Game of Fear

by Robin Perini

  A tin wind chime sounded outside the entryway and a group of laughing men pushed into the bar, followed by a woman with striking auburn hair. Deb Lansing.

  Hawk elbowed Gabe. “She looks hot.” When Gabe didn’t respond, he leaned closer. “For the last few months you two have been sending signals a five-year-old would see. It’s past time to make a move.”

  “Give it a rest. Now’s not the time. You know that.” Gabe knew the words to be true, but his heart rate picked up anyway when the group closed in on the bar.

  Though her flight suit hid most of her curves, Deb’s forthright smile and the spark of fire in her eyes kick-started Gabe’s libido. Her bold gaze traveled down his body, then up, settling on his lips. Her no-nonsense stare fanned the embers into a full-fledged fire inside him.

  “A shot of Cuervo for everyone, Gabe. On me.”

  “Oh, no.” The head of the Search and Rescue crew shouldered in. “On me, Montgomery. We’re celebrating.”

  “So, I’m not fired anymore?” Deb said, her brow arched.

  Her boss frowned. “I haven’t decided. After that stunt you pulled, you’re grounded for a week. Then I may reinstate you. You could have ended up splattering my chopper on the side of the mountain.”

  “What the hell happened?” Gabe swallowed back his fear. He knew Deb’s rep, and he nearly leapt over the bar.

  “The boss is overreacting,” she said, sprinkling salt on her wrist, biting the lime. With a deep breath, she tossed back the tequila. Her face flinched as the drink went down.

  “I don’t think so.” The guy turned to Gabe. “You were SWAT. You know about chain of command. Picture this. We’re in the mountains of New Mexico. Snow everywhere. Cloudy day so the light sucked. Sun’s going down. We call the flight crews in, but Annie Oakley here decides to disobey orders and fly several more passes. Practically gave her partner heart failure. Not to mention costing me at least ten years of life while I watched the air show.”

  “We found the kids, didn’t we?” Deb countered. “I knew what I was doing. The risk was worth it.”

  “Look, Deb.” Her boss snagged a peanut and popped it into his mouth. “You’re a great flyer, but you can’t save everyone. One of these days you’re going to have to face that fact.” He glanced at Gabe. “Get us two sampler platters.” He downed a tequila in one shot. “And another round. I need it.”

  The rest of the group patted Deb on the shoulder before huddling at a table in the corner with their boss. “He’ll get over it,” one said. “That was some hellacious flying.”

  Gabe squeezed the bottle of tequila in his hand. How his grip hadn’t shattered the bottle, he didn’t know. “Deb, can I see you for a minute?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  She’d taken a couple steps toward the S&R group but paused and turned toward him, her look quizzical. “Okay.”

  He clutched her hand and pulled her to his office, walked in and shut the door. He turned on her. “Are you crazy?”

  Her mouth fell open and then a disbelieving expression that should have warned Gabe away crossed her face. “Excuse me?”

  He clasped her shoulders. “You could have been killed.” Gabe knew he was being unreasonable, knew he was out of line, but he couldn’t stop himself.

  Her arms thrust out to escape his hold, and she launched forward, pressing her hand against his chest. With the other hand she poked him, just below the collarbone. “I knew exactly what I was doing, Deputy. It’s my job and I’m damn good at it. Or perhaps I should address you as ex-Deputy.”

  The barb didn’t stop him. In fact, the flash in her green eyes only fed his desire to get closer.

  “I know you’re a great flyer, Deb. That’s what terrifies me,” he admitted. “I’ve gotten used to you sitting on that bar stool giving me a hard time. I’d hate to think I’d miss that because you decided to be a hero one too many times.”

  She stilled, the anger seeming to seep out of her, and her shoulders sagged. “You think that’s what this is about. I want to be a hero?”

  She dropped her hands. He didn’t want to lose her nearness, but it was the disappointment in her voice that squeezed his heart.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “I don’t leave anyone behind. Not ever,” she said, her voice firm, but with just a hint of shaky desperation. “And especially not kids.”

  Her eyes flashed with pain, her expression haunted. He’d seen the same look in Luke’s face after a particularly rough tour in Afghanistan before he’d turned journalist.

  Gabe hooked her finger with his, the tentative touch cautious. He hated himself for bringing that inner ache to her eyes. He said nothing, but slowly he laced her fingers with his, staring at the connection. They fit together. Too well.

  The outside world faded. In this small room, they were alone. He tugged her closer, unable to resist. He’d wanted to touch her this way for so long. Longer than he’d admitted. He wanted to know if his dreams were anything close to reality.

  Her gaze rose to meet his, her cheeks flushed. She stared at his lips, then her tongue moistened her own.

  Gabe didn’t want to say a word. He didn’t want to break the spell that had settled over them like a warm blanket. He leaned in, hovering closer, his lips just inches away. They tingled in anticipation.

  Deb’s phone blasted between them. Gabe sucked in a deep breath and straightened. With a last look, he let her hand drop. At his movement, Deb’s eyes went from foggy to clear.

  He’d almost stepped over that invisible line. And for a few seconds there, he hadn’t cared.

  But now, the moment was gone. Reality had intruded. For both of them.

  The very girlie pop ring tone sounded again. She winced. “My little sister.” She cleared her throat, reached into her pocket, and clicked on the phone. “Ashley? I didn’t expect . . .”

  The frown on Deb’s lips made Gabe’s brow furrow.

  “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” she said, ending the call. She looked up at him, her eyes full of regret. “I have to go. My sister needs me.”

  Gabe didn’t try to stop her. Family came first. Always. He nodded.

  She cocked her head. “I’ll see you tomorrow night? The usual bar stool?”

  “I’ll bring a hot dog. On the house. No arguments.” He paused, wanting to reach for her, to touch her again. He couldn’t. The worst part of wanting Deb wasn’t the need to touch her. It was wanting to dig into why she drove herself, why she took those chances. Why she’d risked her life tonight.

  He didn’t just want Deb physically; he wanted to know her, inside and out. A dangerous combination.

  He sidled around her and opened the door.

  “No gratitude, right?” She slowly brushed against him as she walked past.

  At her touch, a long, slow breath escaped from him. “Agreed.”

  Halfway out the door, she looked over her shoulder, her expression pensive. “You surprised me tonight, Gabe Montgomery. It doesn’t happen often.”

  She disappeared out the door and Gabe let out a long, slow breath. Too bad he liked Deb Lansing so much. Once he knew it was safe, he’d take Hawk’s advice, because he knew one thing. Women like Deb Lansing didn’t cross his path often, and he’d love to know if her bold spirit translated from the chopper to the bedroom.

  But until he brought the sheriff and Gasmerati down, he had to find a way to keep his distance.

  The solid wood desk dominated the office. Custom made in Italy, the finest money could buy, every item in this room let visitors know Jeff Gasmerati meant business. Deadly business. And no mistakes.

  He leaned back in his chair and studied his latest acquisition. The Monet had disappeared during the Nazi’s occupation of France. Jeff had paid a premier price. Something the world didn’t even know existed.

  He liked the feeling.

  Just staring at
the impressionist’s masterpiece eased the tension at the base of his neck. He had one very big problem, but if his latest plans moved forward—as he fully expected them to—soon he’d make the syndicate his father had built look like a mom-and-pop shop.

  Right now, though, his biggest headache was the cops and the press, particularly Luke Montgomery.

  The phone rang and Jeff glanced at the caller’s identity. Speaking of law enforcement. He gritted his teeth. “This line is off-limits to you.”

  “We have trouble. I just received news over the wire. A car’s been found.” Sheriff Tower’s voice lowered to an urgent whisper. “Near Taos. A chopper pilot spotted it during a rescue. I recognized the location. It’s them. The boys from . . . before.”

  Jeff drummed his fingertips on the mahogany desk. “We knew it would happen eventually. Eight years is a long time. People forget.”

  “What if someone puts it together with the girl’s death? It’s a risk. To both of us.”

  Jeff squeezed the phone. Tower was becoming a liability. “Make sure we have someone on the ground as they investigate. Let me know if concerns crop up.”

  “New Mexico’s not my jurisdiction. I can’t just—”

  “It is now, Sheriff Tower. Figure it out. If evidence needs to disappear, make it happen. This is not the time for complications. Your son’s poor judgment nearly cost us everything. You get me?”

  The phone went silent. “I’ll find a way,” Tower finally groused.

  “You’ve been given a cushy gig, Sheriff. Don’t screw it up. I can take your position away as easily as I handed it to you. And your vices . . . well, let’s just say you haven’t learned from your son’s death. A hundred grand in the last month comes to mind.”

  “I said I’ll do it.”

  Jeff walked over to the antique Waterford decanter and poured himself a snifter of cognac. “I suggest checking on Gabe Montgomery and Whitney Blackstone as well. It’s been eight years since that night. Neither of them is young and foolish anymore. They could cause problems if they recognize the connection with Shannon Devlin.” He took a sip. Very smooth. “And, Tower, I won’t tolerate further mistakes. There are plenty of men in your department who would step in if you met with an unfortunate accident.”

  * * *

  CHAPTER TWO

  * * *

  DEB PULLED HER car up to her apartment building and touched her lips. Gabe hadn’t kissed her, but when he’d linked his fingers through hers, a shiver had traveled down her back, settling low in her gut. If Ashley hadn’t called, Deb would be at the bar with Gabe right now, exploring feelings that made her very nervous. Which shocked her. If most men had tried to tell her how to do her job, she’d have kicked them hard enough to disable the guy’s ability to pass on his genes. But then she’d recognized something in Gabe’s eyes, an emotion she hadn’t seen in a very long time. Concern. For her. In that instant, the high of finding those kids coupled with the months of ogling Gabe had cracked through defenses she’d built since her first day at boot camp.

  She grabbed her bag from the car and trudged up the three flights of stairs. She should admit the truth, she wanted more than friendly flirting from Gabe. She got the physical attraction. That dark hair and those chocolate eyes made most of the women who came into Sammy’s drool. That didn’t touch Deb, though. What tempted her was that something extra she’d witnessed. Like how he made certain anyone who’d tied one on had a ride home. Or the times she’d caught him giving food out the back to someone in need. Or the easy camaraderie he shared with his brothers when they stopped in.

  In her experience, more often than not the best-looking men were also the biggest jerks. Gabe seemed to be the exception. Which in itself scared the hell out of her.

  Finally reaching the landing, Deb slipped her key into the lock. Ashley better have a good reason for being here and not at her Air Force Academy dorm where she belonged.

  Deb shoved the door open. Her sister jumped up from the beige corduroy couch like a gun had exploded in her ear. The textbook vaulted from her hand landing five feet away.

  “Easy, girl. It’s just me.”

  “Thank God.” Ashley shoved her blonde hair behind one ear, her movements edgy.

  This wasn’t like her sister. Deb hurried over to the sofa and tossed her rucksack into a corner. “What’s going on? And please tell me you didn’t take a bus from Colorado Springs.”

  “Of course not. I . . . just . . . I really needed to talk to you so I borrowed an upperclassman’s car. He’s flunking math. I traded tutoring time for the use of his ride for a few hours. I promised to get the car back before curfew. It’s such a pain that first-year cadets can’t have their own vehicles.” Ashley relaxed a little. “Where were you?”

  Okay, mentioning her celebratory foray to the bar wasn’t happening. “Rescue flight. A church bus full of teenagers hit black ice going around a curve. Medevac choppers were called in from all over to find them, but it gets dark so early, we didn’t have much daylight to look.”

  “You found them.”

  “Yeah,” Deb sighed. “Finally.”

  “No, I mean you’re the one who found them, aren’t you?”

  Deb shifted on the sofa. “It was a team effort.”

  Ashley crossed her arms in front of her and glared at Deb with that all-knowing teenage look.

  “Okay, yeah, I spotted the bus first, and then everyone kicked into gear. We airlifted the worst of the wounded out to the ambulances standing by, and the ground troops had to take over due to the lack of light and rugged terrain.”

  “I don’t know why you don’t just take the credit. I bet you loved flying that mission,” Ashley said.

  “Okay, quit it.” Deb threw a pillow at her sister’s head. “Come on, Ashley, why are you here?”

  Ashley snagged the pillow in midair, then hugged it close. “Something really weird’s been going on. Someone’s following me. Plus, I keep getting these strange phone calls and hang ups. I swear someone else is on the phone, listening, while I talk to my friends.”

  “While you’re on the phone?”

  Ashley frowned. “I hear these strange clicks and stuff. Sometimes there’s an echo. Really faint, but enough to make me suspicious. God, listen to me. I sound as paranoid as Dad. Maybe it’s the NSA skulking around again. Or the military. I realize that I’m attending the Air Force Academy, but would the school tap its students’ phones like that?”

  “Anything’s possible, I guess. If the General had his way, he’d have bugged every room and phone line we ever went near.” Deb tried to make light of the situation, but her stomach fluttered a bit at Ashley’s words.

  “Yeah, well, Dad’s a psychotic, overprotective idiot. How they let him stay in the Army this long, I don’t know. He’s scary.”

  Deb laughed. “And that’s exactly why they’ve kept him around so long. His paranoia has paid off too many times. Everyone hates him, but nobody bucks him . . . except you. You pissed him off royally by picking the Air Force.”

  “Big deal. So I didn’t hold up the Lansing tradition of going into the Army, like you, Ben, and Rick. All following in Daddy’s footsteps, like good little children.”

  “Brat. Respect your elders.” Deb crossed her legs and faced her sister. “Besides, I’m a civilian now.”

  “Yeah, I know, and it’s all my fault you’re not out there flying those helicopters every day. I can’t believe I need someone to act as my legal guardian here while I go to the Academy.”

  “Yeah, being a sixteen-and-a-half-year-old genius is tough. Imagine being tapped by the government for your code-breaking skills. You poor, deprived child.”

  “It was either that or go to jail after I hacked into the NSA to give them a taste of their own medicine.”

  “Don’t remind me. I had the FBI at my door. And not for a security clearance interview.” Deb sat up straight
and stared down her sister. “You and your new buddies aren’t screwing around with that stuff anymore, are you?”

  “Would I do that?” Ashley batted her eyes, but Deb just shook her head in dismay. “Seriously, I’m legit. The only thing we’re doing is hacking our way through Point of Entry, a video game that gives bored little brainiacs like us a legal way to hone our skills.”

  “Ashley, you’re not still playing that stupid game, are you?”

  “There’s nothing stupid about P.O.E. We just broke through to Level 88, and it took more brain cells than all my Academy courses combined. Justin and Mylo were talking about going out to celebrate since they helped me break the last codes. It’s fun working with a team instead of staring at the screen alone in my room.”

  Deb stood and walked into the kitchen. She poured a glass of orange juice and took a sip, studying her sister across the bar. She searched for the right words, but she just had to say it. “I’d still feel a lot better if you weren’t doing anything that remotely resembled hacking. Especially with Justin. You two came too close to getting locked up.”

  “My advisor gave me the latest version of P.O.E.,” Ashley protested. “He said, with my background, I might enjoy the challenge. Lighten up. It’s only a video game, after all. Besides, I’m tired of being the too-smart-for-other-kids-to-do-normal-things-with geek. I want to be normal.”

  “It’s a game where you pretend to break into banks, follow money trails, plant evidence on computers, and take down governments.”

  “And catch the bad guys,” Ashley added. “It’s harmless fun. The guys like the shoot-’em-up, and I like the math and computer stuff. Besides, if I go into Intelligence—like the Academy counselors seem to think I should—I’ll need the practice. I have to be able to think like the bad guys.”