Page 70 of Lucky Charm

Cait turned to look at Hunt. The panic and temper had settled, but she stayed serious and unsmiling. Hunt put a hand on her arm to stop her from moving.

The other men went past her into the hall.

“I’ll be in touch. Tonight. Don’t talk about this to anybody,” he whispered near her ear.

“Don’t leave me hanging.” She seemed to have trouble moving away from him, but when she did, she was gone.

∞∞∞∞∞

Stocker waiting inside the Operations Center did not bode well for calm reporting when he wanted to talk to Scott alone. The room was unusually quiet. Sutter started to him, then held when Stocker spoke.

The man shrugged to adjust his black bomber jacket. “Good work. Another man down. How do they leave you in command?”

Not in the mood for the man’s sarcasm, Hunt figured the least said the better. “Did you want something?”

“Yes, a report.”

“I don’t work for you. You can hold until Scott briefs you.” He turned to Sutter. “Can you find me Baxter’s mother’s contact information. It should be in his paperwork. I want to call her immediately, so she beats him to Germany.”

The man frowned. “Man, sorry. Yeah, right away. Anything else?”

“Where is Scott?”

“In his office.”

“The vehicles are a mess. Our gear is a mess.”And there’s a dead body in the back. He wasn’t about to utter that in front of Stocker.

“I’ll take care of it.” Sutter glanced at Stocker and back at Hunt.

Hunt waved him off.

“What did you find?”

“Did you not understand that I’ll report to Scott first? Place is a dead zone.” That at least was true.

“Somebody shot your man.”

“Yes, that’s true.” He walked away, exiting the conference area, and making for the small offices at the back. Scott was on the phone, so he waited in the doorway.

Stocker hadn’t followed him. He fished out his phone and texted Doogie. “Tell the team not to talk to Stocker.”

“They aren’t in a talking mood,” he texted back.

Hunt grunted and shoved his phone away.

Scott hung up and stared at him. Hunt took the silence and entered, shutting the door behind him.

Scott raised a brow. Questions were in that expression.

“We have a dead body in the car. It’s Haquiri. One bullet to the forehead. Dumped in a ravine near the compound.”

Scott swore. “And the confrontation?

“I have no idea. They popped from nowhere. Two trucks, eight men each. Two in the cab, six in the back of each truck. Same tactic from earlier. I’m guessing they came from a hidey hole in the mountains. Professionals this time. New weapons. We were loaded in two vehicles and split tracks to flank them on either side going the opposite direction. Tommy blew up one of the trucks. The other one crashed.”

“Baxter?”

“Got hit getting into the vehicle. Still drove a hell of a long way. Bullet nicked an artery in his leg. He’s going to Germany for pancakes and a date with a different doctor. Doc’s taking care of him. I’ll connect with his mother here in a minute.”