A Soldier's Homecoming. Rachel Lee

making sure you can always manage crossfire, if you follow.”

      Gage nodded. “And nobody gets in and out of town without being noted.”

      “Yes. So basically, you widen your perimeter, let it become porous, but not so porous you can’t close it up fast.”

      “Makes sense. It’ll take a little time to put it into practice.”

      “Yeah, it will,” Ethan agreed, “but you don’t want to relax your patrols too quickly, anyway. Never signal the enemy that you’re laying a trap.”

      Gage rose and poured two cups of coffee from the drip coffeemaker on a rickety side table. He passed one to Ethan.

      “I’ve got one more thing,” he said as he resumed his seat. “It involves you directly.”

      Ethan arched a brow, waiting.

      “Nobody in town knows who you are yet, especially since you registered at the hotel under the name Birdsong. So, I called Micah about this, and he agrees. He and Faith won’t say anything about you. And I want you to move in with Connie.”

      Ethan stiffened. “Hold on there.”

      Gage shook his head. “It will work. You’re an old friend of Connie’s from Denver. She decided to ask you to stay with her.”

      A million alarm bells sounded in Ethan’s head. “What good will that do? The guy isn’t going to try to steal the little girl out of her bed.”

      “No, but it will make it easier for you to keep an eye on her, and nobody would know you were working for me. So if you happen to be seen around Sophie, you have a cover story. Otherwise…”

      Otherwise pretend he was back in the mountains, on recon. Passing like a ghost through all kinds of danger. Except the danger here wasn’t directed at him.

      Things inside him that had just begun to loosen once again clenched like fists. He was painted, man. He was always painted.

      He put his coffee down. “You better make sure the lady is okay with this. Because I’m not sure I am.”

      “She will be,” Gage said confidently, his face darkening as if with memory. “Parents tend to be willing to do anything to keep their children safe.”

      Anything, Ethan agreed silently. Anything. He’d sure as hell seen enough of what that meant.

      But all too often it resulted in horror that could sear the soul.