Hard Rain Falling (Walking in the Rain Book 3) by William Allen

herself from my waist to go over and give the shorter girl a hug. Summer stood looking lost as her sister was being comforted so I reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder.
    “How are you, little ‘un?” I asked, trying to be sensitive and using Lori’s nickname for her younger sister; who, while four years younger than Lori, already stood about the same height.
    “Okay, I guess.” She said looking around and spotting the other bodies. “You killed them, didn’t you?”
    “Maybe the other soldiers did it,” I countered.
    “No, this was you. Amy said the first thing you do after killing somebody is strip off their weapons,” Summer said, pointing, her nose wrinkling at the idea of desecrating the dead.
    “That’s right. Keeps everything where I can see it. Yeah, I did kill those three, but I also got a prisoner. I could have killed him and didn’t.”
    I saw one of newcomers eavesdropping but decided I didn’t care. He wore lieutenant’s bars, but something about him told me he was also something more. It was probably his age since he was in his mid-thirties at least; so, way old for the rank. Probably a mustang; a former enlisted who was sent to officer school or, more rarely, directly commissioned. My dad told me about those. He’d been offered OCS school in the Marines, but he told me liked being a sergeant.
    “Was it hard? Not killing them; I know you do that real good. I meant, hard not to kill the prisoner after what happened here.” Summer spoke so softly I wondered if any of the others could even hear her question. From the shock on the lieutenant’s face, I guess he still had good ears.
    “That’s ‘real well’ young lady. And yes, it was hard. I wanted to kill him for what happened, but that wouldn’t bring Sergeant Halloran or Jay back.”
    Summer nodded her understanding. After our talk before, about killing, she’d been a little more reserved around me, but not scared; more like she was studying me. Maybe wondering if I was going to snap at some time and start shooting sleepers—probably shouldn’t have shared that particular story with her. Thirteen was such an impressionable age. I had to laugh at myself when the thought hit me and I got some strange looks all around.
    “Sorry,” I said by way of apology, “This shit is not funny, but I just realized some of my stories might end up scarring young Summer here for life. I need to learn to edit myself better or she is going to be therapy for years.”
    That actually got a few gruff chuckles, and I turned to see the lieutenant still waiting.
    “Help you, Sir?”
    “You would be Luke, no last name, I take it?”
    “My ID card says Luke Landon. That’ll do. What can I do for you, Sir? I take it those are your monster trucks.”
    The lieutenant nodded, and then jerked his head for me to follow. Reluctantly, I released my hold on Summer’s shoulder and went to match the older officer as he walked quickly up to the Suburban. Leaning inside, the lieutenant glanced around the interior of the roomy SUV and then stepped back.
    “Luke, my name is Lieutenant Greg Germann. I’m with 1st Battalion, 179 th Infantry, out of Edmonds. Do you know what’s going on here?”
    I looked around and thought about his question. I got the idea he was asking about more than just this ambush today.
    “I’m not sure, Lt. Germann. We just got here today, and up until one second before Private Grady’s head exploded, I thought things were if not good here then at least no worse than elsewhere.”
    “Granted. Did you recognize the launchers used to kill the Humvee?”
    “No, Sir. I am strictly a civilian contractor, Sir. Before the lights went out I was a student and my military knowledge was limited to playing paintball with my father.”
    The lieutenant regarded me carefully for a moment. Then he asked to see my ID and the letter from Colonel Hotchkins. Damn, Jenkins got him briefed up in a hurry. I produced the requested paperwork and noticed