Page 7 of The Outpost (Jamison Valley 4)
Beau
“Do you think this is going to work?” I asked Jess and Silas, standing by the tailgate of my truck while Felicity and Sabrina climbed into the back seat.
“I think it’s the best chance she’s got,” Jess said.
“What about you, man?” Silas asked. “We’re asking a lot and your plate isn’t exactly empty.”
No shit. A headache formed between my eyes.
My desk was buried under a stack of paperwork, a search and rescue case could come up at any moment, fire season was right around the corner, and I had obligations to my family that I couldn’t shirk. Putting my life on hold for two or three weeks was going to cause a lot of problems.
Sabrina wasn’t the only one disappearing into the mountains. I’d need to spend some time there to make sure she was settled and comfortable. Once she’d agreed to go to the outpost, I’d started mak
ing a mental list of all the things that needed taken care of.
I blew out a deep breath and rubbed my beard. “I don’t know. Shit’s going to have to just wait, I guess.” Which meant I’d come home to a clusterfuck.
“What can we do?” Jess asked.
“We need to decide what to tell everyone.” The outpost had zero cell service and no way to communicate with anyone in town. People were going to wonder why I’d vanished and why I wasn’t answering my phone or email.
“What if we told people that you got called out of state for an emergency search and rescue?” Silas suggested.
I nodded. “That could work. You’ll have to keep the details vague.”
“Done. We’ll spread the word that it’s confidential. What else?” Jess asked.
“I’ll send an email to the office tonight and let them know I’ll be out for a few weeks. Maybe you could swing by next week and check in?” I asked Jess.
“You got it.”
My only saving grace would be my office manager, Rose. She knew the drill when I had to leave for emergencies. She’d step up and be the boss until I returned. “Rose should be able to keep the staff organized until I come back. My biggest worry is if a case comes up. You’ll have to lead the search and rescue team if one does.”
Jess nodded. “Will do.”
I turned to Silas. “Would you let Maisy know I’ll be gone and have her check in on my house? Tell her the truth about where we’re at, just in case, but have her give my family the story about the search and rescue case.”
“No problem. What if we need to get ahold of you?”
“One of you will have to drive up.” I frowned. “Damn it. I wish there was a phone up there.” It wasn’t the first time I’d thought that all of the outposts in my jurisdiction needed telephones. Some of the bigger outposts had phone lines but the smaller ones had never been upgraded.
“Anything else?” Jess asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll pick up the pieces when I come back.”
“Thanks for doing this. It means everything to Felicity.” Silas reached out for a handshake.
I took his hand. “You’re welcome.”
I wouldn’t admit it now, but I wasn’t just doing this for Felicity.
I admired the hell out of Sabrina. That woman had more guts than most people I knew. To infiltrate a gun smuggling operation and take them down was fucking impressive. Her loyalty to her source was a testament to her character. Her bravery and spirit called to my heart.
Unfortunately, her beauty called to an appendage a little farther south.
Even beaten to a pulp, she was stunning. Her blond hair, brilliant green eyes and supple lips were going to get me in trouble. But this was the right thing to do. I had the skills to keep her safe, and the place.
And if that meant making a mess of my own life, then I’d do it without hesitation.
