Read Online Broken Trust by Leigh Bale - Free Book Online Page A

arm at the dog. “Go
with her, Grunt.”
    The big Mastiff obeyed and Toni
felt a sense of security as she hurried along the thin path leading into the
trees. In spite of Grunt panting happily by her side, she couldn’t help peering
into the brush, fearing her assailant might pop out at any time. When she
returned to the cabin, she heard voices coming from the front deck. Grunt
didn’t waver, but gave a low growl, then disappeared around the corner. Toni
hung back, hidden from view, not wanting to intrude.
    “You look like you’re getting
around pretty well, Sergeant MacKenzie.” A pause, then— “Wow, that’s a big
dog.”
    The stranger’s voice caused Toni to
hesitate beside the wood pile. He must have come to the cabin just after she’d
left. She could imagine him backing up beside Mac as Grunt approached him on
the deck.
    “Yeah, this is Grunt.” Toni heard
the jangle of the dog’s collar and imagined Mac rubbing the mutt’s ears. “What
brings you all the way out here, Agent Hooper?”
    Mac’s voice sounded friendly, yet
she detected an edge of reservation in his tone. He wasn’t yet ready to face
people.
    “Well, you haven’t got a phone out
here. I tried to reach you at your home in Vegas. It’s been almost a year since
I was out here, but I remembered the way. After what you’ve been through, I
figured I’d pay you a visit. To let you know you still have a friend.”
    Friends? Toni didn’t know this man,
but she’d lost track of Mac and who he spent time with after their breakup. And
that made her feel a bit sad.
    “Nothing much has changed, except
the deck,” Hooper said. “I can see why you came to the mountains to recuperate.
It’s a beautiful place.”
    “Yeah, what do you want, Derek?”
    “Nothing. Honest. This is just a
routine follow-up after what happened. Don’t be so suspicious.”
    Someone took a deep inhale of
mountain air. Toni imagined Derek Hooper must be admiring the view. He’d
obviously been here before.
    “I already told you boys at the CIA
everything I know,” Mac said.
    “Yes, but when we have an ambush,
we want to make sure we have all the facts.”
    Ambush? Toni leaned nearer,
pressing her cheek against the rough logs of the cabin, straining to catch
every word.
    “Last I heard, the FBI had taken
lead on the investigation.”
    “Yeah, we’re working with them and
NCIS to find out what happened,” Hooper said. “Are your parents here, too?”
    “Yeah, but they’re out on the
mountain right now.”
    “Ah, good. This won’t take long.”
    She heard the rattle of a chair.
“Have a seat, Derek.”
    “No thanks.”
    “Suit yourself. What do you want to
know?” Mac’s voice sounded clipped and aloof.
    Toni knew the special forces often
worked with the CIA. But somehow, the FBI had become involved. Derek Hooper’s
visit had to be about the skirmish that got Eric killed. Was this really just a
friend checking up on Mac, or something more?
    “Exactly when did you find out
about your last mission?” Hooper asked Mac.
    “Maybe three or four hours before
our departure.”
    “And did any of your team members
disappear for any length of time before then?”
    Mac gave a harsh laugh. “Not unless
you count going to the john. I suppose any one of our men could have made a
quick detour for a phone call to their wife or girlfriend and no one would’ve
known about it. Why?”
    “Did you actually see one of the
men make a phone call or mail any letters out?”
    A long pause followed and Toni
thought about Eric’s letter in the cabin, folded neatly inside her handbag. It
had been mailed to her the day of his last mission, possibly within hours of
his departure.
    “No, nothing,” Mac responded.
    As Toni gripped the side of the
cabin, a sliver pierced her finger and she jerked her hand back. She gave
silent thanks Mac kept Eric’s letter a secret. Eric had warned them not to
trust anyone and she took that counsel seriously, whether Mac was friends with
Derek