The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret. Karen Whiddon

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СКАЧАТЬ me if you learn anything. I’ll expect regular status updates.”

      Pushing the button to end the call, Skylar wondered why she didn’t want to seduce Matt Landeta. After all, she’d played the seductress role before, all in the line of duty. Yet this time, she sensed her own psyche would be in peril. Not good. The man was too damn sexy for her own peace of mind.

      But she didn’t have a choice. Ever since a drug-crazed junky had robbed the bank and shot her husband and son, she’d dedicated herself to her job. If Matt Landeta was enough of a bastard that he supplied the Mexican drug cartels with ammunition, he deserved what he got.

      She straightened her spine, once again in the right frame of mind. All she had to do was think of Robbie and Bryan, standing in line at the bank where she should have been instead, and she could do anything.

      Including seduce Matt Landeta.

      * * *

      Glancing out the window, Matt considered Skylar McLain. Something about her bugged him. It wasn’t her beauty’hell, he had his pick of gorgeous women. Or the tough-girl exterior she tried to hide, instead wearing it like a shield.

      Maybe it was the simple fact that she didn’t react to him the way other women did. Especially when they wanted something from him, like this one did.

      Not his problem. He had more important things to worry about. Like making sure this complicated plan didn’t fall apart.

      “So what’s up?” he asked his friend.

      “I got a phone call’” José sounded troubled “’from my contact down in Matamoros. La Familia just slaughtered twenty people and strung them up along the road leading back into Texas. It’s a warning.”

      Matt swore. “Were any of them our guys?” By this he meant the ones wanting to buy his ammo.

      “I don’t know yet.” José’s frown deepened. “But I’m betting this will put a damper on them being so eager to try to form their own cartel.”

      Which meant they wouldn’t need so much ammunition. Matt had been buying it for the past two years, both from online and various gun shops around the state.

      Cursing, Matt dragged his hand through his hair. “Do you think they got word of what Diego and his men are trying to do?”

      “I don’t think so. If they did, Diego would be dead.”

      “And you’re sure he’s not?”

      José snorted. “Amigo, I ain’t sure of nothin’. The only thing I’m sure of is that, no matter what happens, somebody’s gonna need ammunition.”

      With a sigh, Matt tapped the newspaper on the table in front of them. “True, and if we were really in the business of selling it, we’d make a small fortune.”

      “Hey, come on, man.” José looked over at him hopefully. “Even if Diego can’t buy it, we can still sell it, right?”

      Since this question came up just about every day, Matt didn’t respond. José already knew the answer. All of this, the stockpiling round after round of ammunition, putting out feelers in the dangerous world of the Mexican cartels, had been done for one reason only.

      To lure Diego Rodriguez. Nothing more, nothing less.

      Glaring at him, José finally shook his head. “Fine. Though it seems like a lot of trouble for nothing if it doesn’t work out. We ought to be able to make some money someway.”

      “Right.” Matt glared right back. “We’ve already got the ATF sniffing around here. First time you try anything like that you’ll end up right back in prison. You know that.”

      Expression sullen, José looked down. He knew Matt was right. “So what did you think of the ATF lady pretending to be a magazine photographer?”

      “She’s okay.” Matt didn’t feel like elaborating. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss Skylar’s obvious charms.

      Instead, José grumbled to his hands, “I still don’t get why the ATF had to send her anyway.”

      Matt wasn’t sure, either. Before embarking on this monstrous undertaking, he’d researched the law. Texas had no laws about how much ammo a private citizen could stockpile. He’d been careful, too, ordering from various online sites, trying to order as much as he could without gathering too much attention. He had close to a quarter of a million rounds now. With more on order.

      As long as he stopped there, he’d be good. Selling it to the Mexicans, however... That would put him in the realm of federal law breaking, not to mention what the Mexican government would do to him if they found out about it.

      Lucky for him he had no plans to sell even a single round. He only wanted the cartel’or specifically, several specific members of the cartel’to believe he did.

      Since José knew Matt wouldn’t even discuss doing anything else with the ammo, he sniffed again and continued talking about Skylar. “I wonder who in the ATF came up with the horse-magazine reporter as a cover idea.”

      Matt grinned. “I have to say, it’s brilliant.” He was known for his love of his Arabian horses, and he had a full-time team who worked on showing them around the country. He had a second full-time team who stayed here at the ranch. They took care of breeding and training and all the other things that came with having a successful horse ranch.

      Leaving Matt to focus on his overarching goal: vengeance. He let his grin slide off his face, replacing it with a frown.

      “When this is all over, you know it won’t bring them back,” José said for what had to be the hundredth time.

      “Are you taking up psychoanalysis?” Matt asked as he always did. “If so, stop.”

      José shook his head. “Fine. But what about the Fed? Are you letting her in the house for meals?”

      “Sure, why not?” Matt shrugged. “I don’t really have a problem with her. Plus, she’ll be easier to keep an eye on if I keep her close.”

      José’s knowing smile made Matt grimace. “And it doesn’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes, does it?”

      Refusing to dignify that remark with a reply, Matt snatched up his hat and stalked off to check on his barn. He’d hired several new barn helpers and wanted to make sure they stuck to the established schedule. Nothing upset a horse worse than a deviation from its normal routine.

      It dawned on him that he’d become a lot like that, too.

      Shaking his head, he realized it might be time to mix things up. Since he was planning for a big showdown to occur soon, he’d damn well better be ready.

      * * *

      After photographing the barn horses and the surrounding area for future reference, Skylar strolled outside toward the pasture. Twenty or thirty head of horses grazed lush grass under the cloudless sky. She took several more photographs, knowing when this investigation was over she’d be able to use some of these for her growing portfolio. Photography as a hobby brought her more enjoyment with each passing day. It was the only other thing besides her СКАЧАТЬ