Her Master Defender (The Masters Men Series) (14 page)

Dos walked outside and followed Copper to her SUV. “Let’s drop him off at my house then head into town.”

She untied the leash and nodded. “Okay, but we’ll follow you up.”

“Why?” Dos asked stopping at the bottom of the porch steps.

“You don’t need to chauffeur me around.”

“We’ve already been through this. There’s no need to take two vehicles.”

“I have other things to do,” she said, walking around him to her SUV. “I need to order inventory at the shop and set up my portable table until I can get a new one for the shop, so I can take my appointments next week. Buying a new computer, developing equipment and supplies, not to mention cleaning up my house, should add up to a pretty full day. I’m sure you have better things to do than follow me from place to place.”

Dos ignored the dismissal. “First off, you’re not taking any appointments until this is over.”

“Boy,” she said glaring at him. “It’s obvious my father hasn’t told you about me. If he had you would know better than to tell me I can’t do something.”

Dos watched as she turned and stomped toward her SUV with Kismet. He caught up to her in two painful strides. Wrapping his fingers around her upper arm enough to stop her progress, he turned her to face him. Green flames flashed in her eyes. Tough, she was not making herself a target on his watch.

“You are not going anywhere alone. Don’t even bother arguing. You have something these people want. You’re not safe until we find them. And don’t tell me you’re trained because you were in the military. You worked in a medical setting. You didn’t deal with people like this. You’re not prepared.”

“I have a gun,” she said. “And Kismet.”

“This marshmallow? He’s a great dog, but not protection,” Dos said, stalling while he tried to wrap his mind around her holding a gun on someone. It never quite came into focus. “Have you ever pointed your gun at anyone?”

The green flames leapt in her eyes again before they narrowed. “Yes, as a matter of fact I have. And I know just what it feels like to pull the damned trigger.”

Dos released his hold on her and removed his hat to plow his hand through his hair, stalling while he pushed down the images of her shooting someone. “What happened?” The words were out before he thought it through. Did he really want to know? When she looked away he got a bad feeling.

“We were at a nearby village to offer help after an attack there. While I was helping one of the doctors finish stitching up a bullet hole in a young boy, one of the insurgents returned. He started yelling something in a language I didn’t understand. He had an automatic rifle pressed against the chest of one of our patients. When he changed to English, telling us we would all die, he started to lift the rifle. I grabbed my pistol on the bed next to the child and ended it. The few shots he got off as he fell to the ground went into the ceiling.”

Dos stood frozen in place. His experience over there gave him plenty of images similar to what she spoke of. He had no trouble imagining what she saw as she told the story. Why hadn’t the Colonel told him about this? With these assaults she could have post traumatic stress episodes.

“Did you talk to someone about it?” He couldn’t believe the doctors there would expect someone of her soft-hearted temperament to be able to deal with an event like that without counseling.

“Talk? We were in the middle of a war zone. Someone took the body away and we finished taking care of the civilians. I did what I was trained to do. I didn’t tell you so you would get all protective on me again. I told you so you can get it through your thick head that I am capable of protecting myself.”

He couldn’t believe her. Guys he’d served with had seen less and needed counseling. Who the hell did she think she was, a machine? “You need to talk to someone. You haven’t dealt with--"

“Really? You’re going to tell me how to deal with traumatic issues? You, who won’t tell your very caring family half of what you went through? I’m fine, I have dealt with it. I also still have a gun and I promise to start carrying it with me until this is over. So, you can jump on your white stallion and ride off to protect some little innocent somewhere, but you are not going to keep me from doing what I need to do.”

He heard Kerrigan pride in her words. He even believed her. He just couldn’t let go of the need to watch over her. Thought keeping people close was too dangerous for them? What the hell was he doing? He didn’t have an answer, but he knew he couldn’t let her take off on her own.

Scrubbing his hair back again he replaced his hat and held her still sparking gaze. “Well, since I haven’t ridden a white stallion in a long while, and probably wouldn’t know a sweet little innocent if one hit me over the head,” he said, while thinking except you, he offered a middle ground.

“Look, I know I can be overbearing sometimes.”

“Ya think?”

Man she didn’t give an inch when she was riled. He fought down the urge to smile knowing it wouldn’t go over well. “Consider who I’ve spent the majority of my last ten years with. Your father isn’t exactly a playful puppy kind of guy. I’ve learned from the best. But I’ll try to rein in my protective instincts. You know no matter what you tell the Colonel he’s going to expect me to keep an eye on you. If I have to do it from a separate vehicle, I will. Crossing him isn’t something I’m willing to do. That said, I know I’m not the best company, but is it really that bad having me around?”

He watched her closely as she digested his words. It didn’t take but a moment for her eyes to soften and the stiffness in her shoulders to release. Thank God for having sisters to teach him how to get around the female psyche, at least as much as any man could learn.

“No, but I have things --" her cell phone rang interrupting her.

Dos listened without shame. The bastards had been in her house, it wasn’t a stretch to think they could find her phone number. If they were calling to threaten her, he wanted to know.

“I forgot. Tell her I’m sorry, but I can’t make it today. We’ll have to reschedule sometime next week. Okay, thanks.” She shoved the phone in her pocket and opened her car door.

“Reschedule what for next week?”

“Shallow Creek Nursing Home, I had an appointment there this morning. I spaced it with all that’s been happening.”

“An appointment for what? I thought you said your grandparents had passed on.” He allowed her to put the dog in the vehicle but wouldn’t let her get in until she answered him.

“I did, they have. I thought I told you; I go there every other week and give free massages to residents. Anyway, if I can, I want to get back here today and fix the darkroom so we can get the film developed. So, I’ll reschedule the nursing home sometime later in the week.”

“I liked Tres’ idea for developing the film. As to rescheduling things, you’re going to have to put that on hold until we get these people.”

“First of all, it’s my film, I’ll develop it. Second, hiding isn’t in my nature. I’ll take precautions, but my life is not going on hold.” She lifted his hand from blocking her entry to the car. “I’ll agree to leave Kismet at your house for the day. I’ll go to the station and take care of whatever paperwork. Then I’m going to the office and setting it up so I’ll be ready for clients on Monday.

“From there I need to pick up supplies for the darkroom. When Tres calls to say I can get back in my house, I’ll come back, fix the darkroom and develop the pictures. If that’s a no go, then I’ll need to use your bathroom so we can get them developed today.”

Dos leaned down before closing the door. “I told you, you’re not going anywhere alone.”

“Then you’ll have to follow or ride with me. I am doing these things whether you like it or not. My portable table and everything I need is in back. I’m not moving it and you don’t need to.”

God, he hated it when people pointed out his sorry physical state. Unfortunately, today she was right. “Fine.”

He walked around the back of the SUV as she started the engine. Dos waved to his brother talking to one of the CSI personnel. The raised eyebrow that joined his return wave told Dos his brother knew he was in worse shape than he’d let on. Too bad, he’d talk to him later and explain he was humoring Copper.

Climbing in the passenger seat he couldn’t hide his relief that the seat was pushed back. Copper obviously noticed.

“Kismet usually sits there,” she said. “His face would be through the windshield if I didn’t push the seat back all the way.”

“Good man,” Dos said.

He reached back and rubbed the dog’s neck after getting settled. Kismet leaned closer and licked Dos’ ear. “Stop, that tickles.”

Copper laughed and Dos had to relax. Tension might pop up a lot around her, but it didn’t seem to last long. Being around her was addictive. Another addiction I don’t need.

Copper didn’t need a news bulletin to tell her how frustrated Dos felt as he leaned against the doorjamb of her darkroom. She wasn’t feeling exactly peachy herself. The day had been one disappointment after another.

Though meeting his family had been fun for her, it had wiped him out. His efforts to hide the fact he couldn’t eat half of the food alone must have been exhausting. Then he’d had to deal with her meltdown at the house. For a guy who swore he didn’t want to be around people, he’d done a good job of comforting her. She could still feel his strength and compassion while he held her after learning her negatives were gone.

Going to the station had taken longer than expected. Lord, who knew there was so much paperwork to being a cop? Getting the office ready for Monday went pretty well. But shopping hadn’t been a blast. They went to the shop he and Ace bought most of their security equipment. The locks he wanted for her house were out of stock, so he settled for something else. Buying supplies for the darkroom hadn’t gone much better. With so much of her equipment broken it was going to cost a fortune. Thank God for credit cards. She had bought everything just in case she couldn’t salvage anything at the house. Tomorrow she’d bring back what she didn’t use.

By the time Tres called to say they could get back in the house, the tension between her and Dos sparked like a poorly grounded socket. Add to that, her father calling several times to check on her and Dos, and the picture wasn’t pretty.

Arriving at her house she went straight to the darkroom. Tears threatened when she looked where her lock boxes had been. She brushed the tears away. Pretending her grandmother was working beside her she cleaned up most of the mess. She was sitting on a stool checking out her magnifier when she felt Dos watching her.

“Do you need something?” she asked, without looking away from what she was doing. Not that it mattered; the piece was useless.

“No, I’ve done all I can. How’s it going in here?”

His idea of doing all he could had been pounding nails in her window sills as well as putting in the new locks that he planned to replace when the others came in. Copper wasn’t thrilled with having her house nailed shut, but didn’t argue. He was working on his last thread of patience. As was she.

Dropping the broken pieces onto the table she accepted defeat. “I guess we should have just gone to your place. I forgot to get something to recover the window. I didn’t want to disturb your work on the locks, so I’ve just been trying to salvage some equipment but it’s all pretty much ruined.” She turned on the stool and looked at him.

Man he looked beat. His normally perfect military posture had taken a vacation it seemed. He leaned against the door jamb as if it were the only way he could stay erect. The what-else-is-new expression on his face spoke to the litany of unmet goals for the day. He needed some good news. “But,” she said trying to put some pep in her voice, “At least I can develop them at your house. The bathroom doesn’t have a window, so it’ll be okay.

“We done here then?”

Copper jumped off the stool and walked to the door. “Yep, the rest can wait until tomorrow. Kismet’s probably going insane anyway.”

“I’ll follow you up,” Dos said.

Copper was thrilled he didn’t insist on leaving her car here. He might want to keep an eye on her every minute, but she didn’t like to be dependent. She followed him out of the house and they drove up to his cabin.

Kismet had been thrilled to see them and happier to go out and run in the fenced yard after wolfing down a bowl of food. Dos had gone with him, but Copper stayed behind. It couldn’t have been more obvious he needed some time alone if there had been a neon sign on his forehead flashing “back-off.”

She spent the time setting up the bathroom to develop the pictures. Once she started the process she couldn’t be disturbed. So she waited for them to come back inside in case he wanted to use the bathroom before she started work. She looked through a massage supply catalog while she waited. After twenty minutes she started to worry something was wrong. When she stood to go check on them the door opened and Kismet bounded in nearly knocking her over.

“I don’t know about this dog of yours.”

Worried Kismet had been the straw to break the soldier’s back, she winced. “Why? What did he do?”

“Two elk were right outside the fence line and he totally ignored them. Two moths dart in front of the flood light and he goes crazy.”