he saw? I mean, he’s talking to Elsie, but she ain’t going to push him. She believes the boy will tell us when we’ve earned his trust.”

“It may be too late by then,” Ian muttered. “If William Smith is already here, we don’t have much time.”

George tapped the freezer door. “The guy who was wearing this thing may have already run out of time. There’s a lot of blood on it.”

Ian threw open his kitchen door. “Poco was hanging around the trail last night. But before that, when Liz showed up looking for her stuff, she saw the trail and followed it in for a bit. She saw two men talking there, but she didn’t think they saw her.”

“That may not mean anything. Besides, Poco’s nuts. He chases Joseph around and barks at thin air. Maybe the belt belongs to the security firm the resort has hired. I wouldn’t be surprised if you can buy belts like this one on the Internet.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” He stepped outside and looked up. Though the sky was clear above him, the wind had increased and the humidity draped over him thick and hot and heavy. The back of his neck felt wet and sticky.

“That storm’s building up steam, the forecasters say,” George murmured, as if reading Ian’s mind.

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