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“Maybe.” There were so many things that could go wrong. Edwin could have been forced to create the message under duress. He could have left the message in good faith, but then gotten captured. They wouldn’t really know what they were facing until they got there—and Cole aimed to be prepared for anything. “We’re leaving Eddy here. Just in case.”
“But Dad will want to—”
“No discussion on that point,” Cole cut her off. He wasn’t negotiating when it came to his son’s safety. He’d have preferred going alone altogether, but he knew she wouldn’t tolerate that. “Your father can come back here and see Eddy.”
“Fine,” she conceded after a moment. “I see your point. I’ll make sure Raymond and David know what to do for Eddy. Hopefully, he’ll sleep most of the time we’re gone.” The baby had been awake for the last three hours, so it should be nap time.
Cole waited while she ran through directions for changing diapers, giving a bottle, and putting Eddy down for a nap. She made Raymond and David repeat it all back to her before she was satisfied. He wanted to chuckle at his tough SEAL buddies looking so cowed as they reiterated how to place Eddy in his crib, but he appreciated how seriously they were taking this. He knew it made Kelsey feel better about leaving Eddy with them. Anything to help her.
Finally, he got her out the door so that they arrived at the overlook well in advance of 1300 hours. Once parked, Cole continued to study the area. Nothing seemed out of place, but he didn’t let down his guard. Even if this wasn’t an ambush, it might be a distraction. Cole didn’t like being played, but he was more concerned about Kelsey. She’d be heartbroken if her father didn’t show.
“It’s almost time,” she said with a glance at her watch. “Do you see him?”
“Not yet. Kels,” Cole swung his attention to her face and reached for her hand, “you’ve got to accept that he might not come.”
“I’m not accepting that. I’ll sit here all afternoon if I need to.” Her expression was stubbornly determined.
Cole suppressed a sigh. Seconds later, he caught movement in the side mirror. A man was coming up behind them. Cole put his hand on the butt of his .38 as he studied the man. He had on a ballcap pulled low, but it didn’t take long for Cole to recognize his stride. “Looks like you won’t have to.”
“Is it Dad?” She spun around, catching sight of the man. Before Cole could stop her, she had the truck door open and was running for her father.
Cole had to smile at Kelsey’s excitement as she threw herself into Edwin’s arms and hugged him tight. When she pulled back, she was brushing away tears.
“Dad, I’ve been so worried about you,” she said. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Cole,” Edwin said and stuck out his hand in greeting. “Good to see you.”
“Sir.” Cole took a minute to evaluate his former commander. He looked thin and haggard. Stress lines cut across his forehead, but he did appear to be unharmed.
“Thank you for keeping my family safe,” the older man said. He had one arm around Kelsey, holding her at his side in a possessive gesture.
The words got stuck in Cole’s head. Myfamily, Edwin had said. But Kelsey and Eddy werehisfamily, too. Protecting them wasn’t a job to him or a favor to Edwin, even if it might have started like that. He wasn’t some damn hired babysitter. He was a man who loved his son and the woman who’d brought him into the world.
He'd admit that their relationship was complicated, but he knew he’d do anything for them. And that was love. Yeah, they werehisfamily, and he’d challenge anyone who said differently. But he wisely held his tongue at that moment, not wanting to get into it with Edwin. This wasn’t the time or the place.
“Where have you been?” Kelsey asked and Edwin’s attention shifted back to her. “Are you home for good?”
“I’ll explain as much of it as I can,” Edwin said, “but I don’t think we should do it standing here.”
“We have a safe house,” Cole said. “We’ll go there.”
“Where’s Eddy?” Edwin asked as they walked toward Cole’s truck. “He’s not with a babysitter, is he?”
“Of course not, Dad. Two of Cole’s SEAL teammates are watching him.”
“Who?” Edwin demanded and nodded his approval when Cole identified David and Raymond.
On the way to the house, Kelsey sat turned in her seat so she could see her dad. She was so obviously thrilled to have him back that Cole felt like a third wheel.Hethought of her and Eddy as his family, but did she feel the same way? They needed to talk about where things stood between the two of them, but first things first. They needed to resolve the situation they were embroiled in. With that in mind, he began asking questions.
“Sir, do you know who the leak is?” he asked while keeping his eyes on the road.
“I’ve got a pretty good idea, but I want to talk it through with you, and I’m going to need your help to end this.”
Cole might have felt some glimmer of pride at Edwin’s trust in him, but it was tainted by the sense that Cole was somehow now an outsider in this, a guy just doing a favor.
“Nice job trying to write that phishing program,” Kelsey said to her dad.
“I couldn’t quite get it to work,” Edwin replied. “I needed your brain for that, but I didn’t want to involve you if I could avoid it.”
