Midnight Sun (12 page)

“
What
in
the
world
are
you
doing
here?
”
Tonia
said.

“
I'm
on
my
honeymoon.
I
was
wondering
the
same
about
you.
Don't
tell
me
the
big
guy
is
coming
up
here.
”

“
As
a
matter
of
fact...
”
Tonia
trailed
off,
her
eyes
scanning
Mike
and
the
others.

“
Tonia,
let
me
introduce
my
husband,
Mike
Farris.
”

“
You're
Mike
Farris?
”
Tonia
raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips
.
“
The
happenin
’
chaplain?
Superman
with
a
priest
collar.
”

“
I
don
’
t
know
about
all
that.
It
was
just
a
bad
guy
who
needed
some
attitude
correction.
”

“
Yeah,
”
Tonia said with attitude,
“
a
bad
guy
with
a
big
bomb.
Your
name
is
everywhere
in
federal
law
enforcement
circles.
”

Hilde
jumped
in,
deflecting
the
conversation.
Mike
didn
’
t
like
to
talk
about
the
incident
in
Ohio
that
had
introduced
them
more than a
year
ago
,
and
had
also
cost
the
life
of
his
first
wife
and
only
child.
She
introduced
Marcus
and
Lonnie.

“
Lonnie
is
a
state
trooper.
We're
all
pretty
much
in
the
same
line
of
work.
”

Tonia
looked
at
Lonnie's
protruding
belly.

“
They
better
not
have
you
out
on
patrol
now.
Please
tell
me
you're
not
breaking
up
bar
fights
with
a
package
in
the
mail
like
that.
”

Lonnie
laughed.
“
No,
of
course
not.
I'm
a
lieutenant,
anyway,
so
most
of
my
work
is
behind
a
desk.
”

“
Good,
”
Tonia
turned toward Marcus.
“
And
please
tell
me
this
stud
muffin
standing
next
to
you
is
just
a
friend,
who
is
single
and
looking.
Tell
me
he
’
s
not
your
husband.
”

Marcus
grinned
sheepishly
and
held
up
the
hand
with
his
wedding
ring.
“
Spoken
for,
ma
’
am.
”

“
Damn,
”
Tonia
said
.
“
Are
all
Alaskan
men
like
these?
If
so,
I
may
need
to
extend
my
stay.
”

“
Mike
here
is
just
a
plain
old
mid-westerner,
”
Marcus
motioned to his friend.

“
But,
”
Lonnie
interjected
,
“
they
’
re
both
retired
Marines.
”

“
Ooh,
”
Tonia
said
.
“
I'm
gonna
start
hanging
around
the
Marine
barracks
at
8th
&
I
then.
I
mean,
damn
,
girls.
”

Mike
blushed.
“
We
come
with
a
lot
of
baggage
though.
”

“
If
you're
done
flirting
with
our
husbands,
”
Hilde
said,
“
you
didn't
answer
the
original
question.
Are
you
up
here
for
business
or
pleasure?
”

“
I
wish
it
weren’t so,
but
we're
working.
”