Page 76 of Wyoming Cowboy Undercover

The guard spotted her. He waved. The front gate swung open.

“I need to use the phone,” she said, breathless, and pointed to the one in the guardhouse.

“I was only told to let you out.”

“My father said I wasn’t to be given a ride. He said nothing about me using the phone.”

Uncertainty crossed his face, but he stepped aside. “Hit nine for an outside line.”

She moved past him and picked up the phone. After she pressed nine, she realized she knew just one phone number and dialed it.

“Hello, this is the Underground Self-Defense school. How can I help you?”

“Charlie,” Mercy said, her pulse pounding. “Rocco, Brian, the entire task force is in danger.” She hoped her father had called the police, but she knew better than to trust him.

“Slow down. Where are you?”

“Outside the gates of the compound. I’m heading to town. On foot.”

“I’ll come get you.”

“First, you have to help them. They need to evacuate the office on Second Street. Call the police. And the sheriff.” Was there time to mobilize the national guard? “The state police, too. Let them know that the Brotherhood of the Silver Light is on the way. They’re radical, dangerous and heavily armed with guns and explosives.”

Chapter Nineteen

Finally, back in town, Rocco sped down the road up to the meeting spot. Nash had called him back with an update. The FBI’s CIRG—Critical Incident Response Group—were mobilizing to raid Cormac’s camp and seize the cache of weapons. SWAT had secured the federal building in Cheyenne and authorities were searching for Cormac’s insider. But their target had changed. The Brotherhood planned to launch an attack in town.

Now the Laramie PD, sheriff’s department and state highway patrol were gathered at Cottonwood Park, conferring on how to handle the Brotherhood. Rocco had expected Cormac to alter his plan, but he hadn’t counted on him waging war in town.

He pulled up to the park. Wearing a bulletproof vest, Brian waved him past two officers standing by police cruisers.

Rocco stopped near a long row of law-enforcement vehicles and got out.

Brian was looking through the arsenal loaded in the back. “Two more trucks like this are coming?”

“Yeah, and they won’t be far behind. Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes.”

“They’re finalizing the plan now,” Brian said, hiking his chin at the huddle of law-enforcement officers. “All the businesses in our section of Second Street have been evacuated. Thanks to Mercy, we had a good idea of what to expect.”

“Where is she?” The words grated painfully against his throat. If she was still trapped on that compound and had only managed to get out a message, he was going to lose it. There’d be no way for him to focus on the task at hand—putting a stop to the Brotherhood.

“Rocco!”

The sound of Mercy’s voice had him spinning around. The sight of her running to him burrowed into an empty place in his heart, filling it with warmth.

She flew into his outstretched arms or he into hers. All he knew was that he was holding her tight.

“Don’t ever leave me like that.” He kissed the crown of her head and squeezed her tighter. “Don’t leave me at all.”

“Think you’re stuck with me,” she said between quick, shallow breaths.

That was fine by him. “I love you so much.”

“Love you, too.”

He put her down and stared into those blue, blue eyes. “Say that again.”

She pressed a palm to his cheek. “I love you, Rocco. I was afraid of how I felt, of whether to trust your feelings for me, but not anymore. I’m out of the movement. Done with my father.”

---