“You’re right, you are like your father,” he said without looking at her.
She smiled despite his lack of an answer. Copper didn’t push as he raised his hand and waived to someone in a truck in front of her place. As they got closer she saw Master Security stenciled on the side of the truck. “Your partner?”
“Something like that.”
Copper glanced up getting frustrated with his non-answers. Looking back at the other man she realized she didn’t need a better one this time. Only steps away stood the explanation. When Dos pulled the other man close in a man style hug she met the eyes of the newcomer. They weren’t dark chocolate like Dos’, but just as intense in a gold flecked hazel kind of way.
“Copper Kerrigan, Ace Masters,” Dos said.
Shaking the offered hand she met the man’s humorous grin.
“He didn’t tell you, did he?”
She laughed as she shook her head. “No, he doesn’t seem to like to talk about himself.”
“Family trait, sorry,” Ace told her with a wink. “So let’s take a look at the damage.”
Copper waved toward the door understanding that the slight teasing was meant to put her at ease, not give more information. That was okay, she didn’t mind digging.
“You two are twins?”
“Nope,” they both answered without looking at her as they took measurements.
No doubt they’d been asked many times. Not surprising since they looked identical except for their eyes. Copper didn’t feel put off. “Who’s the big brother then?”
“Me,” Dos answered.
“He’s bigger, I’m older.”
Copper laughed at their sibling rivalry. It made Dos seem not quite so distant. The thought sobered her. It reminded her of her father’s comments and request for help.
“Did you serve under my father, too?”
Ace looked at her over his shoulder. “You’re related to the Colonel?”
Nodding she raised her eyebrows, “So?”
“No,” he answered after looking at his brother.
Closing ranks, she thought undeterred as they left the doorway and entered the shop. “I bet you’re glad to have Dos home.”
“It’s been a long time since we had someone try so hard to pry information out of us. Longer since they looked as good as her,” Ace said chuckling but not answering.
Dos turned, staring hard at Copper. She stared back.
“What?” she asked feigning innocence.
“Stop, he’s not going to tell you anything.”
“Why, because you told him not too?”
“No, because – aughhh.” Dos grabbed his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
“What’s wrong?” Copper asked walking over to him.
Dos didn’t answer. He stepped around her and walked through the open doorway.
“Dos?” she called starting after him.
“I’ll go, you stay here,” his brother said pulling her back after grabbing the cane Dos had dropped. “We’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Figuring Ace knew what to do she nodded and stayed behind. Her gaze never left Dos as he walked stiffly across the street to his office. Something was seriously wrong but right now she couldn’t help. Deciding she needed to keep busy or worry herself crazy she snagged a trash can and started cleaning up again.
Dos stumbled into his office and almost made it to his desk, but not fast enough. He fell into the chair Copper had sat in earlier. It was a full blown attack. Spasms already had control of his muscles. His fingers felt like talons as they curved into his palms. His elbows dug into the arms of the chair as his body arched in a body breaking contraction.
“Where’s the medication?”
Hearing his brother’s voice, though it sounded miles away, Dos forced his eyes open. The burning pain behind them made him doubt what he was seeing. Hallucinations were common when an attack hit.
“Dos, where’s the medication?”
“Desk,” he forced out through his tight clenched jaw.
Seconds later the form he’d seen stood over him again trying to pry his mouth open. Dos fought him as much as he could with his strained body.
“It’s okay, Dos. It’s me, Ace, your brother.”
They’d said things like that before, tricking him into submission. Then they would pump more drugs into him. No, he wouldn’t let it happen anymore.
“Come on, man. You scared Copper to death.”
What? They couldn’t know about Copper. He hadn’t known her when . . . his eyes regained some focus. He recognized Ace standing over him.
“That’s it, brother,” he heard Ace say.
Dos felt the medicine strip slip inside his mouth. He closed his eyes waiting for it to dissolve and take effect. When the spasms eased he slumped in the chair. Hearing footsteps coming toward him he opened one eye.
“Ice pack,” Ace said, holding up a bag of frozen peas.
Allowing his brother to lift his head and place the bag against his neck, he felt more relief. After a few minutes of silence and letting the ice work its magic he met his brother’s concerned gaze. “I’m fine. Stop worrying.”
“Not going to happen,” Ace said not moving. “I haven’t seen one of those in a couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, well, why don’t you forget you saw that one,” Dos said regretting his move back home. Troubling his family with his problems was not acceptable. “Go take care of the door for Copper. I’ll work up a plan for her shop.”
“She’s going to ask questions.”
“Tell her I’m prone to migraines.” His brother’s sarcastic glare didn’t bother him. “It’s not a lie.”
“It’s not the truth.”
“The truth is classified,” he said prying his uncooperative body out of the chair.
“You can’t hide behind that forever.”
Dos froze halfway around the desk. Turning he stared hard into his brother’s eyes as he fumbled for a business card in his pocket. It took two attempts before his hand kept hold of the pen he reached for. He dropped his brother’s gaze needing all his concentration to scrawl his cell number on the back. “Give her our card and tell her to call if she has anymore problems,” he said letting Ace know the conversation was over.
Ace was almost to the door when Dos called to him. “And Ace?” He waited until his brother turned to face him. “The less people know the safer they are. I’m only here because I bought the cabin under an alias. No one but you and Tres know about it. I’m not keeping my distance because I like it that way as much as for everyone’s safety. Keep pushing and I’m gone.”
His brother’s almost imperceptible nod told him he’d made his point. Now Dos could relax, as much as he ever relaxed, and work on security for Copper’s shop.
Dos kept an eye on the progress across the street all day. The new door was in and Ace had helped Copper with some of the bigger clean-up issues before climbing in his truck, staring across the street then driving away. He knew Ace wouldn’t come back to the office.
His brothers had shown up at the base hospital before he’d regained consciousness from the botched mission. He had not been pleased. When the doctors got his brain unscrambled enough to be coherent he and the Colonel had exchanged heated words.
After Dos’ father died in the line of duty as a cop and his mother’s devastation, he and his brothers vowed to keep people at a distance. At that time, they all planned on police careers like their father. That being the case, they didn’t want to cause anyone the kind of pain their mother had endured. The few slips they had made over the years proved the intelligence of their plan. So, he had specifically told the Colonel not to contact his brothers, or any other family, unless he was dead. Not missing, not wounded, not ill. Dead. That way there wouldn’t be all this wasted worrying.
Over the years his mother and sisters had grown accustomed to not hearing from him for months. He had more communication with his brothers, but not much. They all had lives to live. They didn
’t need to be worrying about him. They sure as hell hadn’t needed to see him after that mission; lucky to be half alive, if you called his life now living.
It had taken both brothers multiple visits to convince him to return to Colorado when he was released from the hospital. He knew why the Colonel wanted him out of the hospital and off the base. Cardone would expect to find him on a base or close by. The cabin had been the best option. Dos had barely stopped short of making his brothers sign a contract saying they wouldn’t hover. And telling their mother or anyone else, family or not, anything about his health was forbidden.
He loved his family and would gladly die for any one of them. Putting them in harm’s way was another story. He would disappear before he let that happen. With his captors still on the loose knowing him at all was dangerous.
Helping Ace out with the security business was simply busy work. He needed something to do besides sit in his cabin and go stir crazy. Working up security for companies or planning a test of a preexisting system kept his mind sharp.
At least it did when it wasn’t short circuiting.
Pushing the irritating thought aside he watched the lights go out across the street. Finally. He had been wondering if she would ever call it a day.
Dos pulled on his coat and hat while he watched her close up shop. Hitting the remote start on his truck he left the office by the side door and climbed in before she even finished locking up. She started toward her SUV parked beside the building. Concern started to tingle at the back of his neck when after getting in she didn’t pull out. Just as he reached for the door handle, ready to rush over, her headlights flipped on, as did her blinker.
He let a couple of cars pass before turning to follow. No need making her panic thinking someone was stalking her. The day had been rough enough. He just wanted to make sure she got home without further incident.
A sinking feeling built in his stomach as he drove. There were only so many turnoffs in the direction she was taking. The last one, the one she took, being the road to his cabin.
He caught the light at the turn. It didn’t worry him. He could watch her progress until she made the first curve. The light changed to green right after her car made that turn. As Dos turned onto the road he cut his lights. It wasn’t full dark yet, so he could see well enough without them. This way she wouldn’t notice him. When she went around the turn shortly before the only other house left on the road he slowed down. He wanted her to have time to get in before he went by. Driving past he saw the lights on and her silhouette in the window.
He continued up the hill to his cabin. He’d only been inside five minutes before his phone rang, not that he wasn’t expecting the call. Copper might have told her father to back off, but Colonel Kerrigan preferred giving orders to taking them.
“Hello, Colonel.”
“I hear you had a problem today.”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle. We got a new door put in and most of the place is cleaned up.” It damned well should be as long as she stayed there. “I followed her home and she arrived without incident.”
“I know that except for the following her home, though I expected you would. I just talked to her. She said you had a migraine?”
Scrubbing his hand through his too long hair he gritted his teeth. He should have known she’d tell him. Bad enough his brothers had the Colonel’s number now the man had his daughter spying on him.
“It wasn’t--"
“Don’t lie to me, Major. She told me you didn’t return.”
“Just didn’t want to deal with the questions. Ace took care of her and I kept an eye on the place after he left. I worked up a plan for a system. I’ll have Ace take care of it.”
“I don’t want Ace taking care of it. I want you on this. From what she said the place was in a shambles. My guess is someone was looking for something. If they didn’t find it they could come back. I want my best man watching out for her. That’s you.”
Dos wished it were true, but they both knew better. Not anymore anyway. He was a has been, washed up, put out to pasture. Whatever cliché you wanted to use worked. The army just hadn’t made it official yet. And the Colonel didn’t want to believe it. Still, how did you say no to the man you respected most in the world next to family? Trying to think of a way Dos remained silent.
“That’s not the only reason I called,” the Colonel said. “I’ve received some disturbing information.”
“They made my discharge official?” Dos couldn’t think of news concerning him that would disturb him more.
“No, son, I told you I’m working on that. This has to do with your hosts during your tropical vacation.”
Dos couldn’t move. He also couldn’t speak.
“I know you’re busy right now. Why don’t you call me back when you finish dinner?”
“Fine,” Dos managed to answer and flipped the phone closed.
It took him a full minute to shake off the cold fear and hate that always came with discussion of his capture. Another five and his muscles relaxed enough that he could walk. In the kitchen he pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge. Downing the contents he grabbed another before unlocking the door to his home office and a secure line.
Chapter Three
Swallowing the last bite of her mushroom and garlic pizza Copper stared into big sad brown eyes. How had she ever survived living without him? “You are spoiled rotten, you know?”
Her Irish wolfhound mix thumped his tail against the floor, as if to say, “Me? You’re silly.”
She tossed him the crust off her plate. Letting him out to the fenced back yard she turned her attention to the dishes. Another five minutes off the danged slow moving clock.
Kismet barked and she opened the door. He bounded in making a beeline down the hall. He slid on a throw rug into the living room and jumped off onto the braided rug there coming to a screaming halt. He turned as if he was waiting for applause at his antics. Copper complied following him to the living room and hugging him before turning to her computer.
Checking her email she found one from the coordinator of the animal shelter fund raiser she’d gone to last night. He asked if he could have copies of the pictures she’d taken. Someone spilled a drink on his digital camera and all the photos of the animals up for adoption were lost.
Copper had to grin. “Good old technology strikes again,” she told Kismet. “That’s why I keep my old fashioned 35mm for backup. Guess I’ll have to actually get my butt in gear and develop the film now. Of course, that means I have to finish the second roll. Are you up for a photo session, Kiz?”
Woofing at his name he started running around the too small living room.
“Okay, okay, let me get the camera.”
She had found Kismet at the pound the day before he was scheduled to be put down. Why she’d gone in that day she didn’t know. The pound was on her way to a nursing home where she gave free massages to residents every other week. She’d passed it a hundred times and never thought about going in before. When her eyes had seen his big sad eyes staring from behind the chain link cage she couldn’t resist.
He was way too big for her little house. Her love of hiking made up for the time he spent cooped up inside. His only other major requirement, besides food was love. As long as she talked to him and touched him now and then he was devoted. He would do anything, even allow her to wrap boas around his neck and hats on his head then snap a picture.
After half an hour of it, Copper wound the finished film and popped it out, a mindless chore that allowed her mind to wander.
It wandered straight to Dos. The image of him in pain had her chewing the inside of her lip.
Copper had felt the tension in Ace the moment he came back. Knowing military stonewalling techniques pretty well after twenty-eight years dealing with her father she didn’t push him. Certain that the vague answers were at Dos’ insistence she had accepted them and let him work.
It hadn’t stopped her from glancing across the street every n
ow and then, or worrying.
Dos had never returned. She had expected him to go home. Her mother had dealt with migraines, so Copper knew how devastating they could be. The one Dos had suffered appeared to be a doozie.
When his truck remained parked next to his building by the time she was ready to leave, she’d thought about offering him a ride home. His headache could have been too intense to drive. She’d nixed the idea realizing he had a brother that would have done so if needed.
Reasoning he had probably fallen asleep in one of those comfy leather chairs by his desk, she left. Now, two hours later, she was still worried.
It was her father’s fault. If he weren’t so concerned about the man, she wouldn’t have given Dos a second thought.
Like you’re not thinking about those dark chocolate eyes right now.
Snatching the phone off the desk by her computer she dug the business card with his number on it out of her back pocket. Before allowing herself time to change her mind she punched in the numbers.
“Masters.”
“Hi, Dos.” Wow, great. Real original, Copper. She shook her head, burying her face in her hand.
“Copper? What’s wrong?”
She sat bolt upright at his concern filled voice. “Nothing, relax. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“Then why are you calling?”
Copper held the phone away from her ear and stared at it. Then she reminded herself why she had her no-military-men romance rules.
“Gosh, I don’t know. Maybe I was concerned when you didn’t come back over today. When your brother said you had a killer migraine. When my father got all close-mouthed on the phone after I told him about it. Pretty stupid, huh?” Why the heck had she cared?
“Why did you feel the need to tell your father?”
The question puzzled her. Why didn’t he just tell her she was being a pain in the butt and hang up?
“Because I know he likes you. Is there a reason I shouldn’t tell him?” Silence greeted her question. Not the silence of a dropped call. He was still there. She could almost feel him trying to think of an answer.
Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series) Page 4