Colin gingerly patted Juni’s back. “Okay, Junebug. I gotta go or I’ll be in trouble.”
“Okay.” She pulled back and turned to Mac. “We can color now,” she said, like she’d just been condemned to a life sentence.
It was Colin’s turn to snort. He stood up and roughly clapped his partner on the shoulder. “See ya, Saint.”
“Coffee to go?”
“Shi—” he glanced down at Juni “—oot. Yeah. Forgot.”
“You, forget coffee?” Mac said as he walked to the kitchen. “That’s a new one.”
While he poured coffee into a travel mug, Colin reflexively watched out the window for any movement. He thought he heard something down the hall, but Maren didn’t appear.
Mac came back with the travel mug. “Here you go.”
Colin took it with one hand and almost—almost—mussed up Juni’s hair with the other.
She’s not yours.
He reached for the doorknob instead.
The briefing wasin Kyle’s office this time, since the conference room was already in use. Kyle sat behind his desk. Flint was set up with his computer at the small table off to the side. Elissa was patched in on the phone.
Lachlan was in the chair by the window with his pen casing already in his mouth while Gina stood against a wall, looking likeshe desperately wanted to pace in the small room. Colin was only half-surprised to see them coming out of retirement for this one.
“Morning, Colin,” Kyle said. “Coffee’s fresh.”
“Thanks, boss. Already got some.” Colin lifted his travel mug and took the chair across from Kyle.
“Let’s get into it,” Kyle said. “Elissa, you’re up.”
Elissa’s voice came through clear. “Okay. Good news first. As far as I can tell, Maren Walsh checks out clean.”
Colin was mildly shocked at his sudden relief.
Elissa went on. “Iowa childhood, family moved to San Diego when she and Mira were nine after her oldest brother enlisted. Her second-oldest brother enlisted right behind him. Marine Raiders. Reid and Beckett Walsh.”
Colin straightened slightly. “MARSOC?”
“Yep. Both on deployment right now, which means she couldn’t reach them. They’ve been dark for about three weeks. Standard comms blackout.”
“Parents?”
“Deceased—they were older when the twins were born, both gone within a year of each other about six years back. And no other close relatives, looks like.”
“So that’s also why she drove to Colorado,” Kyle said quietly.
“Exactly. She apparently had nowhere else to go.” Elissa paused. “Employment checks out. She’s a medical coder, works from home for a hospital network in San Diego. Been with them four years. Good employee, follows protocol. Her supervisor already locked down her credentials after the laptop theft, no issues there.”
“Social media?” Gina asked.
“Minimal. She’s got accounts but she doesn’t post much anymore, not since her sister died. Flowers, sunsets, the beach sometimes. No photos of Juni. No mention of her. In this day and age, I don’t blame her.”
Colin didn’t either.
“Friends?” Lachlan asked.
“A few, sure. But it doesn’t look like she goes out much.”
