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Guns pulled out his wallet and slapped several bills into his hand. “Damn, Tripp. First you abandon us, and then you cost me sixty bucks.”
He chuckled. “I didn’t tell you to make that bet. You know I’m the most unpredictable guy on the team.”
Rafe and Cruz looked at him, then to Guns and burst out laughing.
“I’m sensing a story here,” Tripp said.
“You’ll hear all about it when we get back to base,” Rafe promised him.
All stories took a bit of time to tell, and of course every guy on the team had to tell it from his point of view as soon as they arrived. How Guns provided a distraction to get the attackers’ attention off the team and making himself a decoy.
By dropping his pants and wagging his bare ass at their adversaries.
“Hey, it worked, didn’t it? And everyone gets to be depressed over how much I’m packin’,” Guns called out.
As the guys all retold the tall tale that took place, Rafe just shook his head. “It sounds like I’m going to have to send you up to medical for an examination. You must have hit your head, Guns,” Rafe said.
He waved the metal tongs he was using to flip spareribs on the grill. “I’m not kidding. The government should insure this weapon I carry around in my pants.” He waved at his groin, sending them all into another fit of laughter.
Tripp always respected the hell out of his buddy. Mostly because they got along so well, and this was one of those instances where they acted alike.
Guns wasn’t owning up to his quick thinking that pinned down two guys who were holing up in that cave with a bunch of dangerous explosives and military-grade weapons. No. He’d rather joke about mooning enemies.
Tripp shook his head. “Damn, I’m sorry I missed all the fun.” He kicked back in his lawn chair and was getting ready to—finally—open up about his niece and what happened to her. But his phone interrupted.
He blinked at the unfamiliar number before answering it with a hasty: “Tripp.”
“Tripp, it’s Eric Stahlman, Alexia’s boss.”
He leaned forward in the chair, all his attention trained on the caller. “What’s going on?”
“I’m hoping you’ll put my mind at ease by telling me Alexia is with you.”
He jolted to his feet, aware of the team going silent and staring at him. “She never made it to the office?”
“No.”
It had been hours and hours.
“I tried to call her,” Eric said. “No answer. I can’t track her phone.” Eric’s words shot icy dread through Tripp’s body.
He pictured her skidding out of control on slick roads. There had to be a reason why she never made it to the office. One of the things he loved most about her was her dedication to her work. It rivaled his own.
“She wouldn’t just disappear,” he grated out. “I’ll find her. Stay in touch.”
“I’m counting on you. She’s important.”
His throat closed off. A silent battle waged in his heart.
“She is,” he managed to say.
When he hung up, all the guys were on their feet, tense and prepared for whatever fight came their way.
He stared at his brothers-in-arms, feeling true terror for the first time in his life. Not even with Kelsey did he have a chance to feel such emotion, because by the time he learned what happened, it was too late.
“We have to find her!” He looked at Rafe. “Call Ollie. Get the chopper in the air. The roads are already frozen.”
He spun to Guns. “Reach out to the rangers. Have them look around. Vlad, you touch base with the police. See if anything has been reported.”
