Page 3 of Mountain Defender

“We can set up a video call,” Tripp suggested.

“And you can take the call while you’re in town getting supplies. We’re out of chocolate bars.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, reminded of the bruise on his jaw when he bumped it. “I’m still of the mindset that the government should be supplying us with s’mores fixings. And good toilet paper.”

Rafe didn’t crack a smile at his half-hearted attempt at a joke. “Tripp. Are you even going to tell me what happened to your niece?”

It wasn’t that hecouldn’ttalk about it—he just didn’t. After all, he was trained to be tight-lipped, to keep it all locked inside.

He could also see Rafe wasn’t going to back down on this. He could find out for himself, but he wanted to hear it from Tripp’s mouth.

“She was murdered last winter.”

“Jesus, Tripp. I’m so goddamn sorry.”

He gave a small nod in reaction before going on. “She lived in a cabin a few hours from here with her boyfriend. They’d been together for about a year.”

“And where is he?”

“Gone. Nobody can find him.”

Rafe blew out a breath. “So he’s a suspect.”

“Yup.”

“And you’ve been going into the mountains to look for any sign of him? Or do research?”

“Something like that.” He wouldn’t commit to saying much more.

Rafe gave him a long, appraising look. “Is it true that you came back to the States to kill a guy? I can only assume it’s the boyfriend.”

He shifted his shoulders. “No.”

Rafe cocked a brow.

“Okay, yes. But Ididn’t.” His chest started filling with that horrible hot and prickly feeling, the one that sneaked up on him when he was least expecting it. Maybe he should take up violent wood-chopping like Vlad. The pair of them could supply the team with firewood for the rest of the year.

He drew in a deep breath. “I was on an op when it happened. My contract was up with the SEALs and it seemed like the out I needed to come home and find out what happened.” He stared at the floor but wasn’t seeing anything but precious moments with his niece.

“We were close, she and I.” His throat closed and he forced it to open to emit more words. “My sister is much older than I am, and she had Kelsey when I was just seven years old. We grew up more like siblings, but once I hit my twenties I took over a protective uncle role.”

Rafe studied him. “Be careful, man. You can’t afford to make any mistakes on this. Not if you want to remain part of the team.”

He chuckled. “What do you think I’m gonna do?”

Rafe stared at him long and hard. “What you’re trained to do. Hunt down the murderer and kill him.”

Alexia’s boss was a ballbuster. And she was about to get hers metaphorically busted.

She smoothed her straight brown hair over her shoulder and braced herself. Talking to her boss always left her feeling on edge no matter how much she prepared herself. While he came down hard on all of the investigators, he pushed her harder than the rest.

If she didn’t know he did it because she was the best, she’d have a complex.

Eric Stahlman’s desk was cluttered with photos of his wife, kids and family pets, all of whom Alexia had met. Off to the side of the desk sat a plaque recognizing Eric for twenty-five years served and thousands of criminals brought to justice.

“Sorry I’m late.”

She twisted in her seat as her boss breezed to his desk and plopped into his seat.

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