Jude grabbed the ball and ran with it. “Cody found Brian sneaking around in the woods behind the generator shed.” His eyes challenged Kat to side with Brian.
Kat turned her attention to Brian. “Care to explain yourself?”
“I was worried about you…you know, being here alone with him.” Brian’s head nodded in Jude’s direction. “And then this…this...” Brian appeared at a loss to describe Cody.
“Watch it, Richardson,” Cody growled.
Brian’s fear had vanished. Jude wondered why.
“Cut the bullshit, Brian.” Kat stepped off the porch, walking straight at Brian and Cody. “I’ve known you forever, and I know you’re lying. She grabbed the front of his shirt, and yanked him toward her face. “You’ve got two options. Tell me what you’re hiding or take a walk out back with Cody.”
Brian tried to pull away from her. “Jesus, Kat.” She let him go, and he took a few steps back. “You’re right. There’s weird shit going on here. Some kind of secret operation. That’s all I can tell you, because that’s all I know.”
Cody voiced the obvious question. “Why haven’t you called the police?”
Brian swallowed and stared at the ground. “Because they threatened to kill me and dump my body in the lake if I talked to anyone.”
“You expect us to believe you have no idea what’s going on?” Jude scoffed. “Who’s they?”
“I’m telling the truth. I don’t know who they are, except it’s official government business.” Brian faced Kat. “You believe me, don’t you?”
“You disgust me. How much are you being paid to keep your mouth shut?”
“They threatened me, Kat,” Brian pleaded.
“You’re pathetic.” Kat glanced at Jude. “Go call the police.”
Jude played along with her and turned toward the lodge. “Sure.”
Brian’s words fell over one another. “The storm knocked the tower down. There’s no reception on the lake.”
“Oh?” Kat’s eyes narrowed. “Guess we’ll use the radio phone in the lodge.”
Brian’s brows puckered. “It’s broken. Did you get it fixed?”
Kat lunged at him, digging her fingers into his arms. “And how do you know that?”
Jude saw Brian’s look of horror.
“You told me,” he stammered.
Kat increased the pressure on his arms. “I didn’t tell you anything. You know because you’re the one who sabotaged it.”
“I didn’t….”
“Get off my property Brian Richardson.” Kat interrupted him. “Trespass here again, and you’ll leave in a body bag.”
Brian bolted for the woods at a run. Kat reached over and took Cody’s gun. Dropping to her knee she took aim. She waited until Brian was next to a spruce tree and squeezed the trigger, hitting the tree dead center. Bark flew, striking Brian’s face. He kept running. “You’re crazy, Kat Tenney,” he shouted over his shoulder before he disappeared in the thick foliage.
“Let’s go eat.” Kat stalked toward the lodge.
Jude and Cody exchanged a look and followed.
An uncomfortable silence filled the lodge while Cody finished preparing breakfast. Kat poured herself a cup of coffee and perched on the barstool in the kitchen. Cody placed food on the table, the aroma boosting Jude’s appetite.
Jude broke the silence. “Perhaps we should have kept Brian here. He knows something he’s not telling us.”
“Perhaps, he does,” Kat acknowledged, “but I doubt he knows the real story.” Kat sighed, pushing her food around the plate. “I’m sorry if I blew it, but I wanted him gone.”
Cody interjected, talking with his mouth full. “It’s obvious he’s been told to spy on you. I wonder why.”
“I wonder if he got a whiff of the stolen gems?” Jude pondered his own question. “We’ve got to call Washington and let them know about the pseudo army up at the border. That storm was bad, so Brian might be telling the truth about the tower.”
Kat placed her fork down and pushed her plate away. “We could drive to Rockwood and use a pay phone.”
“That’s a six hour round trip.” Jude complained.
“I’ll go,” Cody volunteered. “Would the FBI talk to me?”
“I could make sure they would. Give you information no one would know but me. Even if they checked you out first, it wouldn’t take long. Sure you don’t mind?”
Kat interrupted. “We’ll all go. I think it’s important to stay together.”
*****
Within the hour, they were paddling down the lake. Cody at the stern, Kat in the bow and Jude in the middle where she figured he’d do the least amount of harm. Red curled up behind Kat and took a nap.
“Shortest way is straight down the middle of the lake, but with all that’s going on, we’d be safer to stay close to shore. That way we can bail out and swim for cover if things get rough.”
No one argued the point. Kat slipped into a trancelike state as she often did when paddling. Cody and Jude talked to one another, but their words didn’t register. Brian’s treachery hurt. She thought they were best of friends. If she ever discovered he was directly connected to her parents’ murders, he was dead. She’d see to it personally.
“Hey Kat,” Jude’s voice jarred her from her thoughts. “Is there a decent restaurant in the Rockville area?”
“What do you think? Don’t you ever think of anything but your stomach?”
“Just asked,” he mumbled. Kat felt guilty for being such a bitch. Meeting Jude Callahan was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She was drawn to him. He made her feel safe and cared for. No one was at fault for them being star-crossed lovers. Unless one of them had a major transformation, they had no future together. Should she give city living a try? No. That would never work and trying would only prolong the heartbreak for both of them.
“Here we are,” Cody said.
“That didn’t take long. Nice SUV, Callahan,” she quipped. Our tax dollars at work, I imagine?”
Jude gave her a heart-stopping grin.
Kat jumped from the canoe and walked over to the Land Rover. She frowned at the four flat tires. She checked out Cody’s vehicle and groaned. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Jude climbed the bank. “Why not?”
She pointed toward his vehicle. “Cody’s, too.”
Cody ran his fingers over the tires. “Slashed. With a knife or screwdriver. Think Brian would do it, just for spite?”
Kat picked up a flat rock and skipped it across the water. “If someone’s paying him, he’d do whatever he was told to do.”
“Where’s your truck, Kat?” Cody inquired.
“About a half mile from here. There’s another landing that belongs to the lodge. It’s private. Paying guests used to park there.”
“Should we check it out?
Kat shrugged. “Might as well, since we’re down this way. But I’m not holding my breath. Seems like the rules have changed. Two days ago, someone tried to scare me into leaving. Now they’re making sure no leaves.”
The canoe slid silently through the calm water. Not even a breeze stirred the leaves in the trees. Kat became mesmerized at the beautiful mirror image of the shoreline on the lake. If a photo, it could be viewed upside down without realizing it. The lake was seldom this calm.
A movement in the reflection grabbed her attention. She pulled her paddle out of the water and signaled to Jude and Cody to do likewise. There it was. A camo-clad body leaned against a tree not far ahead of them. He faced away from them. She used her hand to gesture to the men to bring the canoe close to shore. Thirty more feet and they’d be at the landing.
Kat focused her attention on Jude. He nodded. Assured everyone was on the same page, she unholstered her .44 magnum. Only five shots, but with the red dot scope, she knew each one would hit its target.
“We’re done here. Let’s move out.” A voice came from the shore where she’d parked her truck. At least two of them.
&nb
sp; “Fine by me. Let’s go.”
An engine started, a four-wheeler Kat guessed. She slapped her paddle hard on the water.
“What was that?” One of them asked.
“Probably a beaver. Let’s go.”
“I’d better take a look.”
Kat’s elbows rested on her knees, the revolver held in both hands. One man walked to the water’s edge. The moment he saw the canoe, he leaned against a tree and shouldered his rifle. Before he could shoot, Kat squeezed the trigger. The man keeled over.
The ATV took off.
“Must be nice to be able to rely on your friends,” Cody quipped. “Let’s go in and check him out.”
“Good shot.” Jude’s compliment didn’t lift Kat’s spirits.
“Thanks.” She closed her eyes, fighting off feelings of revulsion that always accompanied ending a life. War had taught her the necessity, but each time she killed someone, another scar grew on her heart.
Kat walked up the road while Cody and Jude examined the body. The ATV had scattered gravel and rocks around the area as it peeled out. She doubted it would return, but kept her gun handy, just in case.
“Find anything?” Kat asked, walking over to the body.
“A phone in his pocket.” Cody examined the phone while Jude searched for more clues. “Must be a satellite phone if it works in here.”
“There’s no identification. Looks to be in his mid to late twenties. What a waste of a life.” Jude dragged the body farther back in the woods and returned with the rifle.
“Should we try the phone?” Kat asked Jude. “The sooner we get someone here, the better. Now we have two bodies laying around.”
Kat spied Cody walking toward her truck.
“We can probably get one call out before the guy on the four-wheeler reports it’s missing, and it’s put out of commission.”
“Everyone in the water!” Cody commanded, coming towards them at a run. “Move! Now!”
Kat obeyed without question. When Jude hesitated, she grabbed his arm and pulled him along while she holstered her gun. “Come, Red.”
The air was hot enough to make the cold water refreshing. She was glad to see that Jude not only could swim, but was a powerful force in the water. She struggled to keep up with him.
A loud explosion rocked the earth and she turned toward shore. Her truck had blown up.
“Jesus Christ!” Jude breathed. Huge flames roared thirty feet in the air, followed by black. Several small explosions followed. A piece of flying metal landed in the water not ten feet from where they tread water, sizzling before it sank.
Shocked, Kat gaped at the huge fireball and the billowing black smoke that smelled of oil. She continued to tread water, searching for Cody. She sighed with relief when she saw him swimming towards them. He pushed the canoe in front of him.
“How’d you know about the bomb?” Kat asked when he got close enough to hear her.
“Went over to look at your truck…saw it on the seat.” Cody replied breathing hard. “Someone’s making damn sure you don’t go anywhere, Kat.”
“Why not just flatten the tires?”
“I’ve got no idea. Maybe blowing up the other two was next on the agenda.”
“At least Brian wasn’t involved in this.”
“Not that we know of.” Kat heard Jude mutter beneath his breath. He was right. She shouldn’t defend Brian. He’d proven himself untrustworthy.
“What happened to the phone?” Cody asked still gasping.
“I dropped it on the shore,” Jude replied.
“Good thing. I doubt it would work if it were waterlogged.”
They hung to the canoe as they watched the remains of the truck burn.
“I think the explosions are over. Let’s go back and try the phone.” They swam to shore. All except Red, who stayed in the water, trying to drag in a floating log.
Jude picked up the phone and dialed John Rowe’s number, giving Kat and Cody a thumbs up. “John? It’s Jude. Shut up and listen. We’ve got big trouble here. I need backup ASAP. A group with military training are smuggling across the border behind the lodge. They’ve shot at Kat from the air and just now blew up her truck. Jesus, John, no. I haven’t been drinking. Forget the fucking gems. Willie Card’s dead. Get some agents up here.”
Kat and Cody shared a look when Jude stopped talking. He scowled at whatever John Rowe was saying to him.
“I understand, but I’m telling you that we don’t have that much time. We heard them say the operation was moving out soon.”
Another long pause. “Right. I got it. I won’t be calling on this phone again. Try tracing the number I’m calling from. It should give you some leads. I expect to see backup by tomorrow morning.” Jude shut the phone, started to pocket it, then tossed it back on the shore.
He faced Kat and Cody. “Tomorrow morning is the earliest we can expect any help. The border makes it an international situation, and John needs to contact Canadian officials.”
“Figures. Freaking government.” Kat turned toward the canoe. “Let’s get back to the lodge.”
“Come on, Kat,” Cody caught Kat’s arm, halting her. “It’s not Jude’s fault. You’ve been in the military long enough to understand SOP.”
Kat nodded and gave Jude a quick, apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I’m not pissed at you. Let’s go. We’ve got to keep the lodge safe, in case it’s next on the demolition list.”
Jude stared at the smoldering truck.
“What’s wrong?” she inquired.
“I’m wondering if any loggers might have heard the explosion or seen the smoke. Maybe they’ll come to investigate or report it.”
Kat squashed his hope. “I doubt it, Callahan. No one’s logging in this area right now. I haven’t noticed any planes around either.” She looked pointedly at both men. “We’re on our own until help gets here.”
They climbed in the canoe and paddled north, staying close to the shore for safety.
*****
Jude sat behind Kat, watching her muscles flex with each paddle stroke. He admired at how effortlessly she paddled. The hot sun felt great. Everyone had shed their shirts and shoes. Kat wore a sports bra. Women jogged around the city all the time wearing sports bras. He’d never found them a turn-on. Right now he found himself in the uncomfortable position of paddling with a hard on. Thank God, neither Kat nor Cody could see.
He closed his eyes so he didn’t have to look at her bare back, but when his eyes were shut, memories of the one time they’d made love replayed in his mind. She’d been more responsive than any woman he’d made love to, giving herself freely.
Kat took the elastic off her ponytail, probably to dry her hair. Now he was forced to look at her hair swinging on her shoulders each time she reached forward to dip her paddle in the water. He groaned.
“What’s the matter with you?” Kat whipped around and looked him square in the face. “First you’re breathing hard, and now you’re groaning. And your face is flushed. Are you sick?”
Cody burst into laughter, causing Jude to groan again. “I’m fine. Turn around and keep paddling, or we’ll never get there.”
Kat glowered at him, before turning back to the front.
Cody sang his version of “Hey, Jude.” Jude looked over his shoulder and glared at him.
“What?” Cody asked.
“Your look of innocence doesn’t fly. I’ve got a headache. Quit the singing. Besides you make a better chef.”
Cody leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “You’ve got it bad, man. Real bad.” Jude heard glee in his voice.
Jude threw Cody a disgusted look over his shoulder. He concentrated on the sun beating on his back and shoulders. He’d forgotten how refreshing swimming was. Lake water made chlorine pools seem unacceptable.
“We’re home.” Jude snapped out of his daydream when Kat spoke.
“When we land the canoe,” she continued, “let’s drag it into the trees out-of-sight. From now until help arrives, we’r
e on high alert. We watch each other’s backs, as well as our own. The rules of the game have changed.”
“I agree. We’ll stick together until…” Jude broke off at the sound of a plane, coming over the trees from behind them.
“Let’s move it,” Cody said.
By the time the plane banked on the east side of the lake, the canoe was hidden in the thick bushes, and the shore was deserted. Birds scolded and scattered as their peace in the bushes was disturbed. Crouched amongst the alders and meadowsweet were three weapons, all prepared to fire.
Chapter 9
“Do you recognize it?” Jude whispered, his breath hot on the back of Kat’s neck. “Is it the same one you saw the other day?”
She shivered, fighting the temptation to turn her head and find his mouth. His hair tickled her neck, sending waves of desire rippling along her spine
“No. It’s not the same one and it’s not a local plane.” She swallowed, not surprised at the hoarseness in her voice.
The plane landed and taxied toward the wharf. “No shooting until we see who it is,” Kat’s voice kept her voice at a whisper. “It might be someone I know.” She gasped as the plane drew closer. “It’s Elizabeth.”
“And Carl Winter,” Jude added. “I wondered when they’d show up.”
“How do you want to play it?” Cody asked.
“Not a word about the gems, or the border activities. We’re Army friends of Kat’s here for a visit. I want to observe Winter’s reactions.”
Kat looked at Jude in surprise. He’d taken command.
“Let’s go greet our guests.” Kat jumped to her feet and started toward the wharf. Red ran ahead, barking a warning at the strangers. The plane pulled up next to the dock, and Carl Winter opened his door and threw a rope to anchor the plane. Jude caught it in mid-air.
Once he climbed out, Carl headed straight for Kat, leaving Elizabeth to fend for herself. “Capt. Tenney,” he sauntered forward, holding out his hand. ‘‘I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
Kat’s eyes narrowed and sized up the man as he approached. She ignored his hand, but nodded in greeting. “And you are…?”
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