“Right,” Bernard said. “Thanks.”
The captain rushed out the door, obviously eager for face time with a colonel.
Laughing softly, Wade pressed deeper into the room and clapped Liam on the shoulder. “What happened out there on the road tonight?”
“How did you know to find me here?” So much for security.
“We were called in by someone from the OSI. They didn’t say why, other than that you’d been in an accident.”
Jose stepped alongside them, an unregulation marathon T-shirt just visible through the open neck of his camos. “Major, saw your Jeep in the parking lot and it looks like shit.”
Liam winced. “I know.”
“I mean really shitty,” Jose said, whistling softly. “Totaled-and-headed-to-the-junkyard shitty.”
“Thanks. Wanna pour salt in the wound while you’re at it?”
Jose pulled his hand out of his pocket. “I thought you might want these before they tow it away.”
His fist opened to reveal the three garters that had hung from Liam’s rearview mirror.
“Not funny today.” Liam smiled tightly. “But thanks anyway.”
“Just worried about you, old man.” Jose stuffed the garters back in his pocket.
“Sorry for snapping at you. Having someone try to run you off the road has left me a little on edge.” He backed toward the one-way mirror, grateful they’d both walked away unharmed.
Wade stepped closer. “Are you okay?”
His swim buddy looked straight into his eyes, no doubt checking pupils to make sure they were equal, which is exactly what Liam would have done. That medic training came in handy.
“I’m good.” Liam brushed aside the concern. “Really. The Jeep did its job keeping us safe.”
“Us?” Jose’s eyebrows shot up. His eyes went to the one-way mirror framing Rachel seated across from Sylvia. “Hey now, wasn’t she with one of the search and rescue canine units back in the Bahamas?”
Liam nodded, the heat, the dust, the intensity of that time rolling over him again. “Great memory you’ve got there, Cuervo.”
“Memorable mission.” Rocha nodded. “You kept in touch with her all this time and didn’t mention it? I do believe my feelings are hurt.”
Before Liam could answer, Jose continued, “But your Jeep. How did you even drive it the rest of the way here after you got hit?”
As they tag-teamed him with questions, he just let it keep rolling. It was easier than answering, and it left him free to study Rachel and try to figure out why his teammates had been called in as well. “Guess it’s time to buy a new car.”
Rocha dipped his head closer. “Really, dude, what’s going on here?”
Was it even possible to whisper softly enough not to be heard in this place? Not really. And not that it should matter. Why was he suddenly second-guessing his decision to contact the OSI?
Since he’d found out the car chasing them was Rachel’s. Something he hadn’t discovered until after he placed the call to Sylvia. Whoever had accessed that vehicle had an in on base. Security was tight at the gates and a pass was needed to get through. It wasn’t as if just anybody could have picked up her SUV.
Although he still would have ended up here, even if they hadn’t been attacked. He just needed to be even more on guard since somehow, someone on base had been involved in the attack.
Monitoring the two women through the glass, he chose his words for his friends carefully. “Rachel’s had some trouble with a stalker.” Even thinking about those threats to her had his hands fisting at his sides. “She contacted me today for help, and the next thing we knew, someone tried to run us off the road.”
Wade nodded slowly. “Okay, fine, so why come here instead of going to the police?”
“There’s a military friend of hers involved, and the civilian cops haven’t been much help to Rachel so far.”
Jose scratched his buzz cut. “And why bring her to one of your ex-girlfriends for questioning? An especially hot ex-girlfriend, I might add.”