“But the local workers as well?”
Now Layne frowned. Piper was right, the locals shouldn’t be upset by the water or the food. “Okay, well it must have been something bad in the food last night. Pretty sure no mummies climbed out of the excavation to poison anyone. Come on, let’s make sure everyone who’s not feeling well is settled in their tents.”
Piper nodded. “Guess that means the rest of us will have more work to do today.”
“Yes. It does. But I have something that’ll help lighten the load.”
“Oh?” Piper looked intrigued.
“When the scaffold collapsed, it knocked a hole in the wall.”
Piper straightened. “And?”
Layne grinned. “I found something.”
“You’re killing me here, Doc.” Piper bounced on her feet. “What?”
“Wonderful things.”
Dec dodged the punch.
He spun and kicked out, his foot connecting with a hard abdomen.
There was a grunt. “Easy, Dec.”
Dec pulled back, bouncing on his feet in the sand. He and Logan had a bit of down time, so they were sparring. Logan was bigger and stronger, but Dec was faster. Besides, they’d been sparring for years now. They knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Dec came in low and managed a blow to Logan’s side. The big man dodged away, cursing.
“Getting rusty, old man.” Dec grinned.
Logan growled. “I’ll show you old.”
The next few blows were hard and fierce. It took everything Dec had to block them. Then, with a roar, Logan tackled him. They both landed hard on the ground.
“We’ll call it a draw,” Dec rasped, spitting out a mouthful of sand.
Logan flopped back in the sand, shading his face with an arm. “How long until we’re on duty?”
“An hour. I’m sure Hale and Morgan are keen for a break by now.” Dec drew his knees up. Even though he wasn’t officially on duty, they were still sparring on Dec’s favorite sand dune. The one that gave him a perfect view of the dig and surroundings.
Since the scaffold, there had been no problems. No sign of intruders. No sign of Anders.
Nothing.
It made Dec nervous and itchy. He much preferred action.
“You’re on edge, my friend,” Logan said.
Dec turned his head and saw Logan watching him. He shrugged. “Anders isn’t really the patient type. I expected him to make a move before now.” Especially since they’d brought the golden sarcophagus up. While he and Layne had kept the scroll under wraps, he was certain news of the sarcophagus would have reached Dakhla and beyond.
“Everything’s quiet,” Logan said. “We should be grateful.”
“I know.”
“Maybe it’s not just the job getting to you. Maybe it has something to do with a certain sexy, mouthy archeologist?”
Dec narrowed his gaze at his friend but stayed silent.
“Come on, Dec.” Logan sat up. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. Watch her when she isn’t looking. I haven’t seen you look at anyone that way—”
“Drop it, O’Connor. There is nothing going on with Rush and me.”
“Oh? In that case, you won’t mind if I take a stab at her? That mouth of hers—”
Dec moved without thinking. He blinked and realized he had the front of Logan’s shirt bunched in his hands.
His friend had a smug grin on his face.
“You’re an asshole.” Dec let him go.
“I like her,” Logan said.
Shit. Dec ran his hands through his hair. He did, too. Too much. “I’m a one night kind of guy, that’s all I have to offer. She’s not.” She deserved so much better.
“You don’t have to be. I know you’re dragging around all that stuff with Anders—”
Dec sliced a hand through the air. “Right now, all I can focus on is keeping her safe.”
Logan raised a brow. “I thought you were focused on catching Anders.”
Dec stilled. “That, too.” But his gaze moved over the dig until he found the head covered by a battered hat, and the tight, compact body. She was hunched over, working with that fierce concentration of hers.
Dec had been after Anders for years. But he knew if it came down to Layne or Anders, Dec would protect her with his last breath.
“Dec, do you copy?”
Morgan’s voice came through his earpiece. “Yeah, Morgan?”
“I’ve got something. Hale and I are coming to you.”
“Roger that.”
A moment later, Hale and Morgan jogged up the dune.
“What is it?” Dec asked.
“Informant in Dakhla got in touch with me,” Morgan said. She’d spent a day at the oasis cultivating a few informants. Morgan might have a tough exterior, but when she turned on the charm, people warmed to her instantly. “Anders has been spotted.”