True Blue & Carrera's Bride: True Blue / Carrera's Bride. Diana Palmer

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СКАЧАТЬ When in firing position, the safety would be released, and the shooter would fire at the target using either the Weaver, modified Weaver, or Isosceles shooting stance.

       One of the most difficult parts of shooting, and one of the most important to master, was trigger pull. The pressure exerted on the trigger had to be perfect in order to place a shot correctly. There were graphs on the firing range that helped participants check the efficiency of their trigger pull and help to improve it. Rick’s was improving. But his lieutenant consistently showed him up on the gun range, and it made him uncomfortable. He tried not to practice or qualify when the other man was around. Unfortunately, he always seemed to be on the range when Rick was.

       Hollister followed Rick’s gaze to Gwen. He knew, as Rick did, that she had some difficulty with coordination. He pursed his lips. His black eyes danced as he glanced covertly at Gwen. “It’s okay, Marquez. We’re insured,” he said under his breath.

       Rick cleared his throat and tried not to laugh.

       Hollister moved onto the firing line. His thick blond hair gleamed like pale honey in the sunlight. He glanced at Gwen. “Ready, Detective?” he drawled, pulling the heavy ear protectors on over his hair.

       Gwen gave him a nice smile. “Ready when you are, sir.”

       The Range Master moved into position, indicated that everything was ready and gave the signal to fire.

       Hollister, confident and relaxed, chuckled, aimed at the target and proceeded to blow the living hell out of it.

       Rick, watching Gwen worriedly, saw something incredible happen next. Gwen snapped into a modified Weaver position, barely even aimed and threw six shots into the center of the target with pinpoint accuracy.

       His mouth flew open.

       She took the clip out of her automatic, checked the cylinder and waited for the Range Master to check her score.

       “Cassaway,” he said eventually, and hesitated. “One hundred percent.”

       Rick and the lieutenant stared at each other.

       “Lieutenant Hollister,” the officer continued, and was obviously trying not to smile, “ninety-nine percent.”

       “What the hell…!” Hollister burst out. “I hit dead center!”

       “Missed one, sir, by a hair,” the officer replied with a twinkle in his eyes. “Sorry.”

       Hollister let out a furious bad word. Gwen marched right up to him and glared at him from pale green eyes.

       “Sir, I find that word offensive and I’d appreciate it if you would refrain from using it in my presence,” she said curtly.

       Hollister’s high cheekbones actually flushed. Rick tensed, waiting for the explosion.

       But Hollister didn’t erupt. His black eyes smiled down at the rookie detective. “Point taken, Detective,” he said, and his deep voice was even pleasant. “I apologize.”

       Gwen swallowed. She was almost shaking. “Thank you, sir.”

       She turned and walked off.

       “Not bad shooting, by the way,” he commented as he removed the clip from his own pistol.

       She grinned. “Thanks.” She glanced at Rick, who was still gaping, and almost made a smart remark. But she thought better of it in time.

       Rick let out the breath he’d been holding. “She trips over her own feet,” he remarked. “But that was some damned fine shooting.”

       “It was,” the lieutenant agreed. He shook his head. “You can never figure people, can you, Marquez?”

       “True, sir. Very true.”

       Later that day, Rick noted two dignified men in suits walking past his office. They glanced at him, spoke to one another and hesitated. One gestured down the hall quickly, and they kept walking.

       He wondered what in the world was going on.

       Rogers came into his office a few minutes later, frowning. “Odd thing.”

       “What?” he asked, his eyes on his computer screen where he was running a case through VICAP.

       “Did you see those two suits?”

       “Yes, they hesitated outside my office. Who are they, feds?”

       “Yes. State Department.”

       He burst out laughing as he looked at her with large, dancing brown eyes. “They think I’m illegal and they’re here to bust me?”

       “Stop that,” she muttered.

       “Sorry. Couldn’t resist it.” He turned to her. “We have high level immigration cases all the time where the State Department gets involved.”

       “Yes, but mostly we deal with the enforcement branch of the Department of Immigration and Naturalization, with ICE. Or we deal with the DEA in drug cases, I know that. But these guys aren’t from Austin. They’re from D.C.”

       “The capitol?”

       “That’s right. They’ve been talking to the lieutenant all morning. They’re taking him to lunch, too.”

       “What’s going on? Any idea?”

       She shook her head. “Only that gossip says they’re on the Machado case.”

       “Yes. He’s wanted for kidnapping.” He didn’t add what Barbara had told him, that his own birth mother might have once known Machado in the past.

       “He’s not in the country.”

       “And how would you know that?” Rick asked her with pursed lips. “Another psychic insight?” he added, because she had a really unusual sixth sense about cases.

       “No. I ran into Cash Grier over at the courthouse. He was up here on a case.”

       “Our police chief from Jacobsville,” he acknowledged.

       “The very same. He mentioned that Jason Pendleton’s foreman is on temporary leave because of Machado.”

       “Grange,” Rick recalled, naming the foreman. “He went into Mexico to retrieve Gracie Pendleton when she was kidnapped by Machado’s men for ransom.”

       “Yes. It seems the general took a liking to him, had him investigated and offered him a job.”

       Rick blinked. “Excuse me?”

       “That’s what I said when Grier told me.” She laughed. “The general really does have style. He said somebody had to organize his mercs when he goes in to retake his country. Grange, being a former major in the army, seemed the logical choice.”

       “His country is Barrera,” Rick mused. “Nice name, since it sits on the Amazon River bordering Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Barrera is СКАЧАТЬ