It didn’t take three guesses to know what the boss was thinking: Lancaster had come to Durango for the key. So why hire Charly? An exchange of some sort had to be involved. He slowed his pace and tried to look tired. Anything to make it more believable when his boss got the call tomorrow that Will was down with a late-season case of the flu.
* * *
HOURS LATER, AS the first evening stars lit the sky over the mountains, Will’s new Jeep managed the rugged drive between the highway and the Binali property with no problem. When he’d bought the car, he’d told himself it was an investment, part of the cover for the job. And he’d been right, but soon discovered he enjoyed the rugged capability of this vehicle as much as he’d enjoyed the sleek, sexy speed of the Corvette he’d left in storage in DC.
She came around the far corner of her house as he parked next to her truck, stopping with her hands on her hips and her head tilted in a silent question.
“Hey,” he called out, pushing open his door. “Am I intruding?”
“Not really.” Her brow furrowed. “I thought we postponed.”
“We did,” he agreed with a smile. But he needed information and thought he could do something nice for her in the process. Two birds, one stone. “You have to eat, right?”
“Yeah. I can throw something together, I guess.”
She didn’t have to say it. He could see he’d made a mistake, thrown her off by showing up unannounced this way. Nothing to do but go big before she sent him home. “I brought burgers, fries and shakes.”
Her face brightened with interest. “Chocolate?”
“Or strawberry. Your choice.”
“Hedging your bets?”
“A little,” he admitted. “I didn’t even eat all the fries on the way over. Do you have time for a break?”
“Sure.” She smiled and waved him closer. “Bring it on back.”
He grabbed the takeout bags and drinks and followed her around to what appeared to be a small workshop set back from the house.
She cleared space on one end of a table loaded with all kinds of camping gear and then pulled over another stool for him.
Taking a seat, he placed a hot burger and scoop of fries in front of her and scattered a handful of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise packets between them. “They’re both loaded with everything.”
“Sounds good. I didn’t want to postpone tonight,” she said after she’d unwrapped the burger and prepped it her way. “I was looking forward to beating you at pool again.”
He laughed as he dragged a fry through the ketchup he’d puddled on a corner of the foil wrapper. “You said it’s an early start tomorrow?”
“We’re meeting at six thirty to load up. This guy’s serious about getting the most of each and every day.”
“Hope you charged him extra.”
“Better believe it.” She shot him a wink. “My family drummed business sense into me right along with camping and tracking.”
He bit off more of the juicy burger, chewing as he looked around the workshop and up toward the mountain peaks before meeting her gaze again. “You’ve got a nice place out here.”
Her lips curved with pride. “I’ve always thought so.”
Stars came to light, more with each passing minute. He hadn’t seen a night sky so full since those long nights alone in Afghanistan. “You don’t mind being tied so closely to your family?”
“Tied?” She chuckled, brushing salt from her fingers. “It’s an honor to carry on what my elders started. Is that why you went into the navy? To get untied?”
Untied. He’d never thought of it like that. “Maybe so.” It hadn’t started that way. His parents had been proud of him...before things fell apart.
“Hmm. You really should think before you gush on and on like that,” she said with a wink.
The urge to explain his decisions surprised him. This was hardly the best time to confess his parents didn’t speak to him because his brother had died while following in his military footsteps. There was never a good time for that story as far as Will was concerned. Besides, he had a job to do here, even if the company was beautiful and friendly. “Are you meeting this guy and his team at the main park entrance?”
She nodded. “Clint’s meeting me at the shop, then we’ll meet the clients at the parking lot.” She balled up her burger wrapper and tossed it into the bag. “Clint’s so excited about the extra team challenge stuff he probably won’t sleep at all tonight.”
Will knew the type. He only had to look in the mirror. “I competed in a few challenge course events during my navy days.” He’d developed more than a few as a SEAL. He liked the way it felt when her dark eyes skated over his body. “Don’t believe me?”
“I believe you,” she said, her voice a little breathless. She cleared her throat and slid off the stool to consider the gear spread out on the other end of the long table. “We won’t be doing static courses out there.”
“Is that some sort of insult?”
“What?” She whipped around, color flooding her cheeks. “No. I would never—”
“Relax.” He came to his feet, hands out, palms open. “I was just messing with you. What kind of things does Clint have planned for the group?”
“Probably too many.” She rubbed her arms through the thick fabric of the company sweatshirt she wore and sighed. “I didn’t mean static courses were any less of a challenge than what we set up during an excursion.”
“It’s okay,” he said, rubbing her shoulder. He was flattered by her concern about offending him. It made him think he had something to look forward to with her after the Lancaster operation was complete.
The powers that be wanted Will to report Lancaster’s position, whom he met with and what items or information were exchanged. Apparently, those curious people at the top of the food chain didn’t share Will’s concern that in order for a man like Lancaster to feel safe about whatever he was up to, anyone who knew about his plans would have to be eliminated.
“I like you, Charly.” He blurted it out, immediately wishing he could reel it back in. “I’m sure you’ve got this under control, but it all sounds sudden and risky.”
She shrugged that off, clearly more comfortable with the camping prep than looking at him. “It’s sudden, but not risky.”
He listened, thinking it was too easy when she explained the route and the typical places where Clint set up various challenges and teamwork opportunities. “We’re not even doing much of the heavy lifting.”
“What does that mean?”
She rubbed at her temples, a frown marring her brow. “My client assured me his team is fit and up for anything.”
“Is there some reason to doubt him?”
She spread her hands wide and then reached for a hiking pack, stuffing supplies into pockets with an efficiency he admired. “I hope not. For their sake. The route Clint and I are taking isn’t for amateurs.”
“I’m looking forward to getting out and doing some exploring myself soon.” Right now he wished he’d done more than admire the mountains from the convenience of his route. Didn’t matter. He’d always found his assigned quarry and survived no matter the odds or terrain.
“David does river hikes a couple of times a week,” she said with a wince.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Two things.” She balled up wool socks and tucked them into open spaces. “It’s water,