Page 26 of Beachcomber Danger

Chapter 7

Shana gave the coded rap on the basement door and Acer let her inside his new home away from home. Shana noticed he’d set up more equipment since they were down there earlier, placing everything along the back wall, ready and waiting to be closed in.

Dane arrived as she entered and closed in behind her. He’d been staying very close, insinuating himself in a seductively intimate posture any time he could manage it—which happened to be with unnerving frequency.

Where had the cool, competitive-to-the-point-of-combative man whom she’d agreed to marry gone?

This had to be temporary. This had to be that hot, passionate honeymoon-like phase of their relationship. She’d heard of this phase where a couple couldn’t bear being apart, couldn’t possibly keep their hands off each other. It had to stop.

She smiled inside. They’d always had that kind of attraction. The only difference now was that they’d stopped bothering to fight it.

Should she be ashamed that she missed the fight, the challenge of seduction? Was it wrong to not want it to be too easy?

“Just in time for some crazy-ass intel,” Acer said with a serious-as-Satan look.

The reminder sobered her, tearing her thoughts from how easy and quick she and Dane were to satisfy their passion. There was no question that that line of thought, that level of attraction, if left undisciplined, could get them killed. No question that the easy seductions would have to go, that they had to be scrupulously professional going forward on this assignment. No more allowing hedonistic distraction.

Shana needed to become impervious to carnal temptation, needed to become her former icy self even if Dane seemed to have lost the ability. More so because of it, though she knew he could rein it in. She hoped it was not one of those genie-out-of-the-bottle circumstances.

“I have more. You ready to hear it?”

“Make it quick.” Dane focused on Acer.

“On the cell leader—his name is Zane Zarate he’s either an ISIS cell loner or not an ISIS cell leader at all. He has no partners in crime, no other cell members. He could be just a nut with a grudge and questionable funding.”

“And the assassins?” Shana asked.

She felt Dane behind her, but he didn’t touch her. She told herself that was a good thing even if it felt all wrong. She wanted to get out of this secret room and its intimacy as fast as possible.

“I’d suspected this was no ordinary cell. According to the Governor, the cell that had been activated consisted of one person so that squares with what you found. Homeland Security had eyes on him.”

“I got his identity. He’s a college professor. I’m still trying to identify the two people he’s in communication with. He sent money to them. As far as I can tell so far, Homeland Security’s man Zarate—code named Professor Doom—

“How the hell do you—.” Shana was cut off by Dane.

“We don’t need to know how you know the DHS code name.”

“Fine. Get on with it then.” Shana’s discomfort grew in the form of jittery nerves. She dismissed the thought that it might be from having Dane close, but not close enough, the strain of controlling her need for him with his body next to hers.

Acer nodded. “Our Professor Doom has done nothing else. Sent the money. No other activity observed prior or since.”

“What else would he be expected to do?” Shana wasn’t sure.

“Procure and send weapons, arrange false identification, send instructions. All he’s provided is the target and the money,” Acer said.

Shana turned to Dane. He’d been staring at the floor. She hoped he had some insight. This was outside her experience. She’d dealt with the mob, gangs and cartels, but never had a case involving ISIS or terrorist cells. Maybe that was the real source of her discomfort, not Dane.

*****

As Dane listened, it all sounded familiar, reminiscent of his days in Chicago on the HVT—the High Value Team made up of multitalented undercover detectives with SWAT expertise. They’d heard this kind of intel related to mob hits. He took a breath and voiced his suspicion.

“This terrorist assassination plot has all the earmarks of a hired hit.”

“How do you want to play this?” Acer said.

He and Dane could get in trouble if the Secret Service found out they’d been doing illegal hacking. More trouble than they’d be in anyway, but they couldn’t sit on this information.

“We need to make sure the Secret Service or Homeland Security has this intel. We can’t assume they already have it. The stakes are too high. We need to deliver it to Peter. In person.”