Page 46 of Wyoming Cowboy Undercover

Mercy sat down at the desk, found a notepad and pen. She wrote a quick note to explain her decision to Rocco.

Looking it over, she knew the words wouldn’t be enough, but it was the best she could do. Then she picked up the phone and dialed the number to her father’s office.

The line rang and rang. She prayed she wouldn’t have to call Alex to reach him.

On the sixth ring, her father answered, “Hello.”

“It’s me. Mercy.”

Silence. Deliberate. Calculated, surely.

“I knew you’d call,” he said. “I foresaw it. Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s not true. I can hear it in your voice. Your heart is hurting.”

This was what he did, each and every time. Crawled inside her head.

Had he foreseen this? Could he hear it? Her pain, her confusion, her concern.

“I need someone to pick me up.” They both knew who that someone would be. She almost asked that itnotbe Alex, but he wouldn’t send anyone else and that might work to her advantage.

“Certainly, my dear.”

“It has to be in less than twenty minutes. The parking lot behind USD.”

“As you wish.”

She hung up the phone and glanced at the clock on the wall.

Heart hammering in her chest, she jumped to her feet, hurried to the door and cracked it open. She peeked out.

The hour-long self-defense class was still going on and would continue for almost another half hour. Brian stood near the front door like a sentinel, his head on a swivel as though he was scanning the street.

She moved back and sat where she could see through the slight opening in the door. Thumbing through a magazine, she kept an eye on the time and on Brian.

Sweat trickled down her spine. Her thoughts spun. Was this a mistake?

She shook off the doubt and ignored her jittering nerves. This was the only way. If her gamble didn’t work, then the commune would remain under the scrutiny of law enforcement. The Shining Light would be blamed if something horrible happened tomorrow.

And Rocco...

He could be hurt.

This was a calculated risk. The stakes were too high not to take it.

Brian grabbed his cowboy hat and placed it on his head. He gestured something to Charlie. She nodded in response. Once he pushed through the front door, Mercy was on her feet.

She sucked in a deep breath. Made sure the note was in the center of the desk, where it would be easily seen. Hustled to the door.

Crossing the main workout area, she caught Charlie’s eye and mouthedbathroom. Through the front window she watched Brian say something to the police officers in the squad car before he headed down the street.

Mercy turned down the hall. Stealing a furtive glance over her shoulder, she passed the bathroom. No one was behind her. She ran to the back door, flipped the latch on the bolt and shoved outside.

Alex sat behind the wheel of a black SUV, waiting for her. She scurried to the rear door and grabbed the handle, but it was locked.

He lowered the window. “Sit up front with me,” he said, cocking his arm on the back of the seat, staring at her. “The rules have changed.”

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