Page 360 of Rangers Last Promise

I took the chair across from him.

Max lay near the door.

“You still doing security work?” I asked.

“We run the tavern and the company. The security work pays better. The tavern keeps us sane.”

“Trigger works here. I’m not sure sane is the word.”

“He’s calmer than he used to be.”

Trigger shouted from the dining room.

“I DID NOT BREAK THE COFFEE MACHINE!”

Something crashed.

Wolf closed his eyes.

“Marginally calmer.”

I looked at the contracts on his desk.

“What kind of work?”

“Personal protection. Threat assessments. Transport. Missing persons when local law enforcement asks for help. We stay close to Eagle River unless the job requires travel.”

“You don’t miss the bigger missions?”

“Sometimes.”

“What changed?”

“Nora.”

He answered without hesitation.

I looked at the wedding photograph.

“You happy?”

“Yes.”

The certainty in his voice surprised me.

Not because I doubted his marriage.

Because I couldn’t remember the last time I had answered any question that easily.

Wolf leaned back.

“We could use you.”

“I just got here.”

“You didn’t lose your skills while driving around the country.”

“You haven’t seen me work in years.”