He unlocked his gun safe, donned his holstered Glock, then jumped out and surveyed the area.

To the east, was the cliff. Scattered trees, boulders, and thick brush ran along the base. Water splashed noisily from the top into a curving stream. Mud-loving Aric was going to be happy. Dense forest covered the other three sides.

As Bull and Caz got out, Hawk walked around the Squirrel to open Kit’s door.

She’d only needed a small boost to climb into the helicopter, but he knew from the times he’d been injured getting out was a whole different story.

She stalled in the door, trying to figure out what to do.

“Want help?” He held out his hands and waited until she nodded.

With her busted ribs and abdominal surgery, he couldn’t grab her around the waist. Okay then. Putting an arm around her lower back, another under her sweetly curved ass, he pulled her against him and lifted her out, then bent his knees until her feet touched the ground.

She was a slender little female, and he couldn’t deny that he enjoyed feeling her against him. But he released her quickly, moved back, and waited to get yelled at.

Her color was pink, her eyes flashing. Within a second, her anger disappeared, and she said ruefully, “Thank you. I couldn’t figure out how to get down without giving my ribs a good jolting.”

He nodded. “Been there, done that.”

Caz gave her an assessing look, then chuckled. “Nice job of transferring the patient, ’mano.”

“Where to, Kit?” Having already strapped on his revolver, Bull had Aric on his shoulders. The kid was giggling because he usually grabbed Hawk’s hair to hold onto, and it wasn’t possible with Bull’s shaved head.

She pointed at a patch of brush in front of the steep bluff. “There.”

Darkness behind the bushes turned out to be the cave.

After handing Aric over to Hawk, Bull waded through the underbrush, pulled out a flashlight, and ducked inside. A minute later, he called, “All clear.”

Kit went in.

Seeing there wasn’t room for anyone else in there, Hawk set Aric down beside some rivulets that had forked off the stream. “You okay here, kid?”

“Uh-huh.” Aric crouched and picked up a shiny rock.

Hawk grinned. A big bowl in his living room was already filled to overflowing with Aric’s finds.

Apparently not willing to shout over the waterfall noise, Caz signaled that he’d patrol the area from the helicopter and southward.

Hawk nodded and took up guard to the north. Even if there weren’t any PZs in the neighborhood, the bears and cougars would consider a four-year-old to be a fine snack.

“Well, damn.” Bull’s booming voice could barely be heard over the splashing of the water. “That’s a hell of a lot of cash.” A couple of minutes later, he emerged from the cave with plastic-wrapped, shoeboxes.