The Gauntlet (22 page)

Gathering up the printout, Molly smiled. “
You’re
my favorite pilot, but I’ve never flown with you.”

Sitting down on the sofa, Cam smiled. “I trust your assessment is strictly an emotional and personal opinion, Ms. Rutledge?”

Molly nodded and sat down next to him, curling into her favorite position. “I like what we have, Cam,” she admitted hesitantly. “Maybe this is the wrong time and place to talk about us, but after Saturday, something happened.”

Cam held the teacup gently in his hands, slowly turning it and studying the flowers painted on its sides. “I like what we’re becoming to each other, Molly,” he admitted quietly. He turned his head and held her lustrous green gaze. “Dammit, I’m having one hell of a time keeping my hands off you, keeping my feelings to myself and giving you the room you need in order to focus on TPS.”

His admission flowed through her like a warm wind after an icy, chilling storm. “Saturday ripped away a lot of things,” she whispered.

“Saturday was hell,” Cam said flatly. “Hell.”

“Is this why you’re so worried about me flying with Martin? Because you…” She hesitated, hating to put words in Cam’s mouth. “You care for me?”

Placing the teacup on the coffee table, Cam moved toward her and picked up her free hand. “I care very much, Molly.” His voice vibrated with barely leashed feelings. “Everything I said to you in the hospital when we kissed and I held you, I meant. Nothing’s changed. It’s just that…well, dammit, it’s the wrong time for you.”

“Me?”

“You’ve got a month of school left. You need to focus on that, not on us.”

Her mouth curved faintly. “Cameron Sinclair, you’ve been a part of my focus from the day I met you in the hall staring blackly at me.” Molly realized she might have said too much and hastily added, “But you’re right, it’s only a month.”

“It’s important that you graduate for yourself, Molly. If I walked into your life, like I want to, I’d end up destroying your focus. I know that.”

She grinned recklessly. “Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”

“Marines know they’re number one, angel.”

With a laugh, Molly clapped her hands. “I never realized you had this playful, teasing side to you. I like it!”

Her laughter went straight through him like blazing, heady sunlight. There was so much Cam wanted to share. His smile dissolved and he held her delighted gaze. “One month,” he promised her thickly, “just one more month, and then, Molly Rutledge, you’re fair game—so watch out.”

She thrilled to the dangerous undertone in Cam’s dark voice. The need to love him, to share her dreams, her hopes with him, spiraled hotly to the surface. Stilling those needs, Molly nodded. “Okay, one month.”

With a groan, Cam stood. “I want you to know it’s hell being around you. But it’s the sweetest kind of hell I’ve ever experienced.” There was something to say about taking his time with Molly. Cam found himself enjoying nuances he’d never discovered about any woman.

Getting to her feet, Molly said, “I’ve got a favor to ask of you.”

“Sure.”

“You have the duty at the station tomorrow night?”

“Yes, I’m station-duty officer. Why?”

“I want to make one last computer run of my flight test before I print out the one I’ll give to Vic. I’d like to do it tomorrow night over at TPS. Since you’ve got the duty, you’ve got the key to let me in after hours.”

Cam nodded and slowly walked to the door with Miracle at his side. He didn’t want to go home. He wanted to stay here tonight, with Molly. “No problem. How about if we both go out and eat and I’ll take you over to TPS after that?”

“Great idea.”

“Our first, unofficial dinner date,” Cam teased, opening the door. If he didn’t leave now, he’d stay. God, how he wanted to stay. Molly looked lovely standing there, her hands clasped in front of her.

“Make it 2100? That’s when you close up the school. We can run over to the base restaurant, grab a bite and then go back. It will only take me an hour to run my program.”

Groaning, Cam nodded. “Some date.”

“You’ll survive, Sinclair. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She leaned up on tiptoe, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Good night.”

“See you in my dreams,” Cam whispered, kissing her lightly on the lips, but wanting to capture her and hungrily make love with her.

* * *

They were sitting at the restaurant on base when Cam’s beeper went off. As duty officer, he carried one for the entire twenty-four hour shift. Molly frowned and sipped her coffee. Any problems that arose, he had the responsibility to handle them. When he came back from making the phone call to the duty office, he looked unhappy.

“There’s been a break-in at the exchange,” he told her. “I called Shore Patrol and they have a key for the school. I told them you have permission to go there.” He glanced at his watch. “It will probably take me an hour to check this exchange problem out.”

Molly rose and slipped the strap of her purse over her left shoulder. As always, they were in flight suits while on the base. “Fine, I’ll be kept busy, believe me.”

“I wanted another half hour here with you,” Cam complained, walking her out the door after paying for their meals.

Molly smiled as she stood outside the restaurant. A Shore Patrol truck would pick her up and take her to TPS. “See you later.”

Cam waved and walked toward the parking lot at the rear of the building. The crisp November night was frosty, his breath white. The hour he’d planned on savoring with Molly was gone. With a sour smile, Cam got into his Corvette and shut the door. Well, he would just have to be patient and stop trying to plan odd moments alone with her like this. Being on SDO duty meant expecting the unexpected.

* * *

The Shore Patrol driver opened the rear door to the darkened facility for Molly. She thanked him and he nodded. Once the door was closed, the young sailor locked it again. Locating the switch, Molly flicked on the hall lights. The place was deadly quiet as she turned and climbed up to the second floor via the emergency exit stairs.

Noticing a dim light in the computer room down at the end of the hall, Molly frowned. She hadn’t seen it from outside the building because the room was windowless, as most mainframe computer rooms tended to be. Perhaps Cam had forgotten to turn it off during his last tour of the facility before locking up for the night.

Her garrison cap in one hand and her briefcase in the other, Molly pushed open the door to the facility. There were four rows of computer terminals, three monitors at each station. Her frown increased. She always worked at terminal two, monitor three, and that’s where the light was on. Moving down the long room, Molly turned and halted. She saw that her flight test was on the screen of the monitor. Not only that, but as she moved closer to inspect, she noted that the printout was of her forthcoming Friday test.

Placing her purse and garrison cap nearby, Molly sat down. Several numbers on the printout were circled in red ink. Cross-checking them against those on the monitor, Molly realized they had been changed. Her heart started a slow pound. Someone was deliberately changing the numbers on her flight test! Who? Molly looked around, but the computer room was silent except for the hum of the equipment.

Whoever it was had a key to get in. An instructor? Stymied, Molly sat looking around. Was the person still in the building? Or had he fled the scene when the Shore Patrol let her into the building? Getting up, Molly walked to the other end of the room where a phone was located. She would call the SDO office and ask them to send Cam over immediately.

Picking up the phone with a trembling hand, Molly turned so she had an unobstructed view of the rows of terminals and the door at the opposite end of the room. The phone rang four times on the other end before someone answered.

“Yes, this is Ensign Rutledge over at the TPS building. Get ahold of Captain Sinclair, SDO. There’s been a break-in here, and the person may still be in the building.” Her voice shook slightly, and Molly hoped the sailor didn’t notice it. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the door to the computer room was violently jerked open. Molly quickly put the receiver back into the cradle and stood anchored with fear.

Chapter Fourteen

M
olly swallowed against a dry throat as Chuck Martin stepped into the computer room. His gaze flicked to where she stood at the rear of the room. His eyes narrowed in anger.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

It was now or never. Molly knew to appear weak would invite Martin’s attack. Gathering all her strength and resolve, she lifted her chin and hardened her voice. “I should ask you the same thing,” she hurled back. Forcing herself to move, she went over to her station. “Just what are you doing with
my
printout sheet for Friday’s flight?”

Martin placed a mug of fresh coffee down on the table. “I always check out the flight engineer’s program before I fly it with
him,
” he grated back. He doubled his fists and placed them on his narrow hips. “You still have to answer my question—what are you doing here?”

Molly saw the dangerous glint in Martin’s narrowed eyes and sensed the tension in his body as he stood menacingly over her. Her mind whirled with questions and options. Martin was upset. What would he do? She remembered Cam telling her that she saw only the best in people, but that it could be dangerous if carried to an extreme. Martin was just such a person not to underestimate.

“No,” Molly rasped, jabbing her finger down at the printout. “You tell me how
you
got in here, Martin. I got permission from the SDO and Shore Patrol to let me in. I’m on the office log as being here. Are you?” She saw Martin’s eyes widen in surprise over her attack.

“I got permission.”

“From who?” Molly shot back, standing her ground, her heart starting a low, hard beat.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does.” She turned and looked at her printout and then back at Martin. “No one has the computer access code to bring this printout up except me and my instructor, Lieutenant Norton. Just how did you get ahold of it, Martin?”

Martin grinned. “None of your business, honey.”

“Don’t call me honey!”

“Maybe
bitch
is a better word,” Martin snarled.

Molly’s mouth dropped open. Fury shot through her. Before she realized what she was doing, she stepped forward and slapped Martin across the face. The pilot reacted instantly, taking a step back, his hand going to his reddening cheek.

“How dare you!” Molly cried fiercely. “I haven’t done anything to you, Martin! I will not have you call me names or show disrespect!”

Rubbing his cheek tenderly, Martin sized her up. “Why, you little—”

“Don’t you
dare
call me anything more! You’re in a lot more trouble than you realize.” Molly grabbed the printout with the red-circled changes on it.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Martin lunged forward.

With a cry, Molly leaped back, the printout under her left arm. She saw the pilot’s face twist in hatred, and knew he was going to take the evidence away from her. That couldn’t happen! Whirling around, Molly raced around the end of the station, heading toward the door to escape.

“Come back here!” Martin roared, sprinting after her, his hand outstretched.

Molly’s fingers wrapped around the handle. Jerking open the door, she lunged through it. Just then, Martin’s fingers dug into her shoulder, slipped off, but caught the fabric of her flight suit instead. Crying out, Molly was pulled off balance. She half twisted around, falling out the door.

Martin landed heavily upon her. The wind was knocked out of her. The printout went sliding down the polished tile floor just out of her reach. Lashing out, Molly used her fingernails, which were blunt and short, to strike out at Martin’s face.

“Oww! You bitch!” Four red scratches appeared on his left cheek.

Dodging his fist, Molly pushed Martin off her. Just as she scrambled to her knees, Martin threw his arms around her legs. With a scream, Molly fell to the floor. She was being dragged backward! Fighting wildly, she loosened one of her booted feet and took aim at Martin’s face. He wasn’t going to get her printout! If he got it, he’d destroy the evidence, and then there’d be no way Molly could prove he’d altered her flight program.

Teeth clenched, she put as much strength as possible into kicking Martin. Her boot grazed his jaw and solidly struck his shoulder. It only infuriated him. Breathing hard, her breath coming in gasps, Molly freed herself.

“No way!” Martin roared at her as she staggered to her feet.

Molly was barely standing again when Martin hit her full force from behind. She slammed onto the floor, her head striking the tile first. The air was forced out of her, and she lay stunned, unable to move.

“Hold it!”

Molly blinked, realizing it was Cam’s voice. With the last of her strength, Molly looked up. Her eyes widened. Cam stood poised at the other end of the hall, his face etched with fury.

Martin hesitated only fractionally, then leaned down, scooping up the printout.

“Stop him!” Molly cried, trying to get to her feet.

Cam snarled a curse as he ran down the length of the hall after Martin. He saw Molly sitting on the floor, disheveled and bruised, with blood dribbling from the corner of her mouth and nose. He knew Martin had done it, and hatred more driving and savage than he’d ever experienced exploded through him.

Recovering her breath, Molly realized Martin would scramble for the stairs to escape. Every bone in her body hurt from the jarring fall, but she ignored the pain and thrust out her foot to trip Martin as he started to run past her.

The pilot hadn’t expected Molly to do anything but cower in a heap on the floor. When she stuck her leg out in his path, he tripped and fell forward. The printout flew through the air, arcing over Molly’s head and striking the glass door to the computer room.

Cam lunged just as Martin got to his knees. Where the hell was Shore Patrol? His fingers dug deeply into Martin’s shoulders and he jerked the pilot to a stop.

Hissing a curse, Martin doubled his fist.