Her Lieutenant Protector

by Lara Lacombe

  * * *

  “You have got to be kidding me.” Mallory stared up at Everest, unwilling to believe the news he’d just told her.

  His lips pressed together in a thin line. To his credit, he didn’t look any happier than she felt, but it was cold comfort right now. “I’m afraid so. The police said they don’t need to collect any evidence, so there’s no reason to remove the passengers and delay the voyage.”

  “I can give you a reason,” she muttered. “In fact, I can give you several reasons. Where should I start?”

  Everest held up his hands in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “You’re preaching to the choir here. Have you had any more patients?”

  “A few,” she said. “It’s been a slow trickle, which to be honest isn’t that unusual for a ship of this size.”

  “But that’s good, right? No massive influx of people with sunburns or stomach troubles must mean things aren’t as bad as you thought.”

  Mallory nodded reluctantly. “I suppose you’re right. But I still think that stuff—whatever it is—is bad news.”

  “It’s strange, I’ll grant you that. I think we’re stuck with it, though, at least until this trip ends. Since you’re not seeing a huge uptick in the number of patients, I doubt the captain will entertain the idea of cutting the trip short. You saw the way he reacted to that suggestion yesterday, and that was when I thought the police would want to force us to stay in port.”

  A surge of disappointment threatened to overwhelm her, but Mallory knew Everest was right. Aside from a handful of patients whose symptoms could be explained by the cruise ship virus, she didn’t have any concrete evidence that the mystery material posed a hazard to the rest of the passengers. Her hunch simply wasn’t going to cut it.

  “Have you heard from your friends yet?” It was a long shot, but maybe if a member of the Chemical Corps recognized the stuff as dangerous, the captain would be forced to listen. The company officials might not like the idea of cutting the inaugural voyage of their new flagship short, but if they continued to cruise knowing people were in danger, it would open them up to all sorts of lawsuits and bad press. Businessmen listened to dollar signs, if nothing else. It was possible the liability they’d face would convince them to do the right thing, even if her medical opinion didn’t.

  Everest shook his head, and her heart dropped. “Not yet. I’ll give them a few more hours and then try to call.”

  “Hopefully no news is good news,” she said. “If it was something they’d recognized on sight, surely they would have called you immediately.”

  “Probably so,” he said. “Provided they’ve read the message. They might be doing a field training exercise, which limits their access to email.”

  A heavy stone of worry settled in her stomach. Mallory hadn’t even considered the possibility his communication hadn’t been seen yet. When Everest had contacted his friends, she’d felt a surge of relief at the fact they were doing something to identify the gray material. But maybe that hadn’t been the case after all.

  “Do you think we’ll have an answer before we dock in New York City?” There were three days left in the trip before the ship would dock in New York Harbor in time for the Fourth of July festivities.

  “I hope so,” Everest said somberly.

  A dark thought floated to the surface of her mind, and Mallory shook her head as a sense of dejection settled over her like a cloak. “Is it even worth pursuing at this point? There’s not much time left, and most of the passengers spend their days exploring the city in shore excursions, which limits their exposure to the material in the boxes. Maybe I should just drop it.”

  Everest studied her face a moment, his blue eyes kind but piercing. “Is that really what you think? You don’t strike me as the type to quit when things don’t go your way.”

  Her cheeks warmed at his compliment, but she tried to play it cool. “I don’t want to stop investigating. But I don’t think we’ll find anything conclusive in the time we have left.” And given the captain’s reaction to her warning yesterday, she might very well be risking her career if she kept pushing the issue.

  “Maybe we won’t. But we have to try.”

  “We?” she asked. A flare of hope cut through her disappointment like a glimmer of sun on a cloudy day. “Does that mean you believe me?”

  Everest lifted one shoulder. “I honestly don’t know if this material is radioactive. But something about the situation seems off to me. I don’t feel comfortable ignoring your observations, especially when we don’t know anything about the putty.”

  The weight of her worry lifted a bit, and she felt a surge of gratitude as she stared up at Everest. It meant a lot to know that he supported her, even though she didn’t quite believe in herself.

  “So where do we go from here?”

  Everest ran a hand through his hair. “I’m of two minds right now. We need to search the ship and determine exactly which boxes contain the putty so we have an idea of the scope of the problem. It would be nice to have my team help with this, but if the material really is radioactive or otherwise dangerous, I don’t want them exposed to it.”

  Mallory nodded. “I agree. The fewer people who come into contact with this stuff, the better.”

  “I figured you’d say as much. Which leaves the two of us to search the entire ship.” A half smile flitted across his face, and he smoothed his hand down the flat expanse of his stomach. “I’ve let myself go a bit after getting discharged from the army, but I think we can make progress. If you’ll have me, that is.”

  Mallory laughed, ignoring the way her stomach flip-flopped in response to his question. It was oh-so-tempting to read too much into his words, especially in light of her recent conversation with Avery and Olivia. But she pushed aside the distraction and focused on the issue at hand. “Of course I will.”

  His blue eyes were warm as he regarded her. “Shall we get started?”

  Mallory felt optimistic for the first time since finding the material in Jeff’s room.

  “Ready when you are.”

  Chapter 13

  The box was surprisingly light, and for a second, Wesley feared he’d picked up the wrong one. He double-checked the label to be sure; it still read Camera Supplies, which he’d been told was the code that identified the material he needed to complete this phase of the plan.

  He wanted to check out the contents right away, but he forced himself to walk calmly back to his cabin so as not to draw attention to himself. It was difficult, though—even though the box was unadorned, he felt like a kid on Christmas morning carrying his gift from Santa.

  Once he was safely inside with the door locked behind him, Wesley put the box on the bed and pulled out his pocketknife. He made quick work of the tape sealing the box and stood there for a second with the flaps closed, enjoying the sense of anticipation fizzing through his system. He hadn’t been a part of placing the radioactive material throughout the ship, and he’d been looking forward to taking a more active role in the plot.

  This was his chance.

  Wesley took a deep breath and pulled open the flaps, peering at the contents inside. Twelve wrapped bundles stared up at him, each about the size of a cell phone. He picked one up, gingerly turning it over in his hands. It weighed about as much as a cup of coffee, and the bands of tape wrapped around it made it smooth to the touch. Two thin wires, one green, one red, protruded from a small digital display panel mounted to the top of the device, and there was a bump under the tape that covered the spot where the wires attached to the material within.

  It was hard to believe that such a small, unassuming object would be the agent of massive destruction. Wesley brushed aside a vague sense of disappointment and returned the package to the box, nestling it among its fellows. He’d been expecting something bigger, a flashier device. But this was probably better. Tha
nks to the small size, he’d be able to anchor each package to the lid of the communication hubs spread throughout the ship. And although they didn’t look like much, he had it on good authority the small bundles packed a big punch. Once he had them dispersed throughout the ship, the Abigail Adams would be a floating time bomb.

  This was the first box of charges; he’d get the second when the ship sailed up the river and docked in Philadelphia, and a third when she stopped in Boston. Thirty-six explosive bundles in all, and he was responsible for placing them before they made port in New York Harbor. It would be difficult, but not impossible.

  He slipped his hand into his pocket and ran his finger along the small electronic jammer he carried with him at all times. It was a useful little thing that emitted an electromagnetic pulse whenever he activated it, interfering with any electronic devices located within a twelve-foot radius. Everest thought there was an issue with the security cameras on board, but in truth they were fine. Wesley had been using the jammer to move around the ship undetected, which had allowed him to sneak up on Dr. Watkins without any video record of his movements.

  He hadn’t actually meant to hurt her. But when he’d seen her entering Jeff’s former cabin, he’d panicked. No good could come of her poking around in the room, and he had to keep her from finding the body. So he’d crept up behind her and clipped her on the back of the head with the empty ice bucket.

  She’d dropped to the floor with a thud, presenting him with another issue. He’d been so worried about keeping her from finding the body he hadn’t thought what to do with her once she was incapacitated.

  In any event, it hadn’t mattered. His heart had nearly stopped when Everest had entered the room a moment later, but fortunately Wesley had been able to convince him another man had hurt the doctor. Now he just had to keep stringing his boss along with updates from his “investigation.”

  But first, he needed to update his contact.

  “Yes?”

  “I’ve received the first shipment,” Wesley said. “Everything is on track here.”

  “Excellent. Has the doctor created any trouble?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle,” he replied.

  “Good. We have another agent on board, should you require assistance.”

  “Really?” Wesley couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice. He’d thought he was the only one. It was strangely comforting to know someone else was working toward the same goal.

  “Your captain will be happy to help, if the need arises.”

  That was a shock. Of all the people on board, Wesley would never have guessed the captain was involved. It was delightfully ironic that the man charged with keeping the ship and her passengers safe was plotting to destroy it all.

  “I had no idea,” Wesley said. “That’s good to know.”

  “Only use him in an emergency,” the man cautioned. “The captain does not know the full extent of the plan, and he is not a true believer like yourself. He is a tool, not a leader.”

  “I understand,” Wesley said. He didn’t anticipate needing any help, but if Everest and the doctor kept poking around, he might need the captain to step in. The two of them would be forced to obey a direct order from the man or else risk getting fired and removed from the ship. Which might not be such a bad thing. With Everest gone, Wesley would be in charge. And there would be no one to police his actions...

  “Keep me updated,” the man said, interrupting Wesley’s thoughts. “Don’t do anything to draw undue attention to the ship. We’re so close to the end—nothing must interfere with the execution of our plans.”

  “Of course.” So much for his idea to have Everest escorted off the ship. If the Abigail Adams lost her head of security and her doctor, the news would ripple throughout the company and shine a spotlight on their voyage. Both Everest and Dr. Watkins would talk, and even though their story of radioactive material on the ship was fanciful, people would listen.

  Both the president and vice president would be in New York City for the holiday. They were scheduled to watch the Fourth of July fireworks from the harbor, close to where the ship would dock. If the Secret Service got wind of Everest and the doctor’s fears, they’d cancel the event. Wesley would still be able to blow up the ship, scattering radioactive debris over a good portion of the city. But the event would be much more spectacular if he took out the country’s leadership at the same time.

  There was no help for it. Wesley was simply going to have to figure out a way to keep Everest and the doctor distracted so they didn’t cause trouble. There were only three days left in the voyage. Three days before he avenged Ryan’s death. This was his best chance to make things right for his brother and his family.

  He couldn’t fail now.

  * * *

  Everest braced his hands on the arms of the chair and sighed quietly. He and Mallory had been taking turns climbing onto furniture to reach the black boxes mounted high on the walls of the ship, and it was now his job to hold the chair steady while Mallory checked out the communication hub. It wasn’t a difficult task, but their positions put her curvy bottom right at his eye level. The first couple of stops he’d been able to ignore the sight, but he was quickly running out of self-control.

  She rose on her tiptoes, the muscles of her legs and bottom flexing under the fabric of her pants. Everest closed his eyes, digging deep for discipline. Mallory had suggested they take turns examining the boxes so one person didn’t receive all the exposure to the material. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now he was having second thoughts.

  “I can’t quite get the cover off,” Mallory muttered. She stretched and flexed, clearly wrestling with the plastic as she tried to pry the lid free. Her movements caused her to bounce a bit, and a flush of heat suffused Everest’s body as he gave up trying to ignore the temptation right in front of him.

  “Do you need any help?” The question sounded a bit strangled, so he cleared his throat and tried again. He forced his gaze away from her body and tried to see the box she was fighting with.

  “No.” She grunted and her muscles tensed. A popping sound punctuated her reply, and she let out a satisfied sigh. “I got it.”

  “Good,” he said quietly. That meant this torture would be over soon. Forget taking turns—he was going to examine the rest of the boxes. Anything to keep his mind on the task at hand and off Mallory’s body. If he allowed himself to be distracted much longer, he was going to embarrass himself.

  “This one has it,” she said, sounding grim. She replaced the cover and climbed down, and Everest stepped back to give her room. He expected her to head for the door, but she turned around to look at him. She was so close her breasts grazed his chest as she moved, and he sucked in a breath at the accidental contact.

  “That’s the third box so far.” Her eyebrows drew together in a frown. “I know it’s a little early to draw conclusions, but it doesn’t seem like the material has been randomly placed to me. What do you think?”

  Everest ignored his physical reaction to Mallory’s proximity and focused on the observations they’d made so far. They’d looked at five boxes, and the three that had contained the gray material were all located in passenger cabins. The two that had lacked the material were in a supply closet and a hallway. It was a limited sample set, but he had to admit there did appear to be a pattern.

  “I agree,” he said. “It looks like the material is in spots where people spend a lot of time.”

  Mallory’s brown eyes shone with concern. “I don’t like it.”

  A kernel of worry formed in his stomach, an unpleasant gnawing sensation that overshadowed the tingling warmth triggered by Mallory’s nearness. “It doesn’t look good so far,” he said. “But let’s not panic yet. We’ve got a lot of rooms left to check.”

  She nodded and bit her bottom lip. “You’re right.” After a few seco
nds, her expression cleared and she smiled up at him. “Thanks again for helping me with this. Having you with me makes me feel like things are going to be okay.”

  “I’m glad I could help.” He didn’t know what they were going to do with the information they’d gathered so far, but Mallory’s confidence in him made him feel ten feet tall. It was a sensation he hadn’t experienced in a while, and he had to admit it was nice. For the first time in a long time, he felt whole again.

  Did she move closer? Or was he suddenly more aware of her? Either way, something shifted between them, and the air grew heavy with possibility. Mallory’s eyes widened, a flare of heat sparking in the depths of her gaze. Her lips parted and she drew in a quick little breath. The soft, intimate sound pulled him in, and he leaned forward, his eyes on her mouth.

  Her tongue darted out to swipe across her lips, leaving them shiny and ready for his kiss. Need surged in Everest’s chest, and he fought the urge to grab Mallory and pull her close. He wanted to feel her curves flatten against his body and fill his nose with her scent. But he knew if he moved too fast she’d pull away. He forced himself to go slow, to give her every opportunity to step back as he lowered his head.

  But she didn’t.

  Everest brushed his mouth against hers, their lips barely touching. Mallory stiffened and he stilled, freezing in place. She reminded him of a spooked deer, ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.

  So he waited, giving her time to change her mind.

  The moment stretched between them, but he didn’t dare move. He wanted Mallory with an intensity sharper than any he’d felt in years. But more important, he wanted her to want him. He was eager to explore this connection between them, but if she didn’t match his excitement, he was prepared to walk away. He knew from experience it was better to be alone than to have a partner whose heart really wasn’t in it.

  After an eternity of heartbeats, Mallory let out a gentle sigh. She stepped into his arms, her muscles relaxing as she snugged up against his chest. Her hands found the back of his neck and slid into his hair.