everything all right in his world.
But she didn't even know how to cope with his world. He had grown up wild and undisciplined, and she had always had order in her life.
Forget it. Go to sleep. Wake up to a fresh morning with fresh perspectives. Nothing had happened that had changed anything.
She just had to keep it that way.
'IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK, Bridget,' Marrok said quietly.
'I don't know what you mean.'
'Devon. Why are you set on keeping her away from me? What difference does it make to you?'
She didn't try to pretend she didn't know what he meant. 'She could be an Achilles' heel. If anything happens to her, I don't want her near you.'
His brows rose. 'It's really none of your business.'
'It's my business to take care of the dogs,' she said. 'Anything that affects my ability to do that will have to be addressed.' She started down the steps. 'I thought it would be okay if you screwed her. It would be over, then we could go on. But it's not going to be okay. It's not going to be over…' She looked back over her shoulder. 'It might get worse. So I'll try to keep you apart as long as I can.'
'Do you know how ridiculous you sound?' he asked sarcastically.
'Hell, yes.' She strode away from him toward the bunkhouse. Ridiculous as trying to stop a raging forest fire with a garden hose. Marrok wouldn't let her get in his way for long. She couldn't blame him. She'd bitterly resent interference in her affairs if the situation were reversed.
But something had to be done. She had to have help. God, she hated admitting to anyone that she couldn't handle the job.
Bite the bullet.
She reached for her phone and dialed London. It rang three times before Jordan Radkin answered. 'It's the middle of the night here, Bridget. It had better be important.'
'Dammit, do you think I like calling you?' She drew a deep breath. 'Something's changed. It could get out of control. We may have to bring Danner in sooner.'
CHAPTER 14
'WE'VE GOT IT!' PAUL CASWELL threw the computer slip down before Danner. 'Not everything. That bastard changed the code three times during the message. But we've got a start. The location of the golden retriever. Addie.'
'If he hasn't moved her by now,' Danner said bitterly. 'We should have had that translation yesterday.'
'He hasn't moved her,' Caswell said. 'I sent a man to the house as soon as I got the first line of address.' He paused. 'But it will be difficult to get at the retriever. She's staying at John and Sarah Logan's place on the Seventeen Mile Strip.'
'Logan.' He started to curse. Dammit, he knew that name well. 'Difficult? It will take weeks to find a way to take the dog away from him. I can't afford to stir up a hornets' nest with Logan. He's even got the ear of the president. Keep watch on the retriever and go after the other dogs. If they try to move the retriever, go after her. And I want that second location by tonight.'
'We're doing the best we can,' Caswell said. 'And in a few hours we'll know everything that's going on at Logan's place. We might be able to find a weak link.'
He needed a weak link, Danner thought. Marrok had been running rings around his men since Santa Marina. He'd thought Enright would be the answer, but the bastard was moving as slow as those translators trying to locate the dogs. But it was going to end. He had to find a way to bring Marrok to his knees. The thought of Marrok humbled gave him a flash of enormous plea sure. Perhaps he'd make Marrok watch as he slaughtered the dogs one after the other. That would make him realize how futile it was to oppose him.
And he'd kill Marrok, and that would be the final triumph.
His cell phone rang, and he glanced at the ID. London. He stiffened and hope surged through him. He punched the button. 'It's about time. What have you got for me?'
'GET UP.' BRIDGET OPENED DEVON'S bedroom door and stuck her head in. 'We're going to get Wiley and bring him here.'
'It's still dark.' Devon drowsily lifted her head and looked at the digital clock on the bedside table-5:37. 'Is there an emergency?'
'No, but we may be running out of time.'
'I thought only Marrok knew where all the dogs were located?'
'I knew about Addie, and he gave me Wiley's location when he thought we might have to move them. He still hasn't told me where Nika's being cared for. Trusting bastard, isn't he?' She added, 'There's toast and coffee on the kitchen table. I'll be back to get you in thirty minutes.'
The door closed behind her.
Devon shook her head to clear it and sat up. Bridget had obviously been sincere about having Devon work with her. So get going and do your share. She swung her legs to the floor.
Thirty minutes.
She was waiting on the porch twenty minutes later, watching Bridget walk toward her from the helicopter.
'You're early,' Bridget said when she reached her. 'But Walt's ready to go.'
'So am I,' Marrok said from behind Devon.
Bridget stiffened as she and Devon turned to see him come out of the house.
'Though I wasn't invited,' he said. 'I wouldn't have even known about your excursion if Walt hadn't decided he had to check in with me.'
'You said you wanted the dogs brought here,' Bridget said. 'I'm bringing Wiley to you. Don't you trust me?'
'Sometimes. Most of the time. But I have no right to trust anyone right now. You're behaving a little erratically lately.'
'Bullshit.'
He smiled. 'Perhaps. But I still think that I'll be the one to take Devon to pick up Wiley. You stay here and hold down the fort with Lincoln. Maybe you can renew old ties.'
'I told you that you shouldn't be with her. It's not safe.'
'Did it occur to you that if something's going to happen to Devon, that I'd want to be there to stop it?'
'It occurred to me. I hope the best for her. But my job is to keep you safe.'
'No. Where did you get that idea? Your job is to keep the dogs safe.'
She gestured impatiently. 'Same thing.'
Devon was tired of listening to them wrangle. 'I'm not a piece of meat you're fighting over. Back off. Both of you.'
Marrok chuckled. 'A very nice piece of meat.' His gaze shifted back to Bridget. 'You heard her, back off.' He nudged Devon gently forward. 'Let's go, Devon. Walt's waiting.'
Devon hesitated. She didn't want to spend any extra time with Marrok. She had been avoiding it, and now she'd been tossed back into his company. Oh, what the hell. It wasn't as if she was afraid of being with him.
He said quietly, 'You set the pace, Devon.'
'That's right, I do.' She ran down the steps and set out for the helicopter. 'That goes without saying. So long, Bridget.'
Bridget didn't answer. When Devon glanced back at her, she was frowning as she stared at both of them walking away from her.
'She doesn't like being thwarted,' Marrok murmured. 'I don't blame her. Neither do I.'
'I could tell,' she said dryly. 'Just don't use me in your games.'
'It never used to be a game. This is the first time Bridget and I have had a real conflict. She's behaving out of character.'
