Project Sundown by Matt Sloane

Author:Matt Sloane [Sloane, Matt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

15

Carver debarked from his pickup to see Lorelai approaching. She waved and he waved back, prompting her to smile and hasten her gait. Opening the truck's back door, he recovered the SIG from his range bag and holstered it to his belt where it would be plainly visible to law enforcement.

Considering the innumerable ways today could go wrong, he had given Shaw and Morgan the day off.

"Howdy, Vince," said Lorelai as she converged, military cap smartly tying her hair in the back. She didn't have a gun.

"How are you today?" he asked warmly.

"A little uneasy, if I'm honest. You wouldn't happen to know what's going on, would you?"

Carver eyed her quizzically and was about to ask for details when Holt rounded the building with his guys.

"The prodigal son returns!" he called. Holt held his AR across his chest on the way over.

"What's with the sarcasm?" Carver asked Lorelai.

She shrugged. "Don't know but he's sure acting weird."

Holt peeked into the Ram's windows. "No sniper team today, huh?"

"Sorry to disappoint," Carver replied. "Shooting's not on the schedule today."

Holt rapped Carver's shoulder with misplaced familiarity. "But you decided to come in and check up on us anyway, didn't you?"

Carver swiveled his head to the spot Holt had touched before resuming eye contact. Lorelai wasn't wrong about something being off, but Carver couldn't afford to show his hand before he knew what everyone else was holding. Better to play it cool.

"I'm part of the team," asserted Carver, "aren't I?"

Holt chuckled, standing close to amplify his one-inch height advantage. "Of course you are. I'm just surprised you showed up without backup."

Lorelai squeezed between them, using considerable force to clear space. "What's gotten into you today?"

Holt's eyes didn't leave Carver. "Lorelai, stay out of this."

Her hands planted on her hips. "Or what?"

He turned to her. "Get out of here or we're gonna have a talk later."

She bit her lip and her face went red.

"It's all right, Lorelai," said Carver before she exploded. "Holt's not going to have a talk with you, is he?"

Both men stared hard. Carver doubted Holt would be as confident without Johnny and Steve. Maybe he would. He was certainly somewhat capable. Even more to the point, he had a high opinion of himself.

"Don't forget what Sam said about going against your own people," Holt warned. Lorelai's eyes hit the ground, and Carver wondered which of the Grafton's had a bigger hold over her. "Now go on before you need to explain yourself to the deputy."

Her eyes scrambled between the available faces, searching for a rescue.

Carver nodded. "It's okay. We're just going to talk."

She swallowed, thought a second, and almost turned to go. Then, at the last second, she gave Carver's hand a squeeze. Holt ground his teeth, and she spun away without meeting his gaze. Holt bored holes into her as she receded toward the house.

Carver plastered an easy smile across his face and turned to fuming man.

"Real magnanimous of you," grated Holt.

"You get that from your word-of-the-day calendar?"

"I guess you're the smart one, huh?"

"No, but I do have some advice.

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