Felicity winced as the pair entered the room. She and Westley and Denise filled the doorway to watch Queenie sniff the bed and the floor around the closet, then finally come to a halt at the dresser. Chase opened the bottom drawer. Queenie sniffed but didn’t alert. Two more drawers were opened before the beagle alerted. Inside the top drawer was a listening device. It was the same drawer that had been open the morning Felicity had awoken to find someone at the foot of her bed. She shuddered with revulsion. The intruder had been spying on her. That was how he known about the tablet. But did he know about the key? Was the key even significant?
Chase and Queenie checked the rest of the house and found no more devices.
Denise took the evidence bags and set them outside before coming back into the house. “I’ll have those sent to the FBI lab for analysis.” Then she turned to Chase. “This was a successful test,” she said, obviously pleased. “I’m proud of you both.”
Despite the sick roil in her belly from having been bugged, a smile tugged at the corner of Felicity’s mouth at the sight of the red creeping up Chase’s neck at the compliment. She slanted a glance at Westley. He raised an eyebrow at her. She wanted to poke at him about how easy it was to give praise, but decided she didn’t need to point out the obvious.
“Good job,” Westley told Chase. Felicity couldn’t stop the grin this time. And she hadn’t had to say a word. Okay, maybe she’d given him a look but still...he could learn. That warmed her heart.
Chase shrugged. “It wasn’t me. Queenie did all the sniffing.”
Westley clapped the other man on the back. “We appreciate it just the same.”
Looking decidedly uncomfortable, Chase tugged at the collar of his uniform. “We’ll head back to the training center now if you don’t need us anymore.”
“No, you’re good,” Westley said.
Chase, Queenie and Denise left the house, taking the devices with them.
“Now what?” Felicity said. “Do you think it’s safe to come back here?”
“Not yet,” he said. “I want to install a security system before you do. Tonight we’ll bunk with your uncle and then tomorrow I’ll make this house a fortress.”
She appreciated all he was doing for her. “Thank you. I don’t know if I could handle all of this without you.”
A frown formed on his handsome face. “You’re strong, Felicity. I have no doubt you can handle anything life throws at you.”
His words sent pleasure sliding through her. She had the strongest urge to kiss him, but considering they were standing on her porch beneath the light, where anyone could see them, she refrained. Instead, she focused on the job they still had to do. “We need to get the tablet to Ian before anything else happens.”
“You’re right,” Westley said. “Why don’t you call and see if he’s back on base?”
“Can do.” Felicity fished out her cell phone from the pocket of her uniform pants and dialed the OSI office. On the third ring, the receptionist answered.
“He’s in a meeting with Lieutenant General Hall and Captain Blackwood,” the woman said when Felicity asked for Ian. “I’m sure he’ll contact you when he’s done. I gave him your earlier message.”
Felicity thanked the woman and hung up. She related the information to Westley. “I hope this means there’s been a break in the Red Rose Killer case. We’ll all sleep better once Boyd is back behind bars.”
“This is true,” Westley agreed. “But I won’t sleep at all until the maniac who killed your father is captured.” He curled his fingers around her hand that held the tablet. “We need to get this to a secure place until we can pass it off to Agent Steffen.”
“It would be safe with you,” she said, willing to let him carry the burden.
“I have an idea,” he said. “There’s a small safe in the office of the training center, where we keep the paperwork on the dogs and an emergency stash of their medication. The tablet will be safe there tonight.”
“Good idea.” She held his gaze. The tender expression on his handsome face made her pulse jump.
She knew she could count on him to protect her and find a solution to any problem. He was a man of honor and integrity. A man worthy of loving.
Her mouth went dry at that thought. Was she falling in love with Westley?
She had to admit that maybe she was.
It was such a strange sensation, considering not that long ago she wasn’t sure she liked him or that he liked her. But things had changed between them at a rapid clip.
A pang tugged at her heart. She didn’t see a way for them to ever be a couple. Not if they hoped to continue to train the dogs, with her under his command.
Best to put any thoughts of romance out of her mind and close off her heart before they both got hurt.
* * *
Felicity stepped back, putting space between her and Westley. He could sense her withdrawing from him emotionally. He wasn’t sure what thought had crossed her mind to make the small V appear between her eyebrows. For a moment there, as they stood beneath the glow of the porch light, he’d seen the spark of attraction that seemed to simmer within her and flared occasionally when he least expected it. He savored those moments. Even though he knew there could never be anything real or long-lasting between them. Still, it was nice to pretend for a second here and there...
“I should call my uncle,” she said, her voice tight. “See if we can stay there tonight.”
“Right.” It was the right call. Her uncle was family. They would both be more comfortable there than taking shifts on the cot. “Let’s go to the training center and take care of the tablet, then you can call him.”
They walked back, Dakota trotting beside them. Westley wanted to ask her if she was okay, but that seemed like a dumb question considering all that had transpired. Of course she wasn’t all right. She had to be stressed and scared, and was putting up a brave front. No, not a front. She was brave. And kind and so much stronger in spirit than he’d given her credit for in the beginning.
He admired and respected Felicity. Enough to know that he had to keep his emotions in check so as not to ruin her career or her life.
At the training center, they tucked the tablet into the small safe located in the desk cabinet. Then Felicity called her uncle.
“Thanks, Uncle Patrick, we’ll see you soon,” she said as she hung up. Then she looked up at Westley. “He’s happy to be of help.”
“I hope he won’t mind Dakota staying with us,” Westley said.
Felicity pulled a face. “Uncle Patrick isn’t fond of dogs.”
“So I noticed,” Westley said. “But he’ll have to deal with it.”
Felicity scratched Dakota behind the ears. “Uncle Patrick just has to get to know you. He’ll see not all dogs are scary.”
She grabbed her bag from the cot room and followed Dakota and Westley outside to the parking lot. Westley had the keys to the vehicle used by Caleb Streeter because Westley’s SUV was now in the custody of Security Forces.
They drove to the set of apartments at the north end of the base, where her uncle had a unit on the fifth floor. They took the elevator up and knocked on her Uncle Patrick’s door. He opened it immediately. He stood in the open doorway in his socks, regulation sweatpants and a T-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders.
Dakota emitted a low growl. Westley glanced at Dakota. The hair along his back raised in a ridge. His tail was up, his ears stiff. What was that about?