AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I agree. But I’m a civilian now, and I don’t know anyone with the clout to get me the information I need. Clay offered, but I don’t want him tied up in something that could blow back on him or anyone in his family. You know?”
“I do. And I have a suggestion.”
She cut him a sharp look. “I can almost hear it in my head now. And I’m betting if you say it, I won’t like it. Damn, I shouldn’t have told you.”
“Why?” he felt insulted by her statement. What had he said that made her suddenly on the defensive? He wouldn’t get the answer by going in hot, so he tamped down his emotions. “What’s going on, Rising Wolf?”
“What’s going on is that we could be up against someone with a lot of resources in terms of following and financing. He can afford to bring an army. But if we encourage him to come after me, then we can end him once and for all, and no one will be in danger.”
“Except us, of course.”
“I said me, Gun.”
His eyes went hard and flinty, and she knew she was about to face an argument with him. “I know what you said, Oakley, but that’s not how we’re training the boys. We’re training them to work in teams, as one four-member team, or two, two-member teams. Or have you been training them in the three-member team while I’ve been asleep?”
“You know better than that. But you’ve got to report back in two days, and then who knows how long it will take before you can get back.”
“And you think this guy will move on you that fast?”
“I don’t know. That’s just it, this is all speculation. It’s in my gut, Gun. I know the man trying to work a deal with Mason is Samir. I swear to you I can feel it. What I don’t know is how much Mason might tell Samir about me. For example, where I am.”
Gunner’s foot was pressing the brake before his mind caught up with his actions. “You can’t stay here.”
“I know. But Mason thinks I’m at the reservation so –”
“No, he doesn’t. Clay spoke with him yesterday, remember? He made an offer of funding.”
“Are you sure? How did I not know—”
“You were in the surgical bay with Ivy, working to save that colt.”
“Oh, yes. Right. So, Clay spilled the beans on us being here?”
“Afraid so. I didn’t think anything about it until now.”
“I wouldn’t have either. But now, I can’t go back to the reservation. I sure can’t go back to Texas, so …”
“I have an idea. A guy we served with. He was promoted and given his own team a few years after joining us, and now he’s retired and living on a big spread in Montana. He does a lot of search and rescue in Yellowstone and around the ski resorts in these parts. Let me call him and see if he’d put you up until we can get something more permanent arranged.”
“Okay, thanks. And please don’t mention this to Clay or Grace. I don’t want anyone upset.”
“I think we have to, honey. What if—”
“Samir comes looking for me?” she interrupted.
“You have a better idea?”
“No. Yes. Maybe. Give me a few minutes.”
“Take all the time you need. Until we get back to Clay’s.”
Oakley didn’t pay attention to his last remark. She was already caught up in figuring out what she would need and how she could make a spur of the moment plan work. It took the rest of the drive back, but when Gunner parked the truck and turned to her, she smiled.
“You have a plan to avoid being captured?”
“Nope,” she smiled. “If he comes, it’ll be me doing the hunting. Me and the wolves.”
“All alone?”
