So that meant he felt a need to be physically next to Dani every moment, and that wasn’t an option right now. She had to sleep. Though he would gladly sleep on the floor by her bed, the Justice men would never allow such a thing. He had to settle for Kat sleeping in the bed next to her.
He’d expected Derrick would camp outside her door, but he sat at the dining table, his computer next to him where he could monitor security cameras. Ten cameras surrounded the home, and no one, not even someone as skilled as Luke, would have an easy time of breaching this house unseen. But then Luke didn’t possess the ability to disable security systems. Echo did.
Luke continued to pace. He could feel Derrick’s gaze following him. Back and forth. Back and forth.
“C’mon, man,” Derrick said. “Sit down, for crying out loud. You’re making me nervous.”
Luke took a seat across the table from Derrick. He looked at the youngest Justice male. Looked at a face that was too reminiscent of Dani to let him sit still. He bounced his knee.
“You always this jumpy?” Derrick picked up a deck of cards and shuffled.
The rippling of the cards irritated every nerve ending in Luke’s body. His SEAL sense was telling him not to relax. Not for a moment, but he’d burn out if he kept up this level of intensity. Burning out would do no good if he had to act quickly.
“Everything okay on the monitors?” he asked, and rolled his neck.
“Fine.”
“And you’re sure the system hasn’t been hacked?”
“Yes.” Derrick started laying out the cards for a game of solitaire. “If it helps, she feels the same way.”
“What?”
“Dani. She returns your feelings.”
He thinks this is about how I feel? “So now you’re going to warn me off again?”
“Nah.”
Luke’s head popped up and Derrick laughed. “I’ve been watching you, and I’m starting to think you’re the real deal.”
“In other words, even your deep background check didn’t return anything.”
“Something like that.” Derrick laughed again and Luke felt himself relax a notch.
Derrick held up the cards. “Want to play something to kill the time?”
Luke had spent many hours playing cards in his military career, so he nodded. “Better prepare yourself to get skunked, though.”
Derrick’s eyebrow went up. “As if.”
Luke laughed and settled into his chair. Maybe tonight would pass without a hitch. Maybe, but he knew better. Whenever he’d started to think like that on a mission, his world collapsed around him and someone usually paid with their life.
* * *
Dani couldn’t sleep. Now that she’d decided to lower the wall she’d erected between her and Luke, she kept remembering his touch. His kiss. His tenderness and kindness. None of which made it easy to fall asleep.
She swung her legs out of bed and shivered in the nippy air. Grabbing a sweatshirt, she pulled it on and slipped her feet into athletic shoes. To keep from waking Kat, she crept to the door and padded toward the stairs. She paused at the landing to look down on the family room. Luke and Derrick sat across from each other at the dining table. They snapped cards onto the glass and an occasional laugh broke out.
Derrick wouldn’t laugh with Luke unless he’d decided Luke was okay. Seemed like all the Justices had now decided Luke was a good guy. It took a lot to fool her entire family, especially Kat, whose radar went up whenever she perceived a family member was about to get hurt. She’d stopped questioning whether Luke was a good guy days ago.
And now Dani had done the same thing. Question was, what did she do about it? Luke had made it clear that he wasn’t ready for a relationship unless SatCom succeeded. She could aid in that by finishing her review of Crypton on a timely basis so the committee could consider it. She’d spend the night reviewing the software again so tomorrow she could simply compare the programs, evaluate any changes and finish her review before the day ended.
She headed down the stairs to get her laptop. Both men were so intent on their game that they didn’t notice her heading their way.
Suddenly Luke jumped to his feet, grabbed his weapon and spun in one fluid movement that rivaled a choreographed dance. Feet planted wide, nostrils flared, he aimed his gun at her heart, and she jumped back at the intensity in his eyes. An intensity that mimicked Paul’s when he’d finally snapped.
Air whooshed from his lungs, and his arms fell limply to the side. “Man, Dani. With this family, I’d think you’d know better than to sneak up on a guy.”
“I wasn’t sneaking,” she said defensively. Paul had made her feel like the bad guy, too. Blaming her for the way he felt.
Luke slammed his gun into the holster and grabbed the house keys from the table. “I’m going to check the perimeter.” He marched out the front door, pulling it firmly closed and locking it behind him.
“Nice one,” Derrick said as she sat next to him. “I just got him to relax a bit and you put him right back into hyper SEAL mode.”
“I didn’t do anything but walk into the room.”
“And maybe fall for the guy.”
She arched a brow.
“Don’t bother to deny it. You know you can’t hide anything from me.”
“I don’t need to try now that you seem more reasonable about Luke.”
“Are you going to do anything about it?”
She shrugged. “I think about it and then he goes all stalker on me like he just did, and I want to run screaming.”
“That wasn’t stalker mode. His reaction was simply instinct honed in years of intensive training to become a SEAL.” Derrick got up. “Don’t confuse the two or you might miss out on something good like I did.”
Dani figured he meant Gina Evans, the woman he’d been serious about in college until she’d bailed on him their senior year. Dani hadn’t realized that Gina had left such a deep scar, but then all the Justices were very good at hiding their feelings. From each other and from anyone who threatened to break through walls they’d erected to protect hearts still tender from the loss of their parents. Even though she now knew she wanted to knock down her wall, would she be able to?
* * *
Late the next day Dani approached Luke’s desk and laid her official report recommending Crypton in front of him. “Crypton is ready for the committee.”
Luke jumped to his feet. “We’re good. For real?”
“For real.”
“Thank you.” Laughing, he grabbed her in a bear hug and swung her around. She felt light as a feather as she reveled in his excitement. The two of them were alone for the time being, and she couldn’t be happier that she could share this moment with him without others watching.
He set her down and looked into her eyes. “If the committee contracts with us I owe it all to you.”
She didn’t want to burst his bubble, but she knew he still had a steep hill to climb before the committee accepted the work. “Why don’t you call Wilder and see if you can get on his schedule?”
“Good idea, but first...” He planted a kiss on her cheek and peered at her. “Thank you for believing in me. For helping me get closer to achieving my dream. Even when I’ve been a jerk like yesterday.” He paused and ran a hand over his head. “I’m sorry about how I behaved. You didn’t deserve that.”
“Don’t worry about it. I understand.”
His eyes filled with hope. “You do, honestly?”
She nodded.
“If we secure this contract, I...” His words trailed off and he shook his head. “We’ll wait to talk when and if that happens.”
“Sounds good,” she said, hoping by the time they had their talk she would trust him enough to let down her wall.
He dialed the general and she
waited to hear the verdict. When he’d hung up, he held up his soda can for a toast. “He’s agreed to see me. Thanks to you.”
She clunked her can against his and let a wave of happiness wash over her.
“You two look happy,” Kat said from the doorway, then went to the table to jot something on a notepad before ripping off the page.
Luke shrugged into his jacket. “Dani finished her review, and I’m on my way to meet with General Wilder.”
“Excellent news.” Kat clapped her hands and turned to Dani. “Does this mean we can head out for the day?”
“Why so eager to get going?”
“Mitch said he can get off a little early today and meet me at the safe house.”
“As much as I’d like to stay and talk about mushy stuff like your marriage to Mitch, I need to get going.” Luke chuckled as he put the report in his portfolio.
“Good luck,” Dani said.
He settled the portfolio under his arm and stepped to her. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, then cupped the side of her face.
“Thank you again.” His face lit with a breathtaking smile. “I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.”
Nearly forgetting to breathe, she nodded and watched him rush out of the room.
“Wow,” Kat said. “The temperature in here went up twenty degrees with that look.”
Dani swatted at her sister, then threw her arm around her. “Let’s get out of here so you and Mitch can do a little temperature-raising of your own.”
“I’ve located the owner of Computer Care’s building.” Kat handed the page she’d torn from the notepad to Dani. “Name look familiar?”
Dani looked at the paper. Anthony Jackson. Not someone she knew. She tucked the page into her pocket. “I’m assuming you were able to locate this guy.”
Kat nodded. “His secretary is trying to fit in a meeting with us as soon as possible, and she’ll call me back.”
As Derrick went to get the car, they packed up and the three of them were soon fighting rush-hour traffic. Dani sat next to Derrick in the front and Kat rode in the back. Despite the horns honking and cars congesting the roads, Dani’s mind kept drifting from life around her to Luke’s appointment with General Wilder. Luke desperately wanted his company to succeed, and she wanted the same thing for him. Maybe as desperately as he did.
Let this happen, Father. For Luke. He deserves this. Please.
Kat’s phone rang. “It’s the owner of Computer Care’s building.”
Dani swiveled in time to see Kat answer, then give her full attention to the call. Feeling like everything was falling into place, Dani hoped he’d provide the lead they needed to locate Echo and bring him to justice.
“Can you hold on for a moment?” Kat cupped her hand over the phone. “His assistant says he’s leaving town in a couple hours. He’ll see us for a few minutes or we’ll have to wait until he gets back in two weeks.”
“Waiting isn’t optional.” Dani faced Derrick. “We could go over there right now.”
Derrick glanced in his rearview mirror, likely getting Kat’s take on the risk this stop might entail.
“I’m good with it,” she said.
He gave a clipped nod. “Looks like we’re making a detour.”
Dani clutched his arm and smiled her thanks as Kat got directions from the assistant. She hung up and shared the address with Derrick. Dani glanced at her watch. With rush hour and the owner’s address located on the far side of downtown, they’d likely arrive at the safe house later than Luke. He’d worry if she wasn’t there when he arrived.
“I’ll call Cole and tell him about our delayed ETA so he doesn’t worry,” Kat said as if she was reading Dani’s mind.
“I’ll send Luke a text, too.” Dani pulled out her phone. “With the tight security at the naval facility he won’t have his phone in the meeting, but at least when he gets out he’ll know where we are.”
Traffic slowed to a standstill and Derrick looked at her, his face awash with humor. “Checking in with hubby already.”
She rolled her eyes and typed the text, then settled her phone in her lap and sat back for the long drive.
A few minutes later, her phone chimed and, hoping it was Luke with an update on his meeting, she grabbed it. When she spotted Tim’s name, her heart fell. Still, she gave him a cheerful hello.
“I’m glad I caught you,” he said. “We’ve had another breach of the network.”
“He’s tenacious, I’ll give him that.”
“Tenacious, yes, but foolish. I was able to track the transmission to a local address.”
“You did?” Dani said, surprised that Echo would be so careless, and suddenly she suspected he was setting a trap to lure her out into the open.
Tim laughed. “Don’t sound so surprised. I’m as good as you are, you know.”
“I know,” she responded and meant it. She’d seen his work firsthand the past few days and knew he possessed top-notch skills. “Give me the address. Maybe we can stop by after our meeting.”
“You mean you don’t want to go straight there?”
Not if it’s a trap. “I really need to meet with the building owner first.”
“But the hacker could take off.”
“We’ll just have to risk it.” She hoped she wasn’t wrong here, but her gut said their appointment with Computer Care’s building owner was more important.
Tim rattled off the address and Dani punched it into the car’s GPS so she wouldn’t forget it. “I’ll let you know if we find anything.”
“So you’re still going to your meeting first?” he asked one more time.
“Yes. I’ll let you know how it goes.” She said goodbye before he tried to argue further.
She turned to Derrick. “That was Tim. The network’s been hacked again. He tracked the transmission to a local address.”
“Let me guess. You want to go over there.”
“Maybe after the meeting.”
He arched a brow. “It’s not like you to wait.”
“My gut says it’s a trap. Like when Computer Care exploded. It would be better to make a plan before going in.”
Kat sat forward. “I don’t want you going anywhere near that address. We’ll drop you at the safe house and then we’ll check it out.”
Dani knew they were right. She’d do the same thing with someone under her care. Still, she crossed her arms in frustration and stared out the window.
“Don’t pout,” Derrick said.
“I’m not pouting.”
“Yes, you are, Twinkie.”
She rolled her eyes at him again and returned to looking out the window. The car was barely inching forward. “We should have taken side streets instead at this time of day.”
“When you’re driving, you choose the route. When I’m driving—” His words fell off as he leaned on the horn at a car cutting them off. He fell silent and Dani was thankful for the quiet to prepare her mind for the meeting.
Thirty minutes later, they exited into downtown Portland and laboriously made their way through the city clogged with traffic. Finally they turned onto a deserted side street and Dani’s hope that they’d arrive in time to meet with the owner rose.
Derrick must have sensed her urgency and sped up. As they passed an alley, a black SUV came out of nowhere and barreled toward them.
“Look out,” Dani screamed. She tried to scoot closer to Derrick, but before she could move, the SUV slammed into the rear door on her side.
The sickening sound of metal grinding on metal split the air. Dani’s side airbag exploded. Her head snapped to the side and the rough fabric burned along her cheek.
She clawed at the airbag as the SUV shoved them onto the sidewalk, and she caught a quick glimpse of the driver.
He wore a black ski mask, the same as the night she’d been attacked.
Echo?
He gunned the vehicle, and the SUV’s engine roared in her ears. The powerful car’s tires spun, then caught, ramming their car into the building.
Another airbag exploded, and she heard Derrick groan. Their car rocked back and forth, making her feel like a rag doll. When it settled, she faced Derrick. He was alive and moving. She turned to Kat, who lay on the floor, blood on her head. She wasn’t moving.
“Kat.” Dani swiveled.
“Kat,” Derrick repeated as he looked into the mirror.
“She’s not moving,” Dani screamed, panic taking her voice high.
She struggled to unbuckle her seat belt to check on Kat, and Dani saw Derrick’s face pale. She searched him for injury and found blood saturating his pant leg.
“I’m pinned.” He took deep breaths and let them out slowly.
“We need to stop your bleeding first, then I’ll check on Kat.” Agony bit into Dani. This was all her fault. Her family was suffering because of her.
Shaking hands made slow work of unbuckling her seat belt. Finally free, she got to her knees. Her door was jerked open behind her. Dani didn’t turn to look, but saw Derrick reach for his gun. Before he drew, an arm slid around her waist and the cool end of a gun barrel bit into her temple.
“Don’t think about it,” the distorted male voice said. “Dani and I are taking a little trip and you’re staying right here. Come after her and she dies.”
Dani recognized the voice and the man’s scent as the same man who’d attacked her in her home. Echo!
He started to drag her backward, and she struggled against his iron-tight arms. “Derrick will bleed out. I need to stop the bleeding.”
Derrick met her gaze. “Stop fighting, Dani.”
“No,” she whispered, but she knew he was right. Echo wouldn’t let her help either of her siblings. He’d simply kill her or both of them. Tears threatened and she blinked hard to fight them.
Echo kept his arm around her but set a plastic grocery bag on the seat. “Gather everyone’s phones.”
Thread of Suspicion Page 18
