ass off if you decide to help.'
Janet didn't answer for a moment. 'I've never been afraid of work. If I decide I want to do it.'
Devon stared at Janet in surprise. That was almost a concession on her part, and Janet didn't yield easily. And there was a grudging respect in Janet's voice. Would wonders never cease?
'What would I have to do?' Janet asked.
'Take care of Ned and Wiley. Keep an eye on Devon.'
'I could do that,' Janet said slowly. 'Who's Wiley? Another dog?'
'Yes,' Bridget said. 'Wiley won't be much trouble. Sid Cadow takes care of him most of the time.'
'If it's my job, then I'll be the one to take care of him,' she said sourly.
'Talk to Sid,' Bridget said. 'Work it out between you.'
'I don't have to talk to anyone. I do my job.'
Good Lord, Devon thought, Bridget had created a monster situation. Janet and Sid were bound to butt heads if not actually come to blows. Was it a deliberate provocation? It was hard to tell. Bridget's face was completely without expression.
'There's the Monterey airport,' Bridget said. 'I'll call Marrok and tell him we'll be coming in on a different aircraft.' She gave Janet a cool glance. 'It's a lot of trouble.'
'I'm worth it,' Janet muttered. 'You'll see.'
'I hope that's true,' Bridget said skeptically.
Janet muttered something beneath her breath that might have been a curse.
Bridget's gaze shifted to Devon as Janet turned away to look out the window.
There was challenge and cool confidence in her expression. Bridget knew exactly how she had manipulated Janet and was daring Devon to comment.
She was tempted to do it. She didn't like manipulation in any form. Yet Janet now had a goal and a purpose, and Devon couldn't quarrel with that.
Drop it. But keep in mind how easy that manipulation had been for Bridget.
CHAD LINCOLN WAS STANDING ON the porch, leaning against a post when they arrived back at the ranch at sunset.
'Well, well, the elusive Sherlock Holmes has returned,' Bridget said. 'He wasn't the one who I'd thought would be waiting for us. I wonder where Marrok is.' She turned to Walt. 'You did tell him that Devon was going with me, didn't you?'
'Sure.' Walt turned off the engine. 'He said that he couldn't expect to keep her from doing what she wanted to do every minute of the day. He told me he'd scalp me if I let anything happen to her. Since he has the historical background to make that happen, I decided I'd be very careful.'
'I love the way everyone is deciding what I should and shouldn't be allowed to do.' Devon jumped out of the helicopter. 'Janet, I'll walk you down to the bunkhouse and introduce you to Wiley and Sid Cadow.'
'I'll do it,' Bridget said. 'My job.'
'No, it's my job,' Janet said, as she started toward the bunkhouse. 'And I don't need anyone to tell me how to do it.'
Bridget glanced at Devon and shrugged before strolling after Janet.
Devon only hoped that Bridget would continue to handle Janet with the same deftness she had demonstrated on the helicopter. Which made Bridget a very clever woman. Clever and complicated, with the potential for being extremely dangerous.
'You only brought back your house keeper,' Lincoln called. 'I was sure you'd be bringing back one of the superdogs.'
'They're not superdogs.' Devon turned and walked toward the porch. 'That makes them sound like they should be wearing capes and flying over rooftops. Comic book stuff.'
'Oh, I agree there's nothing comic about them.' He smiled. 'But I have a little more experience with them than you do. Marrok and his superdog went on quite a few missions for me, and I'd venture to say the men Ned cured would call him a superdog if they knew he'd done the deed.'
'Like that thieving robber chief in Ethiopia?'
His smile faded. 'Marrok told you about him? It was a great embarrassment for me. That was the time when I realized on no account should Marrok be permitted to retain control of the dogs.'
'I believe he knows how you feel. I'd bet he feels the same about you.' She walked up the stairs. 'Where is he?'
'He didn't confide in me. He drove out about two hours ago with his dog, Ned. Do you want a guess?'
'I can make my own guesses.'
'I'll tell you anyway. I think he's gathering up his pack. The German shepherd, Wiley, is down at the bunkhouse. Now you just came from Sarah Logan's place, so it's not the golden retriever. I'd say he's gone for the mutt. What's her name… Nika, that's it.'
'And why would he be doing that?' she asked without expression.
'Bait. Use all four dogs as a lure. He wants to rid himself of Danner. I'd have made the same move myself. Only I would have done it much sooner.'
'Maybe he didn't want to risk the dogs.'
'Or maybe he thought as long as he kept Danner as a threat, he wouldn't have to deal with us. He knows we wouldn't want Danner to get control. It's a standoff.'
'Ridiculous.'
'Is it? How can you be sure? Marrok is almost a stranger to you.' He paused. 'Though I'm sure he knows you very well in the biblical sense. It was pretty obvious where you were headed the other evening.'
She felt a jarring distaste. 'Back off, Lincoln.'
'Just commenting. Marrok is a secretive bastard, and he's not above using you.'
'You're pretty damn secretive yourself. I've hardly seen anything of you since the first night I got here. Where have you been?'
'I had some errands to run.' He gazed out at the setting sun. 'And if you ask Marrok, I'm certain he'll be able to fill you in exactly where I've been and what I was doing. I was followed from the minute I left the property. He has someone watching me now.' He pointed to the barn. 'Three men are there. There are at least a dozen in the bunkhouse. I don't know how many are in the stable. This cozy little ranch is an armed camp paid for by MI6. It's no wonder he wants to draw Danner here.'
'And why did you think it necessary to find out how many men he had here? I find that a little… odd.' She paused. 'Perhaps you wanted to feel out the opposition in case you saw an opportunity to gather up the dogs yourself.'
He chuckled. 'Good thinking.' His smile faded. 'It's going to happen, Devon Brady. It may not be here and now, but Marrok is going down. If you help me, then I'll see that you don't go down with him. What do you care? He's a half-breed who'd as soon kill you as look at you.'
'That's the kind of thing Danner would say about him. I thought you prided yourself on being civilized.'
'I recognize the difference. Shall I tell you how many men he's killed?'
'No, I'm not interested. How many men have you killed, Lincoln?'
'There's a difference. I had a duty. He only became a SEAL so that he'd be able to kill without suffering the consequences.'
'How do you know?'
'I know.' He started down the steps. 'I believe I'll go for an evening walk and see what other scum I can flush out of the woodwork. I meant what I said, Devon. You've got Marrok a little off-balance and that's unusual. I might be able to use you. It would be worth your while to consider the offer.'
Devon watched him stroll away from her. He looked sleek, dapper, and perfectly groomed. 'Snake,' she muttered as she opened the screen door. For God's sake, Marrok appeared to be surrounded by people who wanted to take him down. Danner was hovering, Lincoln was waiting for his chance, and even Bridget Reardon was trying to manipulate him.
She glanced over her shoulder at the peaceful scene bathed in golden twilight.
