Not on His Watch. Cassie Miles
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“I suppose this is the part where I fall into your arms, flutter my eyelashes and tell you that you’re my hero.”
Quint grinned. “I wouldn’t mind one bit, Natalie.”
“Don’t hold your breath, cowboy. You lied to me. You’re a bodyguard, aren’t you?”
“Sometimes.”
Quint leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees and rotated his shoulders to relieve the tension in his back. Rescuing Natalie like that had been a crazy stunt, and he was damned lucky that he’d succeeded. If he’d failed, they might both be dead.
He felt Natalie’s hand on his shoulder. “Quint? Are you okay?”
“Fine,” he said.
“You’re shaking.”
From fear, the fear of losing her. He swallowed hard. “I’m glad you’re all right.”
“And you?” she asked. “Are you hurt?”
Looking at Natalie, knowing that she was alive and well, he felt the soul-deep pain beginning to heal. “I’m just fine.”
“Good.” She straightened her shoulders. “Because I’m going to kill you.”
Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,
We’ve got another month of sinister summer sizzlers lined up for you starting with the one and only Familiar—your favorite crime-solving black cat! Travel with the feisty feline on a magic carpet to the enchanting land of sheiks in Caroline Burnes’s Familiar Mirage, the first part of FEAR FAMILIAR: DESERT MYSTERIES. You can look for the companion book, Familiar Oasis, next month.
Then it’s back to the heart of the U.S.A. for another outstanding CONFIDENTIAL installment. This time, the sexiest undercover operatives around take on Chicago in this bestselling continuity series. Cassie Miles launches the whole shebang with Not on His Watch.
Debra Webb continues her COLBY AGENCY series with one more high-action, heart-pounding romantic suspense story in Physical Evidence. What these Colby agents won’t do to solve a case—they’ll even become prime suspects to take care of business…and fall in love.
Finally, esteemed Harlequin Intrigue author Leona Karr brings you a classic mystery about a woman who washes up on the shore sans memory. Good thing she’s saved by a man determined to find her Lost Identity.
A great lineup to be sure. So make sure you pick up all four titles for the full Harlequin Intrigue reading experience.
Sincerely,
Denise O’Sullivan
Associate Senior Editor
Harlequin Intrigue
Not On His Watch
Cassie Miles
To my old friends, critique groups, the guys at Merrick and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.
Thank you for your caring support,
for your laughter and your love.
And, as always, to Rick.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cassie Miles was born in Chicago, and now lives in Denver, one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, with the traffic jams to prove it. She belongs to the film society and enjoys artsy subtitled cinema almost as much as movies in which stuff blows up. Her favorite entertainment is urban, ranging from sports to museum exhibits to coffeehouse espresso. Yet she never loses sight of the Rocky Mountains through the kitchen window.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Quintin Crawford—The long, tall Texan became a Confidential agent to forget his dark personal tragedy. He never expected to find sunshine in Chicago.
Natalie Van Buren—Daughter of the CEO of Quantum Industries, she struggled to earn her vice president title and learned never to settle for second best.
Henry Van Buren—The CEO of Quantum Industries, a megapowerful international oil distributor based in Chicago.
Nicco, alias Nick Beaumont—The mysterious expert in timed explosives. Who was he working for?
Gordon Doeller—The Quantum vice president in charge of marketing had his fingers in too many pies.
Eugene “Hutch” Greely—The leader of the eco-cult Solar Sons held a dangerous grudge against Quantum.
Zahir Haji Haleem—A force to be reckoned with in oil-based Middle Eastern economies. Was he a hero or a snake?
Maria Luisa Moreno and Jerome Harris—Loyal Quantum employees. Or were they?
Vincent Romeo, Whitney MacNair Romeo, Lawson Davies and Andy Dexter—Agents with the newly formed Chicago Confidential.
Daniel Austin—Founder of Montana Confidential and close friend to Quintin Crawford.
Javid Haji Haleem—A Middle Eastern ruler and twin to Zahir. He came to Chicago to aid the Confidential investigation.
Kathy Renk—The receptionist in the Confidential offices.
The Confidential Agent’s Pledge
I hereby swear to uphold the law
to the best of my ability; to maintain the
level of integrity of this agency by my
compassion for victims, loyalty to my
brothers and courage under fire.
And above all, to hold all information and
identities in the strictest confidence….
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter One
Outside the square granite entryway to the office building, dirty snow marked the curb where a white Fiat sedan and a blue Toyota were parked. The sidewalks appeared to be deserted. No lights shone from the office windows. The stealthy gray of dawn thinned the night shadows into faded streaks.
If Quintin Crawford had to guess, he’d place the time in the snowy scene to be somewhere between six and six-fifteen in the morning. Quint and four other agents stared at the high-resolution video on the large flat monitor in the special-ops room. They were watching, waiting for something to happen.
On the screen, a bearded old man came onto the street. His lips moved. His hands, in ragged mittens, pounded the air and twitched as he mumbled incomprehensibly. He could’ve been anyone—any tired soul who got fed up with the daily struggle and opted out. Not too long ago, Quint silently acknowledged, that guy could’ve been him.
Trudging aimlessly,