Swallowing a healthy taste of the liquor, he unlocked theside drawer in his desk and pulled out a thin book with phone numbers. In for apenny, in for a pound, he guessed, as he dialed a number.
* * * * *
“We’ll use your shiny new Navigator,” Dan said. “It’s justsitting in the garage and no one’s seen it so it’s pretty innocuous. We’ll loadfrom there.”
Kelly and Rick stood in the front hall, each with a duffelbag at their feet, Kelly holding her rifle, her H&K tucked into the smallof her back. Rick had his Glock in the pocket of his windbreaker. Xena sat attheir feet, watching and waiting.
“I want Xena to check everything out first,” Kelly toldthem.
“Good idea.” Dan opened the door leading into the garage.
Kelly leaned down and took Xena’s head between her palms,her eyes looking directly into the dog’s. The connection between dog and womanwas obvious to everyone watching.
Seek the danger. Protect Rick.
I will.
She whispered in Xena’s ear, signaled her with her hand thengestured toward the garage.
Xena loped down the two steps and began patrolling the area,sniffing at everything. Slowly she paced around each vehicle, looking for allthe world like a four-footed, gigantic inspector checking for defects. Finallyshe went back to the bottom of the steps, looked at Kelly and Rick and emitteda single bark.
“I may have to put her on salary,” Dan joked. “Okay, folks.Let’s do this.”
Rick had set the timer for the lights so the house would notbe dark at night. Now he set the alarm and they all piled into the Expedition,rolling quietly through the neighborhood, all eyes alert for an appearance ofanything out of the ordinary. In ten minutes they were on the interstateheading for the chopper.
“Is it far from here?” Kelly asked.
“We’ll be there in just a few minutes,” Mike answered
Twenty minutes later they turned off the highway onto a two-laneroad that ended at what looked to Kelly like a country airfield. Off to oneside was a two-story house, lights glowing in the windows. The helicopter stoodstraight ahead of them.
“Place belongs to an old friend of mine,” Mike told them. “Iuse it when I want to be under the radar.”
Troy was waiting for them with supplies—a small first-aidkit with extra pain medication for Rick and more of the antibiotic medicationfor his healing wound and enough dog food to feed a complete kennel.
“You certainly are taking good care of my dog.” Kelly triedto smile.
“I’m not worried about Xena,” he told her. “She’s got thebest money could buy.”
“But you are worried about Rick.”
“Not really. He’s got an amazing healing factor. Any otherman would still be flat on his back. But it never hurts to do what you can togive his natural healing powers a boost.”
Kelly hesitated before asking the question that kept bumpingaround in her mind. “Is-Is he going to be all right?”
Troy squeezed her shoulder. “It’ll take more than a bulletto kill him. He heals amazingly fast. He’ll be fine. Promise.”
Mike hustled them into the waiting helo. Even Xena seemed tosense the urgency of the moment, leaping into the cabin and settling in a rearseat.
“I wish some of the people I know were half as smart as sheis,” Dan commented, a wry smile on his face.
When they were all inside the bird, he closed the cabin doorand backed away. He and Troy stood by the Expedition as the rotors whined thensettled into the familiar rhythm and the chopper lifted into the air. AlthoughMike had headphones for everyone, no one had much to say as they flew up thecoast in the darkness, the Atlantic Ocean a black carpet beneath them.
Still gripped with tension from the shooting, Kelly couldonly sit in silence, watching the lights of the cities they passed like amillion flashlights winking at them. In a very short amount of time her lifehad taken such a dramatic turn she was still having trouble processing it. Howlong would it be before things were any different?
She had no idea how much time had passed before Mike puncheda button on a remote and lights flashed on below them, illuminating a clearedspace on a bluff. He circled in toward the left and set the chopper down with aminimum of fuss.
Rick eased himself out of the cabin, then held out his handto her.
“I’m good,” she told him, hopping down. “You need to takeyour meds and lie down.”
“I’ll settle for aspirin,” he told her. “I can’t afford formy mind to be fogged up. I have too much work to do.”
But she noticed the slowness of his movements and the slighthitch in his breathing when he talked.
Macho man. Idiot man is more like it.
Beyond the haloes of the landing lights Kelly saw a logcabin sitting sheltered in a thick stand of trees. With no welcoming lightinside it look cold and desolate. The wind, sweeping unprotected across thehigh, open space, buffeted them as they made their way toward the cabin, thewaves of the Atlantic crashing loudly far below them. Even though Kelly knewthat her own place was less than ten minutes away, she felt as if she’d beendelivered to the ends of the earth.
Mike took another small remote from his pocket and pressedtwo buttons in it. Instantly lights came on in the cabin, diffused through thecurtains on the window.
“We have blackout curtains too, if we need them,” he toldher. “This also deactivates the alarm system so we can get in without waking upAndy and the Dragon. Rick will set it again when I leave. The alarm system isset to warn the main computer system back in Maryland if it’s breached.”
Mike followed them carrying their duffels, Xena dancing infront of them with her nose lifted, scenting the air. Scenting for danger, herealized. She ran back and forth the length of the front porch, blocking themwhen they tried to reach the door, until she’d satisfied herself they were safein this strange place. Once again she gave her signaling bark, her stamp ofapproval.
Rick unlocked the heavy door, pushed it open and Kellyfollowed him inside, Xena right beside her.
Whatever she had expected it wasn’t this. Yes, it wasrudimentary, basic, obviously built for men to use. But where the logs on theoutside were rough, the inside had been sanded and polished to a high gloss.Same with the wood floor, covered in two huge rag rugs. The furniture was bigand comfortable-looking and a massive fireplace took up part of one wall. Doorsin another wall obviously led to bedrooms and a bathroom and tucked into onecorner was a tiny kitchen.
Cabinets lined a third wall and when Rick unlocked andopened them her eyes popped. On the shelves was the most elaborate array ofelectronic equipment she’d ever seen. She didn’t even know what half of it was.
His mouth crooked in a grin when he caught her expression.
“Our work station,” he told her. “When we need total secrecyto plan missions, this is where we do it. Like this.” He flipped some switchesand a bank of eight monitors in the wall came to life at once. “Obviouslynobody outside the Phoenix family knows about this but since you’re now part ofthe family you get to learn all the hidden secrets.”
He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips, tastingthe seam with the tip of his tongue before he straightened up.
Kelly stared up at him, slightly dazed. “Family, huh?”
“You bet.” He winked.
“Not even waiting for my answer?”
“Nope. I’m only accepting one.”
While he adjusted the resolution of the pictures, Kelly lether gaze roam over the array, fascinated. The screens gave the viewer a threehundred and sixty degree view of the area around the cabin.
Family!
Her heart skipped in a happy little dance.
Rick flipped another set of switches. “That activates thesensors embedded in the perimeter. No one could sneak up on us here.”
“I would think it would be impossible the way the cabin’s situatedanyway, out here on the bluff.”
“We don’t believe in taking chances.”
Mike
looked at the two bedroom doors, at Kelly and Rick anddropped the two duffels on the floor.
“You guys can figure out where to put these,” he said with ahalf-smile. “If someone will make coffee, I’ll stretch a little and head back.”
“You don’t want to stay the night?” Kelly asked. “Shouldn’tyou wait until morning to leave? It’s pretty late.”
Mike grinned. “I’m good. I’ll crash when I get back toMaryland.”
“I hope you don’t mean that literally,” she told him.
Turning toward the kitchen, she noticed Rick pulling thingsfrom one of the cabinets, his face white with pain.
I knew he overdid it last night in bed. And this morning.
Her face heated as she remembered some of the things they’ddone together. Then she gave herself a mental kick and made a note to tryharder to keep him under control. Especially after everything that happenedtoday, plus the helicopter ride on top of it. Gently she took the mugs from himand the carafe he was holding. “Go lie down. I’ll bring you some aspirin in aminute. I’m perfectly capable of making coffee, you know.”
One corner of his mouth tipped up and he relinquished hishold on the crockery. “Yes, ma’am. I think I won’t argue with you.”
She got the coffee started, then Mike showed her whereeverything was kept in the bathroom. Carrying a glass of water and three pills,she found Rick stretched out on the double bed in one of the bedrooms. His handwas massaging his chest and pain was etching deeper lines on his face.
“Come on, macho man,” she told him. “Take your medicine, getyour clothes off and get under the covers.”
Unprotesting, he levered himself up enough to take theaspirin. “Are you going to tuck me in?” Even in pain his eyes had a wickedgleam to them.
“Maybe if you’re very good,” she teased. “Meanwhile let meget Mike some coffee and send him off. I wish he’d reconsider about leavingtonight. It’s really late.”
“He’s used to this. He wouldn’t fly if he didn’t think heshould.” He told her how to reset the alarm system before letting his eyesdrift shut.
By the time Mike left, turning the landing lights off withthe remote, and she’d let Xena out one last time, Kelly was ready to crawl intobed herself. She picked up her duffel and started for the other bedroom, alarge male body blocked her way.
“I thought you were in bed,” she told him. “You need to liedown.”
“Only if you’re lying next to me.” He wobbled slightly,steadying himself on her. “Come on. You wouldn’t want me to pass out, wouldyou?”
It amazed her that even in his less than tip-top condition,once they were under the covers Rick attempted to put some serious moves onher.
“I don’t think I can sleep yet,” he teased as his handsroamed beneath her sleepshirt. “I need some soothing.”
The minute he touched her, all her good intentions flew outthe window. Trailing his lips over the slender column of her neck, he pressedhis mouth to the hollow of her throat where her pulse was beating hard. Histongue traced a pattern around it, the tip pressing right where the throbbingof her pulse was strongest, and beneath the thin material covering her, onehand cradled a breast in his palm.
“Rick,” she breathed. “I know you have to be hurting. Isthis such a good idea?”
“The best one yet, Red. You want to know what’s hurting.”His voice was a low rumble as he took her hand and placed it over his swollenerection. All her objections were swallowed up by the fog of sensuality thatwrapped itself around her.
With the heat of his body burning into her, she wrapped herslim fingers around the thick shaft and caressed him with slow strokes. Sherubbed her thumb over the broad, flat head, feeling the drop of liquid beadingon the surface and massaged it into the velvet skin. He groaned and his hand contractedon her breast, squeezing it, his fingers burning against her skin, his thumbteasing the already hard nipple.
I am just lost with him. All he has to do is touch me. IfI’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.
Rick pushed up her sleepshirt and took her nipple in hismouth as her strokes on his shaft increased.
“You’re gonna kill me, Red.” His breathing was coming inuneven spurts. “A little more of that and it’ll be all over but the shouting.”
“That’s okay,” she murmured, squeezing him slightly.“Tonight it’s my turn to take care of you.”
And take care of him she did. As she increased her pace andrhythm, his hand found the wet heat between her thighs, rubbing the warm fleshas he moaned in her ear. She felt his body tense, his shaft began to pulse inher hand and then he was there, convulsing for her, showering her hand with hiswarm fluid. His body jerked as spasm after spasm rocked him, until she’d wrungthe last drop from him.
He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. “If I was agentleman, I’d get up and get a warm washcloth for you.”
“You are a gentleman but a wounded one and I can takecare of myself.”
She kissed him as she slid out of bed and took care ofbusiness.
When she climbed back into bed he spooned her against him,wrapping an arm around her. “Thank you,” he whispered, his breath fanning herear.
“The pleasure was mine. Think you can sleep now?” sheteased.
“Oh, yeah.” And in seconds he was gone, out like a light.Resting her head on his shoulder and feeling the security of his body next toher, Kelly closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
* * * * *
Denny Hammond pulled his truck off the road into a thickstand of trees, checked his canvas sack to make sure he had everything heneeded and climbed out into the night. He locked his truck and pulled hisjacket collar up around his neck.
Damn Maine weather, anyway.
Even though it was late spring, in Maine—especially righthere on the coast—the air still had the lingering chill of winter and the windblew most of the time. He hated the cold and wondered why the hell, with allthe money he’d been paid, he didn’t go somewhere warm. But Maine was where he’dgrown up and it was a place where he felt comfortable. A place where he couldhide if he needed to. But he still despised the cold.
The long driveway was heavy with trees, standing almost likesentinels, which was good for his purpose. He’d parked down the road and creptthrough the woods as close as he could get earlier, waiting and watching theactivity with his binoculars. During the day the weather was actually pleasant,so he hadn’t minded the long wait.
He watched the place all day but nobody went in or out.Funny. Maybe the place was closed. The boss hadn’t said it was, though. Itwould be good if it was. He drew the line at killing animals. Finally the sunbegan its slow descent to the horizon. He waited another hour, hoping to catcha glimpse of the woman who owned the place, see her for himself. Be able toreport that she was here but no such luck. He’d been told she most likely wasn’ton the premises. If she was, all well and good. If not, well, this would bringher running and hopefully Latrobe with her. That’s what the boss really wanted.Then he could nail both of them.
“I know she’s still with him,” the man who hired himinsisted. “No telling what he’s told her, so if you can make it a clean sweep,I’ll double your fee.”
Denny waited until long past midnight to return to his spot.Now he drew his special goggles out of the canvas bag and slipped them on.These enabled him to spot alarm sensors and other electronics set up around theproperty. Sometimes people had two or three different systems but this one, hediscovered, was pretty basic.
Stepping carefully around the sensitive areas, he made hisway to the buildings and took care of business, making sure everything outsidethe house and kennels was properly set. By the time he finished, stoppingfrequently to listen in case someone showed up unexpectedly, he was sweatingheavily inside his jacket, despite the cold.
At last he was back in the truck and out on the road. Whenhe was a mile away he took a small black box out of his pocket and pushed abutton.
Kaboom!
* * * * *
&nb
sp; She was very hot and a loud noise was disturbing her.Something wet pushed against her face.
“Go away,” Kelly mumbled, tossing the covers off heroverheated body and pushing at whatever was annoying her.
But the noise continued and a heavy shove finally woke herup.
Xena had a large paw resting on her body, pushing hard ather while growling in her ear. She shoved at the dog and sat up in bed.
“What is it, Xena?” She locked eyes with the dog, fanningherself at the same time. For a moment she thought she could see the images offlames dancing in her eyes. “What’s the matter? Be quiet or you’ll wake Rick.”
“Rick’s already awake,” came a voice thick with sleep frombeside her. “Does she need to go out?”
“No, I don’t think so. She’s trying to tell me something andI can’t figure out what her problem is. And why it’s so hot in here. I’mburning up, aren’t you? Is there a heater in this room?”
“Yes,” Rick mumbled, “but I forgot to turn it on last night.And yes, I’m hot too but the room’s freezing. Let me turn the heater on nowbefore we get chilled.” Groaning, he levered himself to a sitting position.
“I’m sweating.” Kelly plucked at the sleepshirt.“Something’s wrong.” She looked at Xena again. “What is it, girl? Is somethingwrong in the cabin?”
The room heater looked like a small old-fashioned stove.Rick turned the switch even as he pulled his t-shirt away from his sticky skin.He bent down to Xena, locking his eyes on hers.
“God.” He sounded stunned. “You aren’t going to believethis.”
“What? What is it? Is she telling you something?
“I think so. I’m getting pretty good at deciphering hercode, Red. I’d say either there’s fire somewhere or we’re about to be put onthe hot seat again.” He looked at Xena. “So, girl, can you tell us which one?”
Xena moved back to Kelly and grabbed a piece of hernightshirt in her teeth and pulled at it, trying to tug her toward where she’dtossed her clothes the night before.
“All right, all right. You want me to get dressed? I’mcoming but this better be damn good. And why are we so hot? Rick, I think youmay be right about some kind of fire. But where? And why is she pulling us?”
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