“We’re a bit busy with a town meeting,” Ferris said with a smile.
“Sit down, Ward,” Maureen shouted. “For the love of God, they’re here to work search and rescue, not start a drug cartel.”
The red on Ward’s cheeks crept down to his neck.
“I think this is a great idea,” Anika Sharapova yelled from the third row. “I haven’t felt safe by our river in months.”
Mark Penny, Anika’s boyfriend, nodded in agreement. The two were the town’s most dysfunctional couple. They either loved or hated each other, and judging by the arm around Anika’s shoulders, right now they were in a good patch.
Murmurs of agreement sounded throughout the room.
Ward turned to face the crowd. “Ikeep this town safe. If there’s something that needs doing, you come to me.”
“We do,” Polly called out. “And very little gets done.”
Maureen cleared her throat. “Ward, this isn’t just for the town, it’s for you too. There’s no way your small department can handle what could come.”
Ethan’s brows flickered. Whatcouldcome?
Ward’s gaze shot around the room before landing on Ferris again. “This isn’t over. You better watch your step.” He glared at Ethan’s team. “All of you.”
If the threat bothered Ferris, he didn’t let it show. He smiled wider as the sheriff stormed out of the community center. Then the mayor turned back to the crowd. “I’m going to let Ethan tell everyone a bit about how this is going to work. As we all know, Ethan’s a homegrown Deep River kid. I’ve known him since hewas in diapers. And having the expertise of him and his team will be the key to keeping this town safe.”
Ethan took Ferris’s place. “Thanks, Joe.” He looked over the crowd, and he couldn’t stop his gaze from landing on Maggie again.
She looked straight at him, eyes wide, an expression of shock and maybe even apprehension on her face.
He forced his attention back to the crowd. “You all know me. You know I spent over a decade as a SEAL, and so have the rest of these guys. We’re trained in basic first aid, navigation, search techniques, communications—all of which makes us highly qualified for this job. We also have specializations. Ryan’s our lead.”
Ryan put his hand up.
“Zac’s our medic, so he carries a bit more gear.”
Zac grinned at the group.
“I’m the tech guy, so think drones, GPS software, and communication. Connor’s our rope guy, which is a simple way of saying he does the high-elevation rescues.”
Connor dipped his head.
“And Joel’s our all-rounder. You’ll also always find him with a snack in his pocket.”
“Looking forward to trying those pancakes, Basil,” Joel yelled.
Basil grinned from the crowd.
“Can we call you directly if we need your help?” Polly asked. “Because I doubt Ward will put us through to you.”
Ethan nodded. “Yes. There’ll be a direct number you can use for our team. Our weekdays will be structured with our base being in the old firehouse, but evenings and weekends, we’ll always have someone on call. Any more questions?”
Over the next twenty minutes, Ethan and his team fielded question after question.
When Ferris finally retook his position at the front, Ethan’s gaze went back to Maggie. At this point, he didn’t feel like he had control over it. He was drawn to her. And maybe she was drawn to him too, because she was looking back again.
When the meeting was over, Ethan started toward Maggie, but Nel stepped in front of him.
She smiled, her blue eyes warm. “Hi. You’ve been keeping this secret from me.”
He glanced over Nel’s head to see Maggie watching him. Then Polly grabbed her arm and the two left.
