by Vicki Hinze
“Afraid so.”
Stranded in a wicked storm in a facility under heavy construction. Five thousand souls at stake, and now this. Bio-contaminates and Mason Martin. The news tumbled straight through bad and into worse. If not to protect the facility or people, why was she being diverted? “What’s my job here?”
“Keep the lab secure,” Liz said, then dropped her voice. “You know this doctor, correct?”
Another shiver coursed through Emma. “I do, yes.”
“From a prior mission?” Liz asked, though she knew the answer already. Liz never asked a question she couldn’t already answer.
“Actually, no. We grew up together and went to the same college. He knows me, Liz. My cover isn’t going—”
“It will hold as much as is needed. His headquarters will see to it. This acquaintance could be helpful. If the doctor knows you, he is less apt to expose you.”
“That’s an assumption.” Emma frowned. “He may be more apt.”
“Oh, boy.”
“What?” The scent changed to cinnamon rolls. She sniffed. Coming from the vent.
“That change in your tone. I only hear it when something is personal.” Liz hesitated but when Emma remained silent, she added, “Were you engaged to him?”
Naturally, that’d be the first thing to occur to Liz. “No.”
“Ah, so he must be the one who got away.”
Surprise rippled across Emma’s chest. “How do you know one got away?”
“Reasonable deduction. Anytime we talk about relationships, it’s written all over your face,” Liz said. “More accurately, it appears whenever we talk about the breakup of another of your relationships.”
Emma clamped her jaw shut. Okay, so she’d been engaged a few times and had never made it to the altar. So what? Wasn’t that better than a string of divorces? She opened her mouth to fire back a snarky retort, but fortunately good sense intervened. If she wanted to get out of training and off probation and be permanently hired at Silencers, Inc., the last thing she needed to do was to cross Liz and lose her support. “No, he isn’t the one who got away.” Oh, Emma hated admitting this. “Speaking honestly, he’s the one I never got.”
“I see.” Liz’s tone held empathy, proving she did see. Too much. “Well, hope springs eternal.”
That remark pricked deep enough to obliterate Emma’s restraint. “Shut up, Liz.”
“Ooh, Touchy.” Liz sounded amused. “Significant sign.”
Emma couldn’t deny it. She was touchy about Mason. She always had been. “I’m sorry. Habitual response. He’s totally insignificant to me now,” she reminded herself as much as Liz. “All that happened a long time ago.”
“Evidently, not long ago enough.”
Emma bristled, stuffed her free hand deeper into her black jacket’s pocket. “Excuse me?”
“The wound is still wide open, Em. It’s in your voice.”
Was it? Probably was. She denied it anyway. “It’s not.”
“It is. It’s evident,” Liz insisted. “But let’s don’t waste time arguing the point. Either way, never kick an opportunity to the curb. That door is opening again for a reason.”
“Yeah, right.” Emma rolled her eyes back in her head, stared at the white ceiling, blanking out old memories she thought she had forgotten. “He’s probably married with a couple of kids by now.”
“Mmm, maybe. Want me to take a look?”
“No!” Emma cringed at having elevated her voice and then lowered it. Fortunately, others hadn’t crowded into the alcove, so no one had overheard her. “No, I do not.” Liz bent the odd rule when it was essential to mission success, but to violate his privacy on a personal interest? That was unexpected. So was the temptation to let Liz look. Not that Emma would give in to it.
“Okay, then.” Liz sounded unaffected, as if the offer had been a test. “Well, if you change your mind…”
Definitely a test. Thankful Emma had tamped curiosity and refused, she assured Liz, “I won’t.”
“Fine. But if you do—”
“I won’t, Liz.” Emma sniffed. “Some opportunities need to be kicked to the curb and some doors are best left shut.”*
Coming December 12th
Preorder a copy of Deep Freeze
About the Author
VICKI HINZE is the author of nearly forty novels, nonfiction books and hundreds of articles published in more than sixty-three countries. Her books have received many prestigious awards and nominations, including her selection for Who’s Who in the World (as a writer and educator), nominations for Career Achievement and Reviewer’s Choice Awards for Best Series and Suspense Storyteller of the Year, Best Romantic Suspense Storyteller of the Year and Best Romantic Intrigue Novel of the Year. She co-created an innovative, open-ended continuity series of single-title romance novels, an innovative suspense series, and has helped to establish sub-genres in military women’s fiction (suspense and intrigue and action and adventure) and in military romantic-thriller novels. Hinze loves genre-blending and blazing new trails for readers and other authors. She is a former columnist for Social-In Global Network and radio host of Everyday Woman.
For early access to new releases and more, subscribe to the monthly newsletter at http://mad.ly/signups/82943/join
Also by Vicki Hinze
StormWatch Series
Deep Freeze
Clean Read
Bringing Home Christmas
Clean Read
S.A.S.S. Unit Series
Black Market Body Double | The Sparks Broker | The Mind Thief | Operation Stealing Christmas | S.A.S.S. Confidential
Clean Read
Breakdown Series
so many secrets | her deepest fear (Short Read)
Down and Dead, Inc. Series
Down and Dead in Dixie | Down and Dead in Even |
Down and Dead in Dallas
Clean Reads
Shadow Watchers (Crossroads Crisis Center related)
The Marked Star | The Marked Bride | Wed to Death: A Shadow Watchers Short
Clean Reads
Crossroads Crisis Center Series
Forget Me Not | Deadly Ties | Not This Time
Clean Read Inspirational
The Reunion Collection
Her Perfect Life | Mind Reader | Duplicity |
Clean Reads
Lost, Inc.
Survive the Night | Christmas Countdown |
Torn Loyalties
Clean Read Inspirational
War Games Series
Body Double | Double Vision | Double Dare | Smokescreen: Total Recall | Kill Zone
General Audience (out of print)
The Lady Duo
Lady Liberty | Lady Justice
General Audience
Military
Shades of Gray | Acts of Honor | All Due Respect
General Audience
Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Legend of the Mist | Maybe This Time
General Audience
Seascape Novels
Beyond the Misty Shore | Upon a Mystic Tide |
Beside a Dreamswept Sea
General Audience
Other
Girl Talk: Letters Between Friends | My Imperfect Valentine | Invitation to a Murder | Bulletproof | The Madonna Key (series co-creator) | Before the White Rose | Invidia
Multiple-Author Collections
Dangerous Desires | My Evil Valentine | Risky Brides | Smart Women and Dangerous Men | Christmas Heroes | Love is Murder | Cast of Characters | A Message from Cupid Seeing Fireworks
Nonfiction Books
In Case of Emergency: What You Need to Know When I Can’t Tell You | One Way to Write a Novel | Writing in the Fast Lane | All About Writing to Sell |
Mistakes Writers Make and How-To Avoid Them
For a complete listing visit http://vickihinze.com/books