Читать книгу The Military K-9 Unit Collection - Valerie Hansen - Страница 41
ОглавлениеWestley stared into the depths of his root-beer bottle. Around him conversation and laughter abounded through Canyon Air Force Base’s popular diner. He sat at the counter because the thought of a table for one didn’t appeal.
He ached from head to toe. Not from physical exertion, though he’d run the dogs and handlers hard the last two days in between searching for more of the missing dogs. No, he hurt because he missed Felicity and Dakota.
Lieutenant General Hall had agreed to let Westley rotate out of Felicity’s detail and leave Dakota in place for her security.
Knowing Dakota was keeping watch over Felicity gave Westley some comfort, but he missed her laughter and the joy on her face as she captured images with her camera. And while he hated for her to experience it, he also missed the sorrow that at times darkened her eyes when she didn’t think he noticed.
He noticed everything about her. And loved everything about her.
I’m in love with you, Westley.
Her words were sweet torment.
But it was for the best that he kept a distance between them, for both of their sakes. And if he kept reminding himself of that fact, at some point it had to become true, right?
A hand slapped him on the back of the shoulder. “Drowning your sorrows there, Westley?”
Westley slanted a glance sidewise to see Special Agent Ian Steffen sliding onto the stool next to him. He sat up straight. “No, sir.” He winced. “I mean, yes, sir.”
Ian waved off the formality. “Relax. We’re just two guys sitting at a counter having a soda.” Ian gave the amber bottle nestled in Westley’s hand a once-over. “Root beer. Okay. I’ll take one of those,” he told the waitress who came over. She nodded, grabbed a bottle from refrigerator, popped off the top and plunked it down on the counter in front of Ian before walking away.
Westley sank back into his dejected mode. Funny how easy it was. He’d thought he’d long ago shaken off feeling sorry for himself, but without Felicity in his life, he felt lost and adrift. The future he’d once seen so clearly had dissolved into mist. He didn’t know what to do now. It all seemed so bleak.
“Cyberintelligence cracked the pass code on the folder in Graham’s tablet,” Ian told him.
Westley gave the man his attention. “And?”
“As we thought, it contained all of Graham’s case notes on the hit-and-run, including incriminating evidence against his brother-in-law,” Ian replied. “Not that we need the evidence with all that transpired.”
“But at least we know for sure,” Westley said. He peeled at the label of the root beer bottle. He was glad for Felicity’s sake that she had closure on her father’s death.
After a beat of silence, Ian asked, “What ails you?”
Westley shrugged. “It’s been a long week.” Actually a long few days. Days without Felicity in his life.
“You want to tell me why you asked to be rotated off Staff Sergeant Monroe’s protection detail?”
Should he confess to the OSI agent that he’d grown fond...no, fond wasn’t the right word. Grown to love his charge?
If he did, there would be no going back.
“Personal reasons,” he finally said. He wouldn’t put either of their careers, especially Felicity’s, in jeopardy.
Ian gave him a dubious look. “Right. I think you’ve fallen in love with the pretty staff sergeant and are afraid to do anything about it.”
Westley choked on a sip of root beer. He cleared his throat and took probably one of the biggest gambles of his career by looking the agent in the eye. “Excuse me?”
Ian grinned. “Man, it’s obvious.” His dark eyes actually twinkled with certainty. Westley couldn’t decide if the roiling in his stomach came from relief or terror. “I remember that feeling from long ago when I first met my late wife.”
“Do you regret falling in love?” Westley asked. The thought of losing Felicity terrified him. But so did living without her. He couldn’t win.
It was Ian’s turn to stare into the abyss of his root-beer bottle. “I learned along the way that regret only breeds discontentment. You do what you do, with the most information you have at the time, and sometimes it works great.” He lifted a muscular shoulder. “Sometimes not so much, but at least you did something.” He stared Westley in the eyes. “Running away isn’t doing something. It’s chickening out. Running away is not what we do in the US Air Force.”
Westley straightened. “I’m not running away.”
“Looks that way to me.”
“I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize her career. She wants to be a dog trainer. We can’t be in the same chain of command.”
Ian arched an eyebrow. “You could move over to Security Forces and be a dog handler. You could leave the service and go into civilian law enforcement.”
Westley had thought of those same options. “I don’t know what would be the right decision.” He blew out a breath and pushed back against the counter. “Frankly, I don’t feel worthy of her love.”
Ian shook his head. “I never pegged you as insecure. Get over yourself. Does she love you?”
A tremble coursed through Westley. “She said she did.”
The man scoffed. “What are you sitting here for? That’s where you start,” Ian insisted. “All the rest of the decisions will work themselves out.”
Could it be that simple? “I wish her father was here so I can ask for her hand, because he would either give me his blessing or tell me to get lost.”
“Still sounds vaguely to me like you’re looking for another excuse to bolt. But that’s just me.” Ian shrugged.
Westley shook his head. “Agent Steffen, don’t go easy on me, or anything—”
“Okay, okay.” Ian laughed, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Just saying...” He trailed off, then eyed Westley speculatively. “She has a mother, you know.”
“Yes, yes, she does.”
“Colleen Monroe is a tough and shrewd woman. If you can obtain her blessing then you’re set.”
Westley swigged the last of his root beer and contemplated everything the agent had said. He did need to get over himself. Felicity loved him despite his family history. He’d left his parents’ failings behind when he joined the air force.
Of the options available to him, he realized it didn’t matter what he did. The only option he couldn’t live with was not having Felicity in his life. “You’re right, Agent Steffen,” he said with determination. “I need to go after what I want.”
He wanted Felicity in his life as surely as she was in his heart.
Ian tipped his root beer bottle toward Westley’s. Westley clinked his bottle against Ian’s.
“Here’s to going after what you want,” the agent said.
“Aim high—” Westley began the USAF motto.
“Fly, fight, win,” Ian said, finishing his sentence.
Sliding off the bar stool, Westley said, “I’d better go make a phone call.”
With a nod of thanks, Westley headed out the door with purpose in his stride.
* * *
Felicity arrived home three nights later, escorted by one of the base MPs and with Dakota trotting alongside her. The dog had been her constant companion even as the detail changed every eight hours. Westley had been true to his word that she would be protected around-the-clock. She was grateful. She really was, but she missed him. Missed the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he was amused. Missed the way he made her feel safe and cherished.
Shoulders slumped, she was headed up the walkway toward her front door when Heidi stepped out of the house next door and called her name.
Needing a friend right now, Felicity hesitated. Many people on base believed the reporter to be the anonymous blogger leaking information to the public. Could Felicity trust her?
Only one way to find out. Felicity did an about-face and moved past the guard. Dakota stayed right at her heels. She met Heidi at the shared property line.
“Hi, Heidi. How are you tonight?” Felicity asked, careful to keep the despair she clinging to her from tingeing her voice.
“Better than you, I take it,” Heidi said. “You look like somebody kicked your dog.” Heidi smiled at Dakota. “But he looks okay.”
That’s kind of how Felicity felt. Except Dakota was right here, healthy and strong and willing to protect her even when Westley wasn’t willing.
Her hands tangled in Dakota’s fur. She dredged up a smile for Heidi. “I’m okay. Still trying to process everything.”
“I’m so sorry about your uncle,” Heidi said.
“Thanks. Me, too.”
Heidi glanced toward the security guard. “I thought Westley was detailed to your protection.”
“He needed to do some things at the training center,” Felicity said. The ache in her chest intensified. “He’ll rotate back in at some point.” At least she hoped so. Then they could talk and resolve some of their issues. Or not. It had been three days since he walked out of her office in the photo lab. Three days with strangers following her around base, sleeping on her couch, watching out for Boyd Sullivan. Three days with her wishing Westley was there beside her. Only the presence of Dakota brought her any peace.
Depression and exhaustion set in. “I need to go get some rest,” she told Heidi. “We have new recruits coming in tomorrow and I want to catch them as they get off the bus.”
Heidi smiled gently. “Sure, no problem. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks.” Felicity hurried into the house, the young guard following her. “Make yourself at home,” she told the MP.
She went to the refrigerator and grabbed herself a ginger ale to settle her upset stomach. Then she and Dakota headed upstairs. He was the only one she let witness her tears.
* * *
“Master Sergeant James, what can I do for you?” The clipped female voice on the other end of the phone line had Westley straightening his spine and squaring his shoulders. He stared out the window of his small studio apartment in base housing. From this vantage point he could see the parade grounds, where several vintage planes were on display, a sight he never tired of.
Taking a breath and gathering his courage, he said, “I am calling to ask for your permission to marry your daughter.”
Colleen Monroe’s voice dipped. “Excuse me? You want to marry Felicity?”
Though they were miles apart and he couldn’t see her, he recognized the strength in her voice. This was a woman used to intimidating others.
“Yes, ma’am, I do. I’m in love with your daughter.”
After a heartbeat of silence, she asked, “How well do you know my daughter?”
“I know her very well. We are stationed together at Canyon Air Force Base.”
“I owe you a debt of gratitude, Master Sergeant James,” the woman said, her tone soft with emotion. “Felicity told me how you saved her life on several occasions. You have my permission to ask her to marry you.” There was a smile in her voice.
Tension drained from his shoulders. “Thank you.”
Now to convince Felicity to give him another chance.
* * *
Felicity hurried down the hall toward Lieutenant General Hall’s office. She’d been summoned a few minutes ago from the photo lab, where she was busy uploading today’s photos to the FBI database. Thus far she hadn’t captured any images of Boyd Sullivan.
She knocked on the lieutenant general’s door and heard a male voice say “Enter.”
Pushing open the door, she stepped inside and froze. Lieutenant General Hall sat behind his desk, but it was the sight of Westley standing in front of the desk that made her pulse race. She drank up the sight of him. He wore his semiformal dress uniform, the dark navy coat looking sharp over his broad shoulders and tapered waist. His creased navy pants and black shoes made him appear taller. Formidable.
The moment his tender gaze met hers, her mouth dried like the desert.
“Come all the way in, Staff Sergeant,” Lieutenant General Hall instructed.
Buying herself time to process the situation, she closed the door, adjusted her uniform coat and patted her braided hair before turning back around and walking slowly toward the two men.
She drew herself to attention and trained her focus on the lieutenant general. She saluted. “Sir?”
“At ease,” Lieutenant General Hall said. He stood. “I’ll give you two the room.”
“Sir?” Confusion ran rampant through her system.
Lieutenant General Hall rounded the desk and stopped beside her. He put his hand on her shoulder. “Your father would be proud of you, Felicity.”
Her mouth dropped open as the lieutenant general left the room. Then her gaze sought Westley’s. “I don’t understand.”
He stepped close and took her hands in his. “I can explain but first I want to know if you’ll give me another chance.”
She inhaled sharply. “Are you ready to give us a chance?”
“I am,” he said. “You were right. I was afraid. Afraid of failing you or disappointing you.”
Tenderness filled her.
“But as someone recently told me, I need to get over myself and go after what I want.”
“What is it you want?”
“You. Us.” He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I love you, Felicity. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. Keeping you safe. Loving you.”
Her breath held in her lungs. Excitement bubbled inside her chest. “What are you asking me, Westley?”
“Will you marry me?”
Elation engulfed her, making her head swim. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He let out a shout of joy and clasped his arms around her and swung her off her feet into a dizzying circle. When her feet touched the ground she leaned toward him, needing a kiss.
But he held back. His face was serious as he looked at her. “Are you sure?”
Was he still so unsure of her, unsure of her feelings for him?
She laid her hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating in double time. She would spend the rest of her days making sure this man knew her love was true and forever. “Yes, I am sure. I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my days with you and, God willing, there will be many, many days.”
She fought back the specter of Boyd Sullivan and his horrible roses and notes. She wouldn’t allow him and his threats to crowd in on her happiness.
A grin spread across Westley’s face. “Close your eyes,” he said.
“What?”
“Trust me. Close your eyes.”
She closed her eyes. He wrapped an arm around her waist and turned her around. “We’re walking,” he said.
Chuckling, she allowed him to lead her forward. She heard the office door open. Then they were walking on the carpeted hallway toward the entrance of the building.
“How much farther?” she asked.
“Just a bit,” he said. “No peeking.”
“I won’t.” She heard the click of the outside doors opening and then they stepped out into the evening breeze.
“Stairs,” he told her. He led her down the steps in front of the command building and then across the asphalt of the driveway.
Her feet sank in the grass. Overhead the flap of the American flag let her know they were standing beneath the flagpole in front of the command center. She heard a chuckle, but not from Westley.
“Don’t open your eyes until I say so, okay?” Westley asked.
She sighed. “Okay, fine.”
He moved away from her, leaving her standing there alone. But she wasn’t afraid. She knew she was safe. Westley was close by.
“Open your eyes,” he said.
She blinked against the setting sun as her eyes focused. People stood at the edges of the lawn, but it was only the two males directly in front of her that held her attention.
Dakota sat next to a kneeling Westley, a large bow decorated the German shepherd’s neck. Her gaze locked on the small little silver box dangling from the ribbon. Her heart fluttered with delight.
“Surprise,” Westley said.
“Is that...?” She swallowed.
Westley undid the bow, letting the little silver box drop into his open palm.
She edged closer. Her body quivered with excitement.
He opened the box and held it up for her to see a beautiful marquis solitaire ring nestled next to a braided gold band.
“Felicity Monroe, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She went down on her knees in front of him, her hands closing over his. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”
He slipped the diamond ring on her finger.
Dakota let out a happy woof. A cheer went up from the spectators. She lifted her gaze to see that so many of their friends had gathered to witness the proposal. She grinned.
Westley touched the braided ring still nestled in the box. “This is for the ceremony and for you to wear whenever you don’t want to wear the diamond. It’s not safe to wear the diamond when you’re working with dogs.”
One of the issues they needed to resolve. She closed the box. “I’m the base photographer.”
“Only until the Red Rose Killer is caught.”
“What happens after that?”
“Once you are no longer in danger, I will give up my post and go into civilian law enforcement.”
She shook head. “Unacceptable. The only way this will work is if you stay at the training center.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but she put a finger to his lips. “Don’t you see? This way I get the best of both worlds. You stay at the training center and I can come visit you and the dogs anytime I want. You do your dream job and I get to be a photographer. A dream I never even realized I wanted.”
His lips split in a broad grin. “I love you.”
“Good. I’ll need to hear that a lot.” She held up her hand, admiring the sparkly ring on her finger. “I will wear this diamond with pride and joy. But more importantly, I will love you for always.”
He cupped her head and kissed her. Another cheer went up. Dakota wedged his way between them, breaking the kiss. The dog licked her face. She and Westley laughed with happiness. And they would be happy. Despite Boyd, despite her uncle and despite any threat to try to come between them.
Westley helped her to her feet. “How soon should we do this?”
“As soon as Pastor Harmon is available,” she said.
Westley waggled his eyebrows. “I was hoping you’d say that. We have him booked for tomorrow afternoon.”
She giggled. “You don’t waste any time.”
“I don’t want to spend another moment without you by my side.”
“By your side is where I want to be. Always.”
* * *
“It’s been a month, people,” Lieutenant General Hall said as he stood at the head of the conference table. Concern and displeasure were etched in his face, causing tension to ripple through the room.
Westley exchanged a quick glance with Felicity. His wife. Joy filled his heart. He took her hand beneath the table. They could face anything together.
They’d married in an intimate ceremony at the Christian church on base with Pastor Harmon officiating. Felicity’s mother had flown in and Ian had walked the bride down the aisle. Lieutenant General Hall had stood up as Westley’s best man, while Felicity’s friend Rae Fallon had been her maid of honor.
Westley and Felicity decided to postpone a formal honeymoon until after all the dogs were safely returned and Boyd Sullivan imprisoned once again. Westley moved his belonging from his studio apartment to Felicity’s house. He’d thought it would feel odd to live in the home she’s shared with her father but it wasn’t at all. In fact, he wanted to believe that Graham Monroe would have approved.
Felicity continued on as the base photographer, and Westley, with Dakota by his side, kept her safe 24/7. He still kept tabs on the training center, though Master Sergeant Caleb Streeter was in command. And he still worked to find the dogs that remained missing. Thirty-two dogs were still unaccounted for, including the prized four German shepherds. Searching for the dogs and protecting Felicity kept him busy. Guarding Felicity around the clock brought him immense joy marred only by the anxiety of the missing dogs.
This morning, Lieutenant General Hall had called this meeting out of well-known frustration. Boyd Sullivan was still at large. And the identity of his accomplice, someone here on base, remained a mystery.
“Special Agent Davison,” Lieutenant General Hall said as he turned to the man on his right. “Please update us on the Red Rose Killer.”
FBI Special Agent Oliver Davison stood to address the room. “We have conflicting reports all over the state of sightings of Boyd Sullivan. Now we’re getting reports of him being as far away as Louisiana.”
A murmur went through the room.
Lieutenant General Hall pinned his gaze on Captain Justin Blackwood. “And his accomplice?”
Justin planted his hands on the table and said, “We are doing our best to find the person who helped Boyd gain access to the base, sir.”
Lieutenant General Hall’s jaw tightened. “Someone had to have seen something or knows something.” His gaze swept the room, landing briefly on each Security Forces member present. “I want answers, people. I want the base turned inside out and upside down if need be.”
Everyone nodded.
One of the Security Forces members, Lieutenant Preston Flanigan, spoke up. “I still say Zoe Sullivan, Boyd’s half sister, is his accomplice.”
Tech Sergeant Linc Colson leaned forward to stare at the other man. “I’m on it,” he said in a warning tone that left no doubt he was telling the other MP to back off. “If Zoe is his accomplice I will find out.”
Lieutenant General Hall nodded his approval. “All right, then. Dismissed.”
Westley and Felicity filed out with everyone else.
“I need to grab my camera,” she said.
They linked fingers and headed to the photo lab. Once inside he shut the door and took her fully into his arms.
“Another day in paradise,” he said with a smile.
She wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. “Every day is paradise with you. And I know here, in your arms, I’ll always be safe.”
“On my watch. Always.”
And she kissed him.
* * * * *
