Dar watched her reflection smile in reflex.

“If you’re her secretary, then you’d better get your steno pad, kid,”

the chief answered.

Dar held her breath, wondering what her lover was going to hit back with.

Kerry simply laughed. “Boy, do you have your stereotypes crossed.”


Red Sky At Morning 215

Dar turned and faced them, leaning back against the cool glass and feeling the pressure of the rain outside against her shoulder blades.

“The problem is this. I want to locate and pin down every son of a bitch who’s involved in this. If the Navy sends police in there, they won’t catch one in twenty.”

“They’ll run.” Kerry nodded. “And they’ll dump the systems.

We’ve only got a soft data capture, Dar. We don’t have the file structure or the algorithms you found. I’m surprised they haven’t started doing that already.”

“They went for what they knew I was looking at.” Dar shook her head. “Must have known I found that data hub.” She looked directly at the chief. “Who’d you ask about it?”

Chief Daniel was momentarily taken aback. “It’s my right to ask!”

“That’s not in question.” Kerry took a dried cherry from the bowl on the table and nibbled it. “Point is, someone was nervous enough about it to get it removed, and that says a lot in itself. Dar, I did a trace on the company that installed it. They’re a private fiber house who do a lot of work for the city.”

Dar lifted an eyebrow.

“The last big thing they did was wire the mayor’s place for teleconferencing,” Kerry added, as they both exchanged looks.

“Shit.” Dar closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “This is getting too big for us. Let me go call Alastair and find out what the hell he wants me to do. We stepped into a cesspool here.” She walked past them and into the study, shutting the door behind her.

Kerry released a held breath. “Shit,” she echoed Dar. “She’s right.

This is way outside our contract.”

Chief Daniel snorted. “Sure. Stir up everything, then run, and let us all sink.”

“It’s not that,” Kerry snapped. “Do you understand what we’re talking about here? These are federal crimes.”

“No kidding.”

Kerry turned her back and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and going into the refrigerator. She studied her options, then gave in and took two squirts of chocolate syrup and filled the glass with milk.

Troubled, she leaned back against the counter and swirled her milk to mix it. So many complications crowded into her mind. First, the problem of the drugs. It was far beyond anything Dar had expected to find, and she knew it had thrown Dar for a loop. That was hard enough, without the possibility of someone Dar knew being involved.

What if it was Jeff Ainsbright? Kerry took a long swallow of her chocolate milk. She’d liked the big commander and had found him open and straightforward, even in the uncomfortable situation they’d found themselves last night. What about little Chuckie? Kerry’s lip curled up into an almost unconscious snarl. Dear God, she realized uneasily, I’m 216 Melissa Good hoping he is. I’m hoping they take his obnoxious ass and throw him in the federal jail for twenty years. A very unchristian thought stared her in the face. Maybe he’ll develop a taste for a different lifestyle.

Jesus. Kerry put the glass down and covered her face. Do I really feel that way? She folded her arms unhappily. Damn it, yes I do. He hurt her.

Kerry felt a sense of helpless rage. He hurt her, and all I want is to... Her muscles tensed, and her shoulders twitched with tension. I want to beat him senseless.

She’d never felt like this before. Even in the bad times, even with Kyle, she’d never thought about physically fighting back. A soft snort left her. “Look at me,” she whispered. “A year’s worth of martial arts and a dark-blue belt, and I think I’m the Terminator.”

A noise at the door made her look up to see Dar quietly looking back at her. “How’d it go?”

Dar entered and walked over to her, taking up a spot leaning on the counter at her side. “He’s as gobsmacked as I am,” she admitted. “All I got out of him was, ‘Dar, do what you have to do, you know I trust your judgment.’”

“Oh boy. That helps.” Kerry picked up her glass and drank from it.

“So, what’s your best judgment, boss? You know I trust it, too.”

Dar took the glass from her. “He’s calling Hamilton, though, and briefing him.” She took a sip. “I honest to God don’t know what to do, Ker. I know we should turn this over to the military, and let them handle it. It’s out of our league.”

Kerry nodded slowly. “You’re right,” she agreed. “This is outside our expertise, and it could potentially be very dangerous to be involved in. General Easton should take it from here.”

They were both quiet for a few minutes, sharing the glass of milk until it was drained to the last drop. Finally, Kerry put the glass down and turned her head to look at her lover. “You think they’ll botch it.”

A tiny cocking of Dar’s head indicated reluctant agreement. “I want to get all of them,” she murmured. “I’m afraid of two things, Ker: one, that they’ll take too long; two, that they’ll go in there and lose the data that will identify all the people involved.”

Kerry folded her arms. “Dar, I understand how you feel, but this is beyond us.”

“I know.” Dar’s voice was unhappy. “Let’s go call Gerry. We can’t sit on this any longer.”

Kerry followed Dar out of the kitchen and across the living room.

“Chief, we’re going to turn this over to the Joint Chiefs—who contracted us.”

A snort. “Figures.” Chief Daniel got up. “Do you know what that’ll do? They’ll take a brush the size of an aircraft carrier and paint us all with it. Some reward for helping you out. Assholes.” She went to the door and was through it before Dar or Kerry could respond. The slam reverberated, making Chino bark in surprise, then it was quiet.


Red Sky At Morning 217

“Ugh.” Kerry rubbed her forehead. “What a totally unlikable person.”

Dar picked up the telephone. “Yeah,” she agreed. “She’s a nastier son of a bitch than I am. I never thought I’d live to see that.” The phone buzzed in her ear, then was picked up. “Gerry? It’s Dar.”

ANDREW WALKED TO the end of the dock and took a seat, extended his long legs out, and squirmed to get more comfortable on the hard wooden bench. He didn’t have that long to wait, as footsteps sounded after a few minutes, and he turned his head slightly to see the tall, burly figure making its way toward him.

He waited until the intruder was very close, then he swiveled to meet him. “’Lo.”

Jeff Ainsbright slowed and came to a halt a body’s length away.

“Hey, Andrew.” He cleared his throat. “Thanks for saying you’d meet me.”

Quiet, patient blue eyes surveyed him. “Sit yerself down.” He moved over to let his old friend take a seat, then he waited in silence.

The anger inside him would be patient for a while longer.

“Listen, Andy...” Jeff seemed at a loss. “About last night.”

“Y’know,” Andrew interrupted him, “been a long time since I been to a parent-teacher meeting. Dar’s a grown woman, has been for years.

If you got something t’say about what happened last night, y’need to be saying it to her.”

Jeff exhaled and rested his weight on his elbows. He laced his hands together and studied them. “Andy, you know I always liked Dar.”“I always got that idea, yes,” Andrew said. “She always talked well of you.”

The commander was silent for a few moments. “I just wasn’t ready for last night,” he admitted. “Chuck came home and told us, and I just didn’t...I didn’t have a chance to think about it.” He looked up. “D’you understand?”

A shrug was eloquent. “Never mattered to me, so no, I do not understand.”

Jeff sighed. “You always had a blind spot with her.”

Now, Andrew looked up and met his eyes fully. “She is a gift God gave me.” He spoke slowly and with an almost gentle passion. “He made her, and I love all that she is.” A breath. “Ah do not know why people do not understand that.”

Jeff looked at him, then dropped his eyes. “Because you’re a better man than most of us are, Andy.”

“That’s bullshit,” Andrew snapped. “And what the hell’s wrong with that kid of yours?”

The commander shifted away a bit. “What do you mean?”


218 Melissa Good

“What the hell you think I mean? Goddamn ship captain goin’ off his damn gourd, lashing out at some civ?” Andrew’s eyes flashed. “He leave his brains on board, or what?”

Jeff gave him a defensive look. “C’mon, Andrew. He was under a lot of stress. He was really stuck on Dar.”

Andrew stood and paced restlessly. “No, no no. Ah don’t buy it, Jeff.” The ex-SEAL shook his head. “Not after all this damn time. Don’t you be telling me he’s stuck on her since they was in high school. So stuck he goes nuts when he finds out he ain’t got no chance, fer the second time.” Andrew turned and put his hands on his hips. “Don’t sound like somebody I want running mah boat, let me tell you that.”

Ainsbright looked at him warily. “He’s a good ship captain.”

Pale, ice-blue eyes regarded him. “Seems to me, I’m remembering they washed his ass out of command school.”

“He tried again. Had to grow up some. You know how it is.”

Andrew’s jaw worked. “From what I seen outside that steakhouse, he ain’t growed up near enough to be in charge of himself, much less a boat full of other folks.”

Frustrated, Jeff threw up his hands. “C’mon, Andrew, he lost his temper. Don’t tell me you never did. I know better.”

“I never ran me no boat,” Andrew replied softly. “But I never picked me up no baseball bat and went after no civ woman, either,” he added. “I’m thinking that should be enough to take back them stripes.”

Jeff went very still. The two men stared at each other for a long moment, then Ainsbright sat down again and rested his head in his hands. “Yeah, he fucked up.” His voice echoed off the pavement.

“Damn stupid kid.”

Andrew leaned back against a wooden pylon and gazed up at the clouds. Thunder rumbled overhead, but it had not, as of yet, started raining. The headache that had started when Ceci had told him, in her own way, about the bat now worsened. “Damn lucky kid.”

Jeff jerked his head up. “Lucky?”

The chill in Andrew’s eyes was unmistakable. His nostrils flared.

“Lucky ah did not come out that door thirty seconds earlier than I did.”

The commander snorted in weary bemusement. “Shit, Andy. Dar didn’t need your help. Chuck’s in the base hospital with a ruptured eardrum and partially dislocated jaw.” He closed his eyes. “They’ll probably discharge him for that. Maybe it’s for the best.”

Andrew sat down. “You ain’t going to report him, then?” he asked, quietly. “’Cause if you don’t, ah will.”

Ainsbright looked up at him, taking in the uncompromising stance and the inflexible will showing on his old friend’s scarred face.

“Andrew...”

“Not fer me, or fer Dar,” Andrew said. “You’re right. Dar don’t need me to take care of her anymore. She’s a big girl, and she can handle herself as well as most.” He straightened. “But out on that boat, Jeff, Red Sky At Morning 219

there’s folks down under decks who don’t deserve t’have someone like that taking charge of their lives.”

“He has a spotless record!” Jeff protested.

“I used to be one of them folks below decks,” Andrew shot right back. “Someone has to watch out for them, if you ain’t.”

“Andrew, for God’s sake!” the commander yelled. “It was a little scuffle, c’mon now!”

“No, sir!” Andrew went nose to nose with him, jabbing a finger into his chest. “It was a Navy captain attacking a civilian and displaying conduct unbecoming to a goddamned officer!” He glared at Ainsbright.

“And if it was Dar that done that, I’d report her, too!”

Silence. “Would you?” the commander asked softly.

“I would,” Andrew replied.

“Well,” Jeff Ainsbright dusted off his uniform, “I’m not you.” He turned and walked around the bench, then headed off down the dock without a backward glance.

Andrew let out a sigh, then he sat down on the bench and stretched out his long legs, studying their denim-covered length with a frown.

The rising wind blew a tiny bit of sea spray against his face, and he tipped his head back, eyeing the dark clouds pensively.