Read Killing Game (Veritas Book 2) for Free Online Page B

voice. “Before we head out, I need an idea of who these folks are and what they do in real life.”
    “Can do that too.”
    Since he wasn’t being a jerk . . . “Look, I know this isn’t great for either of us, but we’ll get through it.”
    He didn’t reply, but at least he wasn’t arguing with her. As she walked off into the office, she wondered why he’d suddenly become helpful.
    It sure as hell isn’t my charming personality .

Chapter Five
    Brannon only half listened to Preston’s list of canoeing dos and don’ts. He’d been in and around watercraft since he was a baby. In fact, his mom had gone into labor on a boat.
    Susan, the secretary, smiled over at him and he made sure to return it. The other girl, Patti, was glowering at nothing. The distance she’d put between her and the guy named James promised trouble.
    “Any of you been in a swamp before?” Preston asked.
    Brannon zeroed back in on the conversation and raised his hand. He noted that Susan did as well, but no one else.
    “Okay, then, take your gear down to the dock and we’ll get you loaded,” the assistant ordered. “Stay alert and you’ll stay healthy. Zone out and you could get hurt.”
    There were mumbles in the group and they set off as ordered, except for the younger couple.
    “You lied to me,” Patti hissed to her companion.
    “No, I didn’t. I said we’d be camping in the swamp,” James replied.
    “But for six days? Are you crazy? No way I want to do this!”
    “Come on. Don’t be a wuss. It’ll be fun, you’ll see.”
    Brannon shook his head as he headed toward his car. When someone said “it’ll be fun, you’ll see,” it was always time to walk away.
    His buddy Cort had used that line to get them out into the Gulf one summer day. A storm that seemingly came out of nowhere had pushed their kayaks miles away from shore, and it’d taken another twelve hours before the Coast Guard found them. They’d been sunburned, dehydrated, and as scared as two eleven-year-olds could be.
    But that half a day spent in watery hell had revealed a toughness Brannon didn’t know he had, and that few possessed. He’d kept Cort from drowning, kept him from giving up. That “I refuse to die” mantra had gotten Brannon through Ranger School. Cort had become an inner-city high school teacher, which required a different kind of raw courage and discipline. They remained friends to this day. In fact, his eldest son was named after Brannon. But Cort had never set foot in the Gulf again.
    While the others gathered their gear and got to know each other, Brannon walked to his rental car, surreptitiously taking photographs of each vehicle’s license plate as he walked by them. He would forward them to Veritas, and then it was just a matter of waiting. Sooner or later, his contact would reveal himself— or herself —and it would be time to take this game to the next level.
    *~*~*
    “Is everyone for real?” Cait asked as she scanned the roster. Preston gave her a confused look, so she rephrased her question. “Does everyone have the skill set they claimed they had, especially when it comes to being in a canoe?”
    He gave a half nod. “Keith, the photographer, and James are fine. Susan is pretty good, and the girl? I don’t know. I can’t get within three feet of her without getting some lip in return.”
    “Not a willing participant?”
    He shook his head. “I think this is her boyfriend’s idea. And she smells like weed. Or at least her clothes do.”
    Cait sighed. “Great. How about the author guy?”
    “Bill doesn’t have a clue which end of a boat is up. What about Hardegree?” he asked.
    “He’ll be fine. I just can’t figure out why he’s on the tour.”
    “Picking up chicks?” Preston suggested.
    “I’d think a bar would be a better hunting ground, but who knows?”
    “Any word from Kia?”
    “Not yet.”
    “Let’s pray it goes well,” the man replied, then walked away toward the group.
    “Hardegree?”