“Oh, thank God,” Ashley said. “Thank you for calling to tell us that.”
“Team Leader DeWitt,” Thomas continued, “I owe you an apology for being unavailable via walkie-talkie. There was no one at the range, and I was unaware that there was an issue with cell service out on the paintball field. I was on another phone call myself—Tasha, that girl I was telling you about…? She got into some trouble, and her uncle called to see if maybe she’d reached out to me. Anyway, I wrongly assumed that if there was a problem at camp, I’d see the incoming call and be able to switch over immediately. That’s not meant to be an excuse, ma’am, merely an explanation for my distraction and resulting negligence. Again, I’m deeply sorry.”
“It’s okay, Lieutenant,” Ashley told him. “Roger found you quickly enough.” Thomas had made it out to the paintball field’s south trailer just as Jim had gotten Kenneth there. “How’s Clark doing? And has anyone contacted Kenneth’s parents?”
“I’m hanging with Clark in the waiting room right now,” Thomas reported. “He’s okay. Less worried now that we know Kenneth’s risk of complications is much lower. Dunk called Kenneth’s folks—they’re flying in. I think they’re already on their way.”
“That’s great,” Ashley said. “Please let Clark know that we’ll be there soon. GPS says twenty minutes.”
Thomas promised that he and Dunk would stay with Clark at least until she and Jim arrived, and signed off.
Someone in the back said, “There’s always a distraction with them, isn’t there? And it’s always some girl.”
Withthem…? Ashley turned around to look at the three men—all white, all born into wealth, all quitting the relatively easy SEAL World program. She purposely misunderstood, and kept her voice light. Pleasant. A tad condescending. “This girl is the teenaged niece of a high ranking naval officer, who happens to be a dear family friend of Lieutenant King—so hisdistractionis understandable and appropriate. I know what you meant, though. Mendotend to be more easily distracted than women, that’s true, but Navy SEALs usually deal with it better than most.”
Jim may have laughed, but he turned it into a cough, and when she glanced back at him, his eyes were glued to the road in front of them.
The man who’d spoken—the older Peter—was unwilling or unable to let her appropriate his word,them. Or maybe it was being schooled by a woman that chafed. “No need to get your panties in a twist, sweetheart. I’m just saying that boy’s apology’s a thing of art.”
Jim looked sharply into his rearview. “I’m sorry, what?”
Ashley turned around again, but Peter was now silent.
“One of you quitting motherfuckers just called a Team Leadersweetheart, and a Navy SEAL officer aboy,” Jim said as he jerked the wheel hard to the right and pulled off onto the shoulder of the road with a spray of gravel. They were still in the middle of nowhere. Cattle grazed to the left, and a citrus orchard was off to the right. “Whoever just said that better start groveling, or I’ll leave all of you right here, at the side of the road.”
The older Peter cleared his throat. “No disrespect intended.”
“Bullshit,” Jim fired back. “Apologize to Team Leader DeWitt.”
Peter chuckled. “Ah, of course. I apologize,Team LeaderDeWitt.”
And there it was. The look he gave Ashley, with that knowing smile…? It was filled with the assumption that Jim was sleeping with Ashley—that this was the only reason why Jim was adamant Peter show her the proper respect.
“Try it again,sweetheart,” Jim said. “Without the air-quotes aroundTeam Leader.”
“Oh, for the love of God!”
Bruce leaned closer. “Just do it, Peter.”
“What, you really think he’s going to just dump us on the side of the road?” Peter asked.
“He might,” the other Peter chimed in. “And then we’ll miss our flight.”
Peter sighed heavily. “I apologize, Team Leader DeWitt.”
“I’ll take it,” Ashley quietly told Jim. “Let’s go. Clark needs us.”
“One more for Lieutenant King,” Jim ordered.
“My apologies to Lieutenant King.”
Jim shook his head as he pulled back onto the road with another spray of gravel. “I’ll pass that along,” he said as he looked hard into the rearview mirror. “Like Team Leader DeWitt, Lieutenant King is ten thousand times the man you are. And you?Boysin the back who didn’t call out your buddy’s misogyny and racism when it first dribbled from his bullshit-spouting lips…? Fuck you, too. And don’t worry, I’ll include the details of this entire conversation in my report to Senior Chief Duncan.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
The hospital had valet parking.
Which meant Jim could swiftly walk away from the SUV without punching anyone in the face. Ashley didn’t say as much, but it was clear to him she was happy about that—but no doubt only because she didn’t have the time or inclination to bail him out of jail after he was arrested for assault.
