“I wasn’t breaking in,” she said. “I have a key. You see, in spite of your best efforts, I am still park archaeologist for Olympic National Park.” She said the last with a bitter edge, triggering all the guilt she wanted him to feel.

He said nothing. What could he say? She was right. What he’d done to her was the worst thing he’d ever intentionally done to another person—outside an op, that is.

There were rules for one-night stands and rules for engaging with an enemy. Audrey was the former, but not the latter, and with her, ROE had been turned upside down. Because of Xavier, she’d become collateral damage in a war she didn’t even know the US military was fighting.

“The line that powers my cameras runs from the old blacksmith shop,” she said when he didn’t respond. “Shop power is controlled by an auxiliary panel in the basement of the lodge. There’s no point in hiking all the way out to the site if all I’ve got is a power problem, not a looting problem.”

Her excuse was reasonable. Even plausible. But he still had a hard time believing she didn’t know the training was starting today. Even though she’d objected to the project, she should have been notified along with inholding property owners.

Cohen interrupted before he could respond. “We need an update, Rivera. The team is on the jet and preparing for takeoff. Over.”

The SEALs were being flown in from NAS Whidbey. It was a short flight, but they needed altitude, so they still had time. Into the radio, he said, “She’s an NPS employee. The park archaeologist. Dr. Audrey Kendrick. Over.”

Audrey continued to glare. She couldn’t hear Cohen’s side of the conversation, and that probably made her uneasy.

“The one who objected? What the fuck is she doing in the restricted zone?”

“There’s a problem with some of her cameras losing power. I’m going to check it out, see if she’s lying.”

Audrey’s eyes narrowed. “There is only one known liar standing on this lawn, and it’s not me.”

She was a hundred-percent correct, but he didn’t have time to deal with her anger right now. The team was on the jet. To Cohen, he said, “It’s going to take several minutes to confirm.”

“We don’t—”

Again, he ignored his partner in running this exercise and faced Audrey. “We need to hurry.”

“I’m lying? Why the hell else would I be here?” she demanded, her voice tight with fury.

“I don’t know. Maybe you just couldn’t stand the idea of me being in town and not seeing me. Bad news for you”—he flashed a fierce grin—“I’m here to work.”