Colorado Abduction

210 Pages·2016·0.73 MB·English

by  Miles Cassie

“I want to know your plans.”
“Here’s the deal, Carolyn. I don’t have time to hold your hand and make sure
you’re happy with our investigation.”
“Understood. But you need my help. Things are different on the ranch than in
the city. People are different.”
“I’m in charge. Get used to it,” said Burke.
Carolyn’s eyes narrowed. “Then we have a problem. I don’t take orders. I will,
however, respond to requests made with respect.”
“You want me to say please and thank-you?”
“That’s a start.”
CASSIE MILES
COLORADO ABDUCTION
To the ever-encouraging Tess Foltz.
And, as always, to Rick.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Though born in Chicago and raised in L.A., Cassie Miles has lived in Colorado
long enough to be considered a semi-native. The first home she owned was a log
cabin in the mountains overlooking Elk Creek with a thirty-mile commute to her
work at the Denver Post.
After raising two daughters and cooking tons of macaroni and cheese for her
family, Cassie is trying to be more adventurous in her culinary efforts. Ceviche,
anyone? She’s discovered that almost anything tastes better with wine. A lot of
wine. When she’s not plotting Harlequin Intrigue books, Cassie likes to hang out
at the Denver Botanical Gardens near her high-rise home.
Books by Cassie Miles
HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE
874—WARRIOR SPIRIT
904—UNDERCOVER COLORADO**
910—MURDER ON THE MOUNTAIN**
948—FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
978—PROTECTIVE CONFINEMENT†
984—COMPROMISED SECURITY†
999—NAVAJO ECHOES
1025—CHRISTMAS COVER-UP
1048—MYSTERIOUS MILLIONAIRE
1074—IN THE MANOR WITH THE MILLIONAIRE
1102—CHRISTMAS CRIME IN COLORADO
1126—CRIMINALLY HANDSOME
1165—COLORADO ABDUCTION*
CAST OF CHARACTERS
J.D. Burke—Special agent for the FBI, he’s a trained negotiator who’s known
for his skill in getting hostages released alive.
Carolyn Carlisle—The Denver-based CEO of Carlisle Certified Organic Beef,
she grew up on the ranch near Delta and is capable of running both operations.
Dylan Carlisle—Carolyn’s younger brother is the total cowboy. He’s devastated
by his wife’s abduction.
Nicole Carlisle—Dylan’s wife was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Sheriff Trainer—The Delta County Sheriff is in way over his head with this
investigation.
Polly Sanchez—Not only does she manage the cooking for the ranch hands but
she’s a comforting, maternal presence.
Jesse Longbridge—Founder of Longbridge Security, he defends Nicole with all
his might and winds up in a coma.
Wentworth—Jesse’s second in command.
Sam Logan—The charismatic founder of the SOF has a hand in several
dangerous businesses, possibly including kidnapping.
SOF—Sons of Freedom.
Nate Miller—A lifelong enemy of the Carlisles, he owns the Circle M ranch,
which is being rented by the SOF.
Lucas Mann—The foreman at the Carlisle Ranch has been part of the family for
years.
Elvis—Carolyn’s horse is all personality and carries a few extra pounds.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter One
Too impatient to wait until the rotors of the helicopter came to a stop, Carolyn
Carlisle disembarked, ducked and ran with her laptop in one hand and briefcase
in the other. Dirt and dead leaves kicked up around her feet. Her long black hair
whipped across her face. When she was in the clear, she gave the charter pilot a
thumbs-up signal and the chopper took off, swooping through the Rocky
Mountain sunset like a giant white dragonfly.
Silence returned to the wide valley, which sat in the shadow of snowcapped
peaks. The surge of joy Carolyn usually felt when she returned to the cattle
ranch where she’d grown up was absent. Her home, Carlisle Ranch, was under
threat.
Last night, there was a fire at the north stable. Across the pasture, she could
see the place where the barn once stood. The blackened ruin stood out in stark
relief against the khaki-colored early December fields. The stench of burnt wood
tainted the air. All the livestock had been rescued, thank God. But expensive
equipment had been destroyed, and the sheriff suspected arson.
She marched up the walk toward a sprawling, two-story, whitewashed ranch
house, originally built by her great-grandfather and added to by subsequent
generations. Her first order of business was to kick her brother’s butt for not
calling her last night when the fire broke out.
Dylan had waited until today to inform her, probably because he didn’t want
her interfering. The family ranch, running about two thousand head of Angus,
was his responsibility and he preferred that Carolyn stay in the Denver office of
Carlisle Certified Organic Beef. Usually, their arrangement worked out well. She
liked the city and loved the daily challenge of running a multimillion-dollar
corporation.
But she was still a rancher at heart. As soon as she had heard about the stable
fire, she’d had to be here. Hadn’t even taken the time to change her business
attire—teal silk blouse, black wool suit with a pencil skirt and high-heeled boots.