Brandishing a Crown

by Rita Herron

  Jane suddenly shoved his chest, and he jerked back, startled. He had been on the verge of kissing her thoroughly. And he did not welcome the interruption.

  “I heard you lost evidence,” the gruff voice said in disgust. A voice Stefan recognized as that insufferable boss of hers, Osgood.

  Osgood sauntered toward them, arms folded. “And now, I understand the reason. You lied earlier. You obviously do have a thing for the prince.”

  Chapter Five

  Jane’s cheeks burned with humiliation yet her head was spinning from the wild unexpected feel of Prince Stefan’s lips on hers.

  Of all the damn times for Osgood to walk in.

  “What were you doing? Making out with him while someone lifted evidence?” Osgood wagged a stubby finger at her. “Or did you lose it intentionally to cover for these royals?”

  Jane sucked in a sharp breath at his accusation. Prince Stefan on the other hand hissed loudly, then strode toward her superior, a regal air of authority radiating from him.

  “You are, what do you say in American—an imbecile and a baboon.” The prince’s nostrils flared. “Jane was physically assaulted while protecting the evidence she collected.” He folded his arms haughtily. “Now I insist you apologize to her for your rudeness immediately.”

  Ralph’s eyes widened with rage. “I do not take orders from you, Prince Stefan.” He straightened to his full height, but still the prince dwarfed him. “Miss Cameron is an employee of this lab, and you shouldn’t be in here. Your mere presence could compromise any evidence collected.”

  Jane shifted restlessly. The situation was slipping out of control quickly. “Ralph, it’s true that I was accosted. The prince was in the other room when he heard the attack, and came in to help so he hasn’t compromised anything.” Jane glared at him, irritated that he’d caught her behaving unprofessionally.

  “Again I insist you apologize,” Prince Stefan ordered stubbornly.

  She clenched her hands by her sides. Didn’t Stefan realize his reaction made her appear weaker in her boss’s eyes? That it made her look guilty, as if something was going on between them when that idea was…ridiculous?

  “Prince Stefan,” she said between clenched teeth.

  “You do not need to speak for me.”

  “I beg to differ. A gentleman must defend a woman’s honor,” the prince said, his eyes teeming with anger.

  “Perhaps the prince came to the lab as a diversion,” Ralph muttered.

  “That’s ludicrous,” Jane stammered. “He followed me from the crime scene.”

  Osgood’s eyes glimmered with coldness. “Yes, it’s odd that he was there, too.”

  She started to admit that the prince was worried about his friend, but caught Prince Stefan’s warning look and snapped her mouth closed.

  “You do not like the fact that my friends and I are in your country?” Prince Stefan asked.

  Osgood heaved a breath. “I just don’t trust your motives. Word is that you guys found uranium on your land and that your so-called business deals are a front. That you came to the U.S. to learn how to make nuclear bombs.”

  Jane swallowed hard as she studied the prince’s reaction. She had heard rumors of those accusations, but had deemed the suspicions unfounded.

  Osgood arched a brow. “Maybe this car bomb was just practice for a bigger agenda.”

  STEFAN HAD LEARNED the art of control while in the military, but this man taxed his restraint. Forcing himself to count to ten silently, he wrestled with anger. He wanted to smash the blasted imbecile’s mouth with his fist.

  But the reason for his visit to this country was too important to allow his personal emotions to cause him to act so rashly. He was here on a peace mission, and no one, especially this insufferable rude pig, was going to interfere with his purpose.

  He glanced at Jane and hated the embarrassment in her eyes. He had caused her discomfort by kissing her at work. He also owed her an apology.

  He would not compromise her again.

  “Mr. Osgood,” he said, utilizing the tone he reserved for politics. “My friends and I are not in the U.S. to learn to make bombs. We are here, as we stated, to offer trade agreements and services that can benefit your people as well as ours.”

  “Actually it’s Lieutenant Osgood, not Mister. And you have set up appointments to visit oil refineries in Wyoming,” Osgood said in an accusatory tone.

  “Yes, Lieutenant,” Stefan replied. “But I have vital technology to offer your country, your state, technology that will allow your refineries to eliminate environmental hazards while processing the oil.”

  Osgood heaved another breath. “You and some of the others have military experience.”

  The statement implied ulterior motives, but Stefan could not deny information that was public knowledge. “Yes, in fact, my expertise is with explosives. So you see, I do not need your country to teach me to make bombs. I already possess that knowledge.” He gave him a devious smile. “In fact, I could most likely offer you tips. Which, since I am here on a mission of peace and hold no animosity toward the U.S., I have no intention of doing, of course.”

  Osgood shifted onto the balls of his feet, his eyes darting around nervously. “If you think that’s comforting to the Americans, you’re wrong.”

  Jane cleared her throat. “Ralph, this is getting us nowhere. The prince has explained his reasons for visiting the U.S., and he saved me from the person who attacked me.” Her voice was firm with conviction. “Now, I have evidence to process.”

  Ralph looked as if he was going to say more, but instead clenched his jaw. “I want to review each piece of evidence you find, Jane. If we discover the culprit behind the bombing, we have to make certain the arrest sticks.”

  Stefan frowned. He did not believe Osgood was worried about the investigation. He was a bully trying to throw his weight around.

  But thankfully he left without saying another word, or Stefan would have told him so.

  Jane crossed her arms, her expressive eyes brimming with emotions. “Prince Stefan—”

  “Stefan,” he said gruffly.

  “Prince Stefan,” she said, ignoring him. “You need to leave now so I can work.”

  “Jane.” He lowered his voice to a sultry pitch. “I am sorry that I have caused you discomfort in your place of employment.”

  Jane’s tumultuous expression softened. “I don’t want to discuss it, Prince Stefan.”

  “Stefan,” he said more firmly. Then because she was blushing again, and his pride insisted he know whether she had liked his kiss, he pressed on. “And what do you not wish to discuss, Jane?” He moved closer, lifted his thumb and brushed it across her mouth. Slowly, he angled his head, preparing for another taste. A real one this time.

  Her lips parted into an O and a whisper of her breath rushed out. “Stefan…”

  “Tell me, Jane? Does the fact that I kissed you bother you, or that we were interrupted by your pig of a colleague?”

  “That kiss never should have happened,” Jane said, pulling back.

  He gave her his most charming smile. “It should not have happened here,” he murmured. “But it will happen again, Jane.” He forced himself to drop his hand before he forgot his promise, slanted his mouth over hers and took what he wanted. “Only next time it won’t be at work. And it will be a proper kiss.”

  She gulped. “Proper?”

  “Yes,” he said with a wink. “A proper kiss from a prince.” He lifted a strand of hair from her cheek. “And I promise it will be one you remember.”

  Her eyes sparkled with heat, and he smiled, satisfied to see that she felt the attraction humming between them just as he did.

  Stepping back from her took grave effort. “Now, I will leave you to do your job and find this bomber. But I implore you to call me with your findings.”

  Jane nodded. “It would help if I had a sample of your friend’s blood and fingerprints to compare with what I collected.”

  Stefan’s stomach churn
ed. “Very well. I will have the sheik’s personal assistant send them to you. But please, Jane, I would prefer you not allow your superior to view the results.”

  “Stefan—”

  “I know it is asking much and you could be risking your employment,” he said thickly. “But this is important, Jane. Even if you believe you can trust this imbecile Osgood, he might share that information with someone disguising themselves as trustworthy.”

  She touched the bandage at her temple as if weighing his words, then finally conceded with a nod. “I’ll do everything I can to find out who did this, Stefan.”

  His heart jumped at the sound of his first name on her tongue. The gods help him. This Jane Cameron was proving to be quite interesting.

  But he had to return to his friends and see if they had news of Amir. Maybe Amir had somehow escaped the bomb and had found a way to contact one of them.

  JANE’S BELLY FLUTTERED as Stefan strode from the lab. Dammit, the man had caught her off guard.

  Why had he kissed her? Was he trying to prove a point? Trying to buy her confidence?

  She had already given him her word that she wouldn’t speak to the press.

  So why had he promised he would kiss her again? His words echoed in her head, taunting her. A proper kiss from a prince…

  What did he mean proper?

  She shifted restlessly, disturbed by the heat flaring inside her belly. She didn’t want proper. She craved something much more improper, something untamed and wild. Something she’d never had.

  And she had tasted hints of it in that simple brush of his mouth across hers.

  How far would he have taken it if they hadn’t been interrupted?

  She groaned and dropped her head into her hands. What was wrong with her? She knew better than to let a handsome, sexy man turn her head. Especially a charmer like Stefan.

  No, she would stop this foolish thinking now. Falling for Prince Stefan would be as dangerous as throwing herself in front of a train.

  She would solve this case, then he and his friends could finish their business and return to their countries where they belonged.

  Her resolve intact, she focused on processing the evidence. First, she plugged the fingerprints she’d lifted earlier from the phone into the database, then ran them through AFIS, but as she expected didn’t find a match.

  The royals’ prints would not be in AFIS. She’d have to wait for the security agent to send over the sheik’s prints.

  Next she analyzed the small metal and glass fragments she’d collected from the crime scene along with the samples of residue. An hour later, she had determined that gunpowder was used to ignite the mechanism, and that one of the pieces of wire she’d found had been attached to the engine. But another small fragment indicated the trigger, which she suspected had been set by someone nearby, and could have come from another car following the limo.

  Had the bomber known that the other COIN members had already exited the vehicle before he triggered the explosion?

  Debating that question, she analyzed the tire prints and plugged the samples into the system. The lab wasn’t state of the art, but she had fairly decent equipment and the necessary program was available so she ran the tire tracks through the database.

  The first set belonged to the limo. The next set were distinctly different, both in tread and width, and the right front tire had an imperfection that would make it distinct and easy to match if they found the make and model and located a specific car to compare it to.

  She watched the program work as it analyzed her findings and smiled as the information spilled onto the screen. Technology was a miracle worker.

  The second vehicle at the scene had been an SUV. An older model Chevy Suburban.

  Now the more important question—had the car belonged to a witness or the bomber?

  STEFAN PHONED Efraim and asked him to gather the COIN members for a meeting while Edilio drove him back to the resort. Early morning sunlight streaked the horizon, painting the ranchland they passed in shades of gold and orange, highlighting the rugged wilderness and beauty. Cattle grazed and horses galloped across the terrain, the earthiness of the setting reminding Stefan of the environmental issues he could bring to the table at the summit.

  If they continued.

  This attack would definitely hinder their business, but he refused to give up on the COIN compact. Doing so was tantamount to negotiating with terrorists, and he staunchly opposed allowing them that kind of power. He would make his mission a success.

  He had to for his country and his people.

  And he would do so without succumbing to a loveless marriage to Daria as his father desired.

  Edilio parked and escorted him inside the facility, checking over his shoulder and constantly scanning their surroundings for security purposes.

  Stefan rolled his shoulders as he entered the conference room and headed straight for the coffee pot. Hector hurried toward him, his craggy face riddled with worry.

  “Prince Stefan, you need sleep now. You have been up all night.”

  Stefan sipped the coffee, grateful for the caffeine. He had been in the military, had been trained to survive without sleep. “I am fine, Hector. I must speak with the COIN committee before I consider rest.”

  Even at his age, Hector’s eyes sharpened. “What did you learn? Was Sheik Khalid hurt in the explosion?”

  Stefan held up his hand as the others filed into the room. “Stay and I will explain.”

  Hector stepped to the side as the others entered, yet his presence comforted Stefan. Hector had been nothing but loyal to him. He’d assumed care of his father and him since Stefan was just a boy.

  Efraim approached, followed by Antoine and Sebastian, their faces strained with anxiety.

  “What did you learn?” Efraim asked. “Any news about Amir?”

  “No,” Stefan said with a sigh. He gestured for the men to sit, and Hector brought a tray of coffee for them.

  “The driver was definitely killed, but the police did not locate a second body at the scene.”

  Antoine pulled a hand down his chin. “They searched the surrounding area?”

  “Yes,” Stefan said. “The explosion occurred on a deserted street, and they searched a wide perimeter. Jane found a phone—”

  “Who is Jane?” Sebastian asked.

  “Jane Cameron,” Stefan said, realizing he’d used her first name. “She is a forensics expert who was investigating the crime scene. She processed the limo and searched for trace evidence in and around the explosion.”

  Antoine accepted a mug of coffee. “The phone belonged to Amir?”

  “It appears to be his,” Stefan said. “Ms. Cameron needs a copy of Amir’s prints and blood work for comparison. I will have Fahad handle the matter.”

  “She found blood?” Efraim asked.

  “Yes.” Stefan nodded. “Even if Amir survived, he was injured. And judging from the amount of blood, I would say seriously.”

  Worried murmurs rumbled through the room.

  Stefan placed his coffee on the conference table. “There was also a second set of tire tracks at the scene.”

  Sebastian grunted. “What does this mean?”

  “That there might have been a witness,” Stefan said. “Someone who could have helped Amir.”

  “Or that car could have belonged to the bomber and he could have kidnapped Amir,” Efraim pointed out.

  Stefan cleared his throat but nodded. “There has not been a ransom call?”

  “No,” Efraim said. Sebastian and Antoine both shook their heads.

  “How do we proceed?” Antoine asked. “Do we alert the police?”

  “No,” Stefan said. “I do not trust the local law enforcement officers. I followed Jane to the crime lab, but she was assaulted there, and Amir’s phone was stolen.”

  Efraim muttered an unpleasant phrase. “I must point out that I anticipated problems here in America. Maybe we should cancel the summit altogether.”

  “
No,” Stefan said firmly. “We will find Amir and finish our business. But we must be careful. The police were the only ones who knew about the evidence Jane collected.” He frowned. “Also, that reporter Danny Harold was at the scene.”

  “The American media are vultures,” Efraim said darkly.

  Antoine and Sebastian agreed.

  “We need to identify where that bomb came from and who was behind the attack,” Stefan said. “That explosion may have been intended for Amir, or it could have been meant for all of us.”

  “I will talk with Fahad, have him compile a list of Amir’s enemies,” Efraim offered.

  Stefan’s stomach knotted. “We should each make a list of our own. This attack could have been orchestrated by Americans or our own people, ones who oppose the COIN compact.”

  “Or it could have been personal,” Sebastian said.

  Stefan nodded gravely. “I have many enemies myself.”

  Antoine drummed his fingers on the chair arm. “Between the five of us, the list could be endless.”

  Stefan’s cell phone buzzed, and he checked the number. Jane.

  He snapped the connect button. “Jane?”

  “Yes. I just talked to the sheriff. It’s not good news, Stefan.”

  A muscle tightened in Stefan’s jaw. “Tell me.”

  “Sheriff Wolf checked the local hospital, emergency rooms and morgue,” Jane said. “No one matching your friend’s description has been admitted.”

  Stefan’s pulse pounded. Then where was Amir now?

  Chapter Six

  As soon as Stefan ended the call with Jane, his cell phone buzzed again. This time it was Prince Darek Ramat, a longtime friend to each of the men in the summit.

  If he had heard of the bombing, perhaps he had information that would help.

  He punched the connect button. “Stefan speaking.”

  “Darek. I heard of the attack, but the news is not clear here.” Darek’s shaky breath rasped out. “What is going on? Are you and the others all right? Was anyone injured in this car bomb?”

  “Amir was the only one in the limo at the time,” Stefan explained. “The driver was killed, but Amir’s body was not found. We have not heard from him, so at this point, we are unclear whether or not he is alive.”