Page 48 of Legacy's Call

“Literally.” Another laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “At least we aren’t filling in the old holes today.”

Ronan chuckled as the men left. Mathias assigned the rest of his men’s duties and then turned to Ronan. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“A question,” Ronan said as they moved back to the front of the tent. “The cutting tools are left out all night?”

“Sure. But I account for everything.” Mathias looked at him and frowned. “Why?”

“Would you have the ability to lock them up?”

“Yeah, I could do that, but again, I ask why?”

Ronan rubbed his chin, which was now covered in a full beard. “Call it a preventive measure. Your night shift shouldn’t be working on the fence line at night, right?”

“Well, no. But I think you have more in mind than preventive measures. My brother-in-law is a retired detective. I recognize that look in your eyes. He knew things without actually knowing things, which doesn’t make sense until you meet the guy. You’re like him. You have ideas on what’s going on, don’t you?”

“Guilty,” Ronan admitted. “Help me determine whether I’m right or wrong and lock those up from now on when you leave?”

“You got it.” Mathias nodded. “Anyone could come in here and use them. Damn it. I didn’t even think about that.” He shook his head. “I’ll make sure of it,” the man said with a conviction that Ronan couldn’t doubt. “I hate that one of the people we are trying to help could be doing this to their own.”

“The idea sucks. I’ll get out of your hair. It sounds like you have a full day.”

“Every day. I’m just about to make a pot of coffee. Would you like to join me?” Mathias offered.

“I’d like to. It was a long night, but I have things to do. Some other time?”

“Sure, my daughter sends it over, and I have a stockpile. She’s a good girl and, currently, my favorite because her shipments before the convoy problems kept me in the good stuff even with the supply convoys stopped.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ronan said as he lifted a hand and left the tent. Miller had picked the right person to talk to. Mathias seemed squared away, but someone wasn’t. Someone was aiding the fuckwads outside the fence line.

CHAPTER 12

Ronan walked quietly down the small trail. It was dark, but the moon was full and illuminated the trail ahead of him. He saw Adil step out of the brush about ten feet in front of him. “Your man will watch your backtrail, yes?”

“Of course.” Wraith always had his back. It was a given.

“Your uncle and his team are good men. They did a hard job.”

“I didn’t tell you he was my uncle.” Ronan crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at the man.

“Of course, I made a few calls of my own today. A very old, dated satellite phone may have been left in my care. I’m sure you will understand I do not take things at face value.”

Ronan liked this guy. “I get it. What do you have for me?”

“Unfortunately, not a lot. I have asked my contacts for information, but from what I gather, the person inside the camp is protected. They have some value or potential value to the people using him.”

“Him?”

Adil nodded. “I do know that much. A man, a foreigner, who the ISIL is using to give them information on the convoys.” The ISIL was a militant fundamentalist group that reigned in waves of terror in the area.

“What did they gain from attacking the convoys?”

“The first convoy was attacked to take out one of the escorts. He was a threat to the man in the camp.”

“How do you know this?”

“I know who attacked the convoys.” Adil shrugged. “They were told to take whatever they wanted, but the man had to die.”

“And the rest of the convoys?”