Неизвестный - 06. Honor Under Siege
Cam caressed Blair’s back. “I wish I hadn’t had to bring this into our home. I wish it didn’t touch you, or us. As soon as I can, I’ll move the team—”
Blair shushed her with a kiss, sliding her hands into Cam’s hair and melding her body a little more tightly to Cam’s. She felt Cam’s heart beat against her breast and the muscles in Cam’s stomach and thighs tighten. She felt the connection that held her secure no matter where she was, no matter what was happening, and realized that just as the danger was part of their life, no matter where they were, so was their love. And that mattered more to her than any place on Earth. She stroked Cam’s neck as she leaned back in her arms. “That’s not necessary. I’d rather you and the others work here if it’s the most secure location.” She pressed her hand to Cam’s heart. “This is my safe place.”
Cam’s eyes darkened and she held Blair more tightly. The next kiss was rougher, longer, deeper.
“Cam,” Blair said just a little breathlessly. “One word.”
“What,” Cam growled, sliding her hands under the back of Blair’s T-shirt.
“Briefing.”
Cam hesitated. “What?”
Blair laughed and bumped her pelvis into Cam’s crotch. “I love to make you forget yourself, but…what time is your briefing with Felicia and Renée?”
“Hell,” Cam muttered, tracing the edge of Blair’s ear with her mouth. “How did you know I had one?”
“Because it’s morning and you always brief in the morning.” Blair murmured appreciatively and closed her eyes as Cam sucked her earlobe. Cam’s breath was quick and hot against her neck. Nothing aroused her more than Cam’s desire. “Careful.”
“I was tired and sore when I got home last night,” Cam whispered, kissing her way down the pulse that shimmered in Blair’s throat. “I’m not anymore.” She nipped at Blair’s neck when Blair tilted her head back with a sigh. “And I didn’t thank you yet for the massage.”
Blair caught her breath as Cam skimmed her fingers around her sides and over her stomach. When Cam stroked higher, brushing the undersurfaces of her breasts, her nipples tightened in anticipation of a caress. She was dangerously close to not caring if Cam had a briefing or if Diane came looking for her any minute to take a walk on the beach, which was their habit. “You have two seconds to decide—either move your hands or be late for your briefing. Because if you get me any more excited, I’ll have to come, and since you started it, I expect you to take care of that.”
“You started it.” Cam was seriously considering delaying the briefing when a discreet cough from the doorway caught her attention. She lifted her head from Blair’s neck and found herself staring at Tanner Whitley.
“Sorry,” Tanner said, grinning broadly, “but Stark said to come on back.”
“Remind me to speak to her about that,” Cam muttered.
Blair pushed Cam’s hands away and spun around, leaning her back against Cam’s front. “Tanner!”
“I was in the neighborhood.”
“Ha ha. You live next door.” Blair drew Cam’s arms around her middle and folded hers over them. “What’s up?”
“Well, I was wondering if you and Diane were up for a little trip to see what I’ve been doing at the marina.” She slid her hands into the pockets of her khakis and rocked back and forth, still grinning. “But I get the feeling this isn’t a good time.”
“It’s a great time,” Blair said emphatically. She tilted her head back and kissed the side of Cam’s jaw. “Cam has to go to work and I don’t have anything planned until this afternoon. Once the light’s a little better, I’m going to paint.”
“I’ll let Stark know so she can organize your teams,” Cam said as she carefully loosened her hold on Blair. She would have preferred that Blair stay close to the compound, but that wasn’t her call anymore. Plus, the whole team would be heading to Boston the next day for the fundraiser. Maybe if Blair had the opportunity to relax today she might not resent the upcoming restrictions so much.
She kissed Blair lightly. “Have fun. I’m heading down to the guesthouse.”
“See you later, darling.”
“You will,” Cam murmured.
“Sorry about that,” Tanner said after Cam had left. She strode across the kitchen and looked out the back door. A member of her private security force stood guard on the rear deck. “When Stark asked me to assign some of my security officers here, she requested the ones with military training. Combat troops.” She turned to face Blair. “I know you can’t tell me anything, but I just wanted you to know that Adrienne and I are prepared to do whatever you need us to do.”
“You two have done enough. I’m not even sure we should have come back here.” Blair loved the island and she loved this house. But part of what made the property so perfect for their needs was that it abutted Tanner’s estate. They had no year-round neighbors to the north and Tanner’s house, which occupied half of the island, was less than a mile down the beach—close by if they needed her, but far enough away for privacy. “I feel like I’m taking advantage of our friendship. And Adrienne shouldn’t feel obligated—”
“Adrienne is a naval officer. Do you think I could convince her that it wasn’t her duty to assist you in any way possible?”
“God, this is hard.”
Tanner walked over to her and put her arms around her. “It is. But it would be harder if you didn’t let us help.”
Blair rested her forehead on Tanner’s shoulders. “You’re helping. Not just with your security people, but because you understand. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. So, let’s get Diane and go cruising.”
Blair laughed at the line that Tanner had always used when they were planning to sneak out for a night of partying. She squeezed Tanner’s hand, grateful that despite all the changes, the love that the three of them had forged had never faltered. “I’m afraid this time, we’re not going to be able to duck security.”
“No problem,” Tanner said, grinning. “I’ve already pissed off your lover once today. I’m not about to push my luck.”
“So,” Cam said, taking a chair across from Davis and Savard at the sleek glass and wood table that now served as their conference table. They had turned the first floor of the guesthouse into their base of operations. Davis had the computers up and running and networked. The dining room did duty as their file room. All things considered, it was a better working area than the converted storage closet they would have worked out of in the West Wing. “Let’s prioritize.”
No one took notes. Everyone understood that there would be no reports generated by their work, and the only files would be the ones they appropriated from other security agencies.
“First order of business is to find Matheson, because we have to assume that there will be another attack on Egret. He and his organization will lose credibility if a failed attempt is allowed to stand.” Cam carefully kept her voice and face from showing her rage. “We can assume he will either establish a new paramilitary base of his own or join forces with another one. He’ll need a network in order to reestablish himself.”
“A guy like that won’t give up control easily,” Savard said. She wore jeans and a dark blue polo shirt. She’d pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail, and she looked more rested than Cam had seen her in weeks.
Cam nodded and pointed the pen she’d been rolling between her fingers at Davis. “He didn’t do much to hide the compound in Tennessee because he didn’t expect us to come after him. This time he’ll take more precautions. Background him—his family by blood and marriage, the military academy and its faculty, donors to the school, previous graduates—anyone who might have purchased or inherited land. For now, I’d prefer a covert examination of the academy files, because anything else is going to tip him off.” She shrugged. “But the academy is the logical place to start. We know he recruits there. If I have to, I’ll confiscate every scrap of paper in the entire place.”
“The FBI should have files on the other patriot organizations,” Savard said, “and if he’s ever so much as made a phone call to one of their leaders, there should be a record of it somewhere.” She grimaced. “The biggest problem is the files are so decentralized it’s practically impossible to search them.”
“Try.”
“Yes ma’am,” Savard said smartly. “We might get something from the interrogations of his captured personnel too, if the Company hasn’t buried the Intel by now.”
“See what you can find there,” Cam said, pleased with Savard’s natural instincts for counterintelligence. She’d need that kind of backup from her secondin-command. “And that brings us to the problem of Valerie Lawrence. We need to know who her Company handler is and determine if there’s a link to Matheson.”
Davis took a breath. “Due respect, Commander, but there won’t be any records of Lawrence’s handler. It’s not like they keep employment files.”
“I know,” Cam said, “and that’s just one reason why we need to bring Valerie in.”
“We don’t know if Matheson only uses men he recruited from his military academy. She could be his mole,” Davis said. “Just like Foster.”
“She could be. I don’t think she is.” Cam expected her people to examine every option, and Davis’s comment didn’t bother her. “But until we’ve proven it one way or the other, she has to be considered potentially hostile.”
“How do we find her?” Savard asked.
Cam sighed. “Our only link is Diane. We have to hope Valerie tries to meet with her again and that Diane trusts me enough to tell me. In the meantime, we’ve got Foster and the four dead commandos from the assault on the Aerie. We know they were all at Matheson’s military academy. Maybe that’s not their only connection.”
“We really need someone who’s an expert on these paramilitary organizations,” Savard said. “I bet all of these guys know each other.”
“I’ll work on that.” Absently, Cam rubbed her sore shoulder. “Blair is scheduled to make a public appearance Saturday night at a fundraiser in Boston. I’d like you two to assist with the security detail. I know it’s not in your job description any longer, and Stark’s doing a great job integrating Tanner’s people, but I’ll feel better if we had seasoned agents for this. It’s her first solo appearance since 9/11.”
“Of course,” Savard said, joining Davis in accepting the assignment. “Do you think they’ll try again so soon?”
“I don’t know.” Cam tried not to let her fury, or her seething sense of frustration, show. “But we can’t afford to think they won’t.”
Chapter Fifteen
“So, what do you think of the place?” With a sweep of her arm Tanner indicated the world-class yachting marina tucked into a deep, narrow inlet on the ocean side of the island. Wrapping one arm around Blair’s shoulders and the other around Diane’s waist, she led the two women to the end of the longest pier. Sailboats and cruisers were moored in the slips along either side. The charterhouse and a luxury hotel completed the accommodations. “You like it?”
“It’s amazing,” Blair said. “Somehow you’ve managed to do all this and still keep the untamed feel of the rest of the island.”
“It’s great,” Diane said, echoing Blair’s sentiment. She hugged Tanner. “I admit, I never thought you’d settle down enough to run the family business, let alone do something like this. I figured you’d be lying out on some beach with a string of bored, horny cover girls— breaking their hearts—until you were fifty or so.”
“I might have been.” Tanner grinned, then her expression sobered. “Except I don’t know that I would’ve made it to fifty. I was a little crazy before Adrienne.”
Blair shook her head fondly. “God, she certainly has tamed you.”
“Ah, look who’s talking.” Tanner hip-bumped Blair playfully. “Who would have guessed you’d pick a spooky to marry!”
“Yeah yeah,” Blair said. “Come on, let’s get off the pier. It’s freezing in this wind.”
“I have to run up to the charterhouse for a second to check something,” Tanner said, “then I’ll meet you at the car.” She tossed Blair her keys. “Turn the heater on and warm her up for me. Kind of like old times.”
“Your charm doesn’t work on me, Whitley. So I’d watch your step.” As Tanner laughed and hurried away, Blair grasped Diane’s hand and studied her worriedly. “You okay? Tanner and I rhapsodizing about the joys of settling down must be tough for you to hear right now.”
Diane nodded. “I’m happy for you. Both of you.”
“I know that. But these tears aren’t from the wind.” Blair gently brushed at the moisture on Diane’s cheeks. “You look worn out.”
“I’m okay. I’m just not sleeping very well.”
“Or eating very well.” Blair loosed an exasperated sigh as she keyed the remote to Tanner’s SUV. She pointed for Diane to get into the front passenger seat as she got behind the wheel and started the engine. “It’s not going to do anyone any good if you make yourself sick.”
“It’s hard not to think about it all the time,” Diane whispered. “It’s hard not to wonder where she is. Not to wonder if someone’s hurt—” she looked away, her voice breaking.
“You don’t have as much experience with this kind of waiting, of not knowing or understanding what’s going on, as I have,” Blair said emphatically. “And I’m glad. But now you’ve fallen in love with someone whose whole life has been a secret. She’s always going to have secrets, Diane, and you can’t let that eat you up.”
Diane regarded Blair as if seeing her for the first time. “How do you handle it with Cam?”
“Not very well most of the time,” Blair said, grinning sheepishly. “After a while you accept that there are parts of themselves they don’t, or can’t, let us see. And once you’re done being pissed off by it, you understand that those are the parts that make them frighteningly good at what they do. Valerie has to be that kind of good to have ever fooled Cam.”
Diane smiled weakly. “I guess the fact that my girlfriend and your girlfriend have a history makes some kind of cosmic sense, doesn’t it?”
“That just might be the understatement of the year.” Blair laughed briefly, thinking of the night she’d unexpectedly discovered Valerie at Cam’s apartment in DC, and recognizing their connection, how much she had resented the place Valerie held in Cam’s heart. Cam swore that there was nothing between them any longer, and Blair knew that Cam believed it. But she had seen something that Cam had not. There had been a sadness in Valerie’s eyes that Blair understood with perfect clarity. Valerie had been deeply in love with Cam. Thinking about that sadness now, Blair found that she no longer resented what Valerie and
Cam had shared. Valerie had been there when Cam needed someone, and that was all that really mattered.
“She’ll need you, Di. She’ll need you, but she won’t let you know.” Blair reached for Diane’s hand. “That’s the hardest thing to remember—that the need is there, even though it’s buried so deeply even she can’t see it. It’s a pain in the ass, but you’ll just have to get used to it. I know you’re strong enough, and stubborn enough, to do it.”
