Free Operation: Midnight Tango by Linda Castillo Page B

impassable.”
    “Tell me something I don’t already know, Cooper.”
    “We could send a few of our best men out on cross-country skis. We could equip a few with snowshoes.”
    “It will be dark soon.”
    “That won’t stop us. We’ve got night-vision technology.”
    “Do it now. I don’t want any man spared.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Cooper started to turn away, but Underwood reached out, grasped his shoulder and gave it a hard squeeze. “I don’t have to tell you what we’re up against here, do I, Cooper?”
    “I know what’s at stake.”
    “If those two people make it out of these mountains to a phone, if they talk to the wrong person, everything we’ve worked for goes up in smoke and we could end up spending the rest of our lives in prison. Or worse.”
    Cooper swallowed hard.
    “I want Zack Devlin and Emily Monroe dead before nightfall. By whatever means necessary. Do you understand?”
    “I understand.”
    As the other man walked away, Marcus Underwood wondered if Cooper understood that his life depended on it, too. He’d decided hours ago that if Emily Monroe and Zack Devlin eluded them, Riley Cooper would be the first man to die.
    ZACK HAD BEEN RIGHT ABOUT the snow making travel tough. Emily loved the out-of-doors and spent a good bit of her winter leisure time skiing and snowshoeing. But trying to walk through two feet of snow without the proper gear was next to impossible, and within an hour she was exhausted.
    “Let’s walk to the ridge over there and see if the wind blew most of the snow off the rocks.”
    She looked over to find Zack watching her. His breaths were puffing out in white clouds of vapor. Even though the temperature was well below freezing, sweat moistened his face. Her only thought was that he didn’t look like a convict. That he didn’t act like a convict. She wondered if those were the same thoughts that had been running through her father’s mind all those years ago when he’d crossed a line….
    Zack took her hand. When she tried to loosen his grip, he shot her a sharp look over his shoulder. “It will be easier making it to the top of the rise if you let me help you.”
    His hand was warm and covered hers completely as he led her up a steep incline. Emily tried hard not to think about how good that warmth felt.
    Neither spoke as they made their way to the ridge. The only sound came from the hum of wind coming through the branches and the sound of their boots against the snow. But Emily’s mind was in turmoil. Not only was she attracted to this man, but she was beginning to trust him. And trust was a dangerous thing, too.
    “Shouldn’t be much farther to Signal Research and Development.” Zack, who’d let go of her hand and walked a short distance ahead, paused and waited for her to catch up.
    Emily couldn’t quite meet his gaze as she drew up beside him. “If we manage to get in without getting shot, what exactly are we going to be looking for?”
    His mouth tightened. “I don’t want you going in with me, Emily. These bastards play for keeps, and I don’t want you in the middle of it.”
    The prospect of facing armed security officers was scary, to say the least. Then she recalled all the men who’d been murdered, and the fear was tempered by a quick jab of determination. “I’m already in the middle of it,” she said.
    “You’re not calling the shots,” he snapped.
    “I’ve got as much at stake as you,” she shot back.
    “You’re a civilian. This is my operation.”
    “I have the right to clear my name!”
    He looked as if he would argue, then he glanced away. When he turned back to her, his expressionwas grim. “If I didn’t need your help, there’s no way in hell I’d let you do this. Unfortunately for you, I need your help.”
    “Once we get inside, what are we going to be looking for?” she asked.
    “Anything tying Lockdown to Signal. Anything even remotely suspicious.”
    “I’m assuming you have some brilliant plan that will get us