Seized by the Lawman Read online

  RHONDA LEE CARVER

  Seized by the Lawman

  (Lawmen of Wyoming #3)

  2018 Rhonda Lee Carver

  Copyright 2018 Rhonda Lee Carver

  All rights reserved

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission from the author, Rhonda Lee Carver—except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages written in a review. For information, please contact Rhonda Lee Carver @ [email protected].

  This work is fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue in this work are from the author’s imagination and creation. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, dead or alive, is completely coincidental.

  This book is for your personal pleasure. Ebooks are not transferrable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. If you have enjoyed this book and wish to share with another reader(s) please purchase another copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, purchase a copy. Thank you for appreciating the hard work the author invested into this book.

  This book contains material that isn’t suitable for anyone under the age of 17.

  To read more books by Rhonda Lee Carver check out the list of her books at the end of this book.

  Blurb:

  Special Agent Nixon Cade wasn’t looking for anything long term when he met Melissia, but it turned out she left a lasting impression. When he landed a special assignment, a favor for the boss to help his daughter, Nix found out it was the very woman who had haunted his every waking hour. There are lines a man wouldn’t—shouldn’t—cross. He never messed with the boss’s daughter. No matter how beautiful, brave, intelligent, mystifying she was. Nix would have to dig deep—very deep—to find the restraint to keep his hands, and his thoughts, to himself.

  Admittedly, Melissia “Melly” Everhart hadn’t always had her life in order. Jumping from one impulsive act to another, she found herself pregnant from a one-night stand and realized it was time to settle down, find stability for her child. The best place to raise a child was her homestead, Shy Brooke. However, to attain ownership, she must prove to her father that she is responsible and capable of running a ranch. It was just like her father to expect her to jump through hoops…and this hoop involved the one man who she was connected to, although he had no clue she carried his child. But if she wanted the ranch she had to keep her secret safe until the deed was in her name.

  Nix had made a promise to show Melly the ropes of running a ranch, but he could barely keep his head on straight. She went from hot to cold and he suspected something just wasn’t right…

  A shadowy figure watched and waited for the opportune time to seek vengeance. He’d waited seven long years to make Cade pay for what he did. It was too good to be true when fate handed him the woman, and the baby was icing on the cake. No better way to make a man pay than to hold his family as leverage.

  Will Nix find the truth in time? Will Melly pay the price for Nix?

  DEDICATION:

  To my dear friend Michelle Pollock.

  Words can’t express how much I admire her for her strength, courage, resilience, fortitude, and how she enlightens each day with an infectious smile. She is an inspiration to not only me, but those around her.

  AKNOWLEDGEMETS:

  Cancer is such a horrible disease. No one is safe from the looming dark cloud and devastation. I know that some day there will be a cure. I will always think of my friends and loved ones who have faught the fight. Some are gone but each one is a warrior.

  I want to thank my crew who share/pimp/push/read my books relentlessly. Without you, life as an author wouldn’t be the same. I can say thank you, even shout it from the rooftops, and you’d never realize how grateful I am for each of you.

  I can’t say enough about my PA. OH my gosh…I really can’t. Donna, you are just that amazing! How lucky I am that she came into my life and took control of the chaotic mess.

  My family. They are my world.

  My furbabies. They are my sidekicks while I work. I’m grateful that my oldest cat, Boots, who is turning 13 soon is still here to give me furball snuggles. It’s wonderful how they can become such an intricate part of one’s life…

  Table of Contents

  Front Matter

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Epilogue

  Back Matter

  Bonus – Letting Go (Chapter One)

  Chapter 1

  SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT AGENT Nixon Cade stared at the screen as he and his tactical force team, Ghost Hawks, hovered in front of the monitors, watching as the suspect they’d been following for over a year joined a group of known terrorists in front of a closed deli in downtown Cheyenne. They greeted each other with handshakes and quick bows, all smiling and blending in. If Nix didn’t know any better he’d see these six men like any other group of buddies meeting to kick back, chat about football, women, and career choices over a hoagie and a beer. This group wasn’t run-of-the-mill though, far from it. They were dangerous and known for using explosives in soft target locations throughout Wyoming over the last few years.

  Nix had only joined the elite team four months ago, but since then he’d read the two-inch-thick case file on the terrorists front to back and memorized every word, every dotted i, every face of every person involved, no matter how small or how big. That’s how much dedication and drive he gave to every case and now, as a part of the Ghost Hawks, he could take on the grimmest cases.

  The team had received a tip from an informant that the suspect met with a group at the deli once a month. During their seemingly innocent lunches over turkey and cheese, they made airtight plans to kill innocent people in the name of their god.

  Their suspect looked over his shoulder and his face flashed across the camera. “Yeah, that’s definitely him.” Even with the ballcap pulled low shading his eyes, his broad nose and the long scar from brow to cheek couldn’t be mistaken. “Bingo.”

  “Do you think they have any clue they’re being watched?” asked Jameson, one of the senior agents on the team who had served a remarkable career in the Navy SEALs that was riddled with awards and distinguished honors.

  “I don’t give a screwed-up fuck as long as we catch his scrawny ass and toss him away to die behind bars.” Riddle was as large as a house and as bad ass as a pissed off bear. He wore his hair closely-shaven and his beard thick. His grey-blue eyes were like lasers and his fists like hammers. Those attributes, as well as his tattooed covered arms, tended to scare the bad guys. He barely needed to use his gun to get criminals to see his way of thinking. He had the best record in getting people to talk and was celebrated for taking down three of the FBI’s most wanted. Each of the men brought a skill to the team and were chosen for such credentials. Nix was distinguished for his sharp shooting skills and sniffing out criminals where there were no leads.

  The parked van where they were huddled was sitting down the street from the deli. They awaited the perfect moment to surprise their suspect and his group of assailants. One could cut the tension in the air with a knife as the Hawks anticipated bringing the want
ed men down—to destroy part of a sleeper cell that had been leaving a destructive wave. Last month the suspect and two members of the group had set off a dirty bomb in a bus station that killed ten men, women, and children. As far as Nix was concerned, Wyoming wasn’t a normal target for terrorists because of the vast land to population ratio, but still, here they were and it was time the bastards’ reign of terror came to an end. The Hawks were the men to accomplish that goal. They were the ones who took on assignments that Homeland Security, the FBI and local law enforcement needed help with.

  Up until this point, the suspect had thwarted every attempt of capture, but today, thanks to an undercover agent, Grayson “Gray” Carlisle, who’d infiltrated the cell, the bad men would be taking their last breath of freedom. They had enough evidence to put them away for a very long time.

  With the use of a hidden pen camera in Gray’s shirt, the team watched the group of men move inside the small deli. “Now all be good little terrorists and have a seat, get comfy and talk,” Nix muttered. His adrenaline was rushing, and he itched to catch the criminals.

  “Fuckers look so smug after they’ve killed so many innocents,” Nate “Cowboy” Cruise growled. He got his nickname because he always wore a Stetson, wide silver belt buckle, and dusty boots.

  “The moron is ours, boys. I can’t wait to see his face when we show up.” Briggs laughed. He was the youngest of the group and always wore a smile. He could look at a woman and make her swoon with his model good looks—and he enjoyed that capability by using it often. The ladies might be a little scared if they knew he could kill a man with his bare hands. His greatest skill was hand-to-hand combat.

  Nix eased back into the uncomfortable, too-small chair. “Actually, our suspect isn’t a moron. He’s intelligent and clever. Let’s not forget that he’s evaded capture six times over the last year and is extremely dangerous. If he slips through our fingers, he’ll be back at blowing up churches, bus stations, and airports tomorrow, and he’ll think he got one over on us again. The cocky son-of-a-bitch needs to be handled carefully.”

  Jameson nodded. “Cade’s right, boys. Getting cocky isn’t in the ingredients of catching this asshole. We can’t falsely believe this group will go down without a fight. Although we can’t see them, they’re all packing and not afraid to use their weapons, especially on lawmen. In their eyes, killing one of us is a golden seat on the airplane to heaven. Let’s not give any of them the satisfaction.” Jameson tightened his bulletproof vest that padded his large chest. “It’s now or never, Hawkss. Chin up. Shoulders back. Let’s roll.”

  One by one, they slinked out of the back of the van, staying low and hidden from the large window of the deli. With a signal from Jameson, they separated, moving like a well-oiled machine, slinking along the building, and took their positions. The plan was to move in quietly. Damage-control and keeping the death toll to a minimum was required, exactly what the government appreciated. Each suspect killed was one less avenue in getting one of the terrorists to talk and gain valuable information in catching another terrorist.

  Jameson gave the nod and Nix signaled to the men behind him.

  The thunderflash was thrown through the window. Shouts, followed by gun shots, rang off inside. Each planned step, each strategic action was followed…

  Three hours later, Nix strolled into the building of the Hawks’ office. The team was jovial, sharing gruff compliments because the assignment had gone down without a hitch. The terrorists were all taken alive and headed for interrogation. Gray was safe and being debriefed. The Hawks were proud that they’d completed another mission. Now it was up to the next team to get as much knowledge, useful information, and names of other terrorists from the captured before being convicted and sentenced.

  Nix hung back and stepped up to the desk of the secretary, Claire. She was in her thirties, had shoulder-length, curly hair and wore thick glasses that she pushed up her nose every few minutes. Her cubicle was scattered with pictures of her cats, and although Nix didn’t know her very well, he did know every cute name of her animals.

  “Hi, Claire,” he said as he approached. When she saw him, she jerked and knocked over a file, scattering papers all over the floor. She was her usual jumpy-self. Some of the men had teased Nix in the past saying Claire had a crush on him, but he believed she was just socially awkward. Her cheeks turned red and she bent to her knees, grabbing the papers in haphazard fashion and shoving them back into the file. Picking up a paper that had landed at his feet, he handed it over. She took the offering without meeting his gaze and hurried back to her chair. “I’m sorry. Did I surprise you?” he asked once she was settled.

  Claire cleared her throat, uncomfortably shifted, and tugged down the hem of her skirt. “No, no. I was just working on a few things. I hear the bust went without a snag.” There she went, pushing those too-big glasses up her nose again. Nix wasn’t sure if they were loose or if it was just a nervous habit. He had a yearning to ask if he could help by tightening them for her, but he was afraid she’d take his offer as rude. He liked her, even if she did seem timid when he was around.

  “I’ve noticed there are cameras set up around the office, but I was told they are disabled.” Working in the biz of putting away criminals for over ten years now, Nix understood the need for security even when it seemed unnecessary. He’d just installed a superior system at his cabin.

  “Not disabled.” She moistened her lips and glanced up at him. “They’re not working.”

  “When you get a chance, can you call in a repair service? We can’t be too careful.” He smiled and the red flush that had been in her cheeks creeped into her neck. He almost felt guilty for making her so uncomfortable.

  “Will do, Mr. Cade.” She knocked over the pencil holder. “Oh, I mean Nix. Just as you requested.”

  “Thank you.” Not wanting to prolong her misery, he headed down the hall to the room of common offices. The men all occupied their desks, piping down some after their victory, and Nix dropped into the chair behind his own desk, pulled out his key and unlocked the bottom drawer. Taking his weapon out of its holster, he clicked on the safety and secured it, pushing the drawer closed with his dusty boot.

  Clicking on the computer, he typed in his password and stared at the screen. Now that his adrenaline was coming down from the clouds, his mind wandered. His thoughts were stuck on a woman he’d met months ago when he’d first moved to Devil’s Bluff. They’d made love and the next morning she was gone, without a word. The unmarrying type, Nix had never complained when a woman decided to disappear at sunrise, but Melissia Easton had affected him enough that he’d hoped they could have breakfast, and maybe a repeat of wild, passionate sex.

  That didn’t happen.

  He should let the mystery woman go and chalk their rendezvous up to a one-time event that he would remember fondly. He should concentrate on work. Considering he was new with the team, he wanted to keep his nose to the grindstone, feeling like he had something to prove. He’d been brought in to join the elite team to stop the widespread criminal activity of terrorism, the sale and distribution of controlled substances, prostitution, child pornography, and organized crime in Wyoming. The Hawks got the worst of the worst cases.

  “Copy machine isn’t working again,” Jamison growled and punched a button on the speaker on his desk. “Claire, when you get a chance could I get you to copy some paperwork for me?”

  “Nothing new. We get the leftover funding,” Gabel “Abel” Stone said as he reached for his stress ball, squeezing it in his beefy fist. “I still can’t believe I missed out today. I wanted to get my hands on a few sum’bitches,” he snarled.

  “There’s always a next time,” Nix said.

  Claire came hurrying in. “Anyone else need anything while I’m out making copies?”

  “With the chance of sounding like an ass for asking you to grab coffee—”

  She waved a hand to dismiss Abel. “I don’t mind. I enjoy doing errands.” She met Nix’s gaze. “Can
I get you something? I know you like an espresso with two pumps of cream and one sugar.”

  Now how the hell did she know that? Nix blinked. “Are you and the barista in cahoots?” he teased, but when she gave her head a hard shake sending her glasses off her nose and onto the floor, he wanted to kick himself in the ass.

  “I-I was in…” she hurried and grabbed her glasses from the floor and placed them back on her face, “in the coffee shop yesterday morning when you ordered. I know what everyone wants. I’ll be back.” She turned and started for the door.

  “Wait, Claire,” Jamison said.

  The woman swiveled on her squeaky shoes looking like a swift wind could knock her over. “Yes?”

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He held up the papers that needed copied.

  “Oh, yes. Mercy me. Sorry. I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached.” She took the papers from him and disappeared out the door.

  “Oh, wow. She’s got it bad,” Abel said.

  “Why don’t you put the poor woman out of her misery and ask her on a date?” Riddle’s question was aimed at Nix.

  “I don’t think that’s the answer, man. She just needs some getting used to me,” Nix added.

  “Certainly can’t fire her. She’s the only one who knows the ins and outs of this operation,” Jamison said. “Ain’t like Carson would anyway. She’s been around since this team was formed.”

  Sitting back in his chair, Nix adjusted the screen of his laptop and looked over the top at a few men who were busily chatting about something else now. He dragged himself away from the conversation because he had better interests. He knew very little about the pretty redhead, Melissia, outside of the fact that she liked dancing after kicking back a shot of tequila. He grinned at the vision of her on the dance floor. Her long, damp hair whipping about her flushed cheeks, the hem of her short skirt lashing about her firm thighs and the lavish scent of her that lingered in his nostrils and on his skin. He’d taken lots of showers, but there were just some aromas and tastes a man couldn’t forget—not that he wanted to. She’d been as tasty as a ripe peach dripping with sweet juices.