Iris Johansen - Dark Summer

Nick shook his head.

"Marrok made sure all the guardians were here except Addie's Sarah. And I understand Addie has always been very adaptable. Sid is taking care of her."

She smiled. "And what are you doing, Nick?"

"Right now, I'm guarding you." He grinned. "Can't you tell?"

"Is that what Marrok told you to do?"

"He made me aware that he'd be very upset if I weren't extremely careful of you," Nick said. "Actually, it made me feel a sense of purpose. A man of my age appreciates being thought competent in that area. I was even given a gun. And I was beginning to think my warrior days were over."

Devon's smile faded. "You have other talents. You don't need to be using a gun."

"I told you, I like it. My blood is stirring, and I feel alive again." He added, "And I like your Marrok. So do his other men here."

"He's not my-" She stopped in the middle of the denial. Marrok did belong to her if he could belong to anyone. Just as she belonged to him. It was still tentative and uncertain, but the bond was there. "You can trust him, Nick."

"We're going to have to trust him," Nick said soberly. "Walt said that Danner's men may be all over this canyon before everything's said and done. I spoiled his plan to draw Danner here when I showed up at the ranch. Walt said that Marrok's toying with the idea of luring him here himself."

Her gaze flew to his face. "What? That would be crazy. They might just decide to kill him and get the dogs later. He's been a target for years."

"I'm only repeating what Walt told me," Nick said. "Maybe it was only a passing thought on Marrok's part."

"And maybe it wasn't." Panic mixed with rage was tearing through her. "It's just the kind of thing he'd do." He'd gone after that man following them from her clinic without a second thought, she remembered. She could still recall his expression: intent with a hint of underlying excitement. "He likes it. He grew up battling everything and everyone around him. Most of the time alone."

"Don't blame the messenger. Take it up with Marrok."

Much good that would do her. She hadn't been able to stop him from doing anything he really wanted to do since she'd met him. They might be closer now, but Marrok was Marrok. He'd be as stubborn as he'd been when she'd broached letting Bridget help them.

"That bacon sure smells good. Do you want me to get you a plate? Marrok must have gotten tied up."

Nick obviously wanted to escape her obvious disturbance. Poor guy, it wasn't his fault. "Yes, please." She watched him go over to the campfire. There was something different about Nick, a spring in his step, a lightness and camaraderie with everyone around him… and a trace of the excitement she'd seen in Marrok. He was so damn happy about the coming confrontation with Danner that she wanted to shake him.

Men.

This was no game. Nick could be killed. All these people who cared so much for the dogs could be killed.

Marrok could be killed.

Nick was pointing to the biscuits in a pan and looking at her inquiringly.

She nodded. She didn't care whether she had them or not, but Nick was-

Her cell phone rang. She stiffened.

London?

"Can you talk?" Bridget asked when she answered.

"Yes."

"I don't have much time. I routed this call through the U.K. so that Danner wouldn't know I was calling you. Danner's man, Caswell, is keeping a friendly eye on me, and he's going to be less than friendly if he manages to get close enough to hear the conversation."

"Friendly? With Danner?"

"Like a good partner. Of course, Danner is planning on cutting my throat as soon as he gets what he wants from me. That goes without saying."

"What does he want?"

"Marrok." She paused. "You. Lincoln did a great job of convincing him you might be the way to get Marrok to surface. He's even willing for me to step in as substitute for Lincoln. He understood perfectly my shooting the bastard's head off." She added, "So I offered to trade you for a percentage."

"I hope it was a good one," she said dryly. "I'd hate to be thought cheap."

"Thirty percent. That's all I could talk him into since you're not a sure thing," she said. "But it's a way I can lead him to Paco's canyon."

She went still. "What?"

"Danner didn't question that I had to move you after I killed Lincoln. It would have been stupid to stick around when Danner knew where we'd been holding you. So I chose Paco's canyon."

"Isn't that a little coincidental? Paco's canyon is Marrok's territory. Danner knows that."

"Maybe. I'm not even sure Danner believes me. He went along a little too easily. I don't care as long as I can position him for Marrok. Tell Marrok Danner may have something up his sleeve." She was speaking quickly now. "Caswell is coming toward me. It's going to be tonight. Right after dark. We're coming by car from Tucson. You can't see the road from the canyon that way. You're supposed to be bound and gagged in the foothills on the other side of the canyon from the cave. There's a cluster of boulders beside the gully that runs up the canyon to the top. Marrok will know where it is. He can wait there and pick Danner off."

"Yes, he could do that."

"You sound…" Bridget said. "You can get Marrok there?"

"I'll get him there."

"Not you. Marrok has to be alone. Or have him take Walt as backup. Any sign of any significant show of force, and I'm a dead woman. He can take two, maybe three people if they know what they're doing. But not you. You shouldn't be anywhere near that place. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

Bridget hung up.

Devon slowly put her phone back in her pocket. The chances of her getting Marrok to go anywhere that Bridget told him to go were nil. He'd made it clear that he'd never trust Bridget again. And if he did decide to go, it would be by his rules, his plans.

And that meant Bridget could be killed. She had run a high risk and didn't deserve to have that risk made even more critical.

"Here it is"-Nick was beside her with two plates of food- "enough chow to keep a lumberjack happy. Though we may have four dogs over here asking for-What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Devon took the plate. "Good heavens, you're right. This should last me all day if I manage to get it down."

"What's wrong?" he repeated.

She shook her head. "It will be okay. Just something I have to work out."

"I'm here," Nick said quietly. "We've worked out quite a few things between us over the years."

"And I may let you help with this," Devon said. "I just have to figure out what to do." God knows, she had no idea right now. She saw Marrok coming down the path and tried to gather herself together. Don't be as transparent with him as she had with Nick. It shouldn't be too difficult. Marrok was busy keeping this armed camp in shape. Just avoid him as much as possible and don't let him see how terrified she felt.

She waved. "It's about time you got here. Come over here and help me eat this mountain of food."

"THREE DAYS," MARROK SAID TOSarah on his cell. "It shouldn't be more than that before I'll try to return Addie to you."

"It had better not be longer than that. You gave me Addie as my responsibility, and I take it seriously."

"I know you do. So do I."

Silence. "I believe you. Is there anything John and I can do?"

"I'll let you know." He hung up and stared thoughtfully at the sun beginning to set in the west. It might not be bad to call on John Logan's resources. His security people were top-notch, and he might need-

"I need to talk to you." Nick Gilroy was coming toward him down the path. "Devon sent me with a message."

"Why didn't she come herself? I haven't seen her all afternoon."

"You're not going to like it," Nick said.

Marrok stiffened. "I already don't like the sound of this."