Hunt the Lion by Chad Zunker

Author:Chad Zunker
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781503903074
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2018-09-03T22:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-TWO

Still wearing her Redskins cap pulled low on her forehead, Natalie sidled up to a crowded bar. When the bartender came over, she ordered a pint of Bold Rock and the Rachel—a roasted turkey sandwich with spicy kraut on rye bread. She’d barely eaten a thing since before the car wreck last night. Even though hungry, she wasn’t sure her stomach could handle much of anything. It had been tied up in so many knots. She casually glanced around the Ugly Mug, a popular sports bar near the Marine Barracks at Eighth and I, thus a local favorite for the military crowd. There were dozens of strapping buzz-cut young men sitting at the bar and crowding the tables, where they dined on burgers, wings, and other typical bar food. Even at the early lunch hour, the place was busy.

Natalie had been to the bar often the past few years, as it was a convenient meet-up location for many of her military sources. She had to admit she felt a bit safer with so many chivalrous young marines sitting all around her. Even if found, she doubted her mystery man with the goatee would make any serious moves in such a place. Still, there were a lot of second looks from several men. She didn’t like being this exposed or staying in one place for too long right now. With dangerous people out there clearly looking for her, she needed to stay unpredictable and constantly on the move.

She kept her eyes straight ahead, where she could spot anyone approaching in a mirror behind the bar. She was specifically looking for one man. She took a gulp of the Bold Rock, the hard cider tasting good as it went down her throat. Staring in the mirror, her eyes looked puffy and tired. It had been a difficult night. She knew there would be little to no sleep until she got to the bottom of this and somehow had Sam home with her. If he didn’t come home, she might never sleep soundly again.

A few minutes later, a man in his thirties with a buzz cut like the others and wearing a tan polo shirt with jeans made his way through the bar to an open stool next to her. His name was Levi Connor. After fifteen years of active duty in the marines, he now worked for an organization that lobbied on the Hill on various veterans’ matters. Natalie had met with Levi several times over the past two years when she needed a military perspective or insight on different stories. And sometimes when she needed help finding someone. Levi was a wealth of knowledge and connections. Something she sometimes exploited, since she knew Levi had a thing for her.

“Didn’t figure you for a Redskins fan,” Levi said, glancing at the cap.

“I’m actually not,” Natalie said. “The Chiefs are my team, but I needed the cap. Buy you a beer?”

“Sure.” Levi ordered a pint of Pacifico from the bartender. He turned back to Natalie, glanced down at her left hand with wide eyes, and cursed.

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