“Affirmative. We haven’t identified all potential compromised personnel. Can’t risk the leak.”
“What about Velaria?”
“She’s on board. Her father runs the department, but that’s exactly why she understands the risk. One bad actor and the whole op is blown.”
“Understood.”
“Your Wyoming contact is our best lead on identifying the outfit running these operations. It’s not ideal running an asset meeting with a principal in tow. But if anyone can manage the dual tasking, it’s you.”
“I’ll make it work.”
“Keep me posted. Anything changes, you call it in.”
“Copy. Out.”
She hung up, feeling the weight of her assignment settle onto her shoulders.
When she climbed into the back, Reed set their plates on the table. Dinner was spaghetti with meat sauce and toasted garlic bread.
“Smells good,” she said, inhaling the scent of garlic and parmesan.
She swirled noodles on her fork and took a bite. It was really good and hit the spot.
“I used to make this for my older siblings when they came home, after they all moved out. Mom passed away when I was sixteen.Being the baby of the family, I got to play host while I still lived with Dad.”
“I’m sorry about your mom,” she said. She’d lost her father young too. It had been a defining event of her life. And something she still hadn’t fully come to terms with. The way her mother changed after he was gone had colored the way she viewed relationships, and it wasn’t something she could just forget.
“It was a long time ago.”
“You’re close to your family,” she said, taking a bite of toast.
“Yeah. We all ended up staying in Fate Mountain in the end. We have family dinners at Dad’s house. Parties at the orchard now that Ash is married to Eliana. With everyone mated and the babies growing up, we’re making new traditions of our own.”
She tried to imagine this big family gathered together. Kids running around. People talking over each other. It was something she’d never had.
“What about you?” he asked. “Do you have any brothers or sisters? Are you close to your family?”
“I’m an only child.”
Siren went silent and Reed didn’t press for more. When they’d finished eating, he picked up their plates without asking and cleaned up.
Siren walked outside and tossed another log on the fire before settling into a camping chair. Reed came back out of the van with his guitar case in hand and sat down in the chair across from her.
“Do you mind if I play?” he asked.
Siren looked around, knowing his guitar was part of his old life. But she didn’t see what it could hurt out here. There were no signs they were being watched.
He took it out of the case and tuned it up. The firelight caught his face, softening his features.
He started to play an old country song she’d heard a million times. His voice was low and warm, blending with the crackle of the fire and the wind through the pines.
She’d heard his recording in the car. But this was different. Live, unfiltered, just for her. The intimacy of it made her chest tight. He played a few more songs and then stopped, adjusting his fretboard.
“I’ve been working on something in my head,” he said, not looking at her. “I haven’t tried it out loud.”
He started playing. The melody was simple and tentative. Like he was still finding it.
“There’s a cabin past the timberline. Where the air runs cold and thin. Smoke rising through the evergreens. But no footprints leading in.”
