Charlotte Douglas - Licensed To Marry стр 2.

Beyond the pasture ran Crooked Creek, teeming with life, a fly fishermans paradise. On the other side of the ranch house glistened the turquoise blue of the swimming pool, ringed with cabins, including the one where he and Molly lived. Farther from the house sat the massive barn and corrals, and behind them, archery and shooting ranges

and a rodeo corral.

A casual, even a close-at-hand observer could not discern the secret operations room, deep beneath the main house. Ostensibly a retirement and breeding ranch for horses, the ranch served as a cover and headquarters for the covert agents of Montana Confidential, founded by Daniel Austin.

Kyle glanced at Daniel, sitting grim-faced in the seat beside him. In his mid-forties with sun-bleached blond hair and brown eyes framed with laugh lines, Daniel had the rugged good looks of a film star who becomes more handsome with age. But his boss was far more than an attractive face. A Texas Confidential agent for more than fifteen years, Daniel had put together the secret Montana group at the request of the Department of Public Safety. Their main purpose was to ferret out international terrorists believed operating in the state.

Daniel returned Kyles gaze. Got everything you need? his bosss rich voice asked through the headset.

Swallowing the panic that threatened to well into his throat, Kyle nodded and tapped his kit with the heel of his boot. Got all my tools. Ill have to borrow body gear from the local bomb squad.

Youll do fine. Daniel nodded in encouragement, and the compassion in his deep brown eyes spoke volumes.

More than the other agents, Daniel understood the crossroads at which Kyle found himself, because Daniel knew the whole story. While the others regarded Kyle as the hero who had saved the Beverly Hills Hotel from destruction three years ago, Daniel knew the darker side of Kyles past: today would be the first bomb Kyle would face since his partner on the L.A. bomb squad had been blown to bits before his eyes.

In a habitual gesture, Kyle rubbed the crescent-shaped scar that intersected his left eyebrow and felt the old wounds tighten across his chest. If he lived to be a thousand, hed never forget that horrific dayor expunge his own guilt. His hands shook slightly, and he gripped his knees to hide his nervousness. Now others were counting on him.

Including Daniel and his two new partners, sitting in the seats in front of him.

Frank Connolly handled the chopper with the steady confidence and skill of a career military pilot. He still suffered twinges from the injury to his right knee, but if he experienced any qualms about flying after being shot down over Bosnia, Kyle couldnt tell it from the skillful way Frank flew the helicopter. Only the slight tightening and flexing of his hands on the controls betrayed his tension. The chopper, supposedly at the ranch for patrolling fences and herding livestock, had its true purpose activated today: rapid deployment of the agents in emergency situations.

Whats our ETA? Daniel asked.

Frank spoke into his mike without taking his eyes from the terrain below. Fifteen minutes to Helena.

Cutting it close. Daniel looked to Kyle.

Kyle shrugged with a nonchalance he didnt feel. From what the capitol police told us, they cant read the timer on the bomb. We dont know how long we have.

Lets hope we arrive in time for you to do your stuff, hotshot, Court Brody spoke from the copilots chair.

A few weeks earlier, Kyle would have taken Courts comment as sarcasm. An FBI agent who had been assigned to the Montana Confidentials against his wishes, immediately upon his arrival Court had made clear his reluctance to be there. But after recently discovering he was a father and reuniting with his childs mother, he had decided to stay in Montana and quit the FBI and join the Confidential team. Like Frank, Court appeared unflappable, but Kyle knew better. The tiny muscle ticking in Courts jaw telegraphed his raw nerves. None of them knew what they were walking into.

Or if theyd walk out of it alive.

Yeah, Frank chimed in, his voice calm, steady. If anyone can keep that monster from blowing the capitol to smithereens, you can do it, Kyle, old buddy.

Court turned and grinned. Hope you handle a bomb better than you do a horse, greenhorn.

Maybe I should give you bomb duty, cowboy, Kyle joked back. You could just lasso the damn thing. Thats how they do it in Montana, isnt it?

Thats right. Courts eyes twinkled. Or I could just shoot it.

Their exchange of gallows humor helped, and Kyle settled back in his seat and tried to ease his residual anxiety by deep, steady breathing. He wished he felt the confidence the other members of the team had in him, but he couldnt stop blaming himself for Buzz Williamss death. Every second of that horrible day was etched indelibly in his brain. The memories made his gut cramp and his hands shake, a fatal problem for a bomb-disposal expert.

He and Buzz had answered the call

at the Hollywood Bowl hours before a rock concert. A groundskeeper had discovered the explosive device only minutes before, and while the uniformed officers cleared and cordoned off the area, Kyle and Buzz had studied the bomb.