by Rebecca Deel
“Anything good, Claire?” Lily asked.
“The only Mexican food they have is loaded nachos. Does that sound okay to you?”
“Oh, yeah. Remy and I love nachos. Does that work for you, Zane?”
He nodded. “We’ll order four of those plus soft drinks.” He was reaching for the phone when his cell signaled an incoming text.
“I’ll place the order,” Lily said.
“Thanks.” He grabbed his phone and swiped the screen. Hmm. A message from Jon to call immediately. Maybe he’d found the mole. Right. Jon was good, but not that good. “Lily, okay if I use your room for a couple minutes?”
“Of course. I’ll keep Claire entertained by telling her all your secrets.”
He scowled. “I know plenty of yours, sugar.” None of which he would tell anyone. He loved her enough as a friend not to spill her secrets to Claire. If Lily wanted to share, that was one thing. Zane wouldn’t destroy Lily’s trust in him. He crossed the living room and, once inside the second bedroom, closed the door.
He called Jon’s cell. “What’s up?”
“Is Claire nearby?”
A cold knot formed in Zane’s stomach. “In the other room. Door’s closed. Why?”
“Picked up chatter about a body being found near Collins’ compound.”
CHAPTER TEN
“How long have you known Zane?” Claire asked.
“About a year. I met him when he started working for Maddox. One day when I was on a mission, this deep, rich voice came over the comm system that sent shivers down my spine.” Lily grinned. “Don’t tell him or my husband I said that. Then I met Zane in person and realized the gorgeous voice matched the body, brain, and personality. Unfortunately for me, we had no chemistry beyond friendship. Wasn’t long before we became fast friends. If I’m in trouble, Zane works a miracle to get me out of it. Most of the Fortress operatives owe their lives to his crisis management and mad computing skills.”
Zane encompassed those characteristics for Claire, too. She would never forget his calm voice in the darkness. Zane Murphy had saved her life last night. The sparks between her and Zane made the butterflies in her stomach fly in frenetic flight paths. The Navy SEAL fascinated her. “When did you meet Remy?”
“Not long after I met Zane.” Merriment danced in the other woman’s gaze. “My husband has a smooth way with women, something I didn’t trust. He convinced me of his sincerity. I didn’t realize he treats his mother and sisters-in-law the same way he treats me until we caught a case in his home town, and I witnessed it for myself. The Doucets know how to care for their women. There’s just something about that family and those men. Aiden and Marie Doucet taught their sons well.”
“Where are they from? Zane mentioned something on the phone last night about Remy being a Cajun. Is he from Louisiana?”
She nodded. “Oak Hill. Remy loves it down there.”
“You don’t, I take it.”
“Too much vegetation and alligators. Remy has a pet alligator named Lucifer.” She shuddered. “Ugly thing.”
Claire laughed. “I’d love to see him, take a few pictures. He’d be perfect for an upcoming photo shoot for a wildlife magazine.”
“You better wear tennis shoes, Claire. Take my word for it. Lucifer is fast on his webbed feet. Keep a good distance away from him or use a top-flight telephoto lens. You should come with us to visit Remy’s family. They’d love to meet you. We’ll invite Zane to come along.” She smiled. “I’ll introduce you to Lucifer.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you’d been face to snout with that bad-tempered reptile. I prefer the pack of family dogs to the walking suitcase with giant teeth.”
“Since you’re not comfortable in the wilds, where would you rather be?”
“A city. Any city. I’m a street rat. Give me a concrete jungle with automobile exhaust fumes and I’m at home.”
Another knock on the door and Remy slipped inside. “License plate is changed. Doubt those clowns got a look at the plate, but someone from Fortress might have noticed which vehicle we brought. Hopefully this will throw people off the trail for a while.” He glanced around, zeroed in on the closed bedroom. “Zane?”
“He received a text,” Lily said.
A speculative look filled his gaze. “Work?”
“He didn’t say. Lit out of here in a hurry, though. Find out if it’s work or personal, babe. The nachos should be here in a few minutes. Hey, Claire wants to meet Lucifer.”
Remy swung around. “I can arrange that. Lot of gorgeous scenery to photograph, no matter what my adorable wife claims. Lily is more comfortable with her head under the hood of a vehicle than outside communing with nature.”
“More like running for my life,” she muttered. “There are too many creatures out in the swamp that could eat me for a snack.”
He wrapped his arms around Lily and dropped a quick kiss on her upturned mouth. “I keep telling you, sweetheart, it’s a bayou, not a swamp.”
“No difference in my book.”
He opened his mouth to respond when a brisk knock sounded. Remy motioned for Claire to go into the other bedroom. Once she was out of sight, he checked the peephole and opened the suite door to a bellhop with a serving cart.
After he left, Claire rejoined the Doucets in the living room. She breathed deep, gaze fixed on the plates piled high with mouth-watering food. As if on cue, her stomach growled.
“I say we eat.” Lily rubbed her hands together. “This looks fabulous. Zane can catch up when he finishes. If he doesn’t dally. I’m hungry enough to clean his plate, too.”
Again, Remy glanced toward the bedroom. “I think I’ll look in on him, see what’s up.”
“Is something wrong?” Claire’s gaze skated toward the Doucets’ room. “Zane wouldn’t keep secrets, would he?”
“Not anything pertaining to Adam. Z is a vault of information about many things in Fortress and out. A lot of information passes through his hands.” Remy turned to her. “He’ll tell you what he can, Claire, but you have to know there will be things he simply can’t share because of national security.”
National security? What was up with that? “I thought Fortress was strictly private.”
“We take government contracts as well, but we’re choosy which missions we’ll accept. Maddox hates to be kept in the dark, and the government is notorious for telling you enough to land you in trouble.” A grim smile curved his lips. “They’re stingy with information.”
“I guess that’s why Adam doesn’t tell me much about his missions.”
“Staying out of jail is a great incentive for not compromising national security. I’m betting your brother doesn’t say much about his Marine days either, does he?”
“Now that you mention it, no, he doesn’t. I thought the silence was because the missions were bad or he lost friends.”
“That’s true as well. His missions were classified and Uncle Sam takes a dim view of people who have loose lips. Zane’s missions with his SEAL team are classified, too. He won’t be able to talk about them.”
A subtle warning from the Cajun? Remy need not worry she would be angry over Zane’s silence. She didn’t wanted an accounting of the men he’d been forced to kill. She was just grateful he came home alive. Claire had lost count of the number of women who asked her brother how many people he killed on missions. Blood-thirsty creatures. As soon as they asked the inevitable questions and grew angry when he refused to answer, Adam walked away from them. She never asked mission details and neither had Nana. Adam had never volunteered them. “I don’t need details. I’m just glad Zane came home at all.”
A slight smile curved Remy’s lips. “He’ll tell you what he can.” He turned toward the door, paused. “He’s one of the best men I know and a good friend,” he said without turning around, then slipped into bedroom and closed the door.
Another less-than-subtle warning or an encouragement to give Zane a chance? She was i
nterested, crazy as it seemed since she’d known him one day. An intense day. Claire sighed. She was being ridiculous. What would a Navy SEAL see in a pint-sized photographer?
“Let’s eat.” Lily pushed the cart to the side of the room and plucked a loaded plate and soft drink from the top. She handed both to Claire. “If you’re still hungry after eating that, I could go for ice cream. I happen to know a certain SEAL who’s a sucker for chocolate.”
“Who isn’t?” she countered. Claire sat at the round table and dug into her nachos. Something told her she should eat while she had the chance. “Will I have a printer and paper to print the photographs?” She’d brought a photo book for the proofs. All she needed was the equipment and some time when she wasn’t falling asleep in her seat. She might have to turn in sooner than normal tonight and wake up early to complete her work for Sheila.
Halfway through her meal, the bedroom door opened and Zane wheeled into the room followed by Remy. Both men’s expressions were grim. Claire dropped her chip on her plate, her stomach lurching with fear. “What is it?”
Zane came to a stop beside her chair and reached for her hand.
“You’re scaring me,” she whispered. “Please tell me it’s not Adam.” She didn’t think she could handle another loss. First her parents, then her grandfather. Losing Adam? No. Just no.
“We don’t know anything at this point. Jon heard some scuttlebutt in Belize.”
“Belize?” Her hand tightened around his. “Is that where Adam is?”
“He was two days ago. With his tracker off line, we don’t know where he is now.”
She studied his expression. “Tell me the rest.” She could face whatever came if she put a name to it, whether it was an illness, crisis, or worse. She hated being kept in the dark.
“A body was found outside Collins’ compound. There is no ID yet, but the body is male.”
Stunned, she stared at his face. His mouth moved, but she couldn’t hear his words over the roaring in her ears. It couldn’t be Adam. She refused to believe it until she saw proof, and she sure wasn’t telling Nana until she was sure Adam was gone.
Zane released her hand and cupped her face between his roughened palms. “Claire, look at me.”
His words sounded as if he spoke from a great distance away. Claire wanted to respond. Couldn’t. Every muscle in her body was locked in place. Why couldn’t she move? Please, God, don’t let it be Adam.
The SEAL leaned forward and kissed her, gently at first, then with more passion. When he deepened the kiss, Claire vaguely registered the soft closing of a door nearby. When her lungs were burning for lack of air, Zane eased back enough to allow her to drag in much needed air. Good grief, Zane Murphy was skilled at kissing. Claire’s heart was racing, this time not from shock.
“Okay now?” he asked, voice husky.
“I don’t know. I might need another kiss to be sure.”
He chuckled. “I thought you said the goodnight kiss was optional for our date.”
Claire deliberately looked toward the window. “Sun’s still shining. That was not a goodnight kiss, Murphy.” Her gaze returned to his. “Now that I know how skilled you are, I’m changing the rule. You absolutely owe me a goodnight kiss.”
She cupped the side of his face, leaned in for another kiss, this one soft, gentle. “I’m okay, thanks to you.” She glanced around, noted the empty room. The door closing must have been Remy and Lily leaving them alone.
After a lingering caress, Claire dropped her hand and entwined it with his. “When will we know whether the body is Adam or someone else?”
“A few hours. Jon is a world-class computer hacker. He’ll keep an eye on the medical examiner’s reports and the police reports.”
She swallowed hard. “Do you think…?” Couldn’t finish the question without bursting into tears.
His hand tightened on hers. “I don’t know, baby. The timing is bad. It could be Adam or someone else. Collins isn’t known for giving second chances to his people. We’ll have to wait. I promise you, though, Jon will stay on it. He’ll let us know the minute he confirms the identity.”
“You called me baby.”
Zane looked startled. “I did?”
She smiled. “I like it,” she whispered. “No one ever calls me that.”
“Not even your boyfriend?”
“Apparently, my current boyfriend, Zane Murphy, does. The previous two called me Toots and Angel Face.”
Zane flinched.
“Yep, my thought exactly. That’s why they are ex-boyfriends. The point is, I like that you call me a pet name even if our relationship is pretend.”
He sat in silence a moment, his gaze intent, then said, “It doesn’t have to be pretend.”
Before she could untangle her tongue to take him up on his offer, Remy and Lily returned to the room.
“We heard voices,” Lily said. “Figured it was safe to come back.”
“She’s fine,” Zane said to Lily, his gaze still locked with Claire’s. “Guess we should eat before the chips get soggy.” He lifted their clasped hands and kissed the back of hers before releasing her and turning his attention to the loaded nachos.
Remy motioned to Claire’s empty glass. “Need more, sugar?”
“I’d appreciate it and a bottle of water if you can find one.” Her lips curved. “I’d go myself, but I’m assuming you don’t want me to show my face for a while.”
“It’s best to keep a low profile. I’ll return in a minute.”
“Remy told me what Jon said.” Lily dropped into the nearest chair and resumed eating her meal. “Has he been in touch with Maddox?”
Zane nodded. “He’s calling in favors from anyone who might be able to speed things up. We have to be careful, though. If Adam is still alive with an intact cover, we don’t want to tip off Collins that he has a spy in his compound.”
“Can’t Maddox send a team to find Adam?” Claire asked. “He could fly them in at night.”
“Easier said than done,” Lily said after swallowing a chip. “Collins bought the local law enforcement and is friends with many of the national leaders. An extraction team asking questions will attract attention. Maddox is doing his thing behind the scenes. As soon as we have a direction, the boss will track Adam down.”
“Remember we don’t know where he is at the moment,” Zane added. “Sending a team to Belize to rescue Adam accomplishes nothing if he’s been moved elsewhere. As frustrating as it is, we have to wait for more information.”
Would that information come soon enough to save her brother’s life?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They polished off the nachos and consumed the chocolate ice cream Lily ordered, much to Zane’s amusement. At least it wasn’t cheesecake this time. Lily had a sweet tooth that wouldn’t quit and her current weakness was cheesecake, especially chocolate cheesecake.
He’d also monitored the amount of food Claire ate. No missing the fact she’d eaten almost nothing after learning of the body outside the Collins’ compound. For her sake, he hoped Adam was still alive. For Adam’s sake, he prayed his friend’s cover was intact, because Collins wasn’t known for having mercy on his enemies.
He glanced at his watch. Eli Wolfe should soon bring Claire’s printer and photo paper. He’d sent the fellow SEAL a text, asking him to sneak into her place and bring her equipment and supplies. The operative was to check the neighborhood for any further activity, although Zane didn’t think that would be the case. After all, the prize wasn’t in residence. Why bother to have more than a minimal presence to keep an eye out for Claire? If they had brains, the clowns knew she wasn’t returning to her home.
Eli was also to search for bugs or hidden cameras planted in Claire’s house. Even the best security systems could be breached and he didn’t want her privacy invaded by Collins or whoever was determined to lay hands on her.
“Zane, Claire wants to visit Remy’s alligator. You want to go along and watch the fun?” Lily asked.
He turned, stared at Claire. “Are you serious? You want to visit Lucifer?”
“He and his friends will be perfect for what I have in mind for a wildlife magazine assignment. A bonus for me is I love Cajun cuisine.”
“Mrs. Doucet is known for her cooking.” She was a tough lady, though. From Remy’s accounts of his childhood, Marie Doucet rode herd on him and his brothers. His lips curved. Might be entertaining to see how Claire handled the Doucet clan. His money was on the fragile-looking fairy seated next to him. Claire Walker looked as if a gust of wind would flatten her. Those looks were deceptive. To take down a man twice her height who outweighed her by one hundred pounds, she had grit in spades and a boatload of courage.
“She’s quite a cook,” Remy confirmed. “Mom could have opened her own restaurant and made a bundle. Almost every time we had a meal on the table, a neighbor or two sat down with us. Mom occasionally caters for special events.”
“Why doesn’t she open her own restaurant?” Claire asked. “You don’t have younger siblings at home, do you?”
He laughed. “Bite your tongue, sugar. The only little ones my parents have around the house now are grandchildren. Mom says she doesn’t want to cook for a living because it would take all the joy out of it.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “What joy? More like torture,” she muttered.
“That’s because you hate to cook, my love. Her philosophy is the occasional catering job allows her to take only the gigs she wants, which leaves her plenty of time to be a grandmother. The extra money lets her spoil those young ones.”
“Must be nice to have a large family.” Claire finished the last of her soft drink. “It’s just Nana, Adam, and me. There might be a distant relation in California where Nana grew up, though she never mentioned one.”
“I know how you feel.” Lily gathered the empty plates and returned them to the serving cart. “I grew up in the foster care system. My mother gave me up for adoption right after I was born. No one ever took a chance on me.”