LITMIR.BIZ

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      Matt nodded. She returned a moment later with a pack that looked broken in, and his impression of her capabilities inched a little higher. This was not the bag of a novice—she’d clearly done some kind of camping in her life.

      Emma placed the bag on his desk and unzipped it, pulling it open with a little flourish. “Search away,” she said, the barest edge to her voice.

      He met her eyes and could tell she knew he was looking for a way to discredit her. But he wasn’t going to apologize for his resistance. He’d been roped into this investigation without warning, and he wasn’t about to take her on a search without first knowing she could handle herself on the trails.

      He combed through her bag, feeling a little self-conscious under the weight of her gaze. A sense of grudging admiration built as he realized she’d brought all the essentials, plus a few extra small conveniences. She was definitely prepared, at least from a packing perspective.

      Matt zipped her bag closed and pushed it toward her. “Okay,” he said. “Let me get my stuff and we’ll set out.”

      Emma nodded, relief flashing across her face. “That sounds great.” He could tell she was anxious to get started, and truth be told, he was eager to begin, as well.

      “Have you ever done anything like this before?”

      “Not exactly,” Matt hedged. He’d never mounted a search like this in his time as a park ranger, but it reminded him of one of the missions his squad had been sent on overseas. They’d been tasked with providing extra man power to a small group of Special Operations soldiers as they hunted for a well-known terrorist operative. They’d spent days combing the desert and beating down doors, but ultimately their search had proved unsuccessful. It wasn’t exactly the kind of encouraging story Emma needed to hear right now.

      Hopefully this time, he’d have better luck.

      * * *

      The sun was high in the sky, a fiery ball that made her eyes water from its brightness. Emma was grateful for her hat, and hoped that Joseph was keeping Christina in the shade. Her baby skin was sensitive to the sun, her blue eyes even more so.

      For the millionth time, she wondered what her brother had been thinking. He’d always been impetuous, acting on emotion rather than reason. And after their dad’s death a few years ago, Joseph’s self-control had practically disappeared. That’s when his gambling had gone from a hobby to a problem. But kidnapping was beyond the pale, even for him. She’d never thought him capable of endangering a child, especially one he’d held and played with before. Had she simply missed the signs, or was this a new, dangerous aspect of his personality? Joseph was a stranger to her now, and Emma knew that later, after she had Christina back safely in her arms, she’d mourn the brother she’d lost.

      She glanced over at Matt, walking alongside her. It was clear he’d been reluctant to let her join the search, but he wasn’t being an ass about it now. With his long legs, he could easily have set a pace designed to make her quit. Instead, he’d kept them moving at a steady, sustainable clip. She appreciated the consideration, more determined than ever to prove she could keep up with him for as long as it took.

      “How long have you been a park ranger?” She normally wasn’t a chatty person, but the silence was getting to her. She needed a distraction from her own thoughts, or else fear and panic would take over, leaving her unable to function.

      “A little over a year,” Matt replied.

      “What did you do before then?”

      He slid her a glance. “I was in the army,” he said neutrally.

      It was clear Matt wasn’t a big talker, but Emma didn’t care. Anything was better than being trapped in her head at the moment. “Joseph was in the military, too,” she commented. “He joined right out of high school, except he signed on with the navy.”

      “Really?” Interest sharpened Matt’s tone, and he looked at her fully now. “How long did he serve?”

      “Only a few years. He got into some trouble and was dishonorably discharged.”

      “Ah.” Matt nodded as if that made perfect sense. She got the impression he didn’t think much of her brother. Why would he, though? Any man who kidnapped a baby was no better than pond scum.

      “He’s always been impulsive,” she said, stepping around a large rock in the path. “Loves to gamble. It used to be under control, but after my dad died a few years ago, Joseph couldn’t be bothered with moderation anymore. And since he was a single man, he didn’t need to worry about sending money home to a wife.” Emma wasn’t sure why she was telling Matt all this, but it was something to talk about. “He set up a gambling ring on his ship. Got caught eventually. The navy didn’t take too kindly to his actions, so they kicked him out.”

      “The military is tough like that,” Matt said. “It’s not a perfect institution, but the service does hold its members to a high standard.”

      “Yeah.” Emma was quiet for a moment, remembering her mother’s distress when they found out what had happened. “He came home, tail between his legs. We hoped he would learn from the situation, get some help for his addiction. But he refused.” She shook her head, the sound of their arguments still fresh in her mind. She and her family had tried everything to convince Joseph he had a problem and needed to take action, but his denial was too strong to overcome.

      “That must have been hard.”

      “It was. On my mother, especially. Joseph swore he was in control and didn’t need help, and for a while, he kept his nose clean. But I guess the lure of gambling was too strong to resist.”

      “What kind of gambling?” A fallen tree trunk bisected the trail in front of them. Matt stepped over it, then reached back to help her. Emma slipped her hand into his, grateful for his assistance.

      “Horse races,” she replied. She stepped carefully onto the trunk, trying to maintain her balance. But the bark was smooth and worn, and her boots lost traction. She began to slide forward, her heart leaping to her throat as she lurched toward the ground.

      Suddenly, Matt was there. He stepped in front of her, stopping her fall with his body. His arms slid around her waist, his broad chest absorbing her forward motion. Emma had a split second to register the feel of his strength surrounding her before her head jerked from the sudden stop, her nose smashing into his shoulder. A starburst of pain filled her head, making her cry out.

      Matt loosened his grip. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

      Emma stared up at him through watery eyes. “Not your fault,” she said, holding her nose. “I appreciate you catching me.”

      “It’s the least I could do.” He reached out and gently pulled her hand away from her nose. “Let me take a look at that.”

      She felt wetness on her skin and figured she was bleeding. Matt’s look of horror confirmed it.

      “Here, sit down.” He helped her sink onto the log and quickly wriggled the pack off his back. He dug through it and withdrew a small plastic box, from which he extracted a few squares of gauze.

      “Let me,” he said softly. He gently applied the gauze to her nose, then moved her hand into place to keep it from falling. “Here’s an ice pack.” She heard a crunching sound, and he handed her a small pouch that was rapidly growing cold to the touch.

      “Thanks,” Emma said, gingerly applying the pouch to her nose. It hurt, but after a moment, the cold seeped into the tissue and numbed it.

      “May I see?” At her nod, Matt reached out and gently lifted the cold pack to examine her nose. He frowned.

      “That bad, huh?” she asked.

      He shook his head. “It’s not pretty, but I don’t think it’s broken.”

      “That’s good, then.”

      “Yeah,”

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