Scent of Danger

by Judith Rochelle

  But ten of his men had been killed, a fact that depressedhim even as he was prepared for the inevitable loss of life such a campaignproduced. Ordering the others to make sure they left no weapons that could betraced, the men managed to melt into the night like shadows, even the sound ofthe Humvee covered by other noises. Somehow, though, one weapon was leftbehind, hidden beneath a body. It was retrieved by one of the soldiers movingthrough the village, checking for stragglers and ordering everyone into theirhomes.

  Al-Dulami had no idea the firestorm that weapon wouldunleash.

  * * * * *

  Staff Sgt. Rory Karnes was tired, sweaty and dirty. They hadwaited for the attack on the village two long days and nights, one of threeplaces their commanding officer had determined whoever was doing this wouldstrike next. The only thing they knew for sure was it wasn’t any of the regulargroups of insurgents they were fighting. These people were better trained, moredetermined and not a breath of information about them had leaked out. But theyhad obviously not expected their campaign to be short-stopped so quickly.

  Karnes dismissed his men and headed for his C.O. to make hisafter action report. And show him the rifle he’d picked up from beneath a deadbody. Unlike most of the weapons they recovered, this one still had the serialnumber visible enough to read. If they could trace where this came from, maybethey could find out who this new group was and who was providing the weaponsfor them.

  Just what we need. A war on another front.

  Captain John Lange listened quietly to the report and tookthe weapon from Michaels. As soon as the sergeant left, he picked up his satphone and punched in a number.

  “You need to check something for me,” he told the voice onthe other end. “We may have a lead on what happened to those hijacked weapons.”

  * * * * *

  The move from Virginia back to Rick’s house was made lateSunday night, when there was very little traffic on the street so anythingunusual would be easy for the Phoenix men to spot. The partners tried once moreto get Rick to go back to the condo but he was having none of it.

  “I can’t keep hiding,” he insisted. “And everything I needis at my house. Besides, if I’m in hiding we can’t smoke anyone out. We’vealready discussed this so just do what you have to do to get ready.”

  “You’re still far from a hundred percent,” Dan argued.

  “I’m good to go.” He looked at Kelly and Xena. “And besides.I have my own special guard troops.”

  So Dan made the arrangements. He had two cars patrolling asix-block area, checking for anything that looked the least bit out of theordinary, verifying license plates on their laptops hooked directly into theDragon to make sure the vehicles belonged in the area.

  They decided to use Kelly’s truck, hoping if someone waswatching they’d think a stranger was visiting. Troy was delegated to pick themup in Virginia since Dan was busy handling Charlie Grainger and Mark washeading up the investigation into the fiasco in Baghdad. The men were callingin every favor they could and pulling contacts out of the woodwork in theirsearch for answers.

  Troy drove with his eyes scanning every direction,especially when they turned onto Rick’s street and pulled into his driveway. Helifted the radio from the seat and said in a soft voice, “Check in now.”

  They could hear each of the men stationed outside call inhis station and Troy clicked off. Everyone relaxed marginally when they wereall inside without incident.

  “I’ll take your truck back to the city,” Troy said, “makesure I haven’t picked up a tail and stash it in my garage. You should be setfor supplies. When we stocked your groceries we also got more food for Xena.”

  “Thank you,” Kelly told him. “I was just about out.”

  Troy looked around. “I hate to go off and leave you guys,just in case we’ve missed something.”

  “I do have a gun and I’m not completely crippled,” Rickargued, with an edge to his voice.

  “And if you can do me a favor, we’ll be even better off,”Kelly added.

  “Name it.”

  “Can you get my guns out of my truck without it looking tooobvious?”

  “Guns?” both men chorused and looked at her with equalcuriosity.

  She huffed her impatience. “I told you at the clinic I’m anexpert with a handgun and a rifle. I always carry them with me. My fathertaught me to shoot when I was twelve. It comes in handy living out in themiddle of nowhere.”

  Troy snapped out of his daze. “What kind and where arethey?”

  “My H&K 9mm is under the driver’s seat in a frame I hadinstalled for it. The rifle is under the backseat.”

  The men looked at each other again as if she’d just spokenin a strange tongue.

  Kelly stamped her foot with impatience. “Weren’t youlistening to me in Virginia? Haven’t you ever met a woman who could shootbefore?”

  Troy shook himself. “I’ll get them. No sweat.”

  When he carried them into the house and despite what she’dsaid, neither man could hide his surprised admiration as she expertly checkedboth guns, slipped the H&K into the small of her back and laid the rifle onthe table in the hall.

  “So I shouldn’t worry if I need someone to protect me,” Rickcommented, his voice teasing.

  “Only if you’re nice to me,” she joked back.

  His electric blue eyes heated, darkening. “You have no ideahow nice I’d like to be to you.”

  “Later,” she whispered and turned to Troy. “Okay. I’d saywe’re good to go. What’s next?”

  “I’m going to check Rick’s wound one last time, althoughit’s almost completely healed, then get out of here. I’ll check in with youafter a while. And I’ll leave the radio with you so you can communicate withthe team. I’ve got another one.” He looked at Kelly, then at Xena. “If anythingseems hinky, call me right away.”

  “What if we need transportation?” Rick asked. “My truck, asyou know, was totaled.”

  “Not that I expect you to be going anywhere,” Troy grinned,“but there’s a brand new Lincoln Navigator sitting in your garage. Try not towreck this one, okay?”

  The first order of business was to give Xena a few minutesin the backyard. Rick set up a procedure for them to follow. He’d kill thealarm for a few minutes, Kelly would open the back door and let the dog out,then close it while the animal did her thing. Both of them would wait, gunsready, in the utility room until she called the dog back in. Then the alarmwent on again.

  Before she opened the back door, Kelly whispered in thedog’s ear.

  I can’t go outside with you. Come right back.

  Okay.

  Look for danger. Anything smells wrong, let me know.

  I won’t let anything hurt you. Either of you.

  I know. I trust you. We have to take care of Rick.

  Xena barked and, as soon as the door opened, she loped outinto the yard.

  “Faith’s Aunt Vivi would salivate if you told her about themental conversations you and Xena have,” Rick told her while they waited forthe dog to finish up outside.

  “I’m going to call her while we’re here, if it’s okay. I’vebeen finding more and more similar situations on The Lotus Circle website and Iwant to talk to her about them.”

  Rick nodded. “She’d love it. And you should call Faith andMia too.”

  The minute they were locked up tight again, alone in thehouse, the atmosphere changed, became more charged. Electric. As if all thelittle touches and light kisses of the previous days bubbled up together. Theywere in the entry hall, standing so close together she could count everyeyelash, looking at each other in a suddenly awkward silence.

  Kelly cleared her throat. “Well. The trip can’t have beentoo comfortable for you and it’s pretty late. Probably you should get out ofthose clothes and get into bed. Go to sleep. After you show me which room ismine.”

  Rick moved a fraction of an inch closer, his warm handsresting on her shoulders. “Exactly what I had in mind. Except for the sleepingpart. And the separa
te rooms.”

  Before she could move his mouth came down on hers, lightlyat first, then pressing more firmly. Her arms automatically wound themselvesaround his neck, pulling him closer and she relaxed against him.

  “That’s it, Red,” he whispered against her mouth. “Letyourself feel. We both knew this was coming. It’s been building for days.”

  His lips were warm as they brushed back and forth againsthers, his teeth nibbling gently at the corners, biting lightly on her lowerlip. When his tongue parted the seam of her mouth she opened without a protest,allowing his tongue to sweep inside. Sparks of lightning shot through her,turning her legs to jelly and her blood to liquid fire. She couldn’t remember akiss ever affecting her like this in her life. But then, she’d never known aman like Rick Latrobe before, either.

  She could have stayed there like that all day, her bodypressed against his, feeling his erection hard against her, his hands holdingher, his tongue tantalizing her. Then her brain kicked in and she pulled herhead back enough to catch her breath. When she opened her eyes, his blue oneswere blazing into hers.

  “Tell me again about how you don’t do this kind of thingvery well.” His voice was husky. “Because if you did it any better, we’d begoing up in flames right about now.”

  At Dogwood House, hiding her embarrassment, she’d tried toexplain the difficulty she had with men but Rick had simply moved ahead withhis battle plan, showing her that with him it was different. Coaxing responsesfrom her, teasing her body, making her want him as much as he wanted her.

  But a sudden attack of nerves gripped her and wouldn’t letgo. They were alone. He was better. There was nothing and no one to stop themnow.

  “Rick, I…we…”

  His hands came up to cup her face. “What, Red? Don’t tell methat wasn’t good because it was terrific. Makes me want a lot more.”

  “But you’re…you… Oh, hell.” She dropped her eyes.

  “I’m a man who’s made an unbelievable connection with anincredible woman and I’m not dropping it. You said yourself Xena never bondswith anyone else except you. Let’s not make a liar out of her.”

  “Aren’t you worried about the people out there trying to killyou?” Even as aroused as she was, Kelly couldn’t get the thought out of herhead.

  He pressed light kisses to her forehead, her nose, her chin.“I’ll tell you what. An hour from now all that crap will still be there. Rightnow we’re going up to my room where I’m going to follow your advice, take offmy clothes and get into bed. But only if you get in there with me, so I canshow you just how inventive I can be in a situation like this.” He pressed hismouth to hers again, briefly. “We have something here, Red. I’m not about tolet it get away.”

  Chapter Ten

  Tracing the rifle found beneath the dead insurgent took lesstime than anyone expected. Captain Lange forwarded the information to hiscommanding officer who sent it on to Central Command. From there it was easy tolink it to the Grainger Caldwell cargo that Rick Latrobe had babysat to Iraq.Which was why Charlie Grainger stormed into Dan’s office late Monday morning,his face nearly purple. Matt Caldwell, his partner, walked in silently behindhim.

  Charlie, built tall and thick like a football player, had aruddy complexion and a smile that never quite reached his piercing blue eyes.His thick brown hair was worn cropped close to the head, more for ease of carethan style, Dan thought. He was the front man for GC. The glad-hander. Thewheeler-dealer. Matt was equally as tall but lean and his longish auburn hairwas slightly graying. Matt handled everything behind the scenes, including thelegal aspect and the money. While Charlie was a shouter and fist-pounder, Mattpreferred to sit back and wait until everyone else had their say beforebringing out the hidden verbal knife.

  Which was exactly what he did now, taking one of the clientchairs while his partner stomped back and forth.

  “Charlie, sit down,” Dan said, making his voice as mild aspossible. “You’ll have a stroke and then where will you be?”

  “Out of this crap at least,” Charlie shouted. Then he took adeep breath, visibly gathered his control and dropped into a chair facing Dan.“I had two visitors this morning, Dan.”

  “Oh?”

  Dan waited for Charlie to get his breathing under control.

  “They were from one of these government alphabet agencies,of which they have so many. They had identical suits and matching badges.”

  Dan’s stomach tightened. “And what did they want?”

  “They wanted to know everything about the shipment Rick tookover to Iraq,” Matt said quietly. “How it was handled and what happened to it.We’d kind of like to know the same things, Dan.”

  “You know what the drill was,” Dan told him. “We picked upthe equipment as per your okay, loaded onto the Hercules C-130J, flew it overto Iraq and signed it off to Greg Jordan.”

  “Your man,” Matt pointed out in the same low-key voice.

  “Who you also approved.”

  “They want to know how such a big shipment disappeared.”

  “And what did you tell them?” Dan asked, watching Charlie’sface.

  “I told them they had to talk to you. And Rick. EspeciallyRick. That he handled the whole thing.”

  “Fine. Send them along.”

  “Oh, they’ll be here,” Charlie said. “No doubt about that.They could even be right on my tail.”

  “Then we’ll take care of it. Just like we always do.” ButDan had a feeling this wasn’t going to be as easy to fix as things usuallywere.

  “Where’s Latrobe?” Charlie demanded. “I want to know whereyou’ve got him stashed. This is his mess. He needs to clean it up now.Is he back home yet? I want to see him now.”

  “You know Rick was nearly killed, right?” Dan pointed out.“He came within seconds of dying. He’s in no condition to see anyone rightnow.”

  “He may not have a choice,” Charlie huffed. “These peopledon’t take no for an answer. And I want to see him myself. No more stalling. Iwant to know how he screwed this up. He’s costing me a fortune and now myattorney says I could be tried for treason if they can prove anything.”

  “Those are the key words,” Dan pointed out. “Prove anything.And we’re a long way from that.”

  “I ought to have your ass, is what I ought to do,” Graingertold him, his face still dangerously red.

  “You just about have,” Dan told him. “The fact that I’mhanging on to any of our clients is no thanks to you.” He deliberately forcedhimself to relax. He and Charlie had been at it on some level or other eversince the debacle in Baghdad. “All right. Listen.”

  “Listen?” Charlie’s voice was rising again. “Listen to what?I want Latrobe. He’s the one whose ass should be hauled in front of thiscommittee. Not mine or Matt’s.”

  “Let me get some coffee in here and we’ll take a good, longlook at this.” Dan made his voice as soothing as possible. “We’re not going toleave you hanging in the wind, Charlie. We want to get to the bottom of thiseven more than you do.”

  “Yeah? You’re not the one who’s out millions of dollarshere.”

  “No,” Dan said quietly. “We have something bigger to lose.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Our reputations.”

  * * * * *

  They couldn’t keep him hidden forever, Greg reasoned. Heknew Rick Latrobe too well. Sooner or later he’d force them to let him out ofhiding, just as soon as he was healed enough to move around. And he was surethe man would head straight for his own house, confident he could handlewhatever came at him.

  His ego is really unbelievable, and that gives me anadvantage.

  So he’d watched and waited and tonight luck had been withhim. He couldn’t believe it. He was doing his usual daily pass by Latrobe’shouse, just checking for any activity, one final check for the night just incase. He wasn’t looking for the truck so he might have missed it altogether ifhe hadn’t recognized Troy Arsenault. But who the hell was the girl with them?And that dog. God, he’d
never seen a dog like that, sniffing the air as it wasled up to the front door, then turning to look in the direction where Greg wasparked one block over. For one uncomfortable moment he was afraid the dog hadscented him but he knew that was idiotic. He was too far away.

  He picked up his camera with the long-range lens on it andsnapped off a succession of photos. When he left here he’d do some research.Find out who she was. From his laptop he could tap into any number ofdatabases.

  After everyone was inside, he allowed himself only one morepass by the house. Not too slowly, not enough to raise anyone’s eyebrows ifsomeone happened to be looking out the window. No, now that he knew whereLatrobe was again, he needed to get the hell out of there and make plans.

  He knew Latrobe would have a high-tech security system butseeing the dog had given him an idea. If the animal was staying with him, atleast twice a day they’d have to turn off the system temporarily. All he neededto do was wait for his opportunity. And find a place to watch from.

  Meanwhile he needed to call Zarife and tell him he wastemporarily off the hook. Once this job was done he had to get the hell out andhe didn’t want to leave any dangling threads. He wondered how much trouble itwould cause if he took out the engineer too. Zarife al-Dulami was a loose endhe couldn’t leave dangling.

  * * * * *

  Kelly lay nestled close to Rick Latrobe in his huge bed,feeling unbelievably sated and boneless. She still hadn’t thought they’d beable to do much but the man was one part injured and ten parts determination.Adjusting himself in a comfortable position, he set about learning her body oneinch at a time. Despite all the touching and teasing they’d been doing for thepast two weeks, despite the heat that constantly flashed in Rick’s startlingblue eyes, despite the intensity of their growing attraction, Kelly was struckwith a slight attack of nerves. Plus she’d been nervous about him re-injuringhimself, maybe pulling his stitches. But Rick had been sure and confident,easing the tension from her body with sure strokes of his hand.

  “It’s okay, Red,” he told her. “I’m not stupid enough to domyself permanent damage but I can’t wait any longer for this. And it will begood. For both of us. I promise you.”