Free Most Eligible Spy by Dana Marton Page A

ranch,” she said after a long minute. Then quickly added, “It doesn’t mean he’s a criminal. He could have needed the money for one of his businesses.”
    He chewed on the new piece of information for a few seconds. “Were you aware that he was having financial difficulties?”
    She shook her head. “Maybe he wanted to expand the dealership.”
    “But he didn’t say anything to you about it?”
    “He had so many things going on. He was always running around. Sometimes he didn’t even have time to stop in for dinner.” She watched him. “Is there anything I could say to convince you that he was a good man?”
    Moonlight glinted off her soft hair, for once loose and not up in a ponytail, the silky strands spilling over her shoulders. The silver light accentuated the wistful expression on her face. Every cell in his body responded to her. He didn’t want to hurt her, but as far as her brother went...
    “I believe he was good to you and Logan.” He wanted to go around the table and pull her into his arms, offer her comfort he had no right offering. He pushed to his feet. “You get some sleep. I’m going back outside to check around again, walk in a wider circle.”
    She stiffened as she glanced to the window. “You think that man is still here?”
    “It never hurts to be cautious. When the sun comes up, I’ll find his tracks and take some tire molds. Maybe we can identify his vehicle.”
    She walked him to the door.
    He stepped outside into the night. “Lock it behind me.”
    She looked worried. The urge to touch her, to smooth the furrows from her forehead, came on pretty strong. He wished he were more comfortable with women, more of a charmer, someone who could make a woman like her look differently at him.
    But he wasn’t. And she was dating the Pebble Creek sheriff.
    So he walked away.
    * * *
    A FTER M OLLY PUT L OGAN on the school bus Monday morning, she paid her bills online, then looked Moses Mann up on Google while she had her second cup of coffee. Max and Cocoa were somewhere outside. Only Skipper lazed around in the kitchen, lying on the doormat by the back door. The old gal probably tuckered herself out running around outside half the night.
    Molly scrolled down the list of hits, a very short list. The few things she found, articles in various newspapers, were mostly about Mo’s brother Calvin Mann. Mo only got a sentence or two, about his role in his brother’s business. He was a silent partner, according to one report.
    Apparently, he’d been on active duty with the military when Calvin had started the software company in the family basement. Mo had fronted the money for the entire operation from his combat pay.
    The “Calvin Cat Counting” game was a huge hit among elementary-school-age children, one of the top-rated educational games in the country. And they followed up with dozens of others from K–12 education to SAT-and college-prep software. Which meant both Mo and his brother had to be multimillionaires.
    So why wasn’t he sitting on some tropical island, sipping margaritas?
    Even as the question popped into her head, it made her smile. She couldn’t really imagine Mo as a surfer dude. Granted, he could be laid-back, but...there was also an intensity inside him, a drive. For a moment she couldn’t pin it down, and then she did: he had a soldier’s heart.
    He would spend all day in over hundred-degree heat patrolling the border. He would rush to her house in the middle of the night when she was in trouble.
    He would make a fierce enemy—she wasn’t going to forget that interrogation anytime soon. But she had a feeling he also made the most loyal friend.
    What kind of lover would he make?
    She squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t believe she’d just thought that.
    To distract herself, she went back to her computer search. He had no Twitter or Facebook accounts, no social-media presence of any kind.
    Maybe because he worked for the government. He was a consultant on border