Wheels of Justice (Fortress Security Book 4)

by Rebecca Deel

  Life was never easy. The last thing she wanted, though, was a broken marriage. She wouldn’t consider marrying a man if their relationship wasn’t based on mutual love and respect, placing her needs before his own, just as her priority would be his needs. A full partnership like that of her own parents. Claire blinked away the sudden hot moisture in her eyes. Man, she missed them. What she wouldn’t give to have an hour with them. Her gaze moved from her computer screen to the man sitting beside her. What would her mother and father say about Zane? Would they approve of her choice?

  Zane glanced at Claire, hands hovering over his keyboard. “Everything okay?”

  She shrugged one shoulder. “Missing my parents.” Claire saved her work in a folder labeled with Rio and Darcy’s names, and shut down her computer. While she didn’t want to stop working, her vision was blurring. All the late nights and early mornings were catching up to her. Much as she hated to admit it, Zane was right. She wasn’t used to these hours. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep,” she whispered. A glance around the jet’s cabin told her the rest of the Fortress members were now sleeping. She knew they would wake fully alert if something disturbed their rest. She didn’t want to be the cause of that.

  “There’s a blanket in the compartment over your seat,” he murmured.

  Claire set aside her laptop, unbuckled the safety belt, and stood. Scowled when she realized she still couldn’t reach the compartment. Why did her parents have to pass on the short gene? What she wouldn’t give to be a few inches taller. And there was no step stool in sight.

  “Move a couple steps closer to me. I’ll give you a boost.”

  Zane’s voice sounded funny. She swung around to see him hastily blank the expression on his face. He couldn’t, however, hide the mirth in his gaze. Claire shifted position and Zane’s hard hands clamped around her waist. He lifted her high enough for her to grab the soft blue blanket, then set her down.

  “Come here.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and nudged her head into a comfortable position against his chest.

  “Do you need to work?” she said as she snuggled closer. “I don’t want to interfere.”

  “You won’t.” Zane pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead. “I’m monitoring the bait we left for the traitor. The computer will signal if there’s been a data breach.”

  Claire still didn’t think she’d sleep, but she couldn’t bear to give up the comfort of Zane’s embrace. At least she could relax for a while even if her thoughts wouldn’t settle. Her lips curved. They were chasing around in her head like a hound dog chasing a squirrel.

  With a sigh, she closed her eyes. A moment later, she felt Zane tug the blanket higher to cover her shoulder, using the weight of his arm to hold the soft material in place. “Thanks.”

  “Rest, baby. I’ll let you know if we learn anything.”

  Within minutes, her thoughts slowed. The next thing she knew, Zane was gently rubbing her back. She blinked, surprised to find herself still wrapped in the blanket and Zane’s arms. “Anything wrong?”

  “Computer alerted me. I need to check it.” When Claire sat up, Zane reached down and scooped his computer from the floor. After tapping a few keys, a smile of satisfaction curved his mouth. “Gotcha.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Zane’s fingers flew over the keyboard as he searched for the identity of the person who accessed the secure information area he and Jon created. His eyes narrowed as he uncovered the identity. Of course. Should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.

  “Who?” Jon murmured, his gaze zeroed in on Zane’s face.

  “Me.”

  The other SEAL grunted. “Figured. Need help unmasking the culprit?”

  “Nope. I got this.” He went deeper and deeper into Fortress’s computer system, tracking the electronic footprints of the traitor. This guy was clever, but not as good as he thought he was. Finally, he found what he was after. A few more keystrokes and he had him. His face burned. Traitor, indeed. He’d betrayed not just the company, but Zane personally. His own trainee had turned on him. He shoved his hands through his hair. No wonder he’d been able to mimic Zane’s programming. The traitor had worked with him for over a year.

  “And the verdict is?” Jon asked.

  “Johnson.”

  His friend’s jaw flexed. “You call the boss. I’ll tear our traitor’s life apart.”

  “Copy that.”

  “Who’s Johnson?” Claire asked.

  “One of my trainees. He’s been working in the comm center and in research. I can’t tell you how many times he’s stepped in for me over the past year.”

  She frowned. “Why does his name sound familiar?”

  “He covered for me when I began work as your bodyguard. I thought he was a friend as well as a fellow co-worker. He’s also the guy who gave Lily a hard time at the coffee shop.”

  “Why would he betray you and the company?”

  “Don’t know, but Jon will find out. My guess is money. Johnson doesn’t have family or a wife or girlfriend so that’s not a blackmail motive. Collins wouldn’t be able to hold a loved one’s safety over him.”

  “You must do background checks on people who apply. I know the background check on Adam was extensive. Maddox’s people talked to neighbors, friends, co-workers, military personnel, Adam’s physician, our pastor.” Claire smiled. “I think they even checked with the groomers about my brother’s dog.”

  “Someone did a background investigation, but it wasn’t me.” A mistake he wouldn’t make again. He wouldn’t train anyone without personally vetting them. Zane planned to find out who approved Johnson and the procedure used.

  He narrowed his eyes. Zane also needed to consider the possibility the investigator might have been bought as well. A sick feeling formed in the pit of his stomach. How deep might the betrayal go? How many more Fortress personnel might be at risk? “Trust me, babe. I’ll find out what went wrong and plug the hole.”

  He dug his phone from his pocket and called Maddox. “Got him,” he said without preamble.

  “Who?”

  “Johnson in communication and research.”

  Maddox muttered a few things under his breath. “Procedure?”

  Zane outlined for his boss what he and the others had devised. “Call St. Claire’s team in to cover the government transport. Ask him to bring in people he trusts. Collins will send a group after the transport. We have to make this look good enough to convince him the shipment is legit.”

  “I’ll take care of it. Your operation?”

  “Covered. We need the plane fueled and ready to take off at a moment’s notice.”

  “Done. How soon can I move?”

  Zane understood his need to yank Johnson in for interrogation. Not yet. Not until he completed a final job for Fortress. “I’ll send you a text when Johnson communicates the information to Collins about the shipment and Claire’s location. In the meantime, Jon and I are monitoring his electronic moves.” It was much easier to keep track of a traitor when you knew his identity.

  “Roger that.”

  “Brent, we need to revamp our applicant vetting. He slipped through the cracks in our procedure. Jon and I will also be looking into the screener. Maybe Johnson slipped through because of shoddy workmanship, maybe because Collins has another mole planted in our organization. Either way, we’ll find the truth. We can’t let this happen again.” None of their co-workers should suffer what Adam was enduring.

  “Agreed. Later.”

  He slid his phone into his pocket and turned to the woman seated beside him. “Want to try sleeping again or are you awake?”

  “There must be a galley with a coffee pot on this posh ride. Where is it?”

  “To the right of the cockpit door. You realize if you start a pot, you’ll have to keep replenishing the magic elixir, right?”

  “I figured.” She lifted one shoulder. “Gives me an excuse to stretch my legs. How many hours until we land?”

  “Tw
o, depending on whether we have a good tailwind.”

  She groaned softly. “In other words, I slept a grand total of one hour.”

  “That’s right. Change your mind about that coffee?”

  “I wish. Unfortunately, I’m wide awake now. Might as well work.”

  Maybe she would rest after they checked into the hotel. At least one of them would always be on watch from the time they stepped off the plane until they flew home with Adam. He suspected none of them would relax until Claire was on US soil and out of danger.

  So many things could go wrong, all of them lethal for his girlfriend. If he could convince her to stay on the plane and return home, he’d do it. He knew, though, the suggestion was a waste of time and breath. Claire had come this far. She wouldn’t return home without her brother. If using her photographic skills would help, she wouldn’t be dissuaded from the plan. He couldn’t blame her. If his brother or sister was being held captive, he’d do whatever was necessary to free them.

  Since he couldn’t force her to leave without damaging their relationship, he’d make sure she arrived at home in one piece, no matter how he had to do it.

  “I’ll be back,” Claire said. “I assume you drink coffee strong enough to peel paint.”

  He grinned. “How did you know? The stronger the better, Claire.”

  She rolled her eyes and stepped into the aisle. “What a way to ruin a good cup of coffee.” With a shake of her head, she started toward the front of the plane. Immediately, the operatives stirred and several heads turned her direction as the Fortress personnel tracked her progress to the galley.

  Nate glanced at Zane, silently asking if he should follow and offer help. Zane inclined his head. Immediately, the EOD man made his way to the galley.

  Within minutes, the scent of strong coffee drifted through the plane. Knowing Nate, he would be putting together a light meal. Maddox kept the jets stocked. Zane had heard more than one team complain about not having a professional chef in their ranks, but Nate was trained in the culinary arts before he joined the military. He and the rest of his teammates had been together since basic training. Maddox refused to recruit professional chefs to quiet a few grumbles from his teams.

  Claire returned to the cabin pushing a serving cart loaded with a carafe of coffee and mugs, bottles of water, and wraps filled with strips of grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and strips of bacon as well as a variety of chips. By the time she made it down the length of the aisle, the carafe was empty as were the serving trays, water bottles distributed.

  After finishing the snack, the Fortress operatives studied the schematics for Collins’ compound which Jon projected onto a screen. By the time the jet landed at Goldson International Airport in Belize City, a plan was in place that Zane was reasonably satisfied with. No plan was perfect. He’d learned during fifteen years of missions with the SEALs that something always went wrong. This time the uncertainties nearly made him heave because Claire’s life was on the line.

  His jaw clenched as the wheels touched down on the tarmac. After the plane taxied to a stop, he glanced at Claire. “Last chance to back out, babe. Once your feet hit the ground, you’ll be onstage until we board this plane again. You’ll have a target on your back the whole time. Be sure. No one would think less of you if you changed your mind.”

  She kissed him, her touch gentle. “I’m sure, Zane. I need to help. You and your team agree Adam’s life is down to mere hours now. There’s no time for another plan. Collins wants me as leverage. Let’s dangle me as bait and buy my brother a few more hours of life.”

  He studied her face a moment, determined to commit every feature and expression to memory. It didn’t take a genius to realize she was set on her course of action. Zane gave a short nod. “From the moment we step off the plane, you do exactly as we tell you without question. Your life and the lives of our team depend on it.”

  “You have my word on that.”

  He brushed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. “All right, love. Let’s free your brother and take down a kingpin.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Claire’s skin crawled from the moment her feet touched the ground in Belize City. Her imagination must be running wild. Right? Then why was her stomach in a knot and her gut telling her she was watched? She started to look around as they crossed the tarmac.

  “Don’t,” Zane murmured as he kept pace beside her. “We don’t want them to know we’re aware of them. You aren’t supposed to know bad guys are watching in the wings. Remember, you’re here on vacation with your boy toy and a couple photography assistants.”

  Her laughter rang out over the area, probably as he intended. Her muscles relaxed a little. Zane, Remy, and Lily were the best at what they did. She’d seen them in action. She trusted them to watch her back. Now she had to have theirs by pulling off the greatest acting job of her life. Good thing she had enjoyed drama in high school and college. Time to put those lessons to work. She projected an attitude of total comfort and confidence, a lack of care about anything but herself. After all, she wasn’t supposed to know Adam was in trouble. Now she was in a foreign country, far from the danger which had been stalking her at home. She should feel safe now. Too bad she knew the truth, that she was in more danger than ever.

  Claire turned her head to Zane, smiled. “You are definite arm candy, Zane Murphy.”

  A quick grin was his response even as his gaze swept the area.

  “Please.” Remy turned with a scowl on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. “I’m too young for such flirting.”

  Lily snorted. “I saw a little gray in your hair the other night, baby.”

  “Aww, now, that hurts, sweetheart. I’m a spring chicken.” He leaned over and kissed his wife lightly, then loped ahead to collect the specially equipped SUV Jon had arranged for their travel around Belize.

  Claire looked around the interior of the airport terminal, unsurprised by the silence at that time of morning. Once Remy had collected the keys for their vehicle, they made their way out of the terminal to the parking lot. Though she didn’t spot anyone unduly interested in their progress, the alertness didn’t ease until they were inside the vehicle. “What now?”

  “We drive to the hotel, following every traffic law so we don’t attract the attention of the local cops,” Remy answered. “The last thing we need is an excuse for local law enforcement to detain us.”

  “When will Collins know we’re in Belize?”

  “He already knows,” Zane said. “That’s why you felt the need to look around. Collins had people in place to watch for our arrival.”

  “I’m surprised he didn’t try to take me at the airport.”

  “Too many witnesses,” Lily said. “Besides, why should he bother? He’ll make contact with you tomorrow while you’re out taking pictures. He doesn’t have to make up an excuse. He’ll hire you for a photography job, then claim you left his compound when the job was finished and disappeared.”

  A thought occurred to her which made her blood run cold. “Does Collins know about the rest of our team?” If he did, when they deplaned, they would be walking into an ambush. “We have to warn them.”

  Zane wrapped his hand around hers as Remy drove toward the hotel. “He can’t know about them because Johnson didn’t. According to the manifest, only four of us were on the plane. According to the story we fed Johnson, Maddox authorized the transport because you’re Adam’s sister and he wants you off his back while he searches for your brother.”

  “But Collins’ people will see the rest of the team when they leave the plane.”

  “Don’t worry,” Remy said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. “Our teammates are pros at this game of cat and mouse, Claire. They won’t have a problem slipping from the plane undetected.”

  “It takes men more skilled than Collins’ thugs to take down Durango and Jon and Eli,” Lily added. “The government spent a lot of time and money training them. They are the best. No two-bit thug will be
st them.”

  She settled deeper into the seat and stared out the window. Claire wouldn’t help them if she screwed up her part because of worry and fear.

  Inside the hotel, the floor plan of the lobby was open. Plenty of flora and fauna, some Claire recognized, most she didn’t. The fifteen-story hotel was open in the center with an indoor atrium and koi pond in the middle. Interior balconies on each floor faced the middle of the hotel, giving guests a good view of the atrium.

  While waiting for Remy to check them in, Zane urged Claire to sit in one of the overstuffed lobby chairs. Once she was seated, he leaned close and brushed his lips over hers. “You okay?” he murmured as his lips skimmed the surface of her skin on a tantalizing journey to the softness behind her ear.

  She shivered at the light contact. “Mmm. Is this for my benefit or our audience?”

  “Both. Making a point that you’re mine and distracting you.”

  “You’re an excellent distraction. You can stop sometime next year.”

  He chuckled. “Deal. When we reach the room, be careful what you say. Collins has a long reach in this country. I’d be surprised if we didn’t have listening devices planted in the room.”

  A cold knot formed in the pit of her stomach. Oh, man. She was hoping to have time off the stage. Even when she acted in plays, she didn’t stay in character twenty-four hours a day. She was bound to slip up. “Do we have to leave them in place?”

  Another soft kiss, this one to the shell of her ear. “No, baby. He’d be suspicious if we didn’t check. We’re in the security business. We’d be lousy security experts if we didn’t check our own room for listening devices and cameras.”

  Cameras? Oh, man. That was worse. Claire would never have thought to look for cameras if she had searched for Adam on her own. “Even if you’ve been fired from Fortress?”

  “That doesn’t change who we are. We’re special ops warriors and former cops. We won’t forgo our training.”