Chapter 13

By midday,the framing of the excavated sections inside the chamber was complete. Now, it was just a matter of boxing up artifacts and updating diagrams. The three professors and Luca stayed to do the work while everyone else headed back to the campsite to begin breaking down the unoccupied tents.

They brought the goat back with them, and one of Cookie's kitchen helpers offered to take it home that evening.

Cookie shook her head. "It's going to end up in some tasty tacos."

Everyone went to work breaking down the tents, folding them, then carrying them to the transport truck. In the morning, they'd make their first run to the storage facility to deposit them.

By dinnertime, those who had been working at the ruins returned dirty but satisfied they'd done a proper job of closing up shop.

The scent of grilled meat brought everyone together. Cookie had prepared hamburgers "with all the fixings," French fries, and a fruit salad. There were also sides of fresh-cut vegetables served with a spicy dip. Lastly, she'd made a mango sorbet that everyone groaned over.

Everyone at their table talked about what work still had to be done and how quickly they might manage to complete it. The consensus was that the day after tomorrow, after many trips back and forth to storage, they'd be done.

"What's next for you?" Gunn asked Cookie.

She shrugged, then dipped a French fry into ketchup. "I'll head home. I have a condo in Colorado Springs. I might actually spend some time there. I don't have to do this," she said, waving her French fry to indicate the inside of the mess tent. "I have my pension. I know—I look too young to be retired."

They laughed, but the ex-military in the group knew it was true.

"I joined when I was eighteen and retired when I got my twenty. And I saved. So, I can afford to kick back for a while."

"I hope you'll be up for the next adventure when I find it," Cara said.

"You've got my number."

Gunn leaned against Cookie's shoulder. "You're not wary after how things went down here?"

"There must be a little adrenaline junkie inside me. I can't wait to come back here."

Ty was quiet beside Cara. She nudged him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Heading back to West Yellowstone."

"I've never been there," she said softly.

His head turned toward her. "You should come. I'm pretty familiar with the park and all its amenities."

"You mean, you know where to fish."

He grinned. "The fishing is awesome."

"So long as I don't have to clean them."

He cleared his throat. "I'm serious. You should come."

She laid her head on his arm. "Well, be warned. I might want to stay a while."

"As long as you like," he whispered.

They returned to their tent, gathered their things to hit the shower, but Paulo and Luca were already entering the tent when they arrived.

"We'll let you know when it's free," Paulo said.

They headed back to their tent and lay down together on a cot, side by side.

"This is really too small for both of us," she said. She'd had to swing her thigh over his legs to keep from falling off.

"Imagine what we can do with an actual bed."

"Ugh," she said. "I'll have to think about plane reservations."

"We had the company plane coming down here, but I think it might be a little much to ask for a flight back when we go. Why don't I make reservations for both of us? Same flight? Same destination?"

"Are you sure that's what you want?" she asked. "We haven't known each other very long. What if the new and exotic wears off?"

"Do you really think my new and exotic will wear off?" he asked teasingly.

She snorted, dipping her head. "Honestly, I can't see that ever happening, but what about me? I mean, you've got to have women swarming you. I'd hate to overstay my expiration."

"Expiration?" He tipped her face upward. "I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not some man-whore who has a woman in every port. I don't date that much, not since I was young and fresh to the uniform. I've gotten pretty selective over the years. And while we're at it, you seem to think you don't have men falling all over themselves to be with you. I've seen the way Roy looks at you. If you gave him half a chance, he'd be all over you."

She wrinkled her nose. "That's just crazy. We're friends."

Ty's eyebrows shot upward. "I'm a guy. I know when another guy is checking out my girl."

"Your girl?" she said, locking her gaze with his.

"I'd like you to be my girl," he said, his voice deepening.

They smiled at each other, and Cara thought about how much she liked this man. Very simply put, he made her happy. Not just because he brought out her feminine side but because he really saw her. Saw her as strong and beautiful. Saw her strengths and wasn't put off by them.

She had never had that before in any relationship she'd been in, which had been dismally few. "Where have you been all my life?" she whispered.

"Waiting to find you, Cara."

"Knock, knock," Paulo called from outside their tent. "The shower's free."

"Guess we better go before someone else beats us to it," he said.

Reluctantly, she rolled a little clumsily away, steadied by his arm as she turned to put her feet on the ground and stood. They gathered their kits and headed to the shower.

This time, after thoroughly searching the tent for critters, they shared a stall…to save water, or so Ty claimed.

By the time they finished, they hurried back to their tent and spent the next hour exploring their bodies, sharing kisses that felt sexier than the sex they actually shared.

When resting her cheek against his heart, she thought she'd never been this happy and hoped it wouldn't be something she remembered fondly. She wanted this every day. With him.

Ty wasaware that something was changing between them. Last night had been…nice. And not nice in a way that was just satisfying or just enough. Nice in a way that felt right. Like it was something he never wanted to let go of.

Sitting in the mess tent that morning, with people surrounding them, laughing and talking, he realized he was in love with Cara Woodward.

Yes, he knew the way forward wouldn't be easy. They both had demanding careers, but this thing between them was worth making it work for them. The challenge would be finding the right path and convincing her they should pursue it.

"Okay, so we're agreed," Cara said to the table at large. We're going to consolidate into two tents: all the archeology staff into the professors' tent, and everyone else into the mess tent."

"Since we'll be sending our work tables in the last load today," Roy said, "we'll have room for the four of you." He eyed the students, who all nodded, smiling.

"Last showers by mid-afternoon," Cara said, "then we'll let the tent dry before tearing it down first thing in the morning."

"And tonight, we'll have a party here," Cookie said. "We'll even break the no-booze rule. I've got beer cooling in the fridge."

With breakfast concluded, everyone except those assigned kitchen duty headed out to the tents.

Cara shouldn't have been surprised at how efficiently the two SEALs attacked the task of dropping the tents and folding them, sliding the poles into the folds before tightening straps to hold them together as a bundle. They worked faster than any other team, and soon, they had a truck bed stacked high, ready for a trip into Ma'ax to pack them onto the waiting pallets in the storage facility.

Paulo offered to drive, and Fredi and Luca jumped into the truck bed to help with the unloading.

"I have to pay the annual storage fees," Cara said to Ty, who frowned when she mentioned she wanted to accompany the men into town. "There are three of them. We'll be fine. Plus, you and Gunn will likely have all the work completed by the time we return. It makes sense."

Ty glanced at Paulo, who shrugged. "We've done this dozens of times. The facility is on the outskirts. There are three of us. We'll keep your girl safe." He traced a cross on his chest. "Promise."

"I should go with you," Ty said.

"Stay. Finish." She leaned closer. "Roy's tiring. He's not as young as he used to be, but he's too stubborn to say so."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "All right. I'm overthinking this." Then he kissed her.

She pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans shorts, climbed into the truck"s passenger side, and smiled at Paulo. "No speeding. Ty's probably tracking my phone and will see if we're going too fast."

Paulo laughed and turned the key. "Spoilsport."

The trip into town was uneventful. They backed up in front of their unit, and while the guys unloaded the tents and tables, and a variety of other furnishings, Cara headed to the office where she chatted with the older woman, who was the mother of the owner of the facility.

"Octubre?" the woman asked her, ensuring when they would return.

"Sí, octubre."

The woman calculated the bill, and Cara pulled out the skinny wallet she'd brought and handed her the university's credit card to run. Then, with the receipt in hand, she headed back out into the lot to join the men.

A siren chirped, and she turned her head to watch as a police car pulled up beside her.

Ramos stepped out. Another, slimmer officer accompanied them. Neither wore smiles of greeting. Her back stiffened, and she looked down the row of storage units to see if the guys were aware she was being approached, but then again, Ramos couldn't know they'd figured out he was somehow involved in the happenings at the ruins. Perhaps this was just his usual annoying chance to show her who was in charge.

"Buenos tardes," she said, forcing a smile.

Ramos pointed at her. "You will come with us."

Cara froze in place, trying to think. What was Ramos doing?

"I'm here with Professor Arredondo," she said, pointing toward the truck in the distance.

"Now. You will come now."

"Why must I come with you?" she asked, stalling, hoping the guys would come out of the unit and head her way. No way did she want to get into a car with him.

However, Ramos was advancing. His hand went to the weapon holstered on his hip.

When he reached her, she drew a deep breath. His expression said everything. He wasn't going to listen to anything she said. Her words would be useless. Because she didn't want to show undue alarm and perhaps telegraph that she was aware of just how dangerous he was, she gave him a short, curt nod.

"I'll come with you until we sort out whatever problem this is."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the vehicle while the other officer moved to open the door to the backseat.

"You will understand if I have to use this," Ramos said, holding up his cuffs.

She didn't, but she wasn't going to argue. She'd seen his face—the way his eyes glittered with satisfaction at having her under his power. Now, she had to pray that he was on a power trip and would take her to the station. She didn't want to consider that he was kidnapping her for the purpose of ransom or that he might be taking her somewhere to do what he had to the men in the chamber.

He placed a hand on top of her head and pushed her down. Then he shoved her into the backseat, making her fall sideways. When she righted herself, the door slammed, and the two men climbed in. She scrambled to look out the window.

Paulo was just coming out of the storage unit. His eyes rounded, and he began to run toward them.

Perhaps it was better for him that he couldn't reach her in time. Would he have been taken, too? Would they have killed him?

She didn't know. However, he'd be quick to tell Ty what he'd seen. The only hope she held onto was that Ramos didn't know what Ty was or anything about the Brotherhood Protectors. They were her only hope.

The shadows were deepeningaround the site. It was nearing dusk. In the distance, Ty heard the roar of an engine. The truck was coming way too fast down the dirt track.

Instantly, he felt it in his gut. Something was wrong. He took off at a run, heading toward the motor pool.

The truck stopped in front of the gate. Both Paulo and the two students jumped out.

Ty glanced inside, looking for Cara, but she wasn't there.

When he glanced at Paulo, his face was a stark white.

"Ramos took her," Paulo said, his words coming so fast his accent was heavy. "Him and another officer. She was paying the bill at the office. I came out of the unit and saw it too late. They were gone too fast,"

"Ramos has Cara?" Ty asked, his mind suddenly freezing. He felt like throwing up.

Gunn came up beside him and gave him a quick glance before gripping his upper arm. "She's been taken?"

Paulo raised his hands. "Perhaps she's been arrested…?"

Ty fought to move past the haze that was creeping in. "He hasn't arrested her," he bit out, his voice hoarse.

Gunn leaned closer. "I'm here, man," he said. "Ty…"

Ty swallowed the bile rushing up his throat. "Get your truck," he said, his voice hoarse. "We're heading into town."

"Where would we even begin to look?" Gunn asked.

Ty steeled himself. The haze dissipated. "We'll start at the station. We'll call Stone in the meantime; we'll call Inspector Maldonado." He turned to Paulo. "Does she have her phone on her?"

Paulo ducked back into the truck and then popped quickly back out. "She must have it. It isn't in here."

While Gunn opened the gate, Ty ran back to his and Cara's tent and quickly opened his locker to retrieve a handgun. Then he hurried back to the motor pool, plowing through the crowd that had gathered.

Gunn was just pulling his truck out. Ty climbed into the passenger seat and tapped on his tracking app, praying Cara was somewhere within cell tower range.

The red dot indicating her location appeared. "She was still in Ma'ax. Not on the south side where the storage unit was. She was heading north."

Gunn hit the gas. As they pulled away, Ty brought up his contacts and tapped Stone Jacobs' number.