His pulse thrummed at the thought that they were now officially working together. Teammates. He would have to make sure to keep a professional distance, because anything else would only end in disaster.
FIVE
With Haven and Rusk secure in the back compartment of Colt’s truck, Maren sat in the passenger seat while Colt drove them to the address provided by Eva for Steve Loren, Colt’s CI.
They entered a seedy neighborhood of Aurora, a suburb of Denver. Run-down redbrick apartment buildings lined the street with overgrown common spaces in between.
Alert for any threats. Maren’s heart rate remained high after having her tire blown out and a masked gunman pointing his rifle at her.
The gunman had thought she was Opal. Bile seared her throat.
Her sister was being hunted by the drug kingpin known as Shadow, as well as the DEA. One wanted her dead, and the other wanted her help in taking down the former. Both put her sister in a precarious, dangerous position.
A position Maren had trained for, but not her sister. Opal wouldn’t survive without help. Maren slanted a sideways glance at Colt, taking in the strong lines and angles of his handsome face. She wanted to dislike the man, but there was something about him… She blew out a breath.
The dark slash of his eyebrows over green eyes and the close-cropped beard couldn’t diminish the strength in the cut of his jaw, nor could the mustache conceal the fine shape of his lips.
She forced her gaze away from his too handsome face, noting the capable way his hands held the steering wheel at ten and two. He was solid and steadfast. Trustworthy.
Trust didn’t come easy. Allowing anyone close was something she avoided. Yet, even though she’d only known him for such a short time, she unexpectedly trusted him, which wasn’t something she took lightly.
Nor the fact he’d saved her life.
Gratitude filled her chest. If he hadn’t been following her when the gunman in the van had shot out her tire and sent her into the ditch… If Colt hadn’t managed to chase off the gunman—a shudder worked over her. She was thankful to be alive. And it was all due to this man beside her. She owed him, but was the cost going to be her sister’s life?
And now Maren and Colt were officially working together. Partners.
Somehow this partnership was different than those she’d formed with the Colorado K-9 Unit task force members. The other K-9 officers and their leader, Emmett, all had a common goal to find Mia Andrews and bring to justice the malicious criminals killing young women and selling their babies.
A worthy mission.
When she’d received the notice to report to the task force headquarters in Denver, she’d been both surprised and flattered. It had been an honor to be included and deputized as a federal agent with all the perks and responsibility that went with the designation.
Of course, she realized Haven was a big part of the equation. The dog was good at her job.
All the dogs on the task force were good at their jobs. And the handlers all exceptional in their respective departments.
She was sure Colt and Rusk were good at their job.
They both had a vested interest in finding Opal, even if they’d started out with different motivations. And now their purposes were aligned. What had Opal done to enrage Shadow? Was the fact she knew his face enough for him to want her dead? Where was she now? Was Opal pregnant? And scared enough to fake her own death?
The questions spun through Maren’s brain like the wheel on the TV showWheel of Fortune. She wondered what answers they would learn when they found Steve Loren.
He had to be able to lead her to her sister.
Please, Jesus, I need to find her.
She knew Colt’s goal was to take down Shadow. She wanted that as well, since the man was trying to kill her sister. And because his henchmen thought she was Opal, they’d nearly killed her.
Colt parallel parked the truck between two cars, barely managing to fit in the tight space. Maren had to admit she was thankful that her boss had brought Colt onto the team for now and that he had given them permission to follow this lead.
So that she could find her sister. Not because she felt safe with Colt at her side.
Guilt stabbed at her for not pursuing the illegal baby adoption ring. But finding Opal could lead to the OB or other adoption ring members who could crack the case.
Worry for Mia Andrews still took up residence in her brain. She lifted up another silent prayer that Mia would be found soon.
Along with Opal.
