No Ordinary Day , Tate, Harley [ebook offline .TXT] 📗

led her off into the woods, took the shot, and left Holly and Tank with the ruined Jeep, he could try to find Sanchez on his own. It would take longer, and he might fail, but she’d be dead and gone.

Out of his head and his passenger seat.

He clenched his fists. This was why he had no personal relationships, no friends. Nothing except the job.

The best course of action was to play along, keep her on his side, and let her lead him straight to the next target. Two birds with one stone. But the longer he spent with Emma and Holly… He cursed. Opening up like that? Telling her about Afghanistan? The only people who knew about that were either dead or current coworkers in the same lethal profession.

He ran a hand down his face. He’d have to share when she asked and stop shutting her out or she’d grow suspicious.  It’s what people did during downtime. But he had to find a way to keep from liking these women. No matter what.

He yanked open the tailgate and rooted through the food, pulling out sandwich fixings and a few drinks. With his lips propped up in a smile, he tugged open the driver’s door. “Lucky for us, these were tucked in the cooler.” He held up a pair of beers as he clambered inside with a bag full of food.

Holly spoke up from the back. “Might want to do a taste test. Those are left over from a party months ago. My dad’s not—” She stalled. “Wasn’t much of a drinker.”

Emma reached for a beer with a smile. “Don’t mind if I do.”

John pulled out a package of lunch meat and cheese. Tank nosed his way between the front seats and John frowned.

“Tank, no!” Holly scrambled after him, pulling on his harness. “I think he’s hungry.”

John rummaged around in the bag. “Lucky for him, there’s some questionable leftovers in here.” He pulled out a plastic container of chicken and potatoes, taking off the lid before handing it back to Holly. It took the German shepherd all of thirty seconds to inhale the contents.

Emma laughed. “I guess he doesn’t mind eating suspect food.”

After Tank licked the container clean, he nuzzled John in the shoulder. John smiled despite himself. Maybe the dog wasn’t all bad. It would be good for Holly to have a companion, especially after he ditched her somehow. He flicked his eyes up to the rearview and watched the girl eat a chip before reaching into the bag and handing one to the dog.

He hated to drop her like a stone, but he had a job to do and Emma was it. Letting her walk away wasn’t an option. Not completing a job would terminate his employment—probably terminate him as well. And Emma? She would die anyway.

They finished eating in silence, Emma snarfing two sandwiches, the beer, and a bag of chips before slowing down. John shifted in the seat. “We might as well sleep when we can.”

Holly handed pillows and blankets up from the back. “Thanks for packing these.” Sadness tinged her voice, but John tried to ignore it.

He turned to Emma. “You should get some sleep.”

“And leave you all alone?” She glanced at her watch. “Besides, it’s early. I couldn’t go to sleep now if I tried.”

John turned and stared out the window as Holly fluffed a blanket and curled up against the door. Tank snuggled up beside her, resting his head on her thigh.

After a few minutes, Emma spoke softly. “Do you think she can stay with me?”

“Excuse me?” He turned to see Holly and Tank asleep in the back.

“Do you think family services would let Holly stay with me? Or would she have to go into the foster system?”

John snorted. “If I were her, I’d rather be on the streets than in foster care.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “How could you say something like that?”

He smiled, but it wasn’t joyful. “Because I was in foster care from age five on, and I got out as soon as I could.”

Emma leaned back against the seat. “That awful?”

“Ten homes in nine years. Some were okay. Some not.” He suppressed a shudder. “Only one cared more about me than the state paycheck.”

“Who?”

“Mrs. Duncan. Widow with no kids of her own. She would’ve adopted me if she could.” This time, he smiled for real. “Made the best apple pie.”

“Why didn’t you stay with her?”

John exhaled. “Because when I was eleven, she dropped dead of a heart attack walking from the kitchen table to the sink.” He shifted in the seat. “It was pretty much all downhill from there.”

“So, the military?”

“Only place besides prison I could get three square meals, a roof over my head most of the time, and a bed.”

Emma picked at her nails.

“Don’t pity me. I made my own choices.”

“What choices did you have when you were little?”

He parroted words he’d said a million times. “I am who I choose to be.” For once, he wasn’t sure that was entirely true.

“So how did you get from the military to financial audits? Seems like a leap.”

John made a show of looking at his watch. “You really should get some sleep now. One of us is going to have to stay awake and keep an eye out. People could be enterprising in the night.”

Emma glanced around as if startled. “What do you mean?”

“We’re kind of sitting ducks here if you hadn’t noticed. We have a bunch of food in the back. Car is obviously damaged. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone doesn’t try to break in.”

 “We need to be on watch?” Emma stared wide-eyed as he nodded.

“I’ll take the first shift and wake you up around one.”

Emma didn’t waste any more time. Using the pillow Holly passed up from the back, she made herself as comfortable as possible in the passenger seat. “Wake me up if anything happens.”

He nodded, watching as she closed her eyes. He cursed himself again for letting her get under his skin. Up until now, he’d