King and Maxwell (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 6)

She was twelve feet up in the crook of a tree with her sniper rifle making wide arcs over the landscape below. Sean was taking up his position near where they believed the father and son might actually meet. But they could be way off about that. And they could be really way off if the fishing hole didn’t turn out to be the right spot at all.

He was communicating with her via an earwig and power pack. She carried the same equipment. It felt like they were back in the Service. And in a way this was very much like protection detail. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to Sean or Tyler. Sam Wingo was still not a sure thing for her. He could go either way. And depending on which way he did go, she might have to put a round in him. Right in front of his son.

Michelle looked down at her trigger finger and wondered if she could do it. But she already knew the answer. She could. And would. Right now Sean was her protectee and she would take a bullet for him if it came to it.

Over her earwig she heard Sean say, “Got an eyeball on something. But I can’t make it out. Just a glimpse.”

“Where?”

He gave her the coordinates and she swung her scoped rifle in the direction. She saw something. It flitted in and out among the trees, almost like vapor.

Then she locked in on it.

“It’s Tyler,” she said. At least they had come to the right place.

“And his father?”

Michelle scanned the area. “No eyes on him yet.”

“He’s probably reconning right now.”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” said a voice.

Sean began to turn toward it when the voice said, “Don’t.”

Sean froze.

In his ear Michelle whispered, “Ten yards to your right, behind the oak. Can’t confirm it’s Wingo.”

Sean gave a bare nod.

“Where’s your partner?” asked the voice. “I want her down here right now.”

Sean said, “Why’s that, Sam? Want to gun us both down?” He said this in an overly loud voice.

“Who are you?” asked Wingo, who had revealed just a sliver of himself behind the oak.

“Someone trying to help your son.” He added in a very loud voice, “Isn’t that right, Tyler?”

“Shut up,” barked Wingo. “Or I’ll put a round in your leg.”

“Didn’t you come to meet Tyler? He’s right over there. Tyler, join the party.”

“I said shut up!” yelled Wingo. He edged out past the oak, his gun pointed at Sean.

Michelle said into Sean’s earwig, “I have a clean shot, Sean.”

He gave a curt shake of his head, and Michelle’s hand moved away from the trigger guard.

“We could have taken you out right now, Wingo. But that’s not what we’re here for.”

“Bullshit!”

“Then here’s proof,” said Sean.

Michelle fired a round that struck a branch two feet above where Wingo was standing. It fell to the ground a foot away from him. Wingo jumped back behind the tree.

“Now do you believe us?” asked Sean.