Page 74 of Built of Flames
Flynn looked around the area when Sam had instructed him to park. A huge old sawmill took up most of the lot, but it was a treed area with paths in different directions. He knew they lead to other buildings, mostly sheds, but one that was an old blacksmith shop.
The parking area behind the sawmill had a half-dozen electric charging stations and another couple that were hydrogen chargers. Something he knew nothing about.
Sam’s wife Tansy was a scientist and inventor. She’d pulled the entire property off the grid. He’d met the tiny woman a few times and she was a real spitfire. Quiet as a mouse, but always thinking and putting those thoughts into action.
Sam’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Well, well, if it isn’t the King of the Rodeo gracing us with his presence.”
Flynn shot his finger up at Sam even as he walked over to haul his friend into a hug. “Your Tansy figure out how to make it snow to try to scare me off?”
From behind him, Graham’s voice chimed in. “If this much snow scares you, you’re never going to make it. We’re going to have to thicken your blood, cowboy.”
A stunning redhead walked with his buddy. They must have been in the sawmill when he drove up.
He shook his friend’s hand, then hugged him as well. “Good to see you, Buchanan.”
“You too, Flynn. This is Aisling Gallagher. She’s mine so keep your thoughts and hands to yourself.”
The woman blushed but laughed. Then she reached forward and pulled Flynn into a hug while Graham growled.
“Quite the place you’ve all got here.”
Sam grinned. “Part yours too. Come on, let’s start in. Tansy texted that she’s got a pot of minestrone simmering. That’ll warm up your bones.”
Graham smiled. “He won’t need it. He’s probably soft from working in the city. The hike in will have him sweating and crying for mercy.”
They laughed and talked shit throughout the hike. Two miles through the bush. Hard to believe people lived like this in a world that was morego-go-gothantake your time and stroll.
Hard to believe he was now one of those people.
“How long are you going to stick around? You have enough vacation time to see you through to the new year?” Sam asked.
Flynn nodded. His boss had basically kicked his ass out of the office because he’d accrued so many vacation days. “I’ve got six weeks for now.”
Sam raised his eyebrows. “You’ve got more than that banked?”
Flynn nodded again. “Did some undercover work earlier in the year.” He’d never do that again. It had nearly sucked his soul dry.
The two men nodded and Aisling frowned at him. “Graham tells me you’re in the organized crime division. I can’t even imagine how difficult it is to work undercover with those types of people.”
Graham took Aisling’s hand and kissed it. Flynn knew they’d had a tussle with some smugglers a few weeks back and that Aisling had been hurt in the process. Thankfully, it hadn’t been bad and they’d caught the creeps. But Flynn’s job was a reminder of that.
Since chipping in with his friends a few months back to get Midnight Security up and running, he’d been wondering what it would be like to follow in Sam’s footsteps.
His buddy had quit the FBI to do this full-time. Was Flynn ready for that? The job was demanding and exhausting. And hugely satisfying.
Lots to consider.
That decision would wait until he took down the Pavic family. He couldn’t move on until he’d taken care of that mess and discovered the truth surrounding the death of his friend. Then he’d consider other options.
When they broke into the clearing around the lodge, Flynn grinned. The place was like an old-time fairy tale. No wonder they didn’t want to leave.
The three-story lodge was big enough to have a dozen bedrooms on each floor. There was a garage and a shed within sight. He knew there were ten cabins around the lake as well.
The biggest one, off to the right, was the headquarters for their Security business.
Three dogs broke into the clearing from the right with Tansy jogging along behind them.
She grinned as she approached the group. “Flynn. You made it. Welcome to your home.”