Black and Shadow

Black and Shadow

Book Three of the Shadow
Walker Tribe Romance Series

Caryn Moya Block

Published by Caryn M.
Block

Copyright © 2015 Caryn M.
Block

Smashwords
Edition

Cover Design by Caryn M.
Block

Male Model Photo by
Photographer Ariya Xie of
XIe4to

www.facebook.com/xie4to

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This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places and incidents either are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events,
or locales is entirely coincidental.

Black and Shadow

Shadow Walker
Tribe Romance Series

Book
Three

Joseph Running
Bear is a member of the Shadow Walker’s, a covert black ops unit,
and head of security for Isanti, Inc. So when one of his men gets
killed by terrorists, he takes it personally. Once the terrorists
are destroyed, Joe is left with the guilt and loss of his friend,
Fred Black. All that’s left to do is send the man’s belongings to
his little sister in New York City.

Jessica Black
heads west to New Mexico to find out what really happened to her
brother. The police haven’t been any help, stating national
security, but Jessica doesn’t buy it. Fred would never be caught
unawares if he was mixed up with terrorists. Plus there is the
company, Isanti, Inc. that her brother worked for, a company he was
trying to get her to join. She knows something more is going on.
Why all the secrecy and runaround if this is a simple case of her
brother being caught in the crossfire?

To you, my readers.

Acknowledgements

It takes a village to release a book.
Thank you to all my Beta readers, my Mom, who goes over every
version looking for errors and finally to my editor Tina Winograd.
Thanks also goes to my husband, who seems to know when I need to be
a writer and not a cook. Love you, honey!

“Hey, Joe. You going over to the
Silver Pony after work? Few of the guys are getting together to
have a drink.”

Joseph Running Bear, head of security
at Isanti, Inc. looked up from the file on his oak desk. Hugh
Thunder Hoof stood in the doorway to his office, a hopeful gleam in
his eye.

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind a quick one. I
could use it after taking down a terrorist cell. We can toast the
newlyweds. Raven and Cara are safely checked into the bridal suite
at the North Shore Hilton on Oahu. We won’t see the chief for two
whole weeks.”

“Any news on Derek?” Hugh shuffled in
and plopped on the leather chair in front of the desk.

“Damn idiot is freelancing for the
general. Raven won’t be happy. He worries about his little
brother.” Joe tapped his fingers on the pile of files.

“Derek’s all right. He’s got skills,
not to mention his pretty face.” Hugh laughed.

Joe shook his head. “Yeah, but he
found his mate and left anyway. Katherine is devastated at his
abandonment. I can’t handle weepy women. One tear and my heart
twists into a knot.”

“Really? I thought you could handle
anything, Joe.”

“Most anything; there’s a
difference.”

Hugh laughed and stood. “Well, don’t
get so caught up in everything around here you forget the Silver
Pony. The staff needs a boost since losing Fred.”

Fred Black worked security for Isanti,
Inc., alongside Joe for many years. His death at the hands of the
terrorists shook everyone up. “Yeah, I hear you. I’ll be there.
I’ve got to mail his personal possessions from his desk to his
younger sister in New York. I’ve got everything boxed
up.”

“Let your secretary take care of it,
or take it down to the mail room.”

Joe frowned and clenched his jaw.
“Fred was a friend. I’ll take care of it.”

“Okay, don’t get touchy.” Hugh held
his hands up in surrender. “See you at the Silver Pony at six.
Don’t forget.”

“I won’t forget.” Joe ran a hand over
his close-cropped black hair.

Hugh waved and walked out the door.
Joe sighed. He pressed the intercom button. “Mrs. Hampton, put on
my schedule drinks with the staff at the Silver Pony, six o’clock
tonight.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you.” Joe wasn’t normally
formal with his employees, but Mrs. Hampton was old enough to be
his mother. He couldn’t bring himself to call her by her first
name.

Joe glanced at the box on his desk as
he picked up another file. He’d almost mailed it several times, but
never seemed able to let it go. Fred had been a good man. Joe
trusted him, something he didn’t do lightly. Fred had several
pictures in his desk and locker; each one a picture of his little
sister, whom he’d raised after their parents died. Fred planned to
ask her work at Isanti.

Joe already looked into her background
and intended to push her application through. Finding good computer
security specialists like Jessica Black got harder every day. She
was rumored to be a prodigy. Joe wanted her.

“Shit, you don’t even know her.” Joe
shook his head and laid the file down, unable to concentrate on the
words with his thoughts centered on Jessica. But he’d like to know
her. He opened his desk and took out the pilfered photograph he
kept hidden. Looking at it, he felt the same warmth in his chest
and feeling of possessiveness he always felt. Eyes the color of
sapphires smiled at him. Red hair curled softly around her
porcelain face. Her smile took his breath away. He rubbed his
finger over the image.

The phone ringing jarred him from his
reverie. He opened the drawer and hid the picture before he picked
up the receiver. “Running Bear.”

“Sir, this is Sarah Garber on Team
One.” Sarah was a pretty brunette who could shoot the wings off a
fly at 100 yards. Joe hired her to replace Fred.

“Call me Joe. Is everything
okay?”

“Yes, sir, er, Joe. Mr. Thunder Hoof
suggested I call you. I, uhm, need a ride to the Silver Pony
tonight.”

Was Hugh match-making? Joe shook his
head. “I’ll be happy to take you into town Sarah. Meet me at the
garage at 5:30.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir, er,
Joe.”

Joe chuckled. “I’ll see you then,
Sarah.” He hung up the phone. Sarah was a good addition to his
unit. He liked her. Too bad they possessed no chemistry; not like
when he looked at Jessica’s picture. Glancing at the clock, Joe
went back to his reports. He needed to finish a few things before
he left for the day.

He glanced at the box addressed to New
York City. Sighing, he hit the intercom button.

“Mrs. Hampton, could you please
deliver a box to the mail room?” It was time to let him
go.

§

Joe took the elevator to the garage.
He could take any company car he wanted, but pulled the keys from
the locked cabinet for his baby, the red pick-up. The elevator
doors opened and Sarah stood waiting. She smiled and her whole face
lit up. She’d changed out of her security uniform into a pair of
hip hugging jeans and a blue T-shirt that showed her curvy figure.
Yup, she would make a man happy one day.

“Hi,” she said softly, her voice
coming out with a breath. She clutched a group of files to her
chest.

“Sarah, how are you settling
in?”

“I’m doing okay, sir. Oh, sorry,
habit.”

“Not a problem. We don’t stand much on
ceremony. My truck is over here.” Sarah obediently followed. He
opened the passenger door for her then went around to the driver’s
side. Climbing in, he did up his seatbelt and started the engine.
In moments, they pulled out of the garage complex and passed the
security checkpoint at the parking lot entrance. Joe waved to the
guard on duty as the man lifted the gate, and turned left toward
Albuquerque.

After a couple of minutes of enjoying
the warmth of the sun, he pressed the button for the air
conditioning. The reds and browns of the landscape calmed his
senses, and he enjoyed looking at the occasional cactus and scrub
brush alongside the road. New Mexico was a beautiful state. Joe was
glad the Nuni Nagi Tribe, or Shadow Walkers, decided to use it for
their business’s headquarters. He smiled and glanced at
Sarah.

“The sun feels good after being in an
air-conditioned building all day.”

“Yeah,” Sarah answered
noncommittally.

“You don’t like the high
desert?”

“It’s pretty.” Sarah eyed the scrub
and frowned. “But I like trees. Lots of trees.”

“I see. How are you getting home
tonight? I’d be happy to take you.” Joe grimaced. That sounded a
lot like a proposition.

“No need. I’m meeting the sheriff at
the Silver Pony.”

“Delaney? He’s a good man.” Joe
glanced at Sarah. She seemed interested in studying her hands,
balled tightly in her lap.

“You know him?”

“Sure. I knew him in the service. I
voted for him, too.”

“High praise, then.” Sarah nodded and
took a deep breath. “I applied to become a sheriff reserve. I like
helping out when I can.”

“Sure. I’ve been known to help out
occasionally, mostly at the Fourth of July parade. When the
tourists come into town things can get kinda rowdy. I encourage
service work. If you ever need a day off to get it done, let me
know.” Joe watched the tension seep out of her frame. She rubbed
her palms on her knees.

“Thanks, I will.”

The rest of the ride went quickly. Joe
enjoyed Sarah’s company. She was smart, and when she loosened up,
she was funny, too. A nice combination. But he felt no warmth in
his chest, no strong feelings. Damn.

He pulled into the parking lot of the
Silver Pony. It was filling up rapidly. Friday night in town could
be a little crazy. Everyone wanted to let off steam. Joe escorted
Sarah inside. The place was packed. Country music filled the space
competing with the people laughing and chatting.

Hugh and a couple of the guys waved
from the back. Sarah waved in return as they made their way through
the crowd. Joe waited for her to slip into the circular booth by
Hugh. Other members of the team sat at two nearby
tables.

“What’ll you have, Sarah?” Hugh asked
speaking over the tune about a woman’s broken heart.

A waitress hurried over to get their
order. Joe watched the men and Sarah with a critical eye. The men
seemed friendly, but not overly interested. Good, he didn’t want
Sarah feeling uncomfortable.

About forty minutes later, Sheriff
Thomas Delaney walked over to their booth. Greetings quickly
rounded the table, which by this time was full of members from his
three teams, there to celebrate Fred and say goodbye. The funeral
took place back east, so only a few people got to attend. Joe
wondered about Jessica and how she was handling Fred’s
death.

“Joe, could I speak to you a minute? I
need to ask you something, and Sarah can finish her drink before I
drag her off,” Tom said.

“Sure. Be back in a minute, folks.”
Joe followed the sheriff outside. The sun started to set. Beautiful
colors of pink and orange banded across the blue sky. A warm breeze
blew tumbleweed across the parking lot from a nearby empty
field.

“What’s going on, Tom?” Joe
asked.