Honor Under Siege - Radclyffe

to as few people as possible, and shel make very few and only

essential public appearances. We cant keep her completely

sequesteredfirst because shed never al ow it,

secondly, because we cant make prisoners of our elected of icials

and their families, and final y because the public is going to be looking

for her. Shes too popular to just disappear.

“Were going to be thin on the ground, Stark said, “now that Davis has

gone over to OHS.

Cam nodded as she drew a grid and added names. “Youl have to work

with a smal er team than usual for the time being. Hara, Wozinski,

yourself, and Tanners people. Can you handle it?

Stark didnt hesitate. “Yes, we

can.

As satisfied with the security as she could be when al she real y wanted

to do was take Blair to some remote island for six months, Cam

switched her attention to Savard. “Wel fol ow by ground as soon as

you and Davis are happy that youve accessed al the data

immediately available to us. You can use the computers in my of ice

in the West Wing and wipe them when youre done.

“How long wil you need, Felicia? Savard asked, sit ing with her

injured leg straight out in front of her. The cane shed used in lieu of her

knee immobilizer rested against the arm of the chair. She looked focused

and steady.

Davis smiled, her dark eyes glowing. “I want to make sure I look in

everybodys closets and leave myself a backdoor before we leave. Say,

three hours.

Cam checked her watch as she stood. “Its 0815 now. We should be

leaving

DC by 1200 hours, which puts us into Whitley Point around

2300.

Savard and Davis rose, and Savard asked, “Where wil we

rendezvous, Commander?

“In case anyone is checking, Il schedule you and Davis for a meeting

at FBI headquarters at 1130 hours. On your way there, the meeting wil

be canceled and a vehicle wil pick you up at 13 and Pennsylvania

Avenue. Cam regarded

Stark. “When would you like to depart here, Chief? If theres anyone fol

owing

Blair, theyl lose the trail at

Andrews.

“Wel have the vehicles out front at 0900 hours. Il wait downstairs

until then.

“Thanks, Cam said, appreciating the few moments of privacy she would

have with Blair. After returning from her meeting with Valerie, shed

been up al night talking to Lucinda and the presidents security adviser.

She had yet to tel Blair the specifics of the plan, because she hadnt

worked it out until shortly before Stark and her security team had

arrived. She was sore and tired, but it felt good being in the field again.

Working. Doing what she knew how to do.

When the others had left, Cam walked down the hal to Dianes bedroom

and tapped on the door. “Can I talk to you a minute, Blair?

“Sure, Blair said. After shed finished helping Diane pack, shed gone

to the kitchen for more cof ee and heard the murmur of voices in

the living room. Although she knew Cam wouldnt exclude her from the

discussions if she asked to sit in, she also knew that Cam and Stark

were get ing their first real test of working together in their new roles.

She doubted that anyone in security or intel igence was going to

like being overridden by agents from the new Homeland Security

Of ice, not even Stark, not even when the agent in question was Cam.

She decided her presence would only add to the tension. “When are we

leaving?

“About

forty-five

minutes.

Blair glanced over her shoulder at Diane. “Il meet you in the living room

in a few minutes, okay?

“Yes. Ive got some cal s to make. I should let my gal ery manager

know how long Il be away.

“Tel her three weeks for now. Cam rested her hand lightly on Blairs

shoulder.

The contact felt good. She had missed her the previous night, missed the

way holding her through the night rejuvenated her.

Diane nodded. “All right, but I cant be away any longer than

that. Sooner or later, I have to go back to my life.

“I understand.

“Will I be able to call or give them a number where they can

reach me? Diane asked.

“Everyone will have temporary cells by tonight. Once we

reach

Whitley Point you can call them.

“Thank you. Diane squared her shoulders. “You two go ahead. Im

fine.

Blair slid her arm around Cams waist. “Come on, darling.

Better fill me in on whats going on.

* * * * *

“Let me get this straight. Blair leaned against the dresser in

the bedroom watching Cam pack this time. “Im being spirited

away to Whitley Point surrounded by armed guards, while you

drive for twelve hours out in the open where anyone could fol ow

you.

“Were not going to be followed.

“Then why cant I come with

you?

Cam passed Blair the extra suitcase. “You need to take anything?

Blair dropped it on the bed. “Yes. Ill pack in a minute. Why cant

Igo with you?

“If anyone is watching us theyll have a hard time fol owing

two separate groups. It buys us time.

“Bul . You dont want me with you in case someone comes

after y o u again. In case someone Blair stalked across the

room and pul ed the shirt Cam was folding from her grasp.

“Someone tried to kill you last night. And you think they

might try again, dont you?

“Blair

“Dont lie to

me.

Cam cradled Blairs face between her hands and kissed her

softly. “I wont. You know that.

“Thats what you think, isnt it?

“Its a consideration, especial y in light of my past relationship

with Valerie. Matheson might suspect that she would come to

me and that I might be able to bring her in. If someone wants

to prevent that, getting me out of the way is the logical step.

Blair forced herself to keep her expression neutral, even

though the calm way that Cam discussed why someone would

want to kill her chil ed her to the core. If she wanted Cam to tell

her the truth, she had to be able to handle the truth. No matter

how much it terrified her. “Did you tell Valerie where were

going?

“No, but she has a number to cal me. She lowered her hands to

Blairs shoulders and rubbed them softly. “Il be okay. Ive got good

people with me

and I know what Im

doing.

“Do you think Valerie wil

cal ?

Cam sighed. “I dont know. When it comes right down to it, her training

may win out. And shes been indoctrinated not to trust anyone.

“I dont like us being

separated.

“Neither do I, but its only for a few hours. Il be there tonight, and wel

wake up together tomorrow.

Blair closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Cams waist. “You

didnt sleep al night. Youre hurt and tired. Youre not at your best, Cam,

and you need to be.

“Savard and Davis wil be with me. Theyl do the driving. Il

sleep.

Blair rubbed her cheek against Cams shoulder. “I dont want other

women taking care of you.

Cam laughed. “I think Il be safe with

them.

“What about the thing Saturday night Im supposed to do for

Lucinda?

“I dont like it, Cam said, “but we al agree we cant keep you completely

out of the public eye. Lucinda is arranging for a suite of rooms at the

Copley for us and the rest of the team for the weekend. Il be your

escort, and Savard wil accompany Diane.

“Oh, Starks going to love that.

Cam grinned. “Its al in the line of

duty.

Blair leaned back, a glint in her eyes. “Is it, now? Then youd

bet er pack

something besides work clothes. Like a

tux.

“Thats what rental places are

for.

“And you bet er make sure you sleep in the car, Blair murmured,

running her fingers along Cams col arbone and down over her chest.

“I missed you last night.

“Me

too.

“What about your hip and

shoulder?

“Im stif and sore, but functional. Cam kissed Blair, taking her time,

because it would be hours before they saw each other again and

despite her words of confidence to Blair, she knew that anything

could happen in the interim. “Besides, massage therapy wil be good

for them.

“Then Il put you on my schedule for the

morning.

“Il

be

there.

Blair held her tightly, unable to imagine any other

possibility.

Chapter Thirteen

P aula, Blair said with quiet intensity, just the slightest bit of edge in

her voice.

“Yes?

Stark

said

solemnly.

“If you had a round robin, why didnt you bid

more?

Diane snorted and, despite the fact that it had been dark for over three

hours and it was impossible to see the beach, Wozinski seemed to

find something fascinating happening out the window. Stark hastily

squinted at her cheat sheet,

obviously at a

loss.

“A king and queen in every suit. I wouldve taken the bid if Id known

you had that much meld, Blair said.

“I didnt see it, Stark said bleakly. “I was so excited about the

pinochle

“Never mind. It doesnt mat er. Blair abruptly pushed back her chair,

strode across the kitchen, and slammed out the door.

The room was silent for a moment and then Diane rose. “Its freezing out

there. She doesnt have a jacket.

Wozinski glanced at Stark. “Should I go with her, Chief? I can take her

jacket. Stark shook her head. “Hara is out back and Tanner stationed

a team in a

vehicle on the street. Shes

covered.

“Il take her jacket, Diane said, pat ing Wozinskis shoulder as she

passed behind his chair. “But thank you.

“Yes maam. Wozinski flushed.

“Pleasure.

It took less than thirty seconds for Diane to reach the back deck after

grabbing Blairs jacket, but she saw only a single figure standing at

the railing, facing toward the oceanshorter than either herself or Blair by

several inches and more slender than Stark. Hara. Not Blair. For an

instant, her heart twisted with an overriding sense of dread, as if Blair

too had walked out the door and simply vanished. Just like the

morning she had awakened in the guesthouse in a stil room beneath a

silent dawn and realized that Valerie had disappeared while shed slept.

“Wheres Blair?

Hara did not turn, and even in the darkness, Diane knew that she was

watching Blair. The cloud cover was so dense even the light from the

ful moon barely penetrated the inky sky.

“Sit ing on top of a dune, fifteen yards down the path and ten feet of

to the right.

“It feels like thirty degrees out here, and you just let her go? Diane

snapped.

“Thirty-eight

degrees.

“Never mind, Diane mut ered, hurrying down the stairs to the path. A

minute later she knelt beside Blair. “Put your jacket on.

“Thanks, Blair said, shrugging into it. “You dont need

to stay.

With a sigh, Diane shifted around to sit facing the same direction as

Blair and leaned against her. When Blair wrapped an arm around her,

she snuggled closer and lightly rested her head on Blairs shoulder.

“Couldnt you brood inside where we can have a fire?

“Its a lot harder to do if youre comfortable. Blair pressed her cheek to

Dianes hair. “Do you have any idea how much I hate waiting here, safe

and sound and protected by armed guards, while Cam is out there

somewhere with people who want to kil her?

“I think I know, Diane

whispered.

“Oh, honey, Im sorry, Blair said. “Of course

you do.

“Renée cal ed Paula with an update, Diane pointed out gently.

“She said everything was fine and that Cam was resting.

“I know. Blair sighed. “But that was three hours ago and theyre not due

here for another four at least. Anything can happen. She reached beside

her and dug her fingers into the cold sand. “I just want to be able to

protect her the way she protects me.

“I bet you already

do.

Blair laughed harshly. “Hardly. Since everyone thinks Im so important, I

seem to be the one destined to wait, just like tonight.

“You

are

important

“Im no more important than Cam or you or Stark or any of the

others.

Diane wrapped both arms around Blairs waist and hugged her. “You,

Blair Powell , may not be more important than the rest of us, although

I happen to think youre pret y special and Im sure Cam does too, but

its not about Blair Powel .

“No, its about the first

daughter.

“Yes. And I imagine that makes it al the

harder.

“Theres a reason youre my best friend, you know, Blair said

softly.

“Besides the fact that Im smart, beautiful, and wel -connected in the art

world?

“Those are definite pluses, but you might be the only person other than

Tanner whos ever understood that having a famous father mostly just

sucks.

“Yes, I never did think living in a mansion was al that cool when it came

with a bunch of state troopers hanging out on the front porch. Diane tried

not to shiver from the cold. She sensed Blairs mood beginning to lighten

and wanted to keep her talking. “Tanner could relate, because she had

to put up with a lot of the same thing. Not the bodyguards and

everything, but having a lot expected of her because of who her father

was.

“Mmm, Blair said, pat ing the sand shed squeezed into a hard bal back

into the ground. “Tanner understands. But shes not a girl, like you are. Its

not the same.

“You mean you wouldnt snuggle with Tanner in the dark? Diane

teased.

“Snuggling is not what I had in mind with Tanner. Definitely not when

we were teenagers. Blair thought back to how wild and drop-dead sexy

Tanner had been then. “And I dont think I would, even now. After al ,