Page 98 of Lion’s Den

“What happened to the father?”

“He’s not in the picture. I’m not sure if he’s dead or simply walked out on them. All I know is Julio never talks about him, just his mother.”

“We’ll confirm that.” Cam felt it was only fair to issue the warning.

Her head whipped in his direction. “Of course you will. I didn’t expect otherwise.”

“What do you know about Eddie?”

“He’s cranky and acts like his brother and sister are pains in his butt.”

Cam chuckled. “All younger brothers and sisters fill that role.”

She blinked. “That’s good to know. Maybe in being an orphan, I had it better after all.”

No, she hadn’t. Nothing was better than fighting like cats and dogs with your siblings, and having a brother or sister take on the world with you when you needed them. “What did Julio tell you about his brother on the night you were kidnapped?”

She smiled. “He said Eddie was acting dumb over a girl. His brother was supposed to be waiting for him behind the school, but when we walked out of the building, Eddie and his truck weren’t there. Just the two creepy men were. They stared at us so hard that Julio and I walked around the side of the building to the front to see if Eddie was there instead. Sure enough, I think he’d moved to get away from those men, too.”

“Did Eddie say anything about them?”

“Not really.”

“Why did Julio thank you for not talking to Eddie?”

Another smile. “He wanted to fight his own battles. He said Eddie would make fun of him, so I promised not to tell Eddie anything Julio said to me.”

Cam thought about that for a beat. “Eddie was afraid of the men at the back of the school?”

“Julio said he was, but he didn’t act like it when I talked to him for a minute.”

“Of course not. You don’t let an attractive woman know you’re afraid. Ever.”

“Oh, come on. Eddie doesn’t think of me as attractive. I’m just his brother’s kindergarten teacher. Eddie barely knows I’m alive.”

“Don’t kid yourself, Sedona. You’re gorgeous, and every male with a pulse notices you as soon as you walk into a room.”

“If you say so.”

Elliot said, “Can we drop this conversation for a time when I don’t have to hear it? Makes me miss my wife.”

Sedona grinned as the sniper’s brothers teased him mercilessly.

Good. Cam wanted her distracted for a few minutes. Every fighter in a war zone and law enforcement officer recognized the value of humor in the middle of the horror. Those moments saved your sanity.

“I’m with Elliot,” Dario grumbled. “Makes me wish I had a wife.”

More chuckles from the rest of the team.

When the laughter petered off, Owen Montgomery said, “We need to find the leak.”

“You still think it’s one of our own?” Elliot asked.

“Has to be.”

He grunted. “We can’t leave a traitor in our ranks. If he sold out once, he’ll do it again, and this time a cop may pay the price.”

Cam’s cell phone vibrated. He stopped, pulled the phone from his pocket, and swiped the glass screen. “It’s Cam. You’re on speaker with The Thunderhawks, Elliot, Owen, and Sedona.”