Only Her (A K2 Team Novel)(24)

“Are you the police? I know all the officers around these parts, and I’ve never seen you two.” She smiled and mischief danced in her eyes. “Believe me, I’d remember if I had.”

“No, ma’am,” Ryan said. “We’re not the police, just trying to find the girl. Her parents are really worried about her.”

“People say I’m a good judge of character, and I don’t sense any threat coming from either of you, even though you’re about the biggest, strongest men I’ve ever seen. Swear on something you hold dear that you’re being honest with me.”

Ryan stuck his hand in a back pocket and pulled out his wallet, opening it to a photo. Cody craned his neck to see it. It was one of Ryan, a pretty woman, and a rabbit.

“You take pictures with your rabbit?” Cody snorted. He’d save that one for a day he needed to razz his friend.

“Totally Charlie’s idea.” He showed it to Mrs. Waterman. “I swear we’re being honest with you. This is my fiancée, who I’d willingly die for.”

Mrs. Waterman turned her attention to Cody, her brow raised. Phone in hand, he clicked on a picture of Sally, Pretty Girl, and Layla taken in Afghanistan. In it, his dogs sat at his feet, peering up at him. He remembered that day. Dressed in full battle gear, about to go out on patrol, he was telling them to stay. Anyone could tell by looking at those three that they wanted to go with him.

He didn’t look at the picture often because it killed him to see Layla, the prettiest of the three with her wolfhound features, as she stared at him, her eyes begging him to take her so she could protect him from all the evil things. That was his Layla, always worried about him.

“Cody, show her the picture.”

His friend knew what it had cost Cody to return home without knowing Layla was safe, and the sympathy in Ryan’s eyes about undid him. He shook off the headfirst dive his thoughts had taken. “Right.” He held up his phone. “I swear on these dogs, one of which saved my life, that we’re being honest with you.”

She stared at it a moment, covering her heart with her hand. “My grandson lost a leg over there. Yes, I’ve seen your couple. They rented a cabin for two weeks. I felt bad about taking all their money, but the cabin’s not mine, so I had no choice.”

Cody met Ryan’s eyes. As it didn’t seem Mrs. Waterman had heard of the convenience store holdup, he didn’t mention it. Nor did Ryan.

“Get those kids back to their parents where they belong. They’ll never survive up here through the winter.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Cody said, giving her a warm smile.

“Oh, I almost forgot to warn you boys. It’s deer season, so watch out for hunters back in those woods.”

Ryan tipped an imaginary hat. “Thanks. We’ll keep an eye out.”

They left with the address and directions to the cabin. “I can’t believe how easy that was,” Ryan said.

“Easy makes me nervous.” Cody would’ve knocked on wood, but there was none in sight in the Range Rover. He still couldn’t shake the bad vibes. Scanning the directions, he said, “Go halfway around the lake, then we need to watch for a row of mailboxes. A mile past those, there’s a dirt road to the right.”

“How far down the road to the cabin?”

“About two miles. There’re four cabins, and the kids have the one on the far right.” Mrs. Waterman had told them that they were one-room cabins, with a small bathroom in the left corner, which was good since there wouldn’t be many places to hide.

“We’ll park out of sight and go in on foot,” Ryan said.

Fortunately, the area was wooded, giving them cover. About a half mile from the cabin, they found a place where they could park the Range Rover. Using the woods as cover, they made their way to the last cabin on the right. Two rocking chairs sat on the front porch, and in one was Megan Sanders. She appeared to be crying.

“Wonder where the boy is,” Ryan said.

“The car’s here, so he’s either inside or out in the woods. Looks like it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.”

Ryan sighed. “I never know what to do with a crying woman. She’s yours. I’ll deal with the boy.”

Like he knew what to do with one. “Remind me to forget to buy you a Christmas present.”

“Fair trade.” Ryan took his earpiece from a cargo pocket and put it on. “I’ll ease around and come up on the side of the cabin.”

Cody put his earpiece in, zipped his coat up to his neck, and kept his eyes trained on the girl as Ryan slipped away. He kept his ears tuned to the back of him. As he settled into his surroundings, he began to feel as one to all that was going on around him—the same as in his sniper days—aware of every little sound, every movement, any alert of danger.