Deep Extraction Read online

  PRAISE FOR DiANN MILLS

  DEADLY ENCOUNTER

  “Crackling dialogue and heart-stopping plotlines are the hallmarks of Mills’s thrillers, and this series launch won’t disappoint her many fans. Dealing with issues of murder, domestic terrorism, and airport security, it eerily echoes current events.”

  LIBRARY JOURNAL

  “[Mills] has the ability to sweep you off your feet and into the middle of an adventure in a matter of paragraphs. . . . If you are looking for a little bit of action, romance, intrigue, and domestic terrorism (and a happily ever after!), then this is the book for you.”

  RADIANT LIT

  “Fans of clean romantic suspense will enjoy this well-plotted winner.”

  PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  DEADLOCK

  “DiAnn Mills brings us another magnificent, inspirational thriller in her FBI: Houston series. Deadlock is a riveting, fast-paced adventure that will hold you captive from the opening pages to the closing epilogue.”

  FRESHFICTION.COM

  “Mills’s newest installment in the FBI: Houston series will keep readers on the edge of their seats. For those who love a good ‘who-done-it,’ Deadlock delivers.”

  CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES

  “Mills does a superb job building the relationship between the two polar opposite detectives. With some faith overtones, Deadlock is an excellent police drama that even mainstream readers would enjoy.”

  ROMANTIC TIMES

  DOUBLE CROSS

  “DiAnn Mills always gives us a good thriller, filled with inspirational thoughts, and Double Cross is another great one!”

  FRESHFICTION.COM

  “Tension explodes at every corner within these pages. . . . Mills’s writing is transparently crisp, backed up with solid research, filled with believable characters and sparks of romantic chemistry.”

  NOVELCROSSING.COM

  “For the romantic suspense fan, there is plenty of action and twists present. For the inspirational reader, the faith elements fit nicely into the context of the story. . . . The romance is tenderly beautiful, and the ending bittersweet.”

  ROMANTIC TIMES

  FIREWALL

  “Mills takes readers on an explosive ride. . . . A story as romantic as it is exciting, Firewall will appeal to fans of Dee Henderson’s romantic suspense stories.”

  BOOKLIST

  “With an intricate plot involving domestic terrorism that could have been ripped from the headlines, Mills’s romantic thriller makes for compelling reading.”

  LIBRARY JOURNAL

  “[A] fast-moving, intricately plotted thriller.”

  PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

  “Mills once again demonstrates her spectacular writing skills in her latest action-packed work. . . . The story moves at a fast pace that will keep readers riveted until the climactic end.”

  ROMANTIC TIMES

  “This book was so fast-paced that I almost got whiplash. . . . Heart-pounding action from the first page . . . didn’t stop until nearly the end of the book. If you like romantic suspense, I highly recommend this one.”

  RADIANT LIT

  “Fast-paced and action-packed. . . . DiAnn Mills gives us a real winner with Firewall, a captivating and intense story filled with a twisting plot that will have you on the edge of your seat.”

  FRESHFICTION.COM

  “Firewall is exciting, thrilling. . . . DiAnn Mills draws her readers in, holding them breathlessly hostage until the very last page. She is a master at her craft and her genre.”

  BOOKFUN.ORG

  “Firewall should come with a warning! Be prepared to lose your breath and a lot of sleep with this exhilarating read.”

  LYNETTE EASON, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DEADLY REUNIONS SERIES

  “Firewall is an up-until-2 a.m. book. . . . I had no idea who the mastermind was until the last two or three pages. Mills keeps getting better and better. Can’t wait for the next one!”

  LAURAINE SNELLING, AUTHOR OF THE WILD WEST WIND SERIES AND WAKE THE DAWN

  “Firewall is a gripping ride that will keep your blood pumping and your imagination in high gear.”

  DANI PETTREY, AUTHOR OF THE ALASKAN COURAGE SERIES

  Visit Tyndale online at www.tyndale.com.

  Visit DiAnn Mills at www.diannmills.com.

  TYNDALE and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

  Deep Extraction

  Copyright © 2017 by DiAnn Mills. All rights reserved.

  Cover photograph of woman copyright © Maksim Toome/Shutterstock. All rights reserved.

  Cover photograph of man copyright © CURAphotography/Shutterstock. All rights reserved.

  Cover photograph of oil derricks copyright © Pgiam/Getty Images. All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Faceout Studio, Tim Green

  Interior design by Dean H. Renninger

  Edited by Erin E. Smith

  Published in association with the literary agency of Books & Such Literary Management, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 122, PMB 170, Santa Rosa, CA 95409.

  Deep Extraction is a work of fiction. Where real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales appear, they are used fictitiously. All other elements of the novel are drawn from the author’s imagination.

  For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Tyndale House Publishers at [email protected], or call 1-800-323-9400.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Mills, DiAnn, author.

  Title: Deep extraction / DiAnn Mills.

  Description: Carol Stream, Illinois : Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., [2017]

  | Series: FBI task force

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016048469 | ISBN 9781496410986 (sc)

  Subjects: | GSAFD: Christian fiction. | Suspense fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3613.I567 D44 2017 | DDC 813/.6—dc23

  Build: 2017-03-20 08:35:40

  TO MY DREAM TEAM FOR ALL THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT

  CONTENTS

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

 
Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  About the Author

  Discussion Questions

  Preview of Deadly Encounter

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Shauna A. Dunlap, special agent/media coordinator, Houston FBI—Through every FBI novel, you’ve graciously answered questions and guided me in the right direction. I appreciate your friendship.

  Lynette Eason—Thank you for your friendship and all the fabulous Skype brainstorming sessions!

  Beau Egert—Your experience and knowledge in the oil and gas industry helped me create a realistic story.

  Julie Garmon—Thanks so much for your willingness to read my stories and give me fabulous feedback.

  Dr. Richard Mabry—I couldn’t write a single novel without your expertise and experience in the medical field.

  Edie Melson—Our long talks and time spent together helped me discover so many things about my characters.

  Alycia Morales—Your support and encouragement in the final stages of this book provided insight and the ability to finish on time.

  Tom Morrisey—Thank you for sharing your knowledge about weapons and how they work. Over the years of writing, you’ve never declined my need for help.

  Donna Rice, attorney and writer—I appreciate your help in writing the legal sections. Lost without your expertise.

  Kathi Wilson—Your real estate assistance gave my characters homes in the best neighborhoods west of Houston.

  ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN while the dead slept. Which was why some would say a woman shouldn’t tread alone through a cemetery at 2:55 on a Tuesday morning in April. But possible danger had never stopped Houston FBI Special Agent Tori Templeton, especially when her mind marched with determination. Her body refused to give in to rest, but it wasn’t a violent crime robbing her of sleep.

  The worn path below a black sky ended at Kevin’s gravesite. She was here to visit the one person who could help her make sense of a puzzling world.

  Tonight, like many nights in the past, she made her way to Kevin’s final resting place to talk to him about work, life, problems, and victories. Maybe someday she’d figure out his intrigue with God.

  Her brother. Her friend. The one she looked up to and treasured.

  Tori didn’t stalk a cemetery because of some superstition that he lay beneath a marble stone and could communicate with her. She visited the site because it signified peace. Maybe by a weird osmosis, she’d find what had given Kevin strength. She wanted to believe he lived pain-free with his God. No cancer. No side effects of chemo and radiation. An eternal home with a God he embraced tighter than life. At least he’d claimed those beliefs before he breathed his last.

  “Special Agent Templeton?”

  At the sound of the voice, a twinge of annoyance filled her spirit. The man greeting her was a friend, except she wanted to be alone. No need to face him. “Yes, Officer Richards.”

  “Saw your car, thought I’d check on you.”

  “I’m a creature of habit.”

  “I noticed. Nothing’s stirring, so I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”

  The sadness in his voice drew up a well of compassion, and she turned to him. “Wait. How’s your family?” The man walked the graveyard shift—literally—and he might need a listening ear more than she should ponder the existence of a good God in a world plagued with unrest.

  “The same. Ups and downs mixed with hardheads and love.” He sighed and scanned the area. “Nice night.”

  A familiar insect’s call reached her ears. “We have a choir.” She smiled into the shadows, where a light, twenty feet away, illuminated his stocky frame and highlighted his silver-gray hair, giving him a halo effect. She stared above his head at a slice of the moon resting on a canvas of stars.

  “Cicadas are to the night as robins are to the day.”

  “Well stated,” she said. “I never pay attention to them until it’s dark and quiet.” She brushed aside a leaf on Kevin’s gravestone. “We haven’t talked in over a week. Did your son join the Navy?”

  “Yes. A good choice. I pray he learns discipline and respect for himself and others.”

  He said the pray word. Not what she wanted to hear, and she drew in a breath. “Your daughter?”

  “Agreed to rehab. Another prayer answered.”

  Kevin had used the same language, and look where it got him. Was her brother’s confidence in a divine being a way to endure the devastation of cancer? A crutch in the midst of excruciating pain? Always the same questions as she searched for the why of tragedies. “How’s your wife?”

  “Good, thanks. She told me you were welcome to—”

  Her phone alerted her to a call. “Excuse me a minute.” She yanked it from her shirt pocket and confirmed it was Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ralph Hughes before answering.

  “We have a possible homicide,” the ASAC for violent crimes said.

  Her mind spun into agent mode, her job, the only part of her life where she sensed purpose. “Who and where?”

  “Nathan Moore, owner of Moore Oil & Gas, died in his home this evening.”

  Distress rambled through her, though she did her best to overcome it. She’d known Nathan since college days. “What happened? Why suspect murder?”

  “Due to the threats on his life and a call made to his attorney prior to his death,” the ASAC said.

  “What was said in the call?”

  “Moore suspected someone was trying to kill him and getting close.”

  Tori stared at Kevin’s tombstone and recalled the day she and Mom selected the blue-gray granite. Now Nathan’s widow faced the same dilemma. “Are we thinking the environmental activists are responsible?” Five days ago, one of Nathan’s drill sites had been bombed—possibly part of a retaliation move for winning a lawsuit filed by environmentalists who believed he was illegally dumping backflow water from fracking. But a bombing was unlikely in his home. “Was he gunned down? A break-in?”

  “Moore’s death appears to have been a heart attack, the result of natural causes. A medical examiner is on it.”

  “Why?”

  “Too coincidental for my take. I want to know who threatened him, and I need you and Max at the Moore residence. He’s been notified and will meet you there.” He texted her the Moore address at Lake Pointe Estates in the Katy area west of Houston, but she had it memorized.

  The call ended and Tori rose to her feet. “Officer Richards, I need to go.”

  “Sure thing. See you again soon.”

  “Count on it. Best to you and your family.” She hurried to her car while the devastating news played havoc with her mind.

  Why hadn’t Sally contacted her about Nathan’s death? They were closer than sisters, weren’t they? Tending to her grieving sons could have her emotionally spent. Even Tori was finding it hard to accept Nathan’s death.

  She shoved aside personal sentiments that ushered in disbelief. Her investigative skills were needed. The ASAC had assigned her to investigate a potential crime.

  Nathan possibly murdered? He had sainthood stamped next to his name. Charity work. Generous donations to worthy causes. Incredible husband and father.

  Who could possibly want him dead?

  COLE WOKE WITH his cell phone blaring in his ears. He snatched it from his nightstand and read the screen: Sally Moore, 3:22 a.m. Calls this time of the morning usually meant bad news. “Hey, Sally, what’s going on?”

  “Nathan’s had a heart attack.”

  He snapped on the lamp. “Is he okay?”

  She sobbed quietly. “He’s dead. The boys and I said our final good-byes at the hospital. We just got back home a little while ago.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  “No, please. Your coming isn’t a good idea. I wanted you to hear from me before the media announces it.” />
  Alarm zipped to the forefront. “What happened?”

  “I found him at home on the floor of his office. Suspected a heart attack, called 911, and tried to revive him. But he was already gone.”

  “How are the boys taking it?”

  “In their own way. Jack’s quiet, and Lance is verbal.”

  “None of you should face this without support. Don’t you have a girlfriend to call?”

  “Being alone is the best way to handle Nathan’s death. My dad and stepmom will be here before noon. They’ll help make necessary arrangements.”

  Something was wrong. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  She released a ragged breath. “When I found him, his phone was inches from his fingers. After calling 911, I checked it and saw his last conversation was with Jacob Farr, his attorney. I returned the call and learned Nathan feared for his life—because of threats from someone. The attorney suggested foul play. He contacted the police, and they’re here now.”

  “Your attorney’s actions are appropriate. Any threats need to be investigated. Considering Nathan’s high-profile position in the oil and gas industry, the recent bombing at the Texas City site, and the controversy over the court case, law enforcement must be involved. Did Mr. Farr indicate a suspect?”

  “I didn’t think to ask.”

  “Where are the officers?”

  “In the foyer. I think they’re on the phone.”

  “Where are you?”

  “The kitchen.”

  The hesitancy in her voice pushed him forward. “I don’t understand why you want to endure this alone. Are the boys listening?”

  “They’re upstairs.” Her voice broke. “Tonight Nathan said he planned to file for divorce in the morning. I have no idea if he told his attorney, but—”

  Cole inwardly groaned. “Sally, that doesn’t even sound like him.”

  “He was like a stranger. Hurling horrible insults at us.” She drew in ragged breath, no doubt for control. “When he stormed out of the dining room, I told the boys their dad wasn’t himself. I told them I loved Nathan, and he loved us.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “You’ve been a wonderful friend, but it’s better you keep your distance. I’ll call later.” She disconnected the call.

  Nathan wanted a divorce? And now he was dead? Possibly a homicide? What kind of madness was this?