Page 129 of Counter Attack

They’d limited the team to eight, counting Nathan and Alexis. He’d intended to bring Jared into the loop, but Nathan’s call to him went to voice mail. He’d called Peggy and learned his sergeant had volunteered for the night patrolman’s shift and had gone home to catch a nap.

The other six officers, four of them Russell County deputies and two of his officers, made up the rest of the team. Nine total if he counted Gem, who sat at Mark’s feet, ears cocked and ready to go. Nathan turned his attention to Alexis, who was wrapping up.

“All right, everyone,” she said. “We’ll rendezvous at the lake. Get your vehicles out of sight and then get into position. We don’t have a full moon, but there’s still enough light to expose you, so be mindful of staying out of sight until you get the radio command to move forward. And no texts.”

Nathan adjusted his earpiece, where he would receive radio communications. When the drug dealers handed offthe drugs to their contact, it was the signal to execute the operation.

Alexis stepped away from the lectern. “Can I ride with you?”

He nodded. “I’ll pick you up at the sally port.”

“Why?” She frowned. “Kayla is in jail.”

“I asked her about the attacks with a rifle, and she indicated if she’d shot at you, she would’ve hit you. Not sure that means anything, but what if she wasn’t your shooter?” A strand of hair had fallen out of her ponytail clip. He clenched his jaw instead of hooking it behind her ear. “Let me pick you up.”

The frown lines smoothed out. “If it’ll keep you off my case. Go ahead while I grab a couple of magazines for my Sig.”

Nathan double-timed it to his truck and then pulled into the sally port. Five minutes later, he texted Alexis.

Where are you?

69

Adrenaline pumped through Alex’s body as she slipped two magazines in her duty belt. Phame was in jail, and if they crushed this drug ring tonight, it would be the perfect ending to the day.No. A perfect ending would be in Nathan’s arms.

A shadow crossed the door, and she looked up. Harvey stood in the doorway. “What’s up?”

“I might ask you the same thing.”

Alex shrugged. “Got an operation going down.”

“And you left me out of it?”

“I thought you went to the doctor and then home.” Harvey’s mottled face didn’t look good. “And from the looks of you, home is where you need to be now.”

“I’m fine.” His nostrils flared as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You should’ve kept me in the loop.”

She frowned. He was getting much too worked up over being left out. “What’s going on, Harvey?”

“Nothing! I just don’t like people doing things behind my back. I gotta—” He grabbed his chest.

Alex rushed to his side. “Are you having chest pains?”

Harvey barely nodded before he pitched to the floor. Sheyelled for help while dialing 911 for an ambulance. None of her deputies came, and she called Nathan. “I need your help.”

Alex hung up before he could respond and felt her chief of staff’s carotid artery. His heart was beating way too fast. “Hang on. An ambulance is on its way.” She loosened Harvey’s belt and then his collar. “Can you cough?”

“Got to tell...”

“Don’t talk, just cough.” It was the only thing she knew to do to help him before the ambulance arrived.

Footsteps ran down the hall, and then Nathan knelt beside them. “What happened?”

“Heart attack, I think.”

He turned to Harvey. “Do you have nitroglycerin?”

“Pocket. But first ... drugs. Tonight.”

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