Chapter Four
It was an unusual sequence of events and circumstances that found Faith and Mark Halloran, and Mia and Dan Romeo, living in San Antonio rather than in Maryland where the Phoenix Agency headquarters was located.
When Mark was captured by al-Qaeda terrorists in Peru, his long-time ability to communicate telepathically with Faith Wilding had been his only means of getting messages out. Like a bulldog with a bone in her teeth, Faith had blown down doors and knocked over people, finally stumbling over Rick Latrobe and Phoenix in her desperation to mount a rescue. After Mark left Delta Force, he’d joined the agency and married Faith. They had decided to make San Antonio their home base, as he and Faith had both grown up there and had family there. Often it meant flying back and forth to Maryland for meetings when a mission was in process, but it was something they both were comfortable with. And Faith, a bestselling author, was often immersed in her latest thriller anyway.
Dan and Mia had met when her precognitive visions had helped Phoenix retrieve a top-secret new robot designed by a friend of Dan’s. Mia Fleming had been living in San Antonio for some time, then, in a house left to her by her grandmother, and working as an art historian. They’d also decided to make that city their home base, even though Dan, as the agency’s senior partner, would need to make even more frequent trips back and forth than Mark.
“That’s why we have our own planes,” he joked to his wife.
The one adjustment they had made was to convert a room in the Romeo household into a high-tech electronics studio, so Dan and Mark could teleconference with the others and receive whatever information they needed by secure e-mail or fax. Often they could avoid leaving home that way.
The fact that the two couples lived barely ten minutes apart in upscale Alamo Heights made it easy for both business and socializing. Tonight the men, having returned only the night before from Maryland, were having dinner at the Romeos’ graceful two-story house. The topic of discussion centered not just around Rick Latrobe and the sudden danger to him but also on the wonder dog, Xena.
When Rick had called Dan that afternoon to tell him about Kelly and Xena and the peculiar situation, that conversation had prompted the current dinner-table conversation. The newest area that Phoenix was exploring was parapsychology. With two of the partners married to women with psychic gifts—ones that had been instrumental in resolving sensitive situations—the men had decided to open a Psi department. Mia Romeo, who now worked only part-time, headed up the developing unit. Faith Halloran, when she wasn’t on deadline, backed her up.
“I’ve been reading a lot about animal Psi,” Mia told them as she carried a fresh basket of rolls to the table. “It’s an area that hasn’t received a lot of attention. People have enough trouble understanding that humans have psychic gifts. Animals are just more than they can handle.”
“Tell me about it,” Mark laughed.
“Is there much documentation?” Faith asked, sipping her wine.
“Not as much as I’d like, and I’ve really been digging into it. The psychic connection between animals—especially dogs—and humans is such a raw field. People are sort of floundering around in it. The word psi, as you know, refers to the ability to become directly aware of past, present, and/or future events outside the body. There are people who swear dogs have had this ability for centuries. Those who know when their owners are about to arrive home or are in danger. Any number of situations have been written about and discounted by skeptics.” She looked at Dan and grinned. “We know about that, don’t we, honey?”
“I used to know someone who had a Caucasian Ovcharka,” Dan put in. “I can believe they have psychic abilities—I’ve seen it myself. But they’re one-person dogs, so the link with Rick is very unusual.”
“I should call Aunt Vivi,” Faith interjected. “She can talk to her Lotus Circle friends and ask them to help her check any instances of this with other members. They can tap into the website and see if anything’s been posted.”
“Don’t forget Andy’s friend,” Mia added. “The one whose aunt lives in Wisconsin and is a Lotus Circle member. She helped me a lot when I was trying to control my visions, remember?”
“The Lotus Circle also helped me discipline my telepathic abilities when Mark was held prisoner and I was getting his messages.” She took a sip of wine. “I wonder how many people know an ancient society has been resurrected and spread throughout the world via the Internet, and that its members are people with special abilities, like mine and Mia’s, who are always ready to help one another and provide assistance and comfort when necessary.”
“Not as many as we’d like,” Mia mused, “but it’s growing more every day. If more people knew about it, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time getting the police to let me work with them when Chase Carpenter’s robot was about to be stolen.”
Dan chuckled. “It was their loss. In the end, you were the one who had the answers.”
“Considering what’s happening with Rick right now,” Mark interjected, “we might do well to explore the situation with the dog further. Do we have a phone number for Kelly? And do we know what kind of person she is?”
“I’ll get Andy to run a complete check on her,” Dan said. “What’s on your mind, if you’ll pardon the pun? I can almost see the wheels turning.”
“I’d like to talk to her first. She’s not part of the agency, and we rarely use outsiders for a job. But Rick could certainly use a ‘danger sensor.’”
Faith’s jaw dropped. “Surely you aren’t thinking of asking her to go to Iraq, are you? My God, Mark. Throwing her into a situation like that? We don’t even know anything about her. What kind of person she is. And if there really is this connection between the dog and Rick.”
“I think it’s worth finding out. Why don’t you go ahead and call Aunt Vivi and see what The Lotus Circle’s take is on this business with the dog.”
“Good idea.” She pushed her chair back from the table. “I’ll call her right now.”
“Good.” Mark turned his attention to Mia. “Then I think you might give Kelly a call and kind of sound her out about everything. The Psi connection,” he added hastily. “Not Iraq. We’re not there yet.”
“I wish Rick hadn’t insisted on still taking the shipment over himself,” Dan said. “He’s banged up, and someone’s after his hide. Not a good combination.”
“I’ve seriously considered delaying delivery,” Dan said thoughtfully, “but Rick’s got security at Grainger Caldwell trained, ready for the goods in this shipment, and champing at the bit. He also was very emphatic that they can’t survive much longer without them.”
Mark swallowed the rest of his wine and set the glass down carefully. “I know Grainger Caldwell is headquartered at Baghdad International Airport, but rebuilding roads is their first order of business. So they need outposts for the workers. And people to guard them. Do you have copies here of the places where they’ve set up shop?”
“Yes.” Dan pushed his chair back. “I’ll get them. I e-mailed everything to myself before we left the office.”
“I’ll call Harry and get as much information on his granddaughter as I can. Then we’ll let Mia do her thing on the phone. She’ll know how to handle it.”
*****
The overseas phone call between Zarife’s benefactor and the man’s contact in Iraq was not progressing as well as either one of them hoped.
“You’d better make sure you have this timed better than any military operation you ever ran,” the man in DC said. “We can’t afford even one mistake.”
“I gave you the lead on the buyer, and I can vouch for his readiness,” the man in Iraq protested. “Other than that, there’s only so much I can do.”
“If this goes south, it’s on your head. I can’t afford even the slightest connection to this.”
“You’re already connected to it.”
“But you and I are the only ones who know that. Remember that.”
“And Zarife al-Dulami.”
“It’s in Zarife’s best interests to forget he ever met me. He knows that. I checked him out very carefully. I don’t believe we’ll have any trouble with him or his family.”
“What about me? What happens to me when this is all over? Once I’m gone, there’s no hiding anything.”
“You can check your bank account before the event happens. The day before, I’ll transfer enough money to keep you in women and booze anywhere in the world for the rest of your life. That ought to take care of any reservations you have. You still have the same plan for getting the goods away from BGW?”
“Yes. We talked about this, didn’t we? We’ll take the goods to Baqubah first. It’s only sixty miles from Baghdad, and the people holding the city are friendly to us. Al-Dulami will meet us there with his people to take delivery before moving everything to the Zagros Mountains. It’s a place where no one will ask us questions. What’s my transport out of there? I sure can’t stick around Baghdad.”
“I’ve arranged for a week in Baqubah at the home of a friend of al-Dulami’s, just until things quiet down. Then we’ll get you to anyplace you want. You can check your bank account on your laptop so you know the money’s in place.”
“Why the delay? You aren’t trying to screw around with me, are you?”
“Hell, no. You’d find me and gut-shoot me. But I’ll be under the microscope, and I don’t want any threads leading to you.”
There was a long pause. “All right,” the man in Iraq said. “I’ll call you when I’ve got it all set up. What about Latrobe?”
“Ah, yes, the man with nine lives. If we can’t take him out here, you’ll have to do it on your end. He knows too much about what goes on over there. If he spotted that information you so carelessly left up on your computer screen, we can’t leave him alive to connect the dots. He could remember it at any time. Besides, someone has to take the fall for this. Make it look as if he’s the one and his own thieves shot him. That always plays well.”
“Kill him here? Are you crazy?”
“Not at all. I leave the method up to you.”
“What about his friends? They’ll be raging mad.”
“Let them. He’s the one with the knowledge.”
“Just make sure the al-Dulamis are ready to take delivery.” He paused. “You know there’ll be fallout.” The voice of the man in Iraq was hard and unyielding.
“I can handle it. Just do your part, and we’ll be fine.”
*****
Greg Jordan wondered whether Mike D’Antoni would ever realize that their reunion wasn’t quite as accidental as he’d thought. It had taken research and maneuvering on Greg’s part to make it happen.
He’d been fully briefed on the situation. The Grainger Caldwell temporary compound sat at one far corner of Baghdad International Airport, otherwise known as BGW. A place where planes landed and took off on an irregular schedule at any time of the day or night. Baking beneath the unrelenting hot summer sun, the compound was surrounded by temporary concrete barriers more than fifteen feet high, rimmed at the top with razor-sharp concertina wire.
Photos showed the area contained five main buildings—a double-wide manufactured home that served as the headquarters of the Iraq operation, two hastily constructed dormitories that housed security people and construction crews in a less-than-desirable situation, and two warehouses, one for arms and equipment, the other for the company’s construction equipment. More than half the people were hired locally, which meant someone proficient in languages was an essential component of the team.
The rush by private contractors to partake of the billions of dollars available had begun the moment the government had made the announcement. The giants had taken their bite of the pie, leaving the rest for the smaller companies like Grainger Caldwell.
Jordan was well aware that after months of lobbying his senator and congressmen, Charlie Grainger had emerged from a meeting with a fistful of lucrative contracts to rebuild roads and bridges, as well as to construct electrical substations and water plants. He expected the job to keep him both busy and in high cotton for several years. He and his partner had spent a long night celebrating, then settled down to get to work.
He also knew Matt Caldwell had wanted to set up their own security and train their own people, using their corporate security staff. Charlie argued that a war was still being fought in Iraq, and that they needed someone with the necessary expertise to tell them what was required, then set it up. He insisted on hiring Phoenix to set up the security teams to guard the equipment, the compound, and the work areas and, in fact, had demanded that Rick Latrobe personally ramrod the job. Charlie had confidence in Rick, and had pointed out the successful job he’d done setting up and training the Grainger Caldwell corporate security force. And maintaining it.
So Greg Jordan’s benefactor, the man who was going to set him up in the ultimate lifestyle, had given him his orders. He’d engineered the meeting with Mike and gotten himself hired to ramrod the operation in Baghdad. Greg had then been introduced to Rick Latrobe, and the two had begun the arduous process of turning the core group of imports and the ragtag locals into a trained security force.
But there were complications from the beginning, glitches that Rick Latrobe had been a pain in the ass about. Problems recruiting enough qualified locals. Greg snorted. Qualified. What a joke that was. Every thug in the country saw the job as a license to kill. Then there’d been the problems with fighting off poaching by other contractors. And problems with the locals they recruited. Greg had found an Iraqi who, luck of luck, was acceptable to Latrobe. He and Greg had developed a relationship, and they’d recruited a sufficient number of bodies. Even then, Latrobe had been a hard-ass about the training, pissing off a lot of people.
“We’re on the clock,” he kept reminding Greg. “We have to be ready when the first crew and the equipment get here.”
And they had been, after a fashion. Greg somehow kept it cobbled together, and things were working. At least as well as could be expected. A cargo plane had delivered both construction crew and equipment just this week. Guarded by the newly minted GC Security, they’d begun the arduous process of surveying the areas where they’d be working. But Greg knew Rick was planning to tell Charlie Grainger that if they wanted security to work well, they needed more imports from the good old US of A.
Greg privately conceded he was right, but that didn’t fit in too well with the plans he was putting in place. And he found the Americans even harder to work with than the natives, probably because they were “by the book” in everything they did.
Walking from the bedroom that had been converted to an office, he poured himself another cup of coffee and carried it back to his desk. Leaning back in his chair, he put his booted feet up on the desk, closed his eyes, and began to run all the recent situations through his mind, looking for solutions. Sometimes he wondered whether he shouldn’t just chuck it all and go back to Montana. Then he remembered the pot of gold waiting for him and sucked it up.
A knock sounded on the front door, and he hollered, “Come in.” Amin, his main contact and top local lieutenant, came in, frowning. “Problems?” Greg asked.
“Not so many. But some. A few.”
Greg bit down on his impatience. “Well, which is it?”
Amin spread out his hands. “My people say they are not being paid enough money, and many of them want to quit.”
Greg sat up so quickly his feet slammed to the floor, shaking the trailer. “You remind your people they’re making more money than they’ve seen in a long time. Two hundred dollars a month. And if they follow all the rules, they’ll continue making it. Period. If not, they can take a hike, and we’ll find others.” He waved his hand in the general direction of the outer perimeter.
“But they know the Americans are making much more,” he insisted.
“The Americans have been doing this for a long time. We didn’t have to train them from scratch. What else?”
“They are also worried about being blamed for the weapons that have disappeared.” Amin’s face was completely expressionless as he spoke.
“If they didn’t take them, they have nothing to worry about. We know the deal. Right?”
Amin nodded wordlessly.
“If they have any idea who they think took them, you talk to them and kill their speculation. Assure them no blame will fall on their shoulders.”
Yeah, right, Greg thought to himself. We’ll make sure the blame falls on Latrobe.
“Yes, yes, yes.” Amin was eager in his need to please. “I will talk to them at once. At once. All will be settled before that big shipment arrives next week. I know all must go smoothly.”
“Ah, yes. The shipment.” Greg dug a thick cigar from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. He wouldn’t smoke inside, what with the ventilation as chancy as it was, but the cigar always gave him a feeling of security and control. “Glad you brought that up. Tomorrow I want everyone here in the morning half an hour before the usual starting time. We need to have a briefing before they disperse to their regular positions.” He held Amin in his gaze. “You understand, right?”
Amin nodded.
“Tell them I may have a little something extra for those you think can follow orders especially well.” He narrowed his eyes at Amin. “And you can tell them that anyone who performs exceptionally well during the process of receiving and distributing the cargo on that plane will receive a bonus. That should satisfy the bloodsuckers who complain to you and keep them off our backs for the moment. But be sure you keep an eye on how they offload the cargo.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you.” Amin smiled “I will make sure everyone understands.”
“You do that. And don’t forget about Latrobe. The seller wants it all on his shoulders.”
“I would not want any problem as far as the seller is concerned.” The smile he gave Greg was sly and knowing. “I would like to tell him myself when the job is completed with success.”
Greg pointed his cigar at him. “You just forget all about that, you hear? We never had that conversation. And if you open your mouth, it’ll be the last thing you say.”
Amin inclined his head. “It shall be as you wish.”
Greg leaned back in his chair as soon as the door closed behind Amin. The shipment. He wasn’t sure whether he looked forward to it with dread or anticipation.
*****
Phone calls complete, the four of them reconvened at the dining room table for coffee and an exchange of information.
“She trains guard dogs,” Mark said, looking down at his notes. He’d been busy on the phone with Andy, master of the Phoenix Agency’s supercomputer, the Dragon. It was Andy’s claim that nothing and no one could hide from the Dragon, and he’d certainly, with his skills, made believers of the partners.
Mia raised an eyebrow. “Guard dogs?”
“Uh-huh. She has a big farm with a state-of-the-art kennel. Most of her clients are people who live in isolated areas or high-profile corporate CEOs and politicians.”
Dan grinned. “I wouldn’t think politicians would need them. They could bite people themselves.”
“Some of the ones I know could fit the bill,” Faith put in. In her desperate hunt to mount a rescue operation for Mark, she’d uncovered political corruption that was still generating fallout. “Anyway, what else did Andy give you on Kelly Monroe?”
“Her father was Harry’s son.” Mark went on. “Both parents were killed in the crash of a light plane. Her dad was flying.”
“Ouch,” Mia said. “That must have been devastating. How old was she?”
“Twenty. That was nine years ago. She inherited their farm, set up a business, and finished college online.”
“Set up a business? Did she know anything about training dogs at all? It isn’t just something you go into on a whim.”
Mark helped himself to coffee from the carafe on the table. “Apparently she’s always been a dog person. Worked with some guy since she was fourteen. She was twenty-four when she decided to go into this full time. That same year she got the Ovcharka.”
Dan frowned. “Unusual occupation for a woman by herself.” He held up a hand as both women opened their mouths to speak. “Just a comment, not a criticism.”
“Well,” Mark said, “it seems she’s damn good at it. She’s got a very impressive list of clients. But I’ve saved the best for last.”
“And what’s that?” his wife wanted to know.
“You’ll never guess where she grew up. Where her farm is located.” He looked around the table. “Any takers? No? Okay. She’s about fifty miles from Bangor, Maine, maybe ten minutes from the road to the cabin.”
Everyone stared at him.
“Her folks didn’t really farm,” he went on. “The place has been in the family for generations. Her father was a guide for hunters. He flew them into camps in Northern Maine, then picked them up again. Sometimes her mother went along, and they’d go into New Brunswick or over to Prince Edward Island. The border patrol knew him very well.”
“How come we never saw her before?” Dan asked. “Or noticed her place when we were up there?”
Mark pulled an aerial photo from his stack and passed it around the table. “Andy e-mailed this to me from the satellite imagery we had in stock. I marked the road to the cabin. If you look here”—he retrieved the photo and pointed—“you’ll see there’s a barely visible road in this heavy stand of pine trees. It’s practically hidden from the road.”
“Practically?” Faith shook her head in amazement. “It’s totally invisible. You’d have to know where you were going to even find it.”
“Has she ever reported Psi incidents with her dog?” Mia asked.
“No,” Mark told her. “She’s pretty closemouthed. A loner, from what I can tell. But the weird thing is the way her dog linked with Rick. That’s unheard of with Ovcharkas.” He looked at both women. “Her name, by the way, is Xena.”
Mia and Faith grinned at each other.
“Because she’s a queen, right?” Faith teased.
“From what Harry tells me, each of the dog’s episodes since everyone left the airport has happened at an exact moment when Rick was in danger. It’s almost as if she smells it.”
Faith lifted an eyebrow. “Smells it?”
“I know, I know. It sounds crazy. But you can’t believe what I’ve been reading about these dogs. They are truly amazing.”
“Does she train any of them in her program?” Mia asked.
“No. Just shepherds. But Andy found an article about her in the Bangor Daily News that said she’d trained Xena to guard the other dogs in her care.”
“I got some information from Aunt Vivi that might be helpful,” Faith told them.
“Is The Lotus Circle aware of this kind of thing?” Dan wanted to know.
“You bet. In fact, four of the members who post regularly on the website are owners and have reported incidents where their mind linked with their dog’s. Where the dog not only protected them from danger but also signaled them about other things.”
When Faith had been researching her own psychic abilities, her aunt had introduced her to The Lotus Circle website, which had participants from all over the world with every type of psychic ability imaginable.
“Are you going to tell me these women communicate mentally with their animals?”
Faith nodded. “Sometimes the dog even enters their dreams and sends them messages that way. Two of the women have actually documented specific instances on the site.”
Mark shook his head in amazement. “I don’t know why I should be so surprised, considering the link Faith and I have. I just can’t get my mind around the same kind of connection with a dog.”
“One more thing,” Faith said. “Aunt Vivi says instances of an Ovcharka bonding with someone other than the owner are very rare. If we can talk to Kelly Monroe and get her to become involved, they’d like to make both her and the dog members of the Circle.”
Mia finished her coffee and set her cup down. “I have got to call this woman.”
“While you’re talking to her,” Dan said, “see if it’s possible for us to come up to visit her. Dogs are something we haven’t thought about for the Psi department, and we also may want to add them to Rick’s Iraq setup. We should ask her about it.” He looked at each person in turn. “And about going to Iraq.”
Faith wrinkled her forehead. “Are you sure it would be safe for her? She may need more than that dog to protect her.”
“I would never put an untrained person in harm’s way,” Dan promised. “But we may be able to work something out.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Mark held up a hand. “Shouldn’t we talk to Rick about this first?”
“Absolutely. Let’s have Mia call her and sound her out. I’ll talk to Rick. He should fly up there with us, too.” He looked at the other three. “Okay, people. Let’s get busy.”
*****
Kelly Monroe hung up the telephone and sat back in her chair, Xena sitting in her semialert state at her feet.
“Well, girl,” she said to her. “What do you think about that? Your new best friend has friends who want to come up and see us. We don’t get many visitors, you know. Think you can handle that?”
Xena rubbed her head against Kelly’s leg and let out a tiny bark.
“You can, huh? Well, I guess I can, too.”
She hadn’t exaggerated—visitors to the farm were rare. The vet. Her two assistant handlers. Her clients, all of whom came via referral. She resisted most publicity and her clients demanded total anonymity, which meant the same for her.
It also didn’t make for a very active social life, but that hadn’t bothered her since her last disaster of a date. She hadn’t realized Dane Lomax, the local attorney she’d sort of had a relationship with, had only wanted to show her off to his friends as an oddity. A weirdo. A woman who had no one but dogs for company and talked to her personal animal as if she were human. Worse than that, he’d expected payment in bed for “all the dinner and beer I shelled out.”
That had been her last foray into a social life.
She was better off with her books, her CDs, her computer, and her dogs. Many days, after the dogs had been worked, fed, and kenneled, she and Xena took long hikes, sometimes as far as to the cliffs over the Atlantic Ocean. It was five miles each way, but she always felt exhilarated. And it gave Xena as well as herself a great opportunity to work off their excess energy.
She felt a curl of anticipation at the prospect of seeing Rick Latrobe again. Unexpected lust curled in her belly, and her crotch dampened. Not that there was a chance in hell of anything happening between them, what with this trip coming up. And besides, he’d be with others. But at least she could dream about him. Which lately she tended to do more than she liked.
But she had an uneasy feeling that the arrival of her visitors was about to somehow change her life.
Xena stood up, leaned against her leg, and whined. Kelly scratched her head. “Yeah, I know. You feel it, too, don’t you?”
She looked into the dog’s eyes and swore she saw an image of Rick reflected there. “Quit thinking about him,” she scolded. “I’ve got enough troubles with my own thoughts.”
Sighing, she headed for the kitchen. Maybe a leftover bone for Xena and some tea for herself would settle them both down.
*****
Zarife faced Gabir across the table in the dingy little restaurant where they’d chosen to meet. “Did you get rid of the van the way I told you to?”
“Yes.” Gabir nodded. “We stripped it and pushed it off a hillside. Then we climbed down and covered it with branches and anything else we could find.”
“Good. Even if they manage to locate it, it will be too late for them to do anything. Besides, when I gave it to you, I made sure it couldn’t be traced back to us.” Zarife stirred his coffee. “Time is running out. Latrobe must not be allowed to get on that plane.”
Gabir looked at him with his mouth turned down. “You said you wanted something that didn’t look obvious. What do you suggest? Short of shooting the man or blowing him up, there doesn’t seem to be any way to stop him.”
“I’m not the one who needs to make suggestions,” Zarife pointed out. “When I hired you for this, you assured me you and your idiot friends could handle this with no problem.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Gabir sipped nervously from his own cup. “And so it seemed. But this is no ordinary man. These are no ordinary people.”
“If they were, I wouldn’t need you.” Zarife looked at his watch, which had a tiny calendar clipped over the wristband. “We have less than five days. Figure something out. I don’t care who gets on that plane as long as it’s not him. You understand?”
Gabir nodded, his fingers fiddling with his cup in a nervous dance. “I understand. We will figure something out.”
“Our only other option, if we can’t resolve it here, is to get rid of him over there. But remember, that way you get no money.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Gabir promised. “Right away.”
*****
Rick had finally agreed to pop two of the pain pills before getting on the helicopter.
“I can only hold the vibrations down so much,” Ed Romeo told him. He, rather than Mike, was the designated pilot today.
“I’m no stranger to pain,” Rick reminded him.
“Let’s just say I don’t want to add to your discomfort, okay? Humor me.”
Once they were airborne, Rick had to admit Ed was right. Even with the pills his body was protesting at the treatment he was giving it, although it could have been worse. Today they were flying their brand-new baby, a Bell 206L4 long-range, seven-passenger helicopter. In addition to Ed and Rick, the chopper carried Mia, Dan, and Mark. Faith, unhappily, was locked in her den with galleys to proof that had arrived just that morning. But she had given Mia her list of questions.
Unbelievably, Rick found himself dozing off, waking only when Mark touched his shoulder.
“I think this is the place.” He pointed ahead and below.
From the air they could see a rambling farmhouse with only a small area mowed around it. The rest was acres of tall grasses and wildflowers. Thick stands of pines and maples grew in clusters here and there, and about two hundred yards beyond the perimeter, a heavy pine forest rose up out of the land. Behind the house was a rectangular building with a long stretch of cyclone fencing running perpendicular to it. Rick assumed that was the kennel. To one side of the house was a huge barn with a long concrete strip.
Probably where her father had kept the plane, Rick thought.
Not far from the strip stood Kelly Monroe with Xena at her side, waving and pointing to the concrete.
“That’s where she wants us to land,” Ed said. “Looks good to me. I’m going down.”
With his usual practiced and easy smoothness at the controls, Ed set the bird down precisely on the concrete strip and cut his ignition. Mia, Dan, and Mark were out of the helicopter even before the rotors stopped spinning. Rick moved slowly behind them, trying to conceal his discomfort. Still, he couldn’t mistake the look of worry in Kelly’s eyes. An unfamiliar feeling twisted through him at her obvious concern. Most of the women he spent time with wouldn’t even think of sending a card, much less worrying. He decided he’d been hanging out with the wrong kind of women. But that was definitely going to change. He wondered what she’d think of the proposal they had for her.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, Xena left Kelly’s side and plunked herself down next to Rick, a low rumble escaping her throat as she looked at the others.
“Shake hands with everyone else,” Kelly told him. “Let her see that they aren’t enemies.”
“But they got off the helicopter with me,” he commented.
She shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. She’ll sense everyone as a danger to you until you show her differently.”
Rick went through the process as Kelly dictated, making sure to smile at each person and introducing them as he did so.
I can’t believe I’m making introductions to a dog, he thought, swallowing a smile.
Kelly also shook hands with them. Zena’s rumble died away, but she still held her position.
Rick looked at Kelly and again remembered the feel of her naked body under his. Her mouth on his cock. And embarrassing wonder of wonders, despite all the drugs in his system, said cock hardened.
Shit! That was all he needed. His chances of being alone with her were slim to none. He was here on business, and he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of his friends and partners.
“Well.” Kelly walked over to them, the expression on her face unreadable. “My curiosity is killing me. I know you and I spoke, Mia, but I can’t imagine anything we discussed that would have brought you all the way up here. And so quickly.” She looked at Xena. “This is a rarity for us. We don’t usually have much company, as I told you.”
“Could we go inside, so we can sit down and talk?” Dan asked. “This will take more than a few minutes to explain.”
“Of course. Excuse my manners. I have iced tea waiting, and I even made cookies.” She looked at Xena, locking gazes with her, then signaling her with her hand.
Xena rose but still didn’t move.
Kelly reached her hand out to Rick. “Come with me, and keep holding my hand. She’ll follow along.”
And that was what she did, wedging herself close to both Kelly and Rick as they all trooped into the house.
As soon as their hands touched, Rick felt the same tingle of electricity that had started the whole thing. Hours of incredible sex two nights ago hadn’t diminished it one bit.
He took a moment to study her in the sunlight. Between missions when he sought female companionship, Rick’s taste ran to petite, yet well-endowed, blondes, with curves in all the right places. Women who dressed in flirty clothes—or no clothes at all, depending on the situation. Kelly Monroe was tall and slender, her long red hair again fashioned in a neat braid. Her curves, covered in jeans and a tailored blouse, were subtle rather than lush. Yet he remembered how she felt in his hands, and every hormone in his body stood up and took notice.
Well, hell! Control, Latrobe. Control.
He was starting to wonder whether they should even ask Kelly about the trip. He was enough of a seasoned warrior not to let sex get in the way of a mission, despite their new—and fragile—relationship. But here he was, concerned about her and her safety. He’d just have to see how it played out.
Kelly led them into a cool, high-ceilinged living room with old-fashioned, comfortable furniture in warm greens and yellows. Rick took a large armchair set to one side, distancing himself from their hostess so his mind was on what they were here for.
He leaned back in the chair and rested the ankle of one leg on the opposite knee, focusing on the business at hand.
When everyone had been served refreshments, Kelly perched on a straight chair and stared at them with an uncompromising look. “I’m not much for small talk, folks, so why don’t we get right into this. Why are you really here, and what do you want from me?”
“Rick has told us about his meeting with you and Xena at our airfield,” Dan explained. “And we’ve done a little research on the Caucasian Ovcharkas.”
She tilted her head, looking from one person to the other, her gaze still puzzled. “Mia and I discussed that, but I can’t believe your interest in the dogs brought you all the way up here.”
Mia smiled at her. “I know this seems totally off the wall to you, but let me give you some background.” She launched into a brief description of the agency, what it did, the special gifts she and Faith had, and the new Psi department they were establishing.
“As you can imagine, we aren’t a highly publicized organization,” Dan put in. “Sometimes we work for Uncle Sam on the QT, sometimes for high-profile corporations. No one wants their name in the paper.”
“Same here,” Kelly nodded. “My dogs are very special, usually mistaken for household pets. Unless the owner is in danger. So you’re . . . what? Interested in the dog? In my kennel? I still don’t understand.”
“Can you tell us a little bit about the training?” Dan asked.
It took a lot more explanation from Dan about their operation before Kelly was willing to share information, about either the dogs she trained or Xena. The better part of two hours passed before they stopped verbally dancing around each other and the conversation began in earnest.
When Mia took over and told her about the Psi abilities both she and Faith had, Rick saw sharp interest flash in Kelly’s eyes.
“That’s actually what prompted this trip,” Mia added. “We’d like to know a lot more about the relationship between you and Xena and anything special you can tell us.”
Under Mia’s gentle prodding, Kelly related incident after incident in which Xena had sensed danger—“scented it,” was the way she put it—when there was absolutely nothing to indicate it. Warily, she explained the mental connection she and the dog had established—how they were able to communicate silently with each other. How Xena often invaded her dreams to send her messages.
Rick watched her stop periodically, as if waiting for the skepticism she was sure would come. When everyone simply nodded at her, she looked confused. “You don’t look shocked. Any of you.”
Mia smiled. “Like I said, paranormal isn’t new to us. We’ve gone through the same thing, Faith and I. I wish she could have been here today to listen to this. She’d be just as excited as I am.”
“But don’t you still get people looking at you as if you’re crazy?”
“Sometimes. But then we have our successes to point to. And we don’t exactly run around taking out front-page ads.” She looked at Dan and Mark, who nodded at her unspoken question, then crossed her legs and leaned forward. “Kelly, I wonder if we could persuade you and Xena to come to Maryland to our offices, so we can do some testing. Nothing outrageous, but like I said, it may be possible that this could be a valuable addition to the department we’re building. So many things are happening that we’re having to grow faster than we expected.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible. What would it involve? And what would you expect of me afterward?” She waved her hand at the window and the land beyond. “I have obligations here. A business to run.”
“We understand that,” Mark broke in. “But we discussed briefly incorporating Ovcharkas into our operation if we could learn enough about them. And there may be situations where you and Xena could be valuable.”
“Even if she’s a one-person dog?”
Mia grinned. “Now, you know that’s not really the case any longer. She’s made a connection with Rick. There may be times, if you were willing, that Xena could be a real asset in some of the missions Rick takes on.”
Kelly shook her head. “No. Xena never goes anywhere without me, and I couldn’t make myself that available.”
“What about if you just tried it once?” Rick asked, watching her carefully.
She swung her head toward him. “What do you mean?”
He chose his words carefully, gauging her reaction. He still wasn’t convinced himself this was such a good idea. “I have a little trip coming up that may have some inherent problems. I know something’s wrong, but I can’t put my finger on it. If you and Xena came along, you’d be my edge. My live radar detectors, so to speak.”
“You mean the trip to Iraq, right?” she asked.
Rick cleared his throat. “Yes. That’s the one.”
Kelly stared at him. “And you want me to go with you?”
He nodded.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Not in the least. I have a shipment to deliver to a private security force we’ve trained over there, and something’s going on. I need all the help I can get to watch my back.”
No one said anything as they all waited for Kelly to make the next move. At last she shook her head.
“I’m sorry. It’s just not possible.” She looked directly at Rick. “Even if I could arrange to have someone take care of the animals for me, it wouldn’t be for more than a day or two. I think I already stretched my assistants to the limit when I took my trip to Florida. Most of our dogs are about ready to move on to their owners, and the last of the training is very tricky.”
“I understand,” Mark said, “but—”
“And certainly the last place in the world I plan on going is Iraq.” She let her gaze travel over everyone else in the room. “I can’t imagine you even asking me that.”
“You’d simply be accompanying Rick on a cargo delivery,” Mark said. “You and Xena.”
“I’m not trained for whatever might crop up,” she pointed out, something Rick had been aware of since the suggestion was made. “I’d probably be more of a liability than an asset. Both of us.”
“Our problem is there’s an element of, call it treachery, we can’t pin down,” Rick told her. “If Xena and I do have a link, I’d be hoping she could help identify it.”
“No, I’m afraid not. I’m sorry you’ve made the trip up here for nothing. If you’d told me over the phone the real purpose of the visit, I’d have saved you the trouble.”
She rose from her chair. The visit was over.
“What about coming to Maryland at your convenience to let us do some tests?” Mia asked. “Show you some of the things we’re doing. We’re really looking for people who can help us find others with psychic gifts and train them to use them.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Will you do at least one thing for me?”
“What’s that?”
Mia handed her a slip of paper. “Here are the telephone numbers for Faith, her Aunt Vivi, and me. Will you at least think about this? Maybe call and talk to us about how you might fit in?”
“That much I can do.” She folded the paper and slipped it into her pocket, then looked pointedly at her watch. “Meanwhile, there are things I have to take care of.”
Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry, Rick thought as he unfolded himself from his chair. He let the others go on ahead of him, hanging back to steal a private minute with Kelly. When he started toward the door, Xena was at his side at once, teeth gently holding onto his khakis. She tugged at the material, then bumped her head against Rick’s hand.
“She’s telling you to be careful,” Kelly explained.
“Actually, I think she’s telling me to spend the night.” His eyes devoured her.
Kelly blushed a deep shade of rose. She looked at the others, and he knew she was wondering whether they’d heard. And what their reaction might be.
“My business is my business,” he said in a low voice. “If it would embarrass you, I’ll understand. But I feel it’s important for me to stay here tonight.”
“But how will you get home?” She looked outside. “They’re all leaving. With your transportation.”
Rick grinned. “I’m valuable. Ed or Mike will pick me up tomorrow.” He touched her cheek. “Don’t make me beg. I’m a desperate man.”
Xena was whining and tugging on Rick, and he wanted to kiss the dog.
“Maybe I’ll pick up some of her mojo,” he grinned.
“All right.” She kept her voice low. “But only because Xena insists.”
He walked out to the helicopter to say good-bye to the others.
“I think we came on a little too strong,” Dan said.
Mia made a face. “No kidding. From trying to get her interested in the program to throwing her into your little project is a big stretch. I can’t think of many people who’d jump at the chance to go to Iraq.”
“Let’s give her a little time to get over the shock of our visit. Then you can call her again and see if you can exert your unbounded charm on her. Get her to come down to the office.” He looked at Rick. “Maybe you can give her a call when you get back.”
“Actually, I’m spending the night.” He swallowed a laugh at the look on everyone’s face.
“That must have been some dinner,” Dan commented with a grin.
“We’re not discussing this, okay? Just be sure Ed or Mike picks me up at nine tomorrow morning.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Maybe some of the dog’s influence will rub off on me. I’ll tell you, guys. I have a bad feeling about this entire Iraq situation. A really bad feeling.”
*****
Rick gave in to the demands of his body and napped on Kelly’s big, soft bed while she exercised the dogs and fed them. The sound of the shower running woke him. He looked out the window to see the sun beginning its descent to the horizon. He pushed himself upright, wishing he had a toothbrush. His mouth felt like used tires, an aftereffect of the pain medication. Maybe Kelly would share her mouthwash with him.
He walked over to the window, testing his body, feeling a little less sore than he had when he’d arrived. He wouldn’t be up to any calisthenics tonight, but he had plenty of ideas on how they’d manage just fine. When he thought of the things Kelly could do with her educated mouth and her sweet tongue, his aches and pains were nothing compared with the sharp pain in his groin.
He’d been with many women in his life. Some might even say too many. But none of them had ever touched something deep inside him the way Kelly Monroe did. Or so quickly. Whatever was between them was like dry kindling that had burst into flame the moment they’d met.
Maybe it was the dog. Stranger things had happened, for sure. But whatever the reason, he wanted this woman with a fierce hunger, and not just for an occasional tumble in the sheets. He’d always believed the life he lived was bad for steady or permanent relationships, but Mark and Dan seemed to be making it work well for them.
“I see you’re finally awake.”
He heard Kelly’s musical voice behind him, turned, and smiled. “I should apologize for flaking out in the middle of the day like that,” he told her.
“No apology necessary. Your body took a beating and needs to recharge. Would you like to take a shower before dinner?”
“Yes, but first I want to say something.” When he was standing in front of her, he cupped her chin and locked his gaze with hers. “I know this is fast, Kelly. If it’s too fast for you, then tell me. But I’m not taking what’s happening here as anything casual.”
A pale blush colored her cheeks, but she didn’t take her eyes from his. “And I could have told you to get on that helicopter and go home. I felt the same thing you did the other night. Life can be fragile. Why don’t you shower, and we’ll see where this goes.”
She even had an extra toothbrush and a razor in the bathroom cupboard and set them out with the towels. When he came back into the bedroom, towel knotted at his hip, he was only mildly surprised to see her sitting on the bed cross-legged.
“Were you afraid I’d pass out in the shower?”
She shook her head. “I was afraid I might change my mind if I waited until later.” She cocked her head. “How’s your body?”
He laughed. “As compared to what? I think it’s getting better.”
“Then why don’t you come over here, and we’ll see if we can improve it a little more.” She rolled off the bed and pulled the covers back, patting the mattress. “Make yourself comfortable.” She grinned. “And lose the towel.”
He’d been semihard after the shower, just thinking about her. Now they could have used his cock for a hammer. He tossed the towel aside and lay down on the cool sheets, watching her. She removed her clothes slowly, tempting him with each bit of herself she exposed. Full breasts with dark, rosy nipples already pebbled. He could see the pulse of anticipation at the delicate hollow of her throat.
He wanted to scream at her to hurry when she unzipped her jeans and slid them down her thighs as slowly as a stripper teasing a customer. Then she stood there, wearing only a rich purple thong, and every bit of blood in his body rushed to his groin. He reached out a hand to her.
“Come here, pretty girl. I have a present for you.”
Kelly grinned. “Yes, I believe you do. And it’s mine to play with as I choose.”
She walked around the bed to the other side, climbed up, and knelt beside him. Her slim fingers walked down his chest, over his hard abdomen to his very hot erection.
“Touch me,” he told her in a hoarse voice.
“Oh, I plan to do more than that.”
She slid one hand between his thighs to cup his balls, caressing the velvety skin with a touch so delicate it drove him crazy. Her other hand wrapped around his cock, lightly stroking up and down. His cock flexed in her hand, hungry for something harder. She kept her eyes on his face as she feathered her fingers over his skin, a teasing smile on her lips.
“I don’t want to get you too excited,” she smiled. “Might not be good for you in your condition.”
“I thought you were supposed to improve my condition,” he breathed.
“Oh, yes. That’s right. Well, then, let’s see what we can do.”
Her fingers closed more tightly around his shaft, her other hand tightening on his balls. When she bent and closed her lips over the fat head of his shaft, Rick nearly came off the bed. Jesus! He hadn’t been mistaken when he remembered how soft and hot and wet her mouth was. And how educated.
Her tongue caressed the surface of the head, pausing to dip into the slit and torment the nerve endings. Now she was licking up and down his shaft, tracing the length of him with her hot, wet tongue. His orgasm was building fast, low in his belly, a knot of lust ready to explode. He was sure any minute the top of his head would come off.
“Kelly, please,” he begged, as she held him just at the ragged edge of release.
She pumped a little harder, sucked a little deeper, squeezed a little more, and finally she gave in. Her fingers squeezed and pumped, squeezed and pumped, and he went off like a firecracker, shooting into her mouth, his hot liquid spreading on her tongue and down her throat.
Finally she eased her grip and sat back on her heels, a little satisfied smile on her face. “Your body should be feeling a lot better by this time.”
“Pretty girl, if I felt any better I’d be in heaven. Maybe I am and just don’t know it.” He reached for her, but she slid back off the bed. “Hey. You didn’t get naked just to tease me with your body, did you?”
“Maybe I’m saving the best for later. Meanwhile, I need to get dinner started.”