Page 34 of Trapped with the Covert Ops Soldier

Home. Peaceful, happy, safe.

Not if she brought the boogeyman back with her. Not if she dragged whatever shit she was in back with her to that oasis.

“No.”

“This is one time I won’t take no for an answer.”

“I’m a big girl now Dad and I’m over eighteen, you don’t get to tell me what to do any more.”

“You’ll be my daughter until the day I die.”

“I will not destroy the only place I have left to run to when things get really bad.”

He spread his hands and asked with a voice that was as angry as it was incredulous, “This isn’t really bad?”

“Oh, Dad. This...is a cake-walk.”

His shoulders fell and he finally sat down in the chair facing the desk. “What the hell happened to you over there?”

“The truck I was riding in was blown up and I landed in Hell. I spent six hours there. And for those six hours the only thing that kept me alive was one covert ops soldier named Smitty and a shit load of bullets.”

“Why didn’t you tell us this before?”

“Because I didn’t know how to tell you. I still don’t.”

He stared at her for a moment, then said quickly, “I know about the dynamite you throw into the lake every morning.”

“Yeah, I figured that.”

“Your mother and I decided to let you do things at your own speed, but this...” He took a breath. “This is something else. We can’t stand by and let you handle it alone.”

“Dad, if I had any idea of what was going on I would have told the Sheriff. I really, really don’t know.”

“Come home. Please.”

“I won’t bring this to your door.”

“Knock, knock.” Her office door swung inward, framing Smitty in the doorway. “Sorry, but I couldn’t help overhear some of your conversation.”

“It’s okay, Smitty. Come in.”

He came into the room, closing the door behind himself.

“Is there anyone else out there?”

“No, I sent your receptionist home and locked the front door.” He held out his hand to her dad. “Good to meet you, sir. I’m Spencer Smith.”

Her dad got up and shook Smitty’s hand. “Can you tell me what’s going on? My daughter has decided I don’t need to know.”

“Your daughter is trying to protect you. She tends to do it to everyone except herself.”

“Hey!” She smacked Smitty on the shoulder.

The two men ignored her.

“The latest info from the Sheriff is that the round that nearly took her head off is one popular with police and military snipers. I checked in with a couple of friends, but they haven’t heard a thing about anyone going after Abby. Whoever it is, they’ve got nothing to do with her military service. I think it’s someone from here with an axe to grind. Can you think of anyone who might have had sniper training or is an avid hunter?”

“Half the county hunts on a regular basis and we have several veterans who are good with a rifle, though I don’t know of any who were snipers specifically.”

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