MCX for Marine Corps Exchange. The Army calls it the BX for Base Exchange.”
“We both know that the only other organization that has more acronyms than the US government is the US military.”
He nodded, eyeing her. “You’re not prepared for this weather? We are in the mountains.”
She sniffed. “I wasn’t aware it snowed in California.” His censoring tone got Amber’s back up.
He snorted, staring at her over the hood of the jeep.
She narrowed her eyes, but he didn’t seem affected. She ducked into his jeep and was soon at the MCX picking up some boots, pants, shirts and a heavier jacket.
“Anywhere else you need to go?”
“No, the billet is fine.”
“Where did you come from?”
“The Navy Yard in DC.”
“Don’t they have agents in the Southwest to handle this?”
She shrugged. “I don’t ask questions; I go where they tell me to go.”
“It’s apparent you don’t ask questions, since you weren’t prepared for the snow. How long you been an NCIS agent?”
“Eleven months.”
“You’re still a probie?” His mouth tightened at her inexperience.
Amber tried not to take it personally, but he was beginning to tread on her last nerve. “Yes, technically I’m still on probation. But I’m a fully trained NCIS agent and have plenty of investigations under my belt,” she said through gritted teeth.
“You want me to cut you some slack?”
“Yes, but you’re not going to.”
“You should have made it your mission to know everything about where you were going. It’s the uninformed that walk into danger.”
“Thank you, Sergeant, for that pearl of wisdom. I was supposed to be getting on a plane to fly to the warm sands of Aruba. My bag is packed with bikinis, shorts and skimpy tops.” When his eyebrow rose at her snippy tone, she bit her lip. Jeez, he pushed her buttons so that she was getting defensive. She went on more calmly. “I knew all about Aruba with its warm ocean water and heated pool. You know that hotel I’m going to? There’s a bar that serves drinks right in the pool.”
“Does it? Convenient. Then your suitcase full of bikinis will fit right in.”
She huffed. “Why don’t you educate me then, Sergeant Michaels?”
“About what?”
“About the base. About the mountains.”
Looking like he’d rather be chewing glass than being her liaison, he said, “Yes, ma’am. MWTC is a part of Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and conducts unit and individual training courses to prepare not only the USMC, but all branches of the US military and foreign allies for maneuvers in mountainous, high altitude and cold weather environments. MWTC supports other commands, as well as DOD agencies involved in waging war with specialized equipment for use in mountain and cold weather operations.”
“What do you teach?”
“Along with cold-weather sniping, I teach mountain recon.”
“What is your background?”
“Classified.”
That was a convenient answer to keep her in the dark about him. Well, she wasn’t an agent without means. The colonel might have cleared him, but Amber was going to make her own decisions about who was innocent and guilty. She raised her chin. “Go on. The area?”
“MWTC is at the base of the Sierra Nevada, a range of mountains that encompasses four hundred miles bordering the eastern edge of the state—fifty miles across with eighty miles being the widest. Peaks here can rise up to nine thousand feet. The highest part of the range is between Tahoe and Yosemite. The range is largely made up of volcanic rock and not so good for climbing, but great for scrambles, hikes and taking in the spectacular beauty because the Sierra Nevada are all about the scenic view. Most of it is protected and heavily forested. The northern boundary has some of the highest peaks, known for their rock climbing and some of the most stirring sights on the planet. It’s inspiring and once you climb to the top, the solitude is tangible.”
“Rock climbing? I think I’d like to try that.” She sounded wistful.
“Maybe you’ll get a chance. Be a shame to come here and not give it a try.”
“You know a lot about this range.”
“It’s imperative that I do. These boys are in my hands, and I take that seriously.”
“Lance Corporal Connelly is a personal loss to you.”
His gloved hands gripped the wheel. “He was a fine kid, and he didn’t deserve to die that way.”
He had sidestepped the question with a noncommittal answer. Amber was sure it had affected him.
He pulled up in front of a small house with a garage that was connected to a row of houses. The walk