by Terri Reed
He released Dakota. “I’m not taking any chances.”
The dog circled the SUV then dropped to his belly near the front end, his nose aimed toward the undercarriage. A menacing growl filled the air.
“What’s he doing?” Felicity asked.
“He sees or smells something that has his hackles up,” Westley replied. “That’s not his normal alert signal.”
Waving Felicity back a safe distance, Westley crawled beneath the vehicle to look for signs of sabotage. A pack of C-4 had been strapped to the undercarriage. There’d been no attempt made to hide either the explosive or the remote detonator blinking a red warning light. Westley froze. Fear like he’d never experienced before blasted through his body.
Felicity’s cell phone rang, sending him scrambling out from under the SUV. The look of horror on her pale face matched the sickening dread filling his veins.
She held the phone from her ear. “He says he’ll blow up the car if we don’t hand over the tablet.”
ELEVEN
Felicity’s heart stuttered within her chest. Her feet rooted to the spot, she was too afraid to move, afraid if she and Westley and Dakota ran, the man on the phone would detonate the bomb. Westley stepped to her side and took the phone from her hands.
“Who is this?” he demanded. He listened for a moment, his gaze scanning the tree line. “What makes you think we haven’t made a copy?”
Still holding the phone in one hand to his ear, Westley grabbed the back of her uniform jacket and pulled her farther away from the vehicle. He let out a shrill whistle and Dakota came running. “Not going to happen, man.”
He closed the phone, then yelled, “Run.”
Galvanized into action by the flood of adrenaline released at his command, Felicity whirled away from the vehicle and ran as fast as her legs could go.
“Get back!” she yelled to the other people going to their nearby cars. “Bomb!”
People scattered, fleeing the area.
When she and Westley, with Dakota at their heels, were a safe distance away, Westley called Security Forces, alerting them to the bomb strapped to the undercarriage of the SUV.
“What did the man say to you?” Felicity asked after he hung up with the Security Forces dispatcher. She glanced nervously over her shoulder at the SUV, expecting it to explode at any moment.
Westley shook his head. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
She gripped his arm in frustration. “Don’t do that.” She wasn’t going to take being coddled.
With a wry twist of his lips, Westley said, “Sorry. He claimed he could get to you at any time and if we didn’t leave the tablet and all copies of its contents in your mailbox—without overwatch—tonight, he’d kill you.”
A shiver of apprehension wormed its way over her flesh. She was thankful she had two earthly protectors and God watching out for her. And equally grateful Westley told her.
Within minutes the area was evacuated and the bomb squad arrived along with the base’s ace bomb-sniffing bloodhound, Annie, and her handler, First Lieutenant Nick Donovan. Felicity and Westley saluted the lieutenant.
Two explosive-ordinance-disposal techs, wearing bombs suits to protect them from the potential blast, approached the vehicle.
Felicity put her hand to her throat, fingering the cross on her necklace, and held her breath.
Within a matter of minutes the EODs had the bomb deactivated and disassembled.
“A crude design,” Nick told them. “Amateurish.”
“That was a lot of C-4,” Westley said.
Nick shrugged. “I’m not saying it wouldn’t have fulfilled its purpose.”
Which was to kill her and Westley and destroy the evidence in her pocket. She shivered with a ripple of anxiety.
“As a precaution,” Nick said, “Annie and I will take a tour of the lot.”
“Good idea, Lieutenant,” Westley said.
As the explosives expert and his canine walked away, Captain Justin Blackwood arrived. Westley updated him.
“What can you tell me about the caller?” Justin asked.
“Not much,” Felicity said. “He sounded muffled, like he had something over the phone.” Something niggled at her mind, clamoring for her attention. She tried to hold onto it but whatever her subconscious was trying to say remained elusive. “Maybe the voice sounded vaguely familiar.”
“It could have been Sullivan or his accomplice,” Justin said. “You may know his accomplice.”
“We may all know his accomplice,” Westley said. “But I’m not convinced this was Sullivan.”
Justin peered at him speculatively. “But he left a rose and note on the hood of your vehicle. If it wasn’t Boyd or his accomplice, then who?”
Felicity met Westley’s gaze. There was no mistaking the question in his eyes. Did they tell the captain about her father’s murder?
She nodded. This latest attempt on her life could have ended so badly, not just for her, Westley and Dakota, but also for a multitude of innocent people. They needed to voice their suspicion before it was too late.
“We have something to tell you,” Westley said. “But not here.”
“I’ll drive you back to the training center,” Justin said. “You can explain on the way.”
They hopped into Justin’s vehicle. Dakota nudged his way next to the captain’s canine partner, a Belgian Malinois named Quinn. Felicity sat in the back, Westley in front. She sat forward, putting her hand on Westley’s shoulder. “Let me explain.”
Westley nodded.
“We believe my father was murdered,” Felicity informed the captain as he drove. She told him everything Ian had told her and all they knew so far.
Justin glanced sharply at her in his rearview mirror. “So the break-in and the poisoning—those weren’t Boyd?”
“No, I—we—believe the man responsible for my father’s death was looking for the evidence my father collected during the investigation he was conducting at the time of his death.”
“We found an electronic tablet hidden in Felicity’s bedroom,” Westley told him. “It’s what the bomb perp is after.”
Not the key they’d found in the desk, just as Ian had predicted.
“How did he know we have it?” Felicity asked. “We haven’t told anyone, not even Ian.”
“He had to have bugged your house,” Justin said.
“We need to do an electronic sweep of the place,” Westley said.
“Don’t we have an electronics-sniffing dog?” Justin asked.
“We do. She’s in training.” Felicity couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. “Senior Airman Chase McLear and Queenie, the cutest little beagle ever, have been in training only a couple months in this new specialty, electronic detection.”
“I’ll talk to Chase,” Westley said.
Justin nodded. “Report back to me tomorrow,” he ordered when he pulled over at the training center.
“We will, sir,” Westley said as he opened the door. He let Dakota out of the back seat, while Felicity stepped out of the car.
Westley held open the training-center door for Felicity to enter. “You must be exhausted,” he said. The warmth in his tone soothed her more than her favorite chocolate melting on the back of her tongue.
“It’s been a trying day,” she said. “But you must be just as tired.”
“I won’t lie, I didn’t get much sleep,” he told her.
“Then I should bite the bullet and ask my uncle if I can stay with him, or rather, if we can stay with him,” she said.
He brushed back her hair from her face. “I have the feeling that will be hard for you.”
She shrugged. “I don’t like asking for help. But I have to get over myself.”
He smiled and his approval warmed her heart.
“That’s my gi
rl.”
His words thrilled her. Was that how he saw her? His girl? She arched an eyebrow. “Girl?”
He made a face. “Please don’t take offense.”
“I’m teasing you,” she said with a grin. “I don’t mind being your girl.”
Westley’s eyes widened and a slow smile spread across his face. “Duly noted.”
Heat infused her cheeks. A niggling little voice reminded her that even though he wasn’t currently her superior, one day they would go back to the training center and resume their positions within the working-dog program, which meant this thing between them had nowhere to go. Even knowing that, she couldn’t muster up regret for the flirty words.
“Let’s see if we can find Chase and Queenie,” Westley said. “If they have time now, let’s go over to the house.”
They found Chase, a tall, gentle giant of a man, and his comparatively small beagle in the center of the training ring working with the specialized trainer, Special Agent Denise Logan, on loan from the FBI K-9 Unit. Agent Logan had helped successfully train the FBI’s electronics sniffer dogs.
Westley explained what they needed.
“We’re game,” Chase said, his gaze going to Denise.
The stocky brunette considered the idea as she twisted her wedding ring. “All right. Let’s see what Queenie can sniff out. But don’t get your hopes up too high. We haven’t attempted a listening device.”
Felicity sent up a prayer that Queenie and Chase would come through for them. She didn’t like the idea that someone had been listening to her every word. The invasion of privacy was somehow worse than having her home ransacked.
Accompanied by Dakota, Westley and Felicity led the way to her house. They went by foot because the evening air had cooled off and she only lived a few blocks away. As they approached, the door of the adjacent house opened and reporter Heidi Jenks stepped out. She waved and hurried down the walkway.
Westley groaned.
“It’s fine,” Felicity told him and quickened her pace to head off Heidi.
“What’s going on?” Heidi asked. She obviously was in for the evening because she had on yoga pants and a T-shirt. But her sharp-eyed gaze took everything in.
“Out for a stroll,” Felicity said, skirting the truth. Westley hustled Chase, Denise and the dogs past at a fast clip.
“Looks like something serious is going on,” Heidi countered.
“Nothing worth mentioning,” Felicity assured her, hoping she’d take the hint.
Heidi pressed her lips together. “I thought we were friends.”
Felicity’s heart sank. She didn’t want to hurt Heidi’s feelings. “We are. It’s just some things are not for public consumption.”
“Not you, too.” Heidi huffed. “I did not post the blog.”
It took a second for Felicity to connect what Heidi meant, then she remembered that an anonymous blogger had leaked the information about Zoe Sullivan visiting her half brother, Boyd, in prison. “I know you didn’t.” At least Felicity hoped not.
Westley caught her attention with a wave from the porch of her house, where he and Dakota kept watch. Her heart did a little jig in her chest. She had to admit she didn’t mind having the two males worry over her.
“Look, I’ve got to go.” She strode away, aware of Heidi’s gaze.
When she reached the porch, Westley slipped his hand around her elbow. “Was she fishing for information?”
Wanting to protect her friend, she said, “She’s curious. Wouldn’t you be if you saw all of us coming down the street?”
“I don’t know if I trust her,” Westley said. “She could be Boyd’s accomplice for all we know.”
“I highly doubt it,” Felicity said. “Heidi may be ambitious, but she’s not corrupt.”
He lifted a shoulder. “You never know.”
She didn’t like the doubt he’d planted in her mind. She glanced across the side yard separating the two houses. Heidi remained on her porch watching them, but Felicity refused to believe ill of her neighbor.
Wanting to redirect their focus, Felicity said, “Let’s see how Chase and Queenie are doing.”
Inside the house, Denise put her finger to her lips, indicating they were to remain silent while Chase and Queenie worked. As the dog sniffed around the couch and coffee table, Westley and Felicity stood back with Dakota sitting in front of them, his dark eyes watching the other dog.
Queenie sat by the end table, her tail wagging. Chase gave the dog a treat, then kneeled down and felt the underside of the small table. He smiled and peeled away a small, round device and held it up.
Felicity couldn’t believe it. She had actually been bugged. Westley’s grim expression told her he’d expected as much.
Denise took the device and inspected it, then nodded before placing the electronic bug into an evidence bag. Then she made a motion for the pair to continue on.
They all followed as the beagle led them down the hallway to Felicity’s bedroom.
Felicity winced as the pair entered the room. She and Westley and Denise filled the doorway to watch Queenie sniff the bed and the floor around the closet, then finally come to a halt at the dresser. Chase opened the bottom drawer. Queenie sniffed but didn’t alert. Two more drawers were opened before the beagle alerted. Inside the top drawer was a listening device. It was the same drawer that had been open the morning Felicity had awoken to find someone at the foot of her bed. She shuddered with revulsion. The intruder had been spying on her. That was how he known about the tablet. But did he know about the key? Was the key even significant?
Chase and Queenie checked the rest of the house and found no more devices.
Denise took the evidence bags and set them outside before coming back into the house. “I’ll have those sent to the FBI lab for analysis.” Then she turned to Chase. “This was a successful test,” she said, obviously pleased. “I’m proud of you both.”
Despite the sick roil in her belly from having been bugged, a smile tugged at the corner of Felicity’s mouth at the sight of the red creeping up Chase’s neck at the compliment. She slanted a glance at Westley. He raised an eyebrow at her. She wanted to poke at him about how easy it was to give praise, but decided she didn’t need to point out the obvious.
“Good job,” Westley told Chase. Felicity couldn’t stop the grin this time. And she hadn’t had to say a word. Okay, maybe she’d given him a look but still...he could learn. That warmed her heart.
Chase shrugged. “It wasn’t me. Queenie did all the sniffing.”
Westley clapped the other man on the back. “We appreciate it just the same.”
Looking decidedly uncomfortable, Chase tugged at the collar of his uniform. “We’ll head back to the training center now if you don’t need us anymore.”
“No, you’re good,” Westley said.
Chase, Queenie and Denise left the house, taking the devices with them.
“Now what?” Felicity said. “Do you think it’s safe to come back here?”
“Not yet,” he said. “I want to install a security system before you do. Tonight we’ll bunk with your uncle and then tomorrow I’ll make this house a fortress.”
She appreciated all he was doing for her. “Thank you. I don’t know if I could handle all of this without you.”
A frown formed on his handsome face. “You’re strong, Felicity. I have no doubt you can handle anything life throws at you.”
His words sent pleasure sliding through her. She had the strongest urge to kiss him, but considering they were standing on her porch beneath the light, where anyone could see them, she refrained. Instead, she focused on the job they still had to do. “We need to get the tablet to Ian before anything else happens.”
“You’re right,” Westley said. “Why don’t you call and see if he’s back on base?”
“Can do.” Felicit
y fished out her cell phone from the pocket of her uniform pants and dialed the OSI office. On the third ring, the receptionist answered.
“He’s in a meeting with Lieutenant General Hall and Captain Blackwood,” the woman said when Felicity asked for Ian. “I’m sure he’ll contact you when he’s done. I gave him your earlier message.”
Felicity thanked the woman and hung up. She related the information to Westley. “I hope this means there’s been a break in the Red Rose Killer case. We’ll all sleep better once Boyd is back behind bars.”
“This is true,” Westley agreed. “But I won’t sleep at all until the maniac who killed your father is captured.” He curled his fingers around her hand that held the tablet. “We need to get this to a secure place until we can pass it off to Agent Steffen.”
“It would be safe with you,” she said, willing to let him carry the burden.
“I have an idea,” he said. “There’s a small safe in the office of the training center, where we keep the paperwork on the dogs and an emergency stash of their medication. The tablet will be safe there tonight.”
“Good idea.” She held his gaze. The tender expression on his handsome face made her pulse jump.
She knew she could count on him to protect her and find a solution to any problem. He was a man of honor and integrity. A man worthy of loving.
Her mouth went dry at that thought. Was she falling in love with Westley?
She had to admit that maybe she was.
It was such a strange sensation, considering not that long ago she wasn’t sure she liked him or that he liked her. But things had changed between them at a rapid clip.
A pang tugged at her heart. She didn’t see a way for them to ever be a couple. Not if they hoped to continue to train the dogs, with her under his command.
Best to put any thoughts of romance out of her mind and close off her heart before they both got hurt.
* * *
Felicity stepped back, putting space between her and Westley. He could sense her withdrawing from him emotionally. He wasn’t sure what thought had crossed her mind to make the small V appear between her eyebrows. For a moment there, as they stood beneath the glow of the porch light, he’d seen the spark of attraction that seemed to simmer within her and flared occasionally when he least expected it. He savored those moments. Even though he knew there could never be anything real or long-lasting between them. Still, it was nice to pretend for a second here and there...
