Under the Covers (18 page)

"Or what kind of bomb they built for him." Sean nodded. "You think they're using him."

"That's my guess," Sean said. "Cannon isn't exactly working with a full deck these days, so we can't assign rational thinking to his actions. But these people are methodical and cunning. If they can get an American citizen to do the work for them…."

"So much the better," Drew finished for him.

"Exactly. The resort will open in less than a year. That isn't long in terms of planning something like this. These people can be very patient. They plan their attacks for years, and sometimes it takes years more to carry them out. If they can get the bomb on the island now, stash it someplace safe, once the resort is open and full of guests, they detonate it."

"Kaboom," Drew said. "They take out a bunch of perverted—their opinion—Americans, a resort that symbolizes everything they think is wrong with America. And the fallout carries to the mainland where it creates havoc and kills more Americans. It accomplishes everything they want in one fell swoop."

"And not a single one has to get their feet dirty on American soil," Sean added.

Drew nodded in agreement. As plans went, it was a good one, and Cannon had walked right into their hands. They couldn't have asked for a better patsy. An Oklahoma oil baron doing their work for them? Anyone could see the irony in that.

"I don't like the idea of Bree being in the middle of this."

Celeste stood. Until now she'd sat quietly, listening to Sean and Drew. "Bree knows what she's doing. She's had almost as much training as I have. She knows how to handle a terrorist threat."

"I don't doubt that. But she doesn't
know
this is a terrorist threat. A crazy guy with a vendetta against one company isn't the same as terrorists bent on bringing down the biggest democracy on the planet."

"That's where you come in." Celeste's fingers on his forearm drew his gaze. "Drew, she'll be fine. You'll make sure she is. Remember that time in Fallujah? I wouldn't be here now if it weren’t for you."

"That was different, and you know it. You knew what you were up against. Bree doesn't, and I can't tell her. Unless something has changed?"

"Nothing," Sean confirmed. "This is a dark op. You'll be going in as a construction worker. No one but you, me and Celeste will know why you're there."

"What am I supposed to tell Bree?"

"She knows about our security business. It's legit. Tell her you're there to oversee the installation of the system. It's the truth, as far as it goes."

Drew nodded. "That should work. Permission to brief her if the situation warrants?"

"Of course," Celeste said. "We've cleared it with the FBI. She isn't to know unless you have no choice."

"Okay. Get me over there. I have a bad feeling about this."

"We do too. Bree's smart,” Celeste said. “She figured this out before the rest of us. The only factor is Cannon's terrorist connections. She didn't figure that in.”

****

Bree managed to avoid Sean and Celeste for almost a week. Terry informed them of her arrival and said that his new assistant was working out fine. So when she saw them step onto the dock, she knew her luck had run out. She was going to have to face them. She'd had plenty of time to envision the encounter, and the one thing she knew for certain was she had to forget about Drew and deal with them on a professional level.

"Mr. and Mrs. Callahan," she greeted them formally for the benefit of the other workers in the area. "Welcome to the island."

"Hi, Bree." So much for maintaining the sham of being a regular employee of the construction company. Celeste enveloped her in a hug. Once Bree would have returned the gesture with warmth, but today she clasped Celeste in a weak embrace, barely managing not to push the other woman away.

"Hi, Celeste. Sean."

"Can we talk to you for a minute?" Celeste asked.

"Sure. We can use Terry's office."

"How are things going?" Sean said as he closed the door behind him.

"Slow. I've checked out the employees of the construction company. They all have squeaky-clean resumes and credentials. I don't think any of them have any reason to be an accomplice in whatever Cannon is planning."

"That's what we thought, too," Celeste said. "But it never hurts to have someone else look, just in case we missed something. Which brings me to the reason we're here."

A knot formed in Bree's gut. She didn't like what Celeste's statement implied. "Why are you here? I know I should have waited for you to come over with me, but Terry knew I was coming, and I was anxious to get started."

"You know we were only going to come along to make things easier for you. You don't need us to hold your hand," Celeste assured her.

"So, what is this about?"

"Drew is with us," Sean said. Her heart sank to her toes, and her stomach pitched like a dingy in a hurricane. "Officially, he's here to oversee the installation of the security system. Unofficially, he's here to be another set of eyes for you."

Her silence prompted Celeste to speak. "This isn't about your ability to do your job, Bree. It's about having backup. We know the Bureau didn't send anyone else. It's only you, and Vernon Cannon may be old, but he's dangerous. Honestly? I can't countenance the Bureau sending you to do this alone. It goes against every policy they have."

She was right. Bree knew it. She'd had to beg her superior to allow her this time, but she hadn't convinced anyone her theory was a good one. The truth was, they didn't really believe Cannon would show up on the island. If they did, they wouldn't have let her come alone. "You're right. The profilers agree that Cannon will probably take matters into his own hands, but they weren't convinced he'd target the new resort. They think he's still fixated on the ship. That's why they sent two agents to replace me on the
Lothario
while I'm here." She was glad Sean and Celeste agreed with her, and they'd brought her some help. She just wished to everything holy the help wasn't Drew Whitcomb. "Thanks for believing in me. And thanks for loaning me Drew. How long will he be here?"

"As long as it takes," Sean said.

Bree nodded, letting the reality set in. She'd be virtually marooned on an island with Drew for the foreseeable future. It was a dream come true, and a nightmare. She'd managed to push away her thoughts of Drew naked with these two people, doing heaven only knew what, but now that their business discussion was over, the thoughts and images flooded back in. She turned to look out the window as a flush crept from her core all the way to her hairline. "That's good."

A door opened and closed and she turned toward the sound. Drew stood across the room. His eyes skimmed her from head to toe, and an old familiar warmth sparked inside her. "Bree." His voice whipped the flame into a conflagration faster than a forest fire whipped by Santa Ana winds.

"Drew. How was Miami?" Bree might be dying, but this group didn't have to know it.

"Hot. Humid. It's good to be back."

"Thanks for coming. Sean and Celeste filled me in. I understand you have a real job to do here, overseeing the installation of the security system, so I won't bother you unless I need you… er, need your help."

Drew's lips spread into a knowing smile, and Sean cleared his throat at her guffaw. Celeste giggled. Christ. Bree didn't know the woman knew how to giggle.

"I'm here for you, darlin'. All you have to do is say the word, and I'll come." His thick Southern accent made the double entendre clear. How could he make a suggestive remark like that in front of his lovers? Sean and Celeste didn't act as if it bothered them that Drew was coming on to another woman. In fact, they seemed highly amused by the whole thing.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Celeste said. "Good luck, you two." She gave Bree another hug and kissed Drew on the cheek. Sean gave them both a half-hearted salute before ushering his wife out the door.

Drew stepped closer. Bree stepped back.

"You look good,” he said. “You've gotten some sun since you've been here."

"Hard not to." She forced her feet to move, edging behind Terry's desk. As if a piece of furniture would be a sufficient barrier between her and Drew.

"What's wrong? I thought we had an understanding when I left?"

So, she wasn't any good at hiding her feelings. Either that or Drew knew her too well. She was afraid it was a little of both. "That was before I had all the facts."

The muscles in his face froze into a hard mask, and his eyes drilled her with an assessing look. "What facts?"

Might as well get it over with. Let him know she wasn't going to be his plaything on the side. "That you spend a lot of time in bed with Sean and Celeste."

She didn't think Drew could have looked more menacing, but somehow he managed it. She suddenly wished Terry's desk was a wall of granite instead of cheap metal and laminated particle board.

"Who told you that?"

"Does it matter? It's true, isn't it?"

"No. It's not true."

"I expected you to deny it, but you've been on the island with them at least once a month, even while we were…"

"And you think I was fucking both of them?"

"Not both. Just Celeste. But I think Sean was there too. I have to admit, it surprised me. I didn't take Sean for the kind of man who shares."

"He isn't."

"That's not what I heard."

"You heard wrong."

"Then tell me the truth. Tell me what you were doing with them on the island."

"They're my friends and business partners, Bree. I like them. We spent a lot of years together, in a lot of dangerous situations. I owe my life to both of them, several times over."

"Is that all it is? Friendship?" A muscle ticked in his jaw, and she knew she'd hit a nerve. He was keeping something from her.

"No. It's more than friendship, but I can't explain it to you."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Can't, won't. What's the difference?"

"Trust."

Something sparked in his eyes, but he banked it quickly. "Bree. One of these days we'll talk about my relationship with Sean and Celeste, but not today. I'm here to help you, and I thought we had something. You and me."

She died a little inside as he evaded the issue of trust. "You thought wrong."

He seemed to deflate right before her eyes, but she wasn't going to let him get to her. "Okay then. I'm here if you need me."

She stood, frozen in the Caribbean heat, long after he'd left.

****

Shit
.

Drew stalked down the well-worn path to the dock. He caught up with his friends as they prepared to return to Ryan's house on the adjacent island. "I need to tell Bree."

"Whoa." Sean straightened from where he'd been unlashing the bowline from the dock. "We agreed she didn't need to know."

"We were wrong."

Sean stepped aside, and with a sweep of his arm, invited Drew to come aboard. "What's going on?" he asked as Drew gained his footing on the deck of the fishing boat they used for both recreation and transportation between the islands.

Celeste poked her head up through the hatch that led to the living quarters. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we go below? We need to talk." It didn't escape him that the three of them going below together would only add fuel to the rumors Bree had told him about, if anyone were to see.

"Sure. Sean?" Celeste deferred to her husband. Sean waved her below with an impatient hand. Drew followed close, with Sean on his heels.

"Why should we tell Bree?" Sean asked before his head cleared the short opening.

"Do you have any idea what kind of rumors are circulating on the
Lothario
about us?"

"What do you mean by 'us'?" Celeste asked.

"I mean, the three of us." Drew swirled a finger in the air to encompass the small group. "Bree thinks I'm fucking both of you!"

Celeste gasped at his outburst. Sean laughed. "Really?" A grin split his face.