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Either way, Parker feared Lydia’s odds of survival were growing worse by the moment.
SIX
Emit’s command center rivaled Rory’s, and this wasn’t even his home.
The ranch was one-hundred-and-eighty acres of trees and rocks, and the sheer remoteness made Moe itchy. While he was an expert on keeping the world at bay, being so far removed from civilization made his skin crawl. Here, he was more likely to run into a scorpion or a rattlesnake than a human being.
Staring at computer screens was the equivalent of sitting on his hands. He wanted to get moving, and dosomething. Instead, he was forced to watch as Emit, Trace, and Jeb flew drones over the three sites, searching for their target.
And came up with nothing. Wasted time.
Scorpions, he texted Dr. Montgomery.Rattlesnakes.
He didn’t care if Rory intercepted and read the message. Communication with her was supposedly sacred, with nobody eavesdropping or reviewing it. Moe trusted no one and nothing when it came to security, not even on encrypted devices or the word of Rory himself.
Isolation, he added and hit send.
Surprisingly, the therapist responded before he slid off the seat and headed to a table of maps along the wall.
Brain Picker:Dig deeper.
Hardass. Moe:You.I’m fucking terrified of you.
Brain Picker: ::smiley face::Nice try.
He wasn’t kidding.
Brain Picker:You do, however, fear what I symbolize.
He traced his fingers over the topography on the map, considering the truth of that. If Beatrice ever barred him from missions because Montgomery blacklisted him, that might be the end. No one else would give him a cup of Earl Grey, much less hire him for any type of suitable work. He’d be out in the cold.
“What is it?” Parker asked, coming up beside him.
Time to get his head in the game. He slid his phone into his pocket. “This ghost town?” He pivoted to look at Emit as he tapped the area. “Plenty of places to hide out there, I bet.”
“Checking that now,” Emit said, diverting his drone. “It’s a shambles and the government has owned the land for decades. A few structures still stand but a strong wind would blow them over.”
“What about the state park?” Trace asked. “Any campgrounds or caves they could access?”
“They wouldn’t take her to a public campsite, yet there are hundreds of out-of-the-way spots folks can get to if they’re experienced. Hundreds of caves, too.”
Moe’s gut twisted. He glanced at his watch. There was plenty to be said for technology and gadgets, except they needed boots on the ground. “I’m going east,” he said. “If you find anything promising, radio me.” Parker seemed torn between staying at command central or going with him. “Your place is here,” he said softly. “Leading the team.”
“It is,” she acknowledged. “I could send Jeb with you, but Emit has things under control, and I can make calls from the field as easily as I can sitting in a chair behind a screen.” She glanced at Emit. “We’ll need food and water, for us and the horses.”
His knowing gaze slid between her and Moe. He gave a sharp nod, typing on his cell. “Colton’s got the truck and trailer ready to go. I’ll have provisions sent to the barn in ten minutes. All you need to do is pick your rides.”
Moe gritted his teeth against the words pushing out of his throat. She didn’t trust him. That’s why she was going along. She might as well have strangled his balls in front of everybody. The team CO did not go into the field, unless critically necessary. One of the members acted as the leader of the group. Not Parker, but one of the men who had been a SEAL. The one with the most seniority, the most training, like they did in the military.
Which normally was Trace. Moe felt the man’s hot gaze studying them. He hardened his face and met the super soldier’s stare, daring him to say something. Trace gave a nod of confidence and returned his attention to the screen showing the terrain under the drone he flew.
Good man.
Moe propped his hands on the map, shoving his irritation and annoyance down. He couldn’t lash out or appear insubordinate, so how could he view the situation to his advantage? He and Parker searching for something lost. Horses. Open sky.
I’ll have her alone.That was always a good thing. Plus, he loved horses. He wasn’t psyched about it being night, and all those rattlesnakes running around, but he’d been in worse situations tracking a target. As long as Parker didn’t want to talk about their relationship, he’d be fine.
And maybe, while searching for Charmaine, they’d find what the two of them had lost as well.
