Call of the Cougar (Heart of the Cougar Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

the packages containing a sterile pad and bandage. Her heart racing a million miles a minute, she prayed Anton would live as she rushed to stop his bleeding.
    The shooting continued and she hoped the rounds smacking into the solid oak protecting Anton and her wouldn't penetrate it and hit either of them. As soon as she had done all she could for Anton, she tried her phone, knowing she wouldn't have any reception, but she had to give it a shot.
    Not enough of a signal. Damn.
    Her skin was perspiring, her heart pounding as she felt the whole damn past catch up to her.
    When neither she nor Anton returned fire, the traffickers—at least that's who she thought they had to be—ceased shooting.
    She pocketed her cell, kept her gun ready, and hoped the men believed she and Anton were seriously injured, maybe even dead. Which could be a good thing, giving the perps a false sense of security. Even so, one agent against four armed men was no match if the men chose to rush their location. She and Anton would both be easy targets.
    She glanced down at her partner. His face was ashen, perspiration beading his forehead, his long dark hair dusting the wooden floor. He gritted his teeth in silent suffering, trying not to make a sound. She was crouched beside him, facing the bar so that if the men tried to reach them from either end of the bar, she could see their movement and hopefully shoot them first. She reached over to squeeze Anton's hand. It was cold and clammy. As hot as the old saloon was this summer afternoon, that wasn't a good sign. He applied the slightest pressure while squeezing her hand back, and she feared she would lose him. Just like she lost Bill.
    Her Glock readied, she listened to hear what was going on beyond the bar, her left hand still gripping his right. She couldn't let go just yet, wanting him to know she was there for him.
    Barely breathing, she attempted to hear the slightest movement. Then hurried footfalls scurried across the wooden floor, creaking, headed away from Anton and Tracey's position—two men, she thought. They moved in the direction of the hidden entryway Tracey and her partner had used. She desperately wanted to take the two men out. But the other two remained where they were, waiting for the agents' response. She knew as soon as she came up to take the shot, she'd be gunned down.
    The men staying behind probably thought if she and her partner were all right, they would chase after the men departing the area.
    No matter how much she wanted to take them all down, her place was right here at her wounded partner's side this time. They had some cover, unlike the last time where they were sitting ducks inside the schoolhouse. Anton had a dark-haired, pigtailed daughter waiting for him back home. Tracey couldn't let him die.
    No one was talking, so she assumed the men were communicating with hand signals. Running footfalls took off outside and headed away from the saloon. Damn it. She hated that any of the bastards had gotten away. Further silence lingered on for what seemed like eons, but could have been only a couple of minutes, then the two men still there began to move toward Anton and her.
    Every board-creaking footstep brought them closer.
    She placed Anton's hand on his chest freeing up her hand. Then she used both her hands to steady her gun. As soon as a bearded, black-eyed man appeared around the end of the bar, his gun readied, she fired twice, hitting him in the forehead both times. He stumbled back into the other man, a smaller redheaded guy trailing behind him, using the bigger man as his shield.
    As soon as the first man crumpled to the floor, the second man was exposed. The hideaway door across the saloon was shoved open, and a man with a deep, baritone voice full of command shouted, "Freeze! Police!"
    She couldn't be that lucky that a police officer just happened to drop into a ghost town for the day. With her gun trained on the perp, she rose just high enough to peer over the counter