But Ian’s words reverberated through her head.
We don’t know who to trust.
* * *
“What did Agent Steffen want?”
From the paleness of Felicity’s face, Westley guessed something significant. And the way she stared at him, with wariness in her blue-green eyes, sent a fissure of alarm sliding down his spine.
She shook her head. “Nothing that I want to talk about.”
So there was something, but she didn’t trust him enough to share. Hurt spread through his chest. How could he protect her if she distrusted him? And why did she distrust him? Hadn’t he always treated her professionally? Except when he’d hugged her in a moment of weakness. That was something he wouldn’t let happen again.
Did she know about his mom and dad? Is that what the OSI agent told her?
Swallowing his concern, he led her toward the exit.
A bulldog of a man rushed through the double doors of the base command. He wore the airman battle-ready uniform with a staff-sergeant insignia and the name Dooley on the tag. The solid occupational badge marked him an engineer.
Westley swiftly maneuvered Felicity behind him. For all Westley knew, Boyd could be posing as an airman and using disguises to camouflage his appearance.
“Felicity!” the man exclaimed and hurried toward them. As he drew closer, Westley realized the man was older than he first appeared. Mid-to late-fifties.
Felicity nudged Westley aside. “Uncle Patrick.”
Westley relaxed and stepped back, allowing Felicity room.
Patrick skidded to a halt and eyed Westley, saluted and then turned his gaze on Felicity. “Are you okay? I heard the Red Rose Killer is loose on base and that you were threatened.”
“I’m fine, Uncle,” she replied. “A little shaken, that’s all.”
“I would imagine so,” Patrick said. “Colleen must be beside herself.”
Felicity made a face. “I haven’t told Mom and would rather you didn’t as well.”
Patrick smirked. “The last thing I want is to be the bearer of bad news to my sister.” He gave a mock shudder.
“Uncle, this is Master Sergeant Westley James,” Felicity said. “Westley, my uncle, Staff Sergeant Patrick Dooley.”
“You’re from the MWD training center, right?” Patrick asked. “I’ve seen you working the dogs.”
“That’s right.” From Patrick’s tone, Westley gathered the man wasn’t a fan of the canines.
Patrick focused on Felicity. “It’s not safe for you to go home. You need to come stay with me. We’re family after all.”
The stiffness in Felicity’s shoulders told Westley she wasn’t keen on the idea. “She’ll have all the protection she needs,” Westley assured the man. “We’re heading to the training center now to pick up a dog for her.”
Felicity shot Westley a look that he couldn’t decipher. He guessed she was thinking that it was against regulations for an MWD to be housed anywhere but in the kennels. He would have to explain when her uncle wasn’t present.
Patrick’s upper lip curled slightly. “Unacceptable. Your mother would never forgive me if I let something happen to you when I could keep you safe.”
“I appreciate the offer, Uncle Patrick,” she said. “But Westley will provide me the protection I need.”
“I suppose you’ll be safe at the training center as well.” Patrick didn’t sound mollified.
“Actually, I’m taking over the role of base photographer starting tomorrow,” Felicity told him.
The man’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “What? Whose crazy idea was that? You’ll be out in the open. Exposed. Unacceptable!”
Though Westley agreed with the man’s assertions, he remained silent. He would let Felicity fill in her uncle on Westley’s role.
“The base commander’s order,” she said. “And Master Sergeant James will be with me.”
Westley met Patrick’s narrowed gaze. “You’d better keep her safe.”
“I plan to,” he replied.
Felicity let out a small huff of air. “We need to get back to the training center so I can collect my things.”
Patrick walked outside with them. The temperature had risen on this April afternoon, warming the air to a nice muggy level that immediately dampened Westley’s skin. Walking to the other side of base wasn’t an appealing thought. “Patrick, would you give us a ride back to the training center?”
“Of course,” he said and led them to a jeep parked across the road.
The vehicle smelled faintly of a scent Westley couldn’t identify. He rolled down the window for fresh air. The ride to the center took all of four minutes.
Felicity gave her uncle a quick hug before he drove away, leaving them standing outside of the center.
“I didn’t realize you had more family on base,” Westley said as they walked toward the entrance.
“We aren’t super close,” she confessed. “Uncle Patrick and my dad used to be friends when they were young. That’s how my parents met, but as Dad moved up through the ranks and into the OSI, he and Patrick grew apart.” She let out a bitter-sounding laugh. “My parents grew apart, as well.”
“Divorced?”
“Yes.” She stopped to glance his way and shielded her eyes from the sun. “What about your parents?”
Acid churned in his gut. He had to ask, had to know. “What did Agent Steffen tell you?”
“Why do you assume he told me anything about you?”
“Because something he said upset you,” Westley replied. “Something that you don’t trust me enough to talk about, so I gathered that meant he warned you off of me.”
Speculation entered her blue-green gaze. “No. What we talked about had nothing to do with you.”
Relief swept through him. And he felt idiotic for his paranoia. “Good.” He started walking again, intending to put the whole subject behind them.
She hurried to keep up the pace and put a hand on his arm before he could open the door to the training center. “But now I’m curious. You never talk about yourself. Why would I need to be warned off of you?”
Westley’s mouth turned to cotton. Of course. The woman was curious. Felicity liked to talk and to hear others’ stories. He’d seen and heard her on numerous occasions with the handlers that came to the training center and with the other trainers. She had a way about her that people found
