“I can always tell. I’m a Marine myself.”
“Army Rangers,” Connor said.
“At least we know he can handle himself if things get dicey,” George said.
Stacy said nothing, only tightened her fingers on the steering wheel.
“She’s giving me the silent treatment now,” George said. “You’d think she was sixteen, not twenty-six. She lived with me, you know, after her mom and I split up. Her choice. The two of us made a great team. She’s smart, like me, and gorgeous, like her mother. I ran off more than one boy with the wrong idea.”
She groaned. “Dad. Connor isn’t interested in any of that.”
“I’m just letting him know I’m the type who does whatever it takes to protect his family.”
“I can certainly respect that,” Connor said.
Stacy wished she could see his face. He almost sounded like he was trying not to laugh.
“Dad, I’m not a helpless teenager anymore,” she said. “I’m a trained special agent, and it looks bad to have my father—who has no business being involved in an investigation—showing up to interfere.”
George looked to Connor. “I’m a special agent, too. Did she tell you that?”
“Retired,” she said.
“That wasn’t my idea,” George said. “And I’m not going to interfere. I’m just your backup if things go south. Daughtry had no business sending you out here alone.”
“Because he knows I can handle this,” she said.
“I’m sure you can. But there’s no harm in being careful. Pretend I’m not even here.”
A choked sound from Connor. Hewaslaughing now, she was sure.
George faced forward again. “Where is this place anyway?”
“Only a few more miles,” she said.
“Remote, dark, only one way in,” George said. “Good setup for an ambush. Are you armed, Connor?”
“No, sir.”
George leaned down, then handed something over the back seat. “You can use this, just in case. I’ve still got my sidearm.”
“Dad!”
“I’m sure a former Army Ranger knows how to handle a weapon,” George said. “When you’re dealing with people like this, it’s good to be prepared for anything.”
Stacy clenched her teeth and drove on. There was no sense arguing with her father. She could apologize to Connor later. Or not. It wasn’t as if they wereinvolvedor anything. He was simply helping her with her investigation.
The SUV’s headlights illuminated a brown Forest Service sign indicating the turn for the campground. Stacy drove until she spotted a line of cars parked alongside the road, and backed in beside the last vehicle. They got out and headed toward the glow of a lantern a short distance away.
Stacy walked fast, putting some distance between her and the two men. Connor caught up with her, her father farther behind. She glanced at him. “I thought you weren’t interested in helping me,” she said. “Why did you change your mind about coming tonight?” She kept her voice low, not wanting to be overheard by anyone else who might be lurking out here in the darkness.
“No way could I miss seeing you and your dad work this out,” he said.
“He still treats me like I’m sixteen and I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“That’s not the impression I got.”
“What do you know about it?”
