Rescuing Emily (Delta Force Heroes Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

a bit loose on her slim frame. Her blonde hair was pulled back by two barrettes on either side of her head, but wisps had come loose and were hanging freely around her face. She had a smear of dirt on one cheek and her hands were filthy. Not only that, but on a second glance, he realized the girl was covered in dust and dirt.
    “What have you been up to, sprite?” Fletch asked, wiping his own dirty hands on a cloth nearby.
    “Playing.”
    “Playing where?”
    Annie pointed behind her and Fletch took a step toward the garage door to see what she’d been pointing at. Around the corner, he saw a pile of plastic and metal cars strewn around a patch of ground that had always been resistant to growing grass. It was in the shade of the garage and it looked like the little girl had made a race track of sorts in the dirt. Some was piled up here and there, and Fletch could see marks in the dirt where she’d kneeled to play with the toys.
    “You like cars?”
    Annie shrugged. “They’re okay.”
    Fletch tried not to smile. It was more than obvious the little girl liked cars. “What about dolls? You like playing with dolls?”
    Her face scrunched up in disgust. “No. Dolls are stupid.”
    “Stupid, huh?”
    “Uh-huh. I like boy toys. Mommy doesn’t like when I call them boy toys, but it’s what everyone else calls them.”
    “What kinds of boy toys?” Fletch asked, leaning against the Charger and smiling down at the earnest little girl.
    “Anything. Trucks, monsters, cars, Star Wars . And I really like military stuff.”
    Fletch was surprised. With her blonde hair, blue eyes and angelic appearance, she looked delicate and girly; it was amusing to see she had another side to her. “Not stuffed animals, dress-up clothes, or dolls?”
    “No.”
    “Your mom said you like to read.”
    Annie looked up at him and asked somewhat belligerently, “Are you gonna make fun of me if I do?”
    Fletch frowned and kneeled down so he was at eye level with the little girl. “No, Annie. I’m not going to make fun of you. I was just interested in what you like to read.”
    She studied him with a look in her eyes that was much wiser than her six years. “Adventure stories.”
    “Adventure stories.” Fletch felt a little foolish repeating her answers, but she continued to surprise him.
    “Uh-huh. And mysteries. Mommy read me The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and now we’re on The Boxcar Children . Then we’re going to start on the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books.”
    “You are, huh?”
    “Uh-huh. And I can read them too, but I’m too slow. Mommy’s working on it with me, but I like when she reads to me ‘cause we get through the stories more faster.”
    Fletch was amazed. He hadn’t spent a lot of time with kids, but Emily hadn’t been lying. It was obvious Annie was way ahead of other kids her age. “Those are cool stories.”
    “You’ve read them?” Annie’s voice was awestruck. “Really?”
    “Yup. They’re great.”
    “Cool!” the little girl breathed.
    “Annie!” Emily’s voice rang out from the door at the top of the stairs around the corner. “Where are you?”
    “Here, Mommy!” Annie said, stepping around the corner so her mom could see her.
    “You’re supposed to stay where I can see you.”
    “I know, I’m sorry, Mommy. I was talking to…” Her voice trailed off and she looked up at Fletch. “What’s your name?”
    “Fletch.”
    Annie’s brow scrunched up and she frowned. “Fletch? Is that your first name?”
    Fletch smothered a laugh. Annie was adorable. “It’s a nickname. My first name is Cormac and my last name is Fletcher. My friends call me Fletch."
    Annie nodded. “Yeah, that’s much better. I’ll call you Fletch too.”
    Fletch snorted in laughter. Leave it to a kid to totally insult him but make him laugh at the same time.
    “I’m with Fletch!” Annie yelled up at her mom.
    “I’m right here, Annie, you don’t have to yell,” Emily told her daughter, putting her