Chapter 4 #2
Chad considered his cousin’s words, impressed that Ethan was aware of his mental health needs and taking steps to meet them.
He wasn’t sure if HICC would give him the purpose he sought, but Ethan hadn’t been wrong in his assessment of Chad’s own happiness.
HICC did good work all over the globe. Chad liked the people, the work, and the travel—it all gave him purpose.
It was still a job, and some days were better than others.
On the whole, though, he believed HICC was a company he’d be happy to be a part of for as long as they would have him.
Chad nodded. “I can’t promise anything other than to forward your credentials and my recommendation to Stella and Hunter, the owners.”
Light flickered in his cousin’s eyes. “Understood. I can forward you all my details—at least those that I can—tonight.” Whatever Ethan couldn’t include in his CV because it was classified, Chad was certain Stella and Hunter would dig up.
“Sounds good,” Chad said, shutting his computer down. “You tell Ryan?”
Ethan shook his head. “And I don’t want to. Not that Ryan is one to talk out of turn, but I don’t want anyone on the force to know I’m considering leaving. If it doesn’t work out, I don’t want them worried about my commitment to the job when I’m supposed to have their back out on patrol.”
“Fair enough,” Chad said, sliding his computer into his work bag.
“I’ve been up since four this morning. First at the gym, then on-site getting all sorts of shit done.
Our in-house security team is also arriving the day after tomorrow to do custom installs on the property, and we’ve been prepping for that.
I could go for a burger and a beer before hitting the sack.
Any interest in a stop at the Dirty Boom?
” he asked, referring to a local favorite tavern that had been serving patrons since the gold rush days.
“You’re on. I’ll give Josh and Asher a call.
Ryan and Mitch are on duty tonight,” he responded.
Out of the ten cousins, all but the two youngest lived in town.
Asher was Ethan’s older brother—by eleven months—and one of the local doctors.
The brothers’ twin sisters, Joey and Charley, had just started their last year of college.
They planned to move home when the year ended, but for the next nine months, they’d be enjoying their time at UCLA.
The four of them were the children of Michael and Sonya Warwick.
Chad’s father, William Jr., had been the oldest of William and Genevieve Warwick’s three sons, but he and Chad’s mother had died many years ago.
Michael was the youngest, with Anthony in the middle.
Mitch, Cody, and Bradley were brothers from Anthony and his wife, Annie.
Mitch was a local firefighter and Cody a country singer.
Brad ran the family resort that sat on the north end of the lake.
With Cody on tour and Brad already wrapped up in getting ready for the ski season, neither would be joining them.
“You think Sabina would want to meet us?” Ethan asked as they exited the cabin.
Chad paused to set the alarm and lock up.
When he was done, he answered. “I don’t know, but I doubt it.
Josh invited her to the family barbecue a couple of weeks ago, and Ryan asked her if she wanted to come that night we went to the Rotary Carnitas Festival.
Both times, she declined. Although she did send Ryan with a donation to the Rotary Foundation.
Cash of all things. Five hundred bucks.”
They paused beside their respective cars, and Ethan frowned. “Who carries five hundred bucks in cash?”
Chad stifled a snort. “Usually people up to no good. But I know Sabina. Hunter and Stella know her even better. She’s not up to no good. What she’s up to, I don’t know, but it’s not anything sketchy.”
Ethan opened the door to his truck and climbed in. “I’ll send her a text. She’s new to town—it feels wrong not to at least invite her.”
Chad shrugged and set his bag down on the floor of his Jeep behind the driver’s seat. “Go ahead. I’ll be interested to see if you pick up on what I mentioned earlier.”
“You didn’t actually mention anything other than suggest I ask her a personal question.”
Chad grinned. “Think of this as your first HICC test. See if you can figure out what I was talking about.”
“She’s your friend,” Ethan said as he buckled his seat belt. “She is, isn’t she? I mean, I know I said I sensed more, but you at least consider her a friend, right?”
Chad half nodded, half shook his head. “I consider her someone whose welfare I care about. Probably more than I should. And I trust her with my life. In fact, I have trusted her with my life on more than a few occasions. And we’re friendly.
But, well, if you can get her out tonight maybe you’ll see why I hesitate to call her a friend . ”
“You’re weird, dude,” Ethan said with a shake of his head.
“It runs in the family, dude ,” he shot back before climbing into his own car. A few minutes later, he was trailing his cousin through the gates of the property and onto the road that would take them north and into town.