“I’m going to have to bring Ronnie in on it.I’ll leave him here as guard for Bree.She’s not going to notice if either of us are missing anyway.A bomb could go off and I’m not sure she would notice.”
“I’ll get my team out to the ranch and will be waiting for your call.”
A moment later, Noah was gone.
Tanner walked back into the office and crouched down beside Bree.She stopped what she was doing and looked at him.
“We’re leading them away,” he said.“You keep working.I’ll send Ronnie to guard but will tell him not to disturb you.”
Her lips pursed.“I know I can do it, but I don’t know if I can do it intime.”
He reached over and kissed her softly.“You can.”
This time when his lips met hers, she clung to him.He groaned against her mouth.“There’s nothing I want to do more than stay here and kiss you, but we’ve both got to get to work.”
“Be careful.”She clutched him closer to her for just a second.“The Organization is dangerous and smart.”
He smiled.“So are we.We’ll buy you the time you need.”
She straightened.“I won’t waste it.”
He pulled her in for a tight embrace and kissed the top of her head.“I know.”
Her fingers were already flying on the keyboard as he walked briskly out the door.
Back at the station a few minutes later, he found Ronnie at his desk.
“Ronnie, can I see you for a second in my office?”
The deputy nodded and followed him in.
“I don’t have any further updates about Steele, if that’s what—”
Tanner cut him off.“I need to borrow your personal phone to make a call.”
Ronnie eyed both the phone sitting on Tanner’s desk and the one clipped at his waist.Probably just being in the same room with Ronnie’s smartphone meant the Organization was listening, but Tanner wanted to make sure they got this message loud and clear.
“Um, sure.”
“You’ll understand in a minute.”
Ronnie entered his password and handed the phone to Tanner.Tanner immediately punched in his brother’s number.
“Dempsey.”
Noah’s greeting was terse.If it hadn’t been for this situation, he probably wouldn’t have answered at all.
“Noah, it’s Tanner.I’m using Ronnie’s phone because I think mine might be bugged.”
Right on cue, Noah muttered a curse.
“Is Bree okay?”Tanner asked.
“Yeah.I’ve got to admit I never expected to see her face here again.She’s looking pretty tired and hasn’t gotten up from her computer since she arrived.”
Good job.Give them something to make them nervous.
“I can’t get home until this evening.Too many people around, and I feel like I’m being watched.”
