SEALs of Honor: Dane (18 page)

“We could shake down each of the others. One at a time. One will crack,” Shadow suggested as he cut a slice of rare steak. “However, I’m tracking the money. Started with Michaels. He received quarterly payments, six figures. Regular for the last few years.”

“Confirms what we knew.”

“And the money came out of Germany.”

“Any way to track other people’s money?”

“Not legally,” he said calmly. “However, the head of the Tenesco chemistry labs did not have the same type of payout. In fact, I can’t find anything out of the ordinary.”

“Too clean?”

Shadow cocked his head. Then shook it. “No. I think he
was
clean.”

“What about her? Candice. Did you check her out?”

“I did. And there were regular small payments going back years.”

Everyone at the table stopped and stared at him. “Small amounts?”

He nodded. “They weren’t much, but they added up to six figures over the years.”

“So not blood money?”

“Hard to say. Maybe loyalty rewards.”

Swede snorted. “Why so little?”

“Maybe it had been set in place so long ago that it was the right amount for the time. And the arrangement was agreeable for all parties so why change.”

“Possible. Were the payments from Germany as well?”

“Yes.” Shadow nodded. “I think she was keeping an eye on the place.”

“A snitch,” Dane said. “That would make sense.”

“Any others at the company?”

“Not that I’ve found so far. However, if there were two there is a good chance of more.”

“Three if you count Michaels, if you can research several years back to when he worked there,” Marielle said from the doorway, her voice hesitant. “Is there enough dinner for me?”

“Of course!” Dane hopped up to grab her a plate. “I was hoping you’d sleep through the night.”

“My stomach woke me, I think,” she said with a smile as she took a seat at the table.

Dane cut her a slab of steak from a huge one and added a large portion of vegetables. He placed it in front of her and nudged the remains of the big Cesar salad. “I’m sorry you’re not sleeping, but if your body needs food, you woke up at the right time.” He found her a knife and a fork. “Dig in.”

He retook his seat, his gaze lingering on her features. She looked rested. Good. He turned back to his plate and caught the look on Swede’s face. That,
hey you did good
look. He narrowed his gaze back at him.

Swede gave him an innocent look in response, too innocent. His eyes twinkled with mischief. Dane shot him a look intended on setting him back in place, but as Swede’s grin slid sideways, he knew he’d failed. As long as he kept his comments to himself.

Shit.

He ignored the others and tucked into his food. He appreciated a good meal and this one was good. When he was done, he stood up and cleared off his plate. He set up coffee next. It was empty again. He didn’t know about the others, but he’d enjoy a cup. He stood at the window and stared out into the darkness. He’d head out and relieve Hawk. There was still steak and vegetables for him.

“Shift change.” He grabbed his travel mug and filled it with coffee. He turned before he walked out and called back to Marielle, “Hawk will be in soon. Everyone is changing shifts, eating as they can before moving to the next shift.” He narrowed his gaze at her. “Stay inside and away from the windows.”

She turned to look at him. “I will be careful. The guys will look after me.”

“Good.” He walked to the door again and pushed it open. Hawk walked in as Dane walked to the door.

“There you are. All is well out there.”

Dane nodded. “I never expected it to be any other way.”

He tried to walk out but couldn’t force himself to do so. Damn. He turned around, set his mug of coffee down and strode over to the table where Marielle sat staring up at him.

“Go back to bed and rest,” he ordered.

When she opened her mouth to protest, he half lifted her up from her seat and tugged her into his arms and kissed her. Long, hard and so damn thoroughly he knew it looked like he’d placed a stamp on her. And maybe he had. She was his and the others had damn well better know it.

He released her to slump back into her chair, then with a satisfied grin on his face, he stormed out into the night.

Chapter 24

S
ITTING BACK DOWN,
her face hot and bothered, she couldn’t stop sighing happily. She was a damn fool. And the men…they were busy trying to keep their gazes on the food in front of them. Mason was back looking at the map.

“What are you looking for on the map?” she asked him.

“Another safe place.”

“For us?” She forked up a bite of food and chewed slowly as she considered it. “We can’t stay here?” Too bad. She had lovely memories of the place that overrode the earlier horror. Almost…

“No.”

Her stomach, initially overjoyed at the promise of food, started to rebel. “Right. When do we stop running?”

“When we have a target to go after.”

“And Tenesco isn’t it?”

“It is partly, but it could be that the American branch has no idea what the German branch is doing. It appears the three arms of the company were run originally by three brothers. Each in a different country.”

She looked outside and watched Shadow approach. He came in, served a plate and set dishes to soak as he came over and sat down. He didn’t look tired. None of them did. Unlike herself. And she’d slept. She glanced at her watch and realized she’d only had a nap. They had only gotten home a couple of hours ago. So much had happened since. “When are we leaving?”

Hawk checked his watch. “Sixty minutes.”

“Oh.” She quickly finished her plate, the lovely relaxed feeling she’d woken up with long gone. “I’ll go pack.” She washed her plate and escaped to her room.

It took less than five minutes to pack up her personal belongings and another five to locate her bag of stuff she’d removed from the lab. Masters took longer. By the time she had her coat and bags and pet, the men were already loading up the SUVs. Of Dane there was no sign. She tried to act natural as she got into the vehicle Hawk motioned at her to get into, but it was hard to not look around and wonder where he was hiding.

In the back passenger seat she slunk down and waited. Before she realized it, they were moving silently through the night. Only she couldn’t see Dane.

The SUV turned onto the side street and toward the main road. She twisted to look behind them to see the second vehicle was a half block behind her. Her SUV, driven by Swede with Shadow riding shotgun, pulled off to the side. She opened her mouth to ask then closed it. Suddenly the door opened. She gasped then smiled as Dane slid into the back seat beside her.

He’d waited to make sure no one followed them and had crossed through the backyards and met them on the other side of the block. Smart.

He grinned, reached across and kissed her.

The SUV pulled back onto the main road and drove off into the night.

She lost track of the miles and direction they travelled. They were taking her somewhere safe and that was all she cared about. Besides – she was with Dane. It was all good. By the time they came to a stop at another location, unloaded only what they needed and got her into a room in yet another house, she wondered if they were in the real estate business. Nice if they were but she doubted it. She wanted to ask a million questions but knew they wouldn’t answer and at this point, she was too damn tired. When she saw the bed, she let Masters out, set up his food and litter box then took off her coat and lay down fully dressed. A blanket was thrown over her and then the bed sagged as someone lay down behind her. She smiled.

“Good night,” she whispered.

His arm came around her, tugging her up close, and with his warm breath against her cheek, he whispered, “Good night.”

*

S
HE DRIFTED OFF
to sleep so easily. Good. That meant she felt safe and trusted him and the others. He could power nap, particularly when under pressure, but this running away stuck in his craw. He needed to keep her safe, but never ending problems of keeping on the move impacted his ability to shut down. His mind circled with options but didn’t find a solution.

When he knew she was deep asleep, he slipped off the bed and moved to the living room. Shadow was still pounding on the keyboard.

“Anything?”

He shook his head. “Everyone else in Tenesco looks clean.”

“And the other branches?”

“I’m working on it but there are hundreds of employees.”

“They’d have to be connected to Michaels. He’s key in all of this.”

Shadow stopped and looked up at him. “Suggestions?”

“His damn house and the hidden doors and rooms.”

Shadow’s gaze narrowed. “And the computer I didn’t have much time to work on.”

He glanced at his watch. “Do we know what happened to the house? Did anyone claim ownership? It’s deeded to Michaels, but beyond that?”

“Not yet. Inheritance laws in Germany are not easy or fast or simple.”

“Then let’s go back.”

Mason entered in time to hear that last bit. “Where?”

Dane explained.

Mason fired question after question. He looked at his watch. “We’re not that far away in terms of flight time.”

“Exactly.” Dane glanced toward the bedroom where Marielle slept. “We could slip away now.”

He hated to leave her. Really hated it. And knew she’d have the same reaction to waking up alone. But she was safe here. “I think we should leave her behind. Just two of us go.” He hated to but all she did was nap. She needed more rest to fully heal. Not head off on another jaunt to Germany.

“Not happening,” Marielle’s voice came from behind him. She stood fully dressed and ready to go. As always. “It’s a waste of a night’s sleep if we’re leaving now, but money doesn’t seem to drive any of this operation, and besides, the sooner it’s over the better. I agree we need to go back. There has to be something else there that will put an end to this.”

Silence.

She could jeopardize everything, however…leaving her behind was going to be difficult. They had the manpower, but she also knew Michaels, the work in question, and might be a bigger help at the house. She was the one who had let them into the office.

“You need me,” she said baldly. “I’m the one in danger here and I’m the one who knows the house.”

“You only know the house slightly. We’re all trained to detect if anything is wrong, and we’re likely to find all the same places you might,” Dane snapped. “You stay here. You’re safe here.”

She glared at him. “Sure, as long as you guys are here.”

His voice softened when he realized she was scared to be alone. “Only a few of us would go.” He glanced over at Swede. “Maybe Swede and I.”

“And if you run into trouble?” she asked coolly. “You’re a team. At least four of you should go. Then if you run into trouble you have each other.”

He frowned. “We don’t have four to stay with you then.”

“Exactly,” she said smoothly. “So I’d better come with you and then we’ll all be safe.”

He glared at her and the others chuckled.

“It’s really not an option,” she said. “Splitting up is a bad idea.”

“We split up all the time,” Dane said. “And keeping you safe is a priority.”

“Well, then take me with you.” And she gave a Cheshire cat smile. “How could any place be safer than with you?”

Chapter 25

I
T WORKED.
S
HE
held that smug satisfaction inside. He’d not appreciate her attitude, but in truth she was grateful for being with him. She did feel safe with him and his men. They’d proven over and over again that they cared. She’d hate to be with strangers right now, and as much as she wanted to be home with her mother, if that couldn’t happen then here with Dane was her best option.

And it was more than that. The moments, even dangerous wrought filled moments with Dane, were precious. She didn’t want to lose him and once this was over, she would. She wanted all the time with him she could have.

Now, in the back of the plane, wondering at the simplicity of air travel with the military, she watched and waited. They’d be there in half an hour. They were already descending. She stared around the no frills machine. She could get used to the simplicity.

And once again she had Masters with her, there was no one else to take care of him. It helped that she couldn’t bear to part with him. They were a package deal. She
had
to say good-bye to Dane. She refused to say good-bye to Masters too. Not if she didn’t have to.

Her fingers brushed against his silky fur. He seemed to be fine with the new travel arrangements, curled up content in his cage once again.

“We’re landing in ten,” Dane said, sitting down beside her. He buckled up, checked that hers was still tight and dropped a kiss on her nose.

See, that’s what was so special. He didn’t give a damn if they were seen or by whom. He was comfortable in his skin. And in their relationship. Whatever that was.

Personally she only knew what she wanted it to be. And it wasn’t there yet. Wouldn’t likely get there either. She’d focus on the time she had.

“Good. Flying is much faster with you guys than flying commercial, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “Flying commercial is a good reminder of the perks we have. Except this is work. So we need to get where we need to be
fast
.”

It was faster than she’d ever seen. They landed, cleared customs, and were in a dark vehicle that resembled the US counterpart but with a few extra perks. Now it was still morning, and they were planning on driving right up to Michaels’ house and go in. She’d deliberately not asked about the legalities of such a move but understood that someone was finessing that official approval in the background.

The sky was bright, the birds singing – yet the village appeared to be empty. She checked Dane’s watch. It was still early. The farmers would be out milking the cows or feeding the livestock, but the rest of the villagers were likely snoozing in their beds. It wasn’t even seven in the morning yet.