“He’s going to hurt her.”
And there it was. What everyone believed, even him. He’d thought it, worried about it, and had then decided he wanted what he wanted. In his scenario, they both tired of each other at the same time and she wouldn’t be hurt. Who was he kidding?
“And if he does, that’s still her decision,” Dani said.
Kincaid closed his laptop. “There are very few times I tell you to butt out, Dani, but this is one of them. Maria’s not for Buchanan. If he touches her, he’d better find a job on the other side of the world. There’s nothing either of you can say to change my mind. End of discussion.”
“You’re a pigheaded man, love. Excuse me for a minute, gentlemen.”
Jake pressed his lips together to keep from telling the boss to go to hell. Apparently, he had two choices, his job or Maria. He wanted both. Until he had time to consider his options, he’d best keep the angry words locked tight in his mouth.
A flock of pelicans flew over, single file, and Jake watched them until they disappeared from view. Two dolphins soared out of the water, twisted, and made a splash as they came down on their backs. The nine-o’clock sun had already turned the Gulf’s waters to an emerald green as pretty as anything one would find in the Caribbean Islands.
Could he give up everything for Maria? The boss had just made it clear that his job was on the line. He wasn’t a forever man, and whatever they had between them wouldn’t last. But what if it did and she was the one?
Dani returned, looking pale. Jake was about to ask if she was all right when Kincaid spoke.
“You’re leaving Wednesday.”
“Going where?” He was being sent away, intentionally, he was sure.
“Egypt. Nineteen-year-old kid decided a year ago the life his rich parents offered wasn’t for him and changed his name from Chad Sinclair to Abdul Haq.”
“Servant of the Truth,” Jake said.
“Yeah, and the truth he learned was the fun of being a terrorist wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and now he wants to come home. Guess he missed beer and girls. His parents didn’t hear a word from the time he disappeared until a week ago when he managed to send a coded e-mail, which his father turned over to his good friend, a CIA code breaker.
“Unfortunately for our boy, he’s a whiz on the computer and the bad guys don’t want to let him go. Daddy’s friend worked a deal with his superiors on behalf of the family. If the kid comes home and brings all the intel he’s got access to, they’ll go easy on him. It’s your job to retrieve him.”
Because of Dani, Jake swallowed his first response. “Well hell. Who’s on this operation with me?”
Kincaid slid a folder across the table. “Everything you need to know is here. You’re going in as a reporter. Bayne’s your cameraman and Stewart’s your soundman.”
Jake picked up the file and stood. “I’ve always wanted to be on TV.”
“Logan, can’t you send someone else?” Dani asked.
“No, Saint’s taken the last two operations. I’m due,” Jake said as he thumbed through the dossier. “Think I’ll head over to the office and start planning the operation.” He pressed Dani’s shoulder. “We’ll talk another time.” Until this mission was over, he couldn’t afford distractions, and Chiquita was definitely a distraction.
She tensed under his palm and pressed her hands over her stomach. “Oh . . . Oh.”
The boss turned over his chair in his haste to kneel in front of his wife. “How far apart?”
“Three minutes. Oh . . . crap, that one hurt.”
“Dammit, Dani, why didn’t you tell me when the contractions started?” Kincaid said.
“Anything I can do?” Jake asked. It was the first time Jake had ever heard fear in the boss’s voice. Even in a fierce firefight, the Iceman was always cool and calm.
“Yeah,” Dani said. “Ask Mrs. Jankowski to grab my overnight case.”
Happy to be useful, he ran through the house calling for Mrs. Jankowski. Dani’s five-year-old daughter, Regan, ran out of her bedroom as he raced up the stairs.
“Jake! Did you come to play with me? Mommy wrote me a book about my real daddy and we can read it together. He died in the war when I wasn’t born yet. Did you know that?”
The awful night was etched in Jake’s memory. He knelt and brushed a strand of damp hair from her face. “Yes, sweetheart, I did know that, and I knew your daddy. He was a very brave man, and I do want to read your book with you but I can’t right now. I promise I’ll come back soon so you can share your daddy book with me.” Standing, he started down the hall. “Where’s Mrs. Jankowski?”