HOT SEAL Rescue (HOT SEAL Team - Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

investigation. Grease some palms, pay off an agent or two.
    God, it was disgusting to think about.
    “I don’t know everyone involved. There’s Badger, of course. A couple of others in the chain—beyond that, I don’t know.”
    “Could it be personal? Or is it more that someone doesn’t want Conti taken down?”
    Miranda bit her lip. She’d been thinking about that—and the truth was she didn’t know the answer.
    “I wish I knew.”
    “Piss anyone off lately?”
    Miranda snorted. “All the time. But trying to get me killed for it is a bit extreme.”
    Cody looked thoughtful for a moment. “Depends on who you pissed off.”
    She shivered. Yeah, that was certainly true. She’d pushed hard for justice for Mark, and she hadn’t made friends over that. Not that anyone wanted an agent’s death to go unpunished, but sometimes there was more at stake than immediate arrests.
    She knew that, and she was fine with it. But it was time to bring down Conti’s organization. Past time. He was a cancer that needed cutting out before it was too late.
    “You hungry?” Cody asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.
    She blinked at him. Her stomach answered on cue with a growl. “I could eat.”
    “There should be energy bars in the console—but if you want something more substantial, I know of a diner not too far from here. I can get us some takeout.”
    She processed everything he said, looking for the angle—and then she cursed silently. There was no angle. He was helping her. Taking care of her. Because he was HOT, and a SEAL. She wasn’t used to it, didn’t know how to act.
    “Sure. Sounds good.”
    Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up in front of a diner and switched off the ignition. She watched with interest—and a touch of disappointment—as he pocketed the keys. But really, what would she accomplish by ditching him here? She’d be alone, and there was no one she could call. She didn’t think Badger was out to hurt her, but if she called him for help, he’d have to get other agents involved—and that’s where the uncertainty lay.
    “What do you want? Burger? Chicken sandwich?”
    “Club sandwich if they’ve got it.”
    “Fries?”
    “Definitely.”
    “Something to drink?”
    “Sweet tea, but since I know they don’t have it because nobody understands how to make it outside of the South, I’ll take water.”
    He snorted a laugh. “Was that actually humor? Are you softening toward me?”
    Warmth suffused her for some silly reason. “You’re turning me into a puddle, Cody McCormick. I’m as soft as a stick of butter in a cast-iron skillet.”
    This time his laugh was more pronounced. “Careful, Miranda. You might actually like me before this is over if you aren’t.”
    She crossed her arms in mock defense. “No way.”
    He opened the door and stepped out. “Way,” he said, grinning.
    Her pulse jumped as he shut the door and strolled into the diner. Handsome asshole.

7
    T hey reached the designated safe house around one in the morning. It wasn’t much more than a shack really, located in the middle of an arid landscape. They weren’t far from the Grand Canyon, though far enough. The house was small, tucked away on a plot of land where nothing grew other than scrub and cactus.
    Cody stood in the kitchen and dialed his HOT brothers. Viking answered this time.
    “Good to hear,” he said when Cody informed him they’d arrived at the safe house. There was a pause. “We did a little digging on Miranda Lockwood.”
    Cody watched the bedroom door where Miranda had disappeared. She’d been quiet when they’d arrived. Lost in her own thoughts. He’d actually thought she was warming up after the visit to the diner, but she’d gone silent again as the hours ticked by.
    “Yeah? And?”
    “And the CIA nearly had a shit fit when her name was mentioned.”
    Cody’s neck prickled. “Really? Did they say why?”
    Viking sighed. “You aren’t going to like it. They say she’s gone rogue. Say