Finding Dani (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 3) Read online

  “How can you be sure it’s someone on your team?”

  “I can’t be completely sure, but I have a feeling. Add that to the fact that we were the only team in that area, and it doesn’t make sense for it to be anyone else. And it pisses me off because I trusted everyone on my team.”

  “How are they altering the virus?”

  She sighed and rubbed her forehead. Damon could see the strain around her eyes. This was taking its toll on her.

  “I don’t know. The only thing I can think is that it was manufactured in a lab, and then transported with us to the village. We just don’t have that kind of equipment available when we’re sent in.” Dani paced the length of the tent. “I just don’t understand why.”

  Damon could answer that one. “It’s usually money.”

  “But we take an oath to help people, to cure the world of its diseases. How could someone I work with do something like this?”

  “And how many of you have big Tudor houses with fancy sports cars and large investment portfolios?”

  Dani swung her head in his direction. “More than you’d think.”

  He shrugged. Dani, and even his brother Gabriel, both had their heads in an idealistic cloud. Always had. “Money is power, Red. And if that isn’t the goal, then I would have to assume that one of your good doctors has a God complex.”

  She sat down abruptly on the cot where she’d been brushing her hair and put her head in her hands. “I don’t have proof of any of this.”

  “Could the virus have mutated on its own?”

  Damon watched as she bit her lower lip and his body responded, but he ruthlessly pushed it down. His iron will had served him well in the past and he counted on it now to keep his mind on the present and potential threat, and not her full lower lip. Or her copper colored hair beginning to dry and curl in the humidity.

  Dani shook her head. “Not this fast. Viruses mutate all the time, but it happens slowly. This was definitely lab grown.”

  “So, who is your primary suspect?”

  “I have a doctor on my team with that God complex you were talking about, but I’ve worked with him for years. Why now? And as for the rest of my team, I just can’t wrap my head around any of them deliberately causing the death of anyone, much less almost an entire village.”

  “Sounds like we need to get you that proof.”

  “Even with the blood samples, it still doesn’t tell me who it is.”

  Damon smiled. “Once those samples come to light, I’m sure the government will take over the investigation.”

  “And cover everything up, nice and neat. Problem solved. No need for anyone to know about it.”

  “True. This could be a huge black eye for more than one agency, but it would stop mass murder, even if it never goes public.”

  “How can you be so…so cavalier about it?”

  “I’ve worked for the government most of my adult life and there are some things out in the big bad scary world that the general public is better off not knowing.”

  Damon knew he was right, but he could see the determination in those leaf green eyes. The crusader was there, looking back at him in defiance. And he knew he wasn’t going to be able to resist her when she asked for his help. She would, eventually. And when she stirred up the shit storm, he’d be there to protect her.

  Because he owed it to his brother. At least, that’s what he told himself.

  Chapter 4

  “So, that’s your brother’s wife,” Gunner drawled, never taking his eyes from the cards he held. A half-eaten sandwich sat next to him at the table.

  The question was there, but Damon wasn’t sure how to answer it. And he couldn’t stop from looking up as Dani crossed the compound to the medical tent. Her bright hair was braided, hanging long down her back. Plain white T-shirt and khaki shorts that cupped her perfect ass completed the ensemble. More than one soldier stopped to stare as she passed, but she was oblivious to the frank appreciation.

  “His widow,” he muttered, before turning back to his own hand of cards. She looked good this morning, like she’d gotten some sleep. “Finish your food, Gunner.”

  “Call,” he said. A certain amount of triumph was in his voice.

  Damon glanced outside the tent again. “Fold.”

  “That’s it, I quit.”

  Dragging his attention back to his friend, Damon raised an eyebrow. “You won.” It was with some surprise that he realized that he hadn’t really noticed. And he’d just thrown away a flush.

  Gunner made a disgusted noise. “I’ve won the last five hands, not that you’d remember. Your concentration is for shit. Something else on your mind besides my eating habits?”

  “Leave the cards and let’s get out of here.”

  Once they’d left the tent and had some privacy, Damon laid out Dani’s suspicions. Gunner was brilliant in many ways, but one of his degrees was in biochemical engineering. He wanted Gunner’s opinion about the situation.

  “So, she thinks one of her people has cooked up a faster more vicious strain?”

  Damon nodded. “Says she had some samples back in that camp, but they were left behind in their rush to get out of the village before the rebels attacked.”

  “You think it’s a coincidence those soldiers attacked that camp when they did?”

  “I don’t like coincidence. In my experience, most things happen for a reason.”

  Gunner agreed as they started walking again. “What we’d need is to find is the money trail. Someone is getting paid to mutate that virus. It usually comes down to greed.”

  “Unless we have a psychopath on our hands,” Damon said. “I’ll tap some resources in the states to start doing some digging into Dani’s team, but I want you looking at those samples with Dani. If we can recover them.”

  “No need to ask. I want those samples. And if what the lady suspects is true, then I’m going to want someone’s ass.”

  That’s what he thought Gunner might say. He was a crusader as well, in his own way. But his curiosity and sense of righteousness were going to get him into some serious trouble one day when Damon wasn’t around to protect his back. “I’ll work on getting back into that village.”

  “Is your redhead going?”

  The thought of Dani back in potential danger made something ugly swirl around his gut, but he didn’t have the right to stop her. He could try and talk her out of it, but knew she’d be stubborn and he needed her to guide them to the right place. So he merely said, “Most likely.”

  Gunner grinned and Damon thought he must have sounded as disgruntled as he felt. He couldn’t seem to hold onto his poker face when he thought about her. Which was why he’d stayed away so long and kept himself busy.

  “I think I’ll make some calls and then see if I can find that cute little blonde doctor. Claire isn’t it? Or was it Hailey?” Gunner wiggled his eyebrows and turned to go.

  “Claire has the auburn hair, Hailey is the blonde. Both are good looking and have that caring look you’re so fond of. Have fun,” Damon called after him.

  “Always.”

  ***

  Dani felt rested after that crazy night and ready to get back to work when she entered the medical tent. At the very least, she could help out with inoculations. The locals had begun bringing their sick into camp. No Ebola cases, but this was a base camp in Liberia. A starting point from which the CDC and the military would fan out to begin checking the villages.

  “What are you doing up?” Claire said, walking over and taking off her latex gloves with a pop.

  “Thought I’d come over and help out for a while. Besides, I’m going blind from paperwork.”

  Claire made a face. “All the shots have been given already, but I understand getting away from those damn reports. I mean, how many different ways can you describe one thing?”

  “How about next time you get to be team leader?” Dani smiled.

  A shudder racked Claire’s body. “And be responsible for everyone and all the pap
erwork? No thanks.”

  Dani watched Claire as she began cataloguing medical supplies to help the primary team that had arrived with the military unit. Setting up was always a tedious endeavor and Claire was always the first to jump in to help. Dani was having a hard time imagining her friend doing anything as nefarious as mutating a virus to kill innocent people.

  But then, no one on her team seemed likely.

  And it was possible that she’d made a mistake. The conditions were bad, and while the supplies they had were top notch, they weren’t the state-of-the-art machines and equipment they had back in Atlanta. It would be so easy to blame exhaustion and an epidemic for her sudden paranoia. But ever since the attack by the Sierra Leone rebels, Dani felt hunted. As if she were being watched all the time, and it was a feeling she couldn’t shake.

  “Where’s Hailey this morning?”

  Claire looked around. “She was here about an hour ago helping with the shots, but I got busy and lost track of her.” She shrugged. “You know how she is. There is an entire base of hot guys here.”

  “And Hailey would relish the adulation she is undoubtedly receiving.” Looking around, Dani noticed that the rest of the doctors and staff were out of earshot. “What is everyone else up to today?”

  Claire rolled her eyes. “Well, Martin, I mean, Doctor Graham,” she dragged out his name sarcastically, “Came in and tried to take over like the Lord of the Manor. But that wiry little guy over there shut him down. So he left.”

  Glancing toward the other side of the makeshift hospital, Dani saw the little guy in question. She’d met him last night and knew his name was Dr. Montgomery (call me Monty) Nelson. A nice guy with wire-rimmed glasses, bright blue eyes, and a no nonsense attitude about medicine. That he’d stood up to Dr. Graham’s naturally autocratic nature made him go up in Dani’s already high opinion of the man.

  “Good for Monty.”

  “I don’t normally go for smaller guys, but watching him shut down Martin was kinda sexy.”

  Dani noticed that Claire had a considering look on her face as she looked around and found him.

  “But, really, that friend of Damon’s, what’s his name?”

  Dani smiled, “Gunner.”

  “Now, him, I wouldn’t mind taking into the shower to do dirty things with.” Then she sighed and went back to cataloguing supplies. “If Hailey hasn’t sunk her claws into him yet, that is.”

  “Have you noticed anyone acting strangely on this trip?” Dani tried to sound casual, and she was taking a risk by asking Claire, but damn it, she knew her. Inside and out. And she considered her a very good friend. Her only real friend these days.

  Claire swung her head around and narrowed her eyes. “Strange how?”

  “I don’t know,” Dani shook her head. “Maybe it’s just me, but this trip has just been different. I wondered if you’d noticed it too.” And please don’t be the one doing this horrible thing.

  Claire bit her lip and looked around to make sure they were still relatively alone. “Now that you mention it, I’m worried about Travis.”

  That took her by surprise. “Why?”

  “Well, he’s been less talkative than usual and he stayed gone from the last village too long, you know? I mean, sometimes he takes longer to track down relatives, but he was tense the whole time and kept just disappearing without telling anyone. And we all know that’s just dangerous.”

  Dani hadn’t realized. She’d been so busy trying to contain the outbreak that she’d been putting in more hours than the rest of the team. But that was normal for her. What Claire was describing definitely wasn’t normal Travis behavior.

  “Maybe he’d talk to you,” she said. “I bet you can find out if everything is okay.”

  “Well, I can try, but he’s always seemed a bit more comfortable with Hailey.” Dani had wondered from time to time of they were lovers, but had never seen any evidence of it. “I wonder why they never dated. Back in the states, I mean.”

  Claire threw her head back and laughed. “You can be so clueless sometimes.”

  “What am I missing?”

  “He’s half in love with you, idiot.”

  That took Dani off guard. “What? You can’t be serious.”

  “I can’t believe you haven’t noticed. He hangs on your every word and follows you around carrying all your stuff.”

  “But he does that with everyone. He’s always been nice and helpful.” How could she have not noticed a crush? “Damn,” Dani muttered. “I almost wish you hadn’t told me.”

  Claire reached out and put her hand on Dani’s shoulder, giving a commiserating look. “Not your fault. He knows you haven’t let go of Gabriel yet. We all know you still love him.”

  Was that it? Or was there something else going on with Travis? Dani tried to hide the quick wince at Claire’s matter of fact words. Eight years was a long time to mourn a dead husband. Is that what they all thought? That she hadn’t moved on?

  Had she moved on?

  Maybe she hadn’t or maybe she’d just been so focused on saving lives that she hadn’t realized how alone she’d become. Not even noticing a younger man’s admiration. But she had moved on…she really thought she had. Otherwise she wouldn’t be having such a strong reaction to Damon.

  But that wasn’t important. Finding out who was responsible for mutating an already deadly virus was her priority. Not going and finding Damon and listening to his deep voice, or staring into light brown eyes that reminded her of a tiger.

  Or having him take her in his arms. She suppressed a mild shudder.

  Or more.

  Chapter 5

  When the line picked up, it sounded like the play area in the mall. It was so loud that Damon pulled the phone away from his ear to recheck the number.

  Then a disgruntled voice bellowed, “Yeah?”

  “Mike?”

  “What?”

  Damon stifled a laugh as it became obvious that Mike was surrounded by children. Several of which were crying. “It’s Damon. You need some backup?”

  “You have no idea. Hold on, will ya?”

  Before Damon could say anything, he heard Mike in the background. “Damn it, Xavier, stop cutting the Barbie doll’s hair; you know that’s not your toy. Jessica, stop crying. Yes, I’m sure your daddy will get you another one.” Then there was rustling and the crying became loud sniffles.

  “Here, talk to Uncle Damon.”

  It was everything Damon could do not to laugh out loud at the chaos he was hearing. His friend was clearly babysitting. ‘Little’ Mike Hansen had been one of the toughest Marines in the Corps along with his two buddies, Zach Steele and Jesse Calhoun. And when Zach and Jesse had each settled down and had kids, he’d become the wimpiest babysitter Damon had ever seen. Those kids had Mike wrapped around their little fingers. It was pathetic.

  “Hi, Uncle Damon.”

  “Are you causing trouble, Xavier?” He put his best Uncle voice on.

  “I didn’t do it; I swear. It was Jennifer this time, honest.” Xavier Steele was five years old and a little demon. A cute one to be sure, but a hellion just like his father was at that age, or so Zach claimed. Damon had never personally witnessed the big man doing anything that wasn’t calm and methodical, but then, Zach tended to be a bit unpredictable these days.

  The two girls sniffling in the background were Jennifer and Jessica Calhoun. Four year old identical twins, and just as mischievous as their “cousin.” Jesse had his hands full with those two. Damon couldn’t even tell them apart, and that was sad, considering he’d been a twin himself.

  “What’s your job as the oldest?”

  A long drawn out sigh crackled through the SAT phone. “I protect the twins and be a good role model.”

  Damon grinned. “And are you doing that?”

  Again the sigh. “I could do better.” It was clearly an answer drummed into him since it was said with such dramatic flair.

  “Okay, buddy, work on it and put Uncle Mike back on the phon
e, okay?”

  “Okay. Bye, Uncle Damon.”

  The TV flared to life in the background, and suddenly the cacophony of tears stopped and it was quiet, with the exception of a song about a pineapple under the sea. “I should have done that earlier,” Mike said.

  “I think you’re outflanked.”

  “Hell, I know I am.” There was a pause. “So what can I do for you, Shadow? Last I heard, you were babysitting Gunner overseas.”

  “I need some intel on five targets.”

  “What’s up?”

  Damon rubbed the back of his neck as he stared down into the camp. Soldiers moved with purpose, either doing drills or finishing setting up. He was up a tall hill to make sure he was not overheard. And down below, one Dr. Martin Graham was acting very strange for someone with nothing to hide.

  He wished he had the scope from his rifle; he would’ve been able to see expressions clearly from this range with it. He watched the good doctor while saying, “Someone with the CDC might be mutating the Ebola virus to make it stronger and faster.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” Mike’s voice lowered. “Give me the names.”

  After Damon rattled of the names and dates of birth, he asked, “You still have those contacts from your time in Intelligence?”

  “Yep. I’ll find out what I can.”

  “Thanks, man. I owe you.”

  Mike sighed. “One day, I’m calling in all these favors.”

  Damon grinned. “And when you do, I’m sure it’ll be epic.”

  “Semper Fi!”

  That’s when the doctor slipped into Dani’s tent. And Damon started down the hill.

  ***

  “What the hell are you doing here, Martin?”

  The doctor flinched, his only reaction to being caught in Dani’s tent uninvited. Then he straightened away from her desk, where he’d been looking through some of her notes, and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “I was waiting for you, of course,” he said, sounding bored.