Undercover Cowboy

RUNNING FROM THE MOB

FBI agent Logan Quail puts his life and career in jeopardy when he blows his cover to save Kate Townsend from a mafia goon. He wasn’t able to save his fiancée from Bernardo Salvatore’s violent syndicate, but this time he’ll make sure that Kate Townsend doesn’t get herself killed trying to prove her father was murdered. Now Logan and Kate must work together, each overcoming their separate grief, to bring down a ruthless mob boss. And maybe find some peace through the healing power of love.

“We need to get out of here. Now.”

“What happened?” Kate asked.

“A black car swept through the parking lot. I’m pretty sure the driver is one of Salvatore’s men, looking for us.”

“I’m ready,” Kate whispered, coming over to stand beside Logan, so close he could feel the warmth of her arm against his.

It struck Logan that for the first time in months, he wasn’t alone. There was someone to work with. Someone to bounce ideas off.

He couldn’t fail her. Not the way he’d failed Jennifer. He refused to let Salvatore take another person from him.

Grimly he took Kate’s arm and swept a glance over the parking lot to make sure there weren’t any of Salvatore’s goons around, before he hustled her out to his car, a nondescript sedan.

As he climbed into the driver’s seat beside her, he silently vowed to do whatever it took to protect Kate.

No matter what the cost.

LAURA SCOTT

grew up reading faith-based romance books by Grace Livingston Hill, but as much as she loved the stories, she longed for a bit more mystery and suspense. She is honored to write for the Love Inspired Suspense line, where a reader can find a heartwarming journey of faith amid the thrilling danger.

Laura lives with her husband of twenty-five years and has two children, a daughter and a son, who are both in college. She works as a critical-care nurse during the day at a large level-one trauma center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spends her spare time writing romance.

Please visit Laura at www.laurascottbooks.com, as she loves to hear from her readers.

Undercover

Cowboy

Laura Scott

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In their hearts humans plan their course,

but the Lord establishes their steps.

—Proverbs 16:9

This book is dedicated to my editor, Tina James. Thanks for being so wonderful to work with!

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 SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

EPILOGUE

DEAR READER

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ONE

“Kate, I’m in trouble,” Angela Giordano, her former college roommate, whispered urgently through the phone. “You have to help me!”

Kate Townsend frowned and tried to ignore the churning in her stomach. She tightened her grip on the subway pole as the Chicago train lurched around a curve. “What kind of trouble?”

“I think my uncle is trying to kill me.”

She sucked in a harsh breath, but couldn’t say she was surprised. Angela’s uncle was Bernardo Salvatore, suspected Chicago crime boss. “Why? What happened?”

“I can’t tell you now,” Angela whispered. “I need you to meet me here in the back of the restaurant. Hurry!”

No way was she going to the restaurant owned by Salvatore. Talk about walking straight into the lion’s den. “Try to remain calm. I’ll help you escape, but we have to meet someplace else.” She tried to think logically. They needed to meet out in the open, in neutral territory. “I’m on the red line, heading north. Let’s meet at Stanton Park. It’s not far from the restaurant.”

There was a long pause. “I’d rather wait for you to get here.” Angela’s voice had dropped so low Kate almost couldn’t hear her. Had someone come outside to find Angela? Someone spying for her uncle? Salvatore wasn’t the type to do his own dirty work.

“Stanton Park,” Kate insisted, glancing at her watch. “I can meet you by the northeast corner of the building in forty minutes.”

“Okay,” Angela agreed, before quickly hanging up.

Kate clutched her phone, trying to calm her racing heart. She was worried about her former roommate, but she also hoped this might be the break she needed. Now that Angela was in danger, too, there was no reason for her to protect her uncle. Surely Angela would cooperate, giving the authorities inside information about Bernardo’s activities.

And maybe, just maybe, Kate would find a solid link to her father’s death. His murder. Her chest tightened painfully and the grief she’d tried so hard to keep at bay threatened to erupt.

She took several deep breaths, battling back the wave. She missed him so much. She still had trouble believing he was gone. The pastor at their church reminded her he was in a better place, but that knowledge didn’t stop her heart from aching. Didn’t stop her from crying herself to sleep at night.

From being determined to seek answers.

In the four weeks since her father’s death, she’d become obsessed with trying to find a way to link Salvatore to the crash that had claimed her father’s life. But she wasn’t getting any help from official channels. According to the police report, her dad, a Chicago cop, had been on the way to the courthouse when he was killed in a motor vehicle crash. His driver’s-side door was T-boned at a busy intersection. A witness had come forward claiming it was a tragic accident, and based on that statement, the cops were willing to close the case.