Hearths of Fire (6 page)

It appeared to be the question of the week. Catori smiled her appreciation at his offer to help but shook her head. She was wearing jeans. Granted, the shirt she had on wasn’t exactly what one would dress out to wet a line. It was a white button-down blouse tapered at the sides. She owned quite a few since they fit so well underneath her jackets. The elderly man didn’t blink twice at the weapon on her hip, most likely thinking she was law enforcement.

“I’m just waiting on someone.” Catori pushed up her sunglasses and slid them into her hair, mostly to keep the long strands from blowing into her face. A storm front was moving in, and if the dark clouds to the west were any indication it was going to be a big one. “Thank you, though.”

Before the older man could ask whom she was meeting, because that was undoubtedly the question on his mind, the sound of a boat’s motor could be heard chopping through the water. The man of the hour had just arrived as he expertly steered the rickety fishing boat alongside the only wooden dock within the vicinity. Catori wasn’t so sure it should be called a dock though. It resembled more of a ramshackle collection of rotting planks.

Catori and the fisherman watched as Doc used the thick rope to tie off his boat and then shut off the engine. He glanced their way and his piercing green eyes could be seen from where she was leaning against her car. His lean muscular form reminded her of a tiger and his eyes only added to that illusion. His dark blond hair was a mess, but she was relatively sure that was on purpose. It wasn’t long, but the thickness gave it a tousled look. He grabbed his gear and stepped onto the unstable anchorage. She was amazed to see that it held his weight.

“Whatever you’re here for, trust me, he ain’t buyin’.” The elderly man gave her a compassionate smile and that’s when Catori realized that he thought she was some jilted lover. “He’s too hung up on that Charlotte. Shame she left him the way she did.”

Catori lifted her eyebrow in question but the fisherman didn’t continue. She wasn’t the type of person to invade another’s privacy. Her pointed look was in the fact that this man was freely giving information to a stranger. He was old enough to know better, but it wasn’t her place to chastise him. He’d lived a lot longer than her and he wasn’t about to change now.

“Fred, everything all right?” Doc had worked his way up the dirt path to the open area where Catori, and who she now knew was Fred, waited. Doc eyed her red convertible, but not only ignored it afterward but her as well. “Storm is rolling in. You need a lift to Myrna’s?”

“No, no,” Fred replied, shaking his head. He reached into his back pocket for a rag and wiped the sweat off of his brow. His gnarled fingers had trouble keeping hold of the fabric and Catori had to wonder how he baited a hook. She winced at what she knew must be bad arthritis and didn’t envy the daily pain he must live with. “I was just keeping the young lady company.”

Young lady? Catori bit her lip to keep from replying that she was fifteen years Doc’s senior, but she knew it wouldn’t change Fred’s perception on age. He had to be entering into his eighties, so to him she was young. Mentally she was anything but. She was still leaning against her car, but she wanted this introduction over so that she could have her say and move on to the next recruit. Holding out her hand, Catori waited for Doc to take it.

“Whatever it is, the answer is no.”

“Ha, told ya,” Fred said, pulling his lips in, scrunching his face and shaking his head in commiseration.

“Fred, it was a pleasure to meet you.” Catori couldn’t take any more of the commentary. She let her arm fall back to her side. She needed Doc’s full attention, and from the sound of the thunder the storm was almost upon them. “Doc, my name is Catori Starr and I have a proposition for you.”

“I already told you the answer’s no.”

Fred seemed to take the hint, and with a touch to the brim of his hat he slowly meandered on through the lot to his destination. Doc studied her for a moment before turning on his heel, fishing gear in one hand and a pole in the other. Catori did love a challenge. She leaned back against the car and waited until he was about thirty yards out.

“Two thousand and ten. Afghanistan.” The year and country brought Doc to a standstill, although he didn’t turn around. Catori finally had his attention. He slowly faced her, his green eyes staring at her intently. “Your team lost communication with higher headquarters and was basically on their own to face some serious opposition. You knew friendly fire was about to come from the other side and you managed to get the comms system up and running using only a field expedient NVIS antenna and a reflector you fabricated from the shit laying around your position. You thought outside the box and saved countless lives—which had nothing to do with your medical training, I might add. I need someone with your talent on my team.”

“It looks like you’re out of luck then. I’m no longer in the service.” Doc glanced up at the clouds rolling in. He looked pointedly back at her car. “I’d get the roof up if I were you.”

“Red Starr HRT is looking for a comms tech with your skillset. Your additional medical training is a bonus—one I’m willing to pay extra for.” Catori maintained eye contact and baited her trap with his dream. “Your wish of sailing on the ocean with a forty-six foot Perini Navi during retirement could be less than ten years away if you come work for me—although why you would want to retire at such a young age is beyond me.”

Catori had sparked his interest now and it was up to her to close the deal before the skies opened up within the next five minutes. The wind had picked up and the trees were swaying in protest. The boat could be heard knocking against the wooden dock and the water had become increasingly choppy.

“Hop in. I’ll fill you in on the rest and then drop you off at your house.”

Catori knew she’d won when Doc walked her way and around to the passenger side of her convertible. His stride, so like his eyes, was very similar to a tiger as he hunted his prey. She could understand his need to find peace on the water, but he was too young to do it now. He still had many years ahead of him where he could be helping others and she aimed to be the one to utilize him.

“I’ve heard of Red Starr HRT,” Doc said, taking his fishing pole apart into three segments and setting his gear at his feet. She was already situated in the driver’s side, pressing the ignition button. By the time Doc was seated, the soft top was closing them in and not a moment too soon. Rain dropped on her windshield. “Why me? There are hundreds of comm specialists out there that could do the job you need filled.”

“I want you.” Catori pulled the seat belt across the front of her and then shifted the car into gear. She turned the wheels in the direction of town and got them on their way. “Take time to think about it. The offer and contract are sitting in your email for you to review. If you agree to my terms, you’ll report the first of August to the address listed.”

“Just like that?” Doc placed an elbow against the window while his fingers rubbed his five o’clock shadow. Being a civilian had its perks, but not enough. Catori could see the unreleased energy within just waiting for a chance to break free. “You come out of nowhere, offer me a job, and what?”

“You take it?” Catori countered, maneuvering the small town roads as if she’d been born here. Studying the layout of the town hadn’t been that hard. “I’ll be honest with you, Doc. Red Starr HRT took a two year break, but now I’m reviving it. Gavin Crest recommended you highly, and seeing as he’s one of the few men I trust, here I am.”

“Crest?” For the first time since Doc set eyes on her, his shoulders relaxed. Catori had to wonder if there wasn’t something she or Crest missed in Doc’s background. His body language seemed a little too tense for having just fished an entire morning with nothing else planned for the rest of the day. It almost seemed as if he were expecting trouble. “I’ve known Crest for quite a few years. He was my Staff NCOIC over in Iraq.”

“Forty-eight hours,” Catori said, giving a time limit. She already knew he’d say yes, but she wasn’t one to like loose threads. The faster her team was formed the quicker it would get her back to San Diego and the chaotic mess her new headquarters had become. Word had already leaked out that Red Starr HRT was getting ready to take missions and potential assignments were developing. She refused to let her team go on a live operation until she saw how they worked together as a unit. Catori swung the tires of her vehicle until they were side by side with the curb in front of a well-maintained two-story suburban house and shifted into park. “Is there anything you want to tell me that might interfere with the position I’m offering you?”

Doc didn’t say anything as he reached down to his feet and grabbed a hold of his fishing gear. It was a damn good thing he kept the tackle box clean. If it had reeked of fish, she’d have made him leave it in his boat. Once he had everything gathered he placed his hand on the handle but didn’t move to exit. She waited patiently, her fingers on the stick shift.

“Nothing I can’t clean up before the first of August.”

Those words didn’t necessarily instill the reassurance Catori wanted, but Doc was free to have a personal life. Whatever his situation, it most likely had to do with the woman named Charlotte that Fred had mentioned.

“See to it that it is. I need you focused.”

Doc didn’t bother to utter another word as he got out of her car. The rain was coming down hard but it didn’t seem to bother him as he leisurely took his time to walk up the slightly crooked sidewalk. Catori did notice that he looked around, taking in his surroundings before unlocking his front door. She had a feeling that locking one’s home was an unusual occurrence around these parts, but considering what Doc had done for a living, it didn’t come as a surprise that he liked the extra security. Having faith in his ability to iron out his personal life before arriving in San Diego, she pulled away from the curb.

Two down, three to go.

‡

T
he neon lit
jukebox in the dilapidated bar played a country western tune that was more rock ’n roll in Catori’s opinion. It was loud, but not so deafening that the rowdy customers couldn’t hear their shouted conversations. It was only eighteen hundred on a weekday, three days after her visit with Doc, but that didn’t stop those whom she assumed were regulars from coming in for their daily bellyful. It was a small dive located in a tiny town situated in northern Nebraska.

Catori noticed that the loud banter had become more or less diminished as the locals noticed a stranger amongst them. She quickly memorized the layout of the place, noticing the bar to her right, a dartboard directly toward the back, one pool table off to the left, and around eight tables with four or five chairs each located in the middle. There were two small booths located in the far left corner that would be perfect to have a private conversation. The only potential trouble she could foresee were the two men playing a game of pool. It seemed to her that they might have just reached their limit.

Recognizing her next target, Catori walked directly to the bar and met the gaze of the man she needed to speak with. Daegan Murphy was part Irish and his startling blue eyes were evident of his strong heritage. He kept his head closely shaved to his scalp, but his black hair was unmistakable. The two young girls who couldn’t take their eyes off of his six-foot tall muscular frame obviously found him attractive. Catori just wanted him for his ability to button a man’s pocket at a thousand yards.

“Daegan, I was hoping you had a moment to speak with me.”

“For you, darlin’, I have all night.” Daegan flipped the hand towel over his shoulder and then folded his arms before leaning on the bar top. “What can I help you with?”

Catori couldn’t prevent a smile at his charisma. She had to admit that she was having fun setting up her team. It kept her busy and she found herself feeling closer to Red in doing something that he loved. Seeing the frowns on the faces of the two women who looked as if she had just pissed in their rocks glasses, Catori cut to the chase.

“It’s what I can do for you.” Catori motioned with her head toward the back booths. “Mind if we talk in private?”

Daegan’s smile didn’t falter, but she could see that she had his wheels spinning. He tapped the surface of the bar and nodded, giving his consent. Holding up two fingers and gesturing to someone, Catori saw a man at one of the tables stand and head their way. This must be Daegan’s brother, Callum. They were similar in their dark good looks, although Callum appeared to have a thinner frame. She also noticed a wedding band on his left hand, making him out of contention with the women.

“This pretty lady would like a word with me, Callum. Mind taking over?”

Callum was more reserved and took the time to look her over, in the direct opposite manner that Daegan had. His brother didn’t like strangers in his town and was making it known. When he finally brought his gaze up to meet hers she didn’t back down. His lips thinned in annoyance, but he acquiesced and stepped around her to lift a portion of the bar. Callum entered while Daegan exited, but not before Daegan tossed the towel his brother’s way.