Page 138 of Deadly Strain

“Is he even available for the BRRT?”

Smoke shrugged.

“He is coming back, right?”

Smoke shrugged again.

She stared at the tall, silent man. “Just you wait, Smoke. You’re going to meet a woman who makes you sing like a canary someday.”

He looked at her with puppy-dog eyes. “That’s mean.”

She laughed and went to find some actual information from someone who might actually know what was going on. Max.

Grace found him arguing with General Stone. Perfect, two birds she was happy to stone.

“Excuse me, sirs,” she said, marching up to them wearing her bestI’m a good girl—no, reallysmile. “I have an urgent request for a piece of equipment.”

“Equipment?” Max asked.

“Yes, sir.” She turned to the general. “It’ll require your approval.”

“Oh?”

She turned up the wattage on her smile.

“Well, if it’s urgent and you can’t live without it...” General Stone shrugged.

“What is it?” Max asked.

“Sergeant Jacob Foster.” She dropped the smile and fixed both men in place with a glare that would have done Sharp proud. “I absolutely refuse to work without him.”

“Well, Major, he’s not—”

“Yes, he is,” she interrupted. “No insult intended, General Stone, but he’s the one man I trust without question. Smoke’s like a brother to me, but he asks too many questions.”

“Smokeasks too many questions?” General Stone sounded like he couldn’t believe his ears.

“Yes, sir. He does. Chatters on like a chickadee. Drives me crazy.”

Both men stared at her with their mouths hanging open. Finally, Stone pulled himself together and said, “The thing is, Major Samuels, Foster has already been—”

“General,” Max interrupted. “I think I can deal with the major’s request. Thank you, sir.”

Stone gave Max a short bark of a laugh and started walking away. “I’m happy to turn it over to you.”

As soon as he was out of earshot, Grace said, “I don’t care what assignment he’s on or what jail you have to spring him from, I want Sharp here.”

Max’s exasperated expression would have made her laugh if she wasn’t so damn angry. “Sometimes, Grace, you need to stop and think.”

She blinked. “What does that mean?”

“Or let people finish their sentences.” The tilt of his head told her he was finding this ironic.

“Okay. Sorry. When can Sharp be here?”

“You know what the general and I were talking about just now?”

“No.”

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