No Ordinary Cowboy (Mills & Boon American Romance) (Rodeo Rebels - Book 6) by Marin Thomas Page A
Authors: Marin Thomas
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passed since he’d ended his relationship with Evita, and to be honest, he only thought of her in passing. Tony shook his head. “I promised my mother I’d stop by and visit her tonight.” It wasn’t anyone’s business but Tony’s if he was meeting Lucy there.
“If you change your mind, we’ll be at the restaurant.”
As soon as Steve left, Tony’s boss poked his head out his office door. “Bravo, get in here.”
Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Cesar Romero’s abrupt demeanor didn’t faze Tony. The former Marine never minced words and rarely socialized with the men under his command. The boss man was all work and no play.
“Shut the door,” Romero said when Tony entered the office.
Tony did as ordered, then stood by the closed door until his boss nodded for him to sit in the chair across from the desk. “Did you finish the paperwork on the drug bust last week?”
“I emailed it to Rosalinda.” The office assistant was the go-to person for everything in the department. Nothing landed on the boss’s desk until it passed through Rosalinda’s hands.
“The human-trafficking ring is on the back burner until we finish investigating the four dead bodies found in the Hilo Basin.”
Tony had feared his boss wouldn’t take his hunch seriously. If Tony expected Romero’s help in securing a transfer to San Diego, he needed to make his boss look good. Finding evidence of trespassers on the Durango Ranch would earn him brownie points.
Romero shuffled through a stack of papers. “Anything new come up in your chat rooms?”
Each of the border patrol agents was assigned to an internet chat room where illegals talked about border crossings and drug trafficking. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Word came in a few minutes ago that a group of illegals were caught with explosives near Smuggler’s Gulch.” The gulch was a large rocky canyon that followed a dried-up riverbed along the California border.
“The men were members of the Sinaloa Cartel,” Romero said. Months ago his boss had predicted the famous cartel was on the verge of expanding their Texas operation to New Mexico and Arizona. Now there was proof the gang had infiltrated the Grand Canyon State.
“Then it’s possible the Sinaloa are behind the human-trafficking ring,” Tony said.
“Get me proof, Bravo, and I’ll back you one hundred percent.”
“Yes, sir.” Even if Lucy didn’t come through for him, Tony would find a way onto the Durango Ranch.
“That’s all. Get out of here.”
Tony left the office. He had an hour to kill before Lucy showed up at his mother’s and he planned to use the time to shower and change into a pair of shorts. He kept extra clothes at the trailer because he often crashed in the guest bedroom after pulling all-nighters on the job. Sunset Trails Mobile Home Park was closer to the border patrol station than his single-bedroom apartment on the north side of town.
When Tony arrived at his mother’s, Maria was sitting on the covered porch sipping lemonade. “This is a nice surprise,” she said as he climbed the steps. Today her hug was extra long—she remembered the importance of the date. He returned the hug, conveying without words how much her love meant to him. “Lucy’s coming over—” he glanced at his watch “—in a half hour.”
His mother sucked in a quiet breath. “But today’s the anniversary of Michael’s—”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
“Shouldn’t Lucy be with Cal and Sonja?”
“She wouldn’t come over if they had family plans.”
“I’ll throw together a tuna casserole.” Tony’s favorite comfort food. He followed his mother inside. “I haven’t seen Lucy in forever,” she said.
After all this time, she still had no idea he and Lucy had been involved in a relationship when Michael died.
“Lucy wants me to give her pointers on bull riding.” Tony walked down the narrow hallway of the double-wide, his mother hot on his heels.
“Lucy has no business on the back of a
“If you change your mind, we’ll be at the restaurant.”
As soon as Steve left, Tony’s boss poked his head out his office door. “Bravo, get in here.”
Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Cesar Romero’s abrupt demeanor didn’t faze Tony. The former Marine never minced words and rarely socialized with the men under his command. The boss man was all work and no play.
“Shut the door,” Romero said when Tony entered the office.
Tony did as ordered, then stood by the closed door until his boss nodded for him to sit in the chair across from the desk. “Did you finish the paperwork on the drug bust last week?”
“I emailed it to Rosalinda.” The office assistant was the go-to person for everything in the department. Nothing landed on the boss’s desk until it passed through Rosalinda’s hands.
“The human-trafficking ring is on the back burner until we finish investigating the four dead bodies found in the Hilo Basin.”
Tony had feared his boss wouldn’t take his hunch seriously. If Tony expected Romero’s help in securing a transfer to San Diego, he needed to make his boss look good. Finding evidence of trespassers on the Durango Ranch would earn him brownie points.
Romero shuffled through a stack of papers. “Anything new come up in your chat rooms?”
Each of the border patrol agents was assigned to an internet chat room where illegals talked about border crossings and drug trafficking. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Word came in a few minutes ago that a group of illegals were caught with explosives near Smuggler’s Gulch.” The gulch was a large rocky canyon that followed a dried-up riverbed along the California border.
“The men were members of the Sinaloa Cartel,” Romero said. Months ago his boss had predicted the famous cartel was on the verge of expanding their Texas operation to New Mexico and Arizona. Now there was proof the gang had infiltrated the Grand Canyon State.
“Then it’s possible the Sinaloa are behind the human-trafficking ring,” Tony said.
“Get me proof, Bravo, and I’ll back you one hundred percent.”
“Yes, sir.” Even if Lucy didn’t come through for him, Tony would find a way onto the Durango Ranch.
“That’s all. Get out of here.”
Tony left the office. He had an hour to kill before Lucy showed up at his mother’s and he planned to use the time to shower and change into a pair of shorts. He kept extra clothes at the trailer because he often crashed in the guest bedroom after pulling all-nighters on the job. Sunset Trails Mobile Home Park was closer to the border patrol station than his single-bedroom apartment on the north side of town.
When Tony arrived at his mother’s, Maria was sitting on the covered porch sipping lemonade. “This is a nice surprise,” she said as he climbed the steps. Today her hug was extra long—she remembered the importance of the date. He returned the hug, conveying without words how much her love meant to him. “Lucy’s coming over—” he glanced at his watch “—in a half hour.”
His mother sucked in a quiet breath. “But today’s the anniversary of Michael’s—”
“It’s okay, Mom.”
“Shouldn’t Lucy be with Cal and Sonja?”
“She wouldn’t come over if they had family plans.”
“I’ll throw together a tuna casserole.” Tony’s favorite comfort food. He followed his mother inside. “I haven’t seen Lucy in forever,” she said.
After all this time, she still had no idea he and Lucy had been involved in a relationship when Michael died.
“Lucy wants me to give her pointers on bull riding.” Tony walked down the narrow hallway of the double-wide, his mother hot on his heels.
“Lucy has no business on the back of a
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