Page 22 of Twilight Tactics

“Do you mind if I come with you?”

She frowned. Yes, actually, she did mind. “I’ll be fine. Shouldn’t you be with Ollie?”

“Piper’s got her. And a few of the vets offered to help. They’re patrolling the house like nobody’s business. If anything happens, I’ll get a call.” He sighed. “This is part of my job too,” he said. “I need to know who the person was back there. For Ollie’s sake.”

She understood. She did. But if he came with her and she found what she thought she might find ... well, it would be awkward. Uncomfortable.

And dangerous? Possibly.

“Why don’t you want me to come?” he asked.

“It’s not that...” Well, yes it was. “I just don’t know what I’m heading into. That’s all.”

“Then I can’t think of a better reason for me to tag along.”

He was going to come whether she wanted him to or not. She could just go back to the ranch and find another time to do this on her own, but like him, she needed to know who that woman was on the property. And she needed to know now. “Sully, some of these people are killers. Well, reported killers. I just heard stories. Which could absolutely be exaggerated. But still, please just go back.”

“You couldn’t get rid of me now under any circumstance.”

Of course she couldn’t. “I warned you.”

“You did. So let’s go.”

“Hold up. Do you have the hat you found?”

He dug it out of his back pocket and held it up. “Yep.”

“Fine. Put it on and we can go. It might get someone to come out of hiding to talk to us.” She looked at her phone. She’d memorized the route, because if the cell signal went, she didn’t want to be left stranded. “By my calculations, it’s going to take a little over an hour to get there.”

He slapped the cap onto his head, questions burning in hiseyes. “Lead on. I’ll watch our tail while you tell me exactly why you feel like you can just go into an area withpossiblekillers and not get killed.”

Elena hesitated, then climbed on her horse and headed through the wooded area with dread in her gut.

5

Sully watched the woman ride in silence. He suspected she was going back and forth with herself as to what to share with him, but that was okay. It wasn’t like they were besties. He didn’t exactly want to bare his soul either, so he wouldn’t begrudge her reticence. Much.

Because he’d admit he was curious about her secrets—well, about all of her really. Which made him a little mad at himself. He didn’t have the time or headspace for romance. He had a job to do. A kid to protect. Being interested in a woman and taking the time to get to know her wasn’t on the agenda and could be a distraction.

He just had to convince his heart his head was serious. His stomach growled and he glanced at the time. “Hey, wanna share one of your protein bars? I’m starving.”

She snickered and rummaged in her saddlebag. Found two and tossed him one.

They’d directed the horses across the road and onto the path that would take them about five miles through the woods and partway up the mountain to the abandoned mine. Or at least in the vicinity of it. Somehow, he didn’t think the actualjourney was going to be quite that easy. “You think we’re going to run into trouble, don’t you?” He unwrapped the bar and took a bite.

“Yes.”

He blinked. “Okay, you want to give me a heads-up about what we might be looking at?”

“Have you ever dealt with preppers before?”

“I have to say in all my years of law enforcement, preppers would be a new one for me.”

“Okay, then follow my lead. You have your weapon?”

“Of course.”

“So do I. Don’t let them see it unless absolutely necessary. And let me do the talking.” She paused. “And if I say duck, duck just like you did last time. The hat might stop them for a minute.” She sighed. “Then again, it might not.”