death and make matters worse. Logan was certain Josh wasn’t acting out in some misguided attempt for attention, but rather he was trying to numb himself in an effort to hide from a deeper hurt. From what pain was the answer to screwing his head back on straight, and Logan intended to get to the bottom of it ASAP.
He took Josh by the arm, turning him back before Skylar could get a hold of him, and rumbled, “You’re with me. I’m taking you to school.”
“Wait,” Skylar cried out, but Logan pushed Josh through the open door and kept walking with him.
“No time, school started already,” Logan replied over his shoulder.
“Leave Josh to Storm, Skylar,” Remington added, as Logan kept them heading for the staircase that would lead them to main door. “It’s a man thing.”
Josh looked back at his sister but didn’t balk at being manhandled, so Logan marched the kid down the stairs and out the front door while Skylar was detained by the chief.
“What’s going on?” Josh finally asked when they hit the street. “Why are you here? Why are you in our business?”
Logan pointed to his truck and kept moving. “Your sister hired me to watch out for her and the bar. Watching out for her means helping out with you.”
Josh stopped in the middle of the street with a dumbfounded look on his face, then sped up until they were side by side. “Cool. Were you in the military?”
“Yeah.”
“What branch?”
Logan saw Jamie watching from down the street with Max at her side, so he raised his hand to her then signaled the war dog to come. “Army,” Logan answered, while he kept an eye on Max as he crossed the street.
Josh turned and watched Max approach as well. When the German shepherd was close to the kid, he gave him a hand signal to sit. Max stopped on a dime and waited for another command. “Greet, Josh.”
Max turned into a puppy immediately, all wagging tail and lolling tongue of him, and Josh responded like the kid he still was. He dropped to his knees and gave as much affection as he received. When Josh turned a smile in his direction, Logan nodded. Max was working his magic again.
“Let’s get you to school.”
Logan opened the door to his truck and signaled Max to load. He drove a black Ford extended cab, so Max jumped into the second row, making room for Josh, who was entering from the passenger side. When Logan started the truck, he glanced at the diner and caught Jordan watching from the window. She waved and gave him a thumbs-up. Logan shook his head and grinned. Ennis was a nosy town, but it seemed they had a heart of gold at their core.
“That doesn’t look like any army tattoo I’ve seen.”
Logan glanced at his arm. The insignia for his unit was inked on his forearm in a simple design. A Yarborough SF combat knife surrounded by the delta insignia with a lightning bolt. And a date. He’d put it where he would always see it. So, he’d never forget 28 NOV.
“It’s the insignia for Delta Force.”
As he drove, he heard an audible intake of breath from the kid and looked over at him. “I’ve heard about Delta Force. Rumor has it you train here in Montana during the winter.”
They were supposed to be secret maneuvers, but Logan knew better than most that sometimes secrets got out. And when they did, it could turn deadly.
“We do.” He wasn’t gonna lie to the kid. He needed to earn his trust.
“Cool,” Josh mumbled.
“Which way to your school?”
Josh pointed up Main Street. “You’ll hang a left in about three blocks.”
Logan glanced at City Hall as they drove past. Skylar was on her phone, watching him leave with Josh. He flicked two fingers at her as he passed then cleared his throat so he could get down to business. He only had three blocks, so he needed to make it quick.
“You wanna tell me what’s eating at you?”
He felt and saw the kid stiffen. “Nothing. I’m good.”
Logan paused longer than needed at the stop sign and stared at the kid. “You’re far from good, Josh. I know a wounded man when I see him.”
The kid opened his mouth, thought about it, then withdrew further, mumbling, “Turn left up ahead,” as he leaned his head against the window.
At the next left, the school opened up in front of them. He could see Jake standing out front with a phone to