Never Surrender (Task Force Eagle) Read Online Free Page A

concretely, and he acts
on impulse. He trusts the wrong people.”
    She was being too hopeful by far, but he’d see where
this led. “So he might have gone along with what Sudsy Pettit told him about
the deliveries.”
    “I think that’s it. And when he learned what was
really going on, he panicked.”
    Silverware clattered with the clearing of the vacated
booth, and Juliana started.
    When the busboy had hustled the dirty dishes off to
the kitchen, Rick said, “Your brother’s only part of why I wanted to see you
today.” He set down his empty glass.
    “I don’t have much time.”
    “You skipped classes this morning. More investigating
this afternoon?”
    Her mouth tightened. She slapped her napkin on her
lap. “What is it you want?”
    Their orders arrived. A veggie roll-up for Juliana and
a turkey sub for him. Averting her eyes, Juliana bit into her sandwich with an
eagerness that betrayed her hunger.
    Cheered by her capitulation, Rick lifted his sub. He
stopped dead at the sight of her tongue dabbing at salad dressing on her upper
lip. Focus, he told himself. Distance. “Let’s suppose Jordan has hidden
somewhere. I assume you know the possibilities. Since you can’t find him, no
one can.”
    “Maybe. So tell me about this El Águila.” Her eyes
narrowed with skepticism.
    “El Águila is a Mexican cartel and also the soubriquet
of its head. The Eagle is a ruthless man, no way noble like the bird of prey he’s
named for.” He wouldn’t tell her the U. S. had nada on his real name or
description.
    “A Mexican drug lord? In Maine? Please.” Although she
scoffed, furrows appeared between her eyes.
    “The border between Mexico and the U.S. is more
secure, and the wars among the drug cartels and with the Mexican army are more
vicious. El Águila still operates in his native land but he has long arms that
have reached into the Northeast, including the coast of Maine.”
    Her eyes widened with comprehension. “With its long,
porous coastline.”
    “Exactly. Lots of small harbors and coves and vacation
homes with deep-water docks. The distance cuts into his bottom line, but don’t
cry over this cutthroat’s expenses. They smuggle heroin and cocaine into the
country. On the return trip, they take guns and explosives to continue the
violence in Mexico.”
    “A vicious cycle.” Her gaze flickered with concern.
Probably wondering where her baby brother fit into the gang.
    “Don’t underestimate the danger. If Carlos Olívas, his
lieutenant here in the Northeast, thinks you know or have evidence of their
drug and gun smuggling, or if he thinks you know where your brother is, he’ll .
. . pressure you.”
    “You seem to know him well.” Her lips curved, but in a
teeth-baring challenge. Not what Rick had in mind when he wished for her smile.
    “You got me there. Olívas and I have never met, but I
do know him.” And what he could do to Jordan.
    “What could he think I know?” Her voice was reedy, her
eyes wide.
    “It looked like they were searching for something in
Jordan’s place. Perhaps he has evidence against them.”
    “That’s what you’re hoping. And you think this Olívas
might suspect Jordan gave it to me.” With her fork, she poked shredded lettuce
back into her wrap sandwich. “I don’t suppose the DEA would go so far as to
keep pressuring me to make it look that way to Carlos, would they? Would you ?”
    Rick blinked at her cynical deduction. Hell, she still
thought the worst of him. “I would never put a civilian in that kind of danger.”
    “Perhaps.” She put down her half-finished sandwich and
sipped her sparkling water.
    “I’ll help you find your brother. I can’t promise not
to arrest him, but I do promise to keep him safe. And you can help me uncover
whatever it is he knows or has hidden.”
    After wiping her mouth with her napkin, she laid it
beside her plate. “Agent Cruz—”
    “Rick. My first name is Rick.” He offered her his best
smile, the one that charmed