Devlin moved to the wall, gestured toward a detailed map of the research islands, then quickly reviewed recent events at the center.
“There’s been trouble at CIRP, unethical research taking place. And Arnold Hughes, the first director and founder of the research center, actually had a scientist killed because he discovered Hughes wanted to sell his research to the highest bidder,” Devlin said. “Hughes escaped our first attempt to catch him, then reappeared with a new identity, but the local police have recently arrested him.”
Mark nodded.
“The new director, Ian Hall, appears to be trying to change CIRP’s reputation, but we have reason to believe there are some high-level secret projects taking place. Some have government clearance, others…we’d like to see stopped.”
“Interesting. Go on.”
“In conjunction with Ian Hall’s good faith publicity, a psychologist named Dr. Claire Kos recently began hosting a radio talk show in Savannah. You know Dr. Kos, don’t you?”
“Yes.” His heart pounded. An image of Claire Kos’s beautiful honey-blond hair floated through his mind like a summer breeze. God, he’d been so in love with her.
But she hadn’t even bothered to come to the airport to say goodbye. He’d waited like a fool until the last minute, hoping she’d show and accept his proposal.
Two weeks later, he’d received his engagement ring in the mail. Still, he’d hoped she would change her mind.
But six months had passed with no word, then six more. She had obviously moved on with her life. Not that he could blame her. After all, she must have decided she couldn’t handle the military life just as his own mother had.
He glanced down at the floor and in his mind, saw the bloody corpses of his fellow soldiers.
Better she had moved on.
She hadn’t understood his compulsion to do his job. To live up to the standards of his military father, a war hero in his own right. What would the colonel say if he could see his son today?
“You don’t suspect Claire of being involved in an unethical project?”
Devlin shrugged. “There is talk about research using hypnosis as well as mind-altering drugs that have been used before to brainwash people. By cozying up to Dr. Kos, we’re hoping you can explore that issue, among others.”
He stiffened. So that’s the reason they were assigning him to this mission. They wanted him to use Claire? “I can assure you Claire isn’t involved. She’s one of the most noble, dedicated doctors I’ve ever known.” Besides being the most beautiful and loving. But after all he’d seen in the past few years, he was too empty inside to have anything to offer a woman. And he couldn’t forgive Claire for not being there when he needed her most.
She wouldn’t be very proud of the man he was now, either.
“But she can help you gain access to the center,” Devlin said.
Mark opened his mouth to protest, then clamped it shut. He’d never allowed personal feelings to interfere with his job. He wouldn’t now.
Devlin cleared his throat. “There’s a new development, though, that takes precedence. In the past two weeks Dr. Kos has received phone calls on her radio talk show from two different women who were abducted. Later, police found both women’s bodies.”
“They were murdered?”
“Yes. The locals suspect a serial killer, so they’ve officially called us in.” Devlin punched a recording, and Mark went completely cold inside as he listened to the chilling calls.
Save yourself, Claire.
What the hell had the killer meant? Was he threatening Claire?
CLAIRE’S HANDS trembled as she headed to the door. It would probably be the police again with more questions. Questions she didn’t have the answers to.
She massaged her neck, rubbing away the tension. After that horrifying phone call the night before, she hadn’t slept a wink. She’d also rescheduled her patient load for the day.
How could she help others when she’d failed the women who’d phoned in needing her help? Even though she wasn’t directly responsible, their deaths weighed heavily on Claire’s conscience.
She bumped into the wall, the sharp edge digging into her hip as she reached for the doorknob. Measuring her steps always grew more difficult when her emotions were involved, or if she was tired. She pressed the call button. “Who’s there?”
“FBI, Dr. Kos, Special Agent Luke Devlin and Agent Steele, we need to ask you some questions.”
Steele? This had to be a coincidence. Someone with the same last name, that’s all. Mark was overseas, not FBI.
And what could she tell them that she hadn’t told the cops?
“Just a moment.” She unlocked the door, leaving the chain intact. “Do you have identification?”
Clothing rustled as the man removed something from his pocket. She accepted the ID through the crack in the door. Holding the badge in front of her as if she could still see it, she slid her fingers over the edges, studying it for authenticity, well aware how limited she’d become without her sight. How could she determine if it was a forgery?
Vaguely satisfied the man was who he claimed to be, she unchained the door and stepped aside.
“Thank you, Dr. Kos.” Luke Devlin’s voice sounded strained, tired, like a man doing an unpleasant job.
Then a whiff of a dark masculine scent mingled with a woodsy smell wafted upward and she froze. No, it couldn’t be…
“HELLO, CLAIRE.”
Panic jammed the words in her throat. “Mark? What are you doing here?”
“I work for the government now,” he said in a husky voice.
But why? Mark had been so committed to the military.
“Dr. Kos, do you mind if we come in and sit down?” Agent Devlin asked.
Claire was so shaken her body temporarily went into lockdown. Her first instinct was to tell them to leave, to take Mark and his intoxicating scent and his big masculine presence away. But her voice refused to work, and her legs threatened to collapse beneath her, so she gestured toward the living area.
“Certainly.” She turned and stumbled, then paused to reorient herself. Agent Devlin’s hard soles clattered on the wooden floor as he stepped inside, but Mark remained in the doorway as if he didn’t want to reenter the graveyard of their shattered relationship.
“Claire.” His throaty voice echoed with emotions she couldn’t quite name. Shock. Anger. Bewilderment.
“Come in.” She forced herself not to react to his voice, but he caught her arm and swung her around. Cupping her face in his hands, he tilted her head toward him. She released a shaky breath, and blinked to focus, aching to see him. She imagined his strong jaw covered in five
