Coming to Colorado Read Online Free PDF Page B

spotter was one of them, a Marine, or they’d assumed that Ibrahim felt they were family. To find this man gunning down his brothers in arms was sickening. How could he trust anyone? Chaos ruled with people barking orders, a bit of shoving, and all Ryan could do was stare at Ibrahim, unsure how in the hell it had come to this.
    Why would someone who was on the inside do this? Ibrahim had never shown the least bit of interest in being a martyr. He’d blasted his parent’s religion on more than one occasion, decrying how stupid the people who killed others in the name of religion were.
    As Ryan glanced around, his gaze coming to rest on men who’d died here on this base where they’d assumed they were safe, Ryan realized he couldn’t do this any more. Something needed to change. He couldn’t stay in the Marines when brothers were killing brothers. The day had gone to shit and it hadn’t really even begun. The sun started to pink up the sky, reminding him of home. That’s what he wanted, something other than this madness.
    Ryan spent the next twenty hours being questioned over and over again as the base commander tried to figure out exactly what happened. Ryan told his superiors that he had no clue why Ibrahim had gone off the deep end, but that didn’t stop them from asking. They twisted the situation and his words, further cementing Ryan’s decision to leave. He was allowed to sleep, while being watched, of course. It was obvious they didn’t trust him, though he’d done nothing wrong. One month later, after they installed cameras in his house, and had him under surveillance, he was finally cleared of all suspicion. The inquiry and general head-in-ass attitude had helped him make up his mind. He wouldn’t reenlist. He was done. There was no way he could actually stay in the Marines. There had to be something he could do on the outside, anything other than put his life in danger only to have one of his own try to kill him.
     
    *~*~*
     
    Duff chewed on the end of the pen, his heart speeding up as he scanned the note then reread it. After reading the note another time, he closed his eyes and put his head on the desk. That’s where Grant found him.
    “Duff, what’s going on?”
    He lifted his head, his gaze meeting Grant’s. Telling this crew that their worst enemy was on the loose was one of the most difficult things he’d ever have to do. They’d been so happy after coming back to Colorado. Everything had been going so well. They hadn’t taken any assignments, but they were enjoying the ranch work and each other’s company. These men were his best friends, his buddies. When he’d started this ranch, he hadn’t intended to get so attached, but these men were his family now.
    Duff sat up straighter, squaring his shoulders. He wouldn’t concede defeat yet. “He’s not in custody any longer.”
    A haunted look crossed over Grant’s face. “Who?”
    “I received this note.” Duff pointed to his computer.
    Grant took a step closer, then paused. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
    “Apparently, they were transporting Craig.”
    “Fuck.” Grant dropped to a chair just as Roger walked into the room.
    “What’s up?” Roger asked.
    “Craig,” Grant said.
    “Oh God. Is he here?” Roger’s face turned pale and his eyes grew wide as he moved to the window.
    They’d all suffered so much when Craig had visited them the last time. This time, Craig would make sure they didn’t survive. Duff got up from his chair and moved to stand beside Roger.
    “I don’t know where he is. He could be anywhere in the world.”
    “When did this happen and what exactly happened?” Grant asked.
    Duff cleared his throat and moved back to the computer. “On March fifteenth—”
    “Fuck, that was over a week ago,” Roger interrupted him.
    “Yes, it was.” Duff sat and adjusted in the chair before he started reading again. “On March fifteenth, we were transporting Mr. Craig Jenkins from a military