âWhoâs the tall Navajo man in the brown leather jacket with a pistol on his hip?â
âThatâs Daniel Hawk,â Hollyâs contact said, following her gaze. âHawk conducts our training exercises, not only here, but also at every critical tribal facility. Naturally heâs got the highest clearance level.â
Holly nodded, finally being able to put a face to the name. Sheâd heard Daniel Hawk described as a one-time bad boy who could attract women faster than free chocolate. Daniel had presence. That confidence and take-charge attitude, coupled with those wide shoulders and long legs, sure made him easy on the eyes.
She watched Daniel Hawk as he moved, his back straight, his steps measured and filled with purpose. He came to a stop and glanced around the room, his gaze missing nothing. Then, for a brief moment, his eyes met hers. His steady, penetrating look was a blend of curiosity and casual sensuality that made her body tingle all over.
Yet it wasnât admiration that was mirrored in the dark eyes that held hersâit was a subtle challenge.
To Sydney Abernathy, the best assistantâever. May your future be
bright, and may you always walk with beauty before you.
Aimée Thurlo is a nationally known bestselling author. Sheâs the winner of a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews, a New Mexico Book Award in contemporary fiction and a Willa Cather Award in the same category. Her novels have been published in twenty countries worldwide.
She also cowrites the bestselling Ella Clah mainstream mystery series praised in the New York Times Book Review.
Aimée was born in Havana, Cuba, and lives with her husband of thirty-nine years in Corrales, New Mexico. Her husband, David, was raised on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Daniel Hawk âHis job was to keep Holly Gates alive, but heâd never factored falling in love into the equation. Christmas was fast approaching and a killer was on their trail. With everything on the line, win or lose, Daniel knew his life would never be the same again.
Holly Gates âShe had an enemy, a man determined to see her dead. The only person standing between her and the grave was temptation itselfâa sexy but dangerous security expert with a clear futureâbut a clouded past.
Martin Roanhorse âHe was their boss, at least on paper, and knew everything about them. He was definitely part of the problem, but he was also hiding secrets of his own that could cost them all.
Arthur Larrabee âAn ex-cop running for city council, Art was also a security consultant who operated on the principle that the best defense against intruders was overwhelming violence. That made him a potential liability to his clients, including the tribe.
Johnny Wauneka âThe young hacker had his own agenda, and Holly, the tribal publicist, was near the top of his enemies list. Was he out to kill the beautiful Anglo woman, or just her message?
Gene Redhouse âHe was Danielâs foster brother. Even if it meant leaving his beloved ranch in a neighborâs hands, he had Danielâs back.
Clyde Keesewood âThe Navajo activist was an angry man with a mission. The last time theyâd met heâd threatened Holly in front of a hundred witnesses. Did he do that just for show, or did he walk his talk?
Ross Williams âThe sleazy salesman had decided that Holly was the woman for him. He never passed up an opportunity to corner her, publicly or privately, and Ross didnât handle rejection well.
Joe Yazzie âMartinâs tribal assistant appeared to be the perfect patsy after his security lapses put everyone in danger. He was either careless, or taking part in a larger plan only he could know.
Prologue
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 Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Epilogue
âI still canât believe heâs really gone,â Daniel Hawk said. At thirty-four, heâd served two tours overseas and considered himself a hard-core realist in every conceivable way. Yet their foster father, Hosteen Silver, a medicine man, had lived by a different set of rules. The gray-haired hataaliiâas Navajos named their healersâhad accomplished things that all too often defied reason.
âHe valued what mattered and taught all of us to do the same. Now you and I are going to honor his last wishes by climbing up this rock face to that shelf on the cliff.â
As he struggled with his handholds, Daniel glanced over at Gene Redhouse. They werenât related, but were as close as any brothers could be. Gene had turned thirty-three last summer, and though the two of them had grown up together, they were nothing alike. He was an in-your-face type of man, while Gene usually chose a more peaceful approachâat least at first.