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When Cole stabbed the loudspeaker key and realized as on the phone, he flung down his pen and grabbed the hand piece It was past six - closer to seven He’d been hanging out for this call all day

"Brandon, thanks for getting back to ot back into the country" Brandon Powell’s familiar deep drawl echoed down the line "What’s up?"

Cole gave his friend a summary of events - the atteo, the near , how Guthrie, to his mind, didn’t appreciate the seriousness of the situation

"You want to fix your father up with protection," Brandon surmised

"He’s already hired someone"

"Then I’m not sure what you want me to do"

"For starters, put a trace on Eloise"

"Your father’s wife?"

"Second wife" Cole’s lip all but curled "I have a hunch sheEloise of attempted murder - based on what?"

"Based on the fact she’s a - "

Cole let loose a few choice adjectives and nouns that had been building for years, starting when he’d first got wind that aa play on awife None of the boys had thought Guthrie would be interested in her batting lashes and syrupy condolences When it had become apparent the tere an item, their father was already hooked

Brandon’s reply ry "I take it you haven’t warmed to your stepmother yet"

"I still can’t believe hedaughter"

Shame on Eloise but more shame on his father

"I hate to mention this," Brandon said, "but Guthrie’s an adult He makes his own decisions"

"And I anize a tail?"

"If you’re sure - "

"I’m sure"

"Give uy and brief him But I need to warn you If your father has his own man on the job, there’s a chance he’ll find out you’ve done this behind his back And if Eloise ultimately isn’t implicated"

Cole knehat his friend had left unsaid Guthrie took the well-being and loyalty of his entire family seriously His father had a five-year-old son with Eloise and another on the way If he discovered his eldest had gone behind his back like this, he’d view it as a betrayal Guthrie wouldn’t disown a son, but he ood

Considering the options, Cole rapped his fingers on the desk before he drove down a breath and confirmed, "I’ll take that chance"

He didn’t want a rift to develop between two more members of the Hunter clan but, dammit, his father’s safety ca soht up briefly Brandon was still enjoying his bachelorhood and was looking forward to a Navy Cadets reunion; they’d served in a unit together for three years rising up through the ranks from "dolphins" to petty officers Brandon said he hoped to see Cole there, but he’d be in touch before then

They signed off and, feeling worn out, Cole set his bristled jaw in the cup of his hand at the sarowled He hadn’t eaten since breakfast There was still ht, but his brain needed fuel Time to knock off

While Cole shut down his laptop, a knickknack perched on his desk caught his eye The winding steel-tube-and-rope puzzle had been a gift froend Thousands of years ago, Alexander the Great had been asked to unravel that intricate knot, which everyone knew couldn’t be done But Alexander had thought outside of the box and found a sih the rope with his sword and, hey presto! With this gift, Dex was telling Cole to lighten uplife’s proble

Cole would rather ignore advice from a playboy producer as overdue a Hollywood hit There were no shortcuts to success No easy paths to victory Cole kept the toy on his desk not as a reminder to take the low road as Dex ont to do, but as a proht rather say to hell with it all

After shrugging into his jacket, Cole locked up his office, spun around and near juht, he’d al Or rather, someone

Taryn Quinn stood not a foot away, her scent still fresh, her eyes still bright With her blond loss, she looked like a vision A drop-dead sexy vision, at that

She inspected his briefcase, peered around his frame to the closed door and her eyes widened in alar?"

He frowned "Didn’t realize I had to sign out"

"I thought that someone in your position would be here till all hours"

When Taryn lifted the open laptop she held, the penny dropped She’d worked out a plan to spice up her proposal already?

"I was serious," he warned "I don’t want a Band-Aid You need a highly polished knock-’ele that I can’t refuse"