Page 30 of Beachcomber Enemy

“You do realize it’s not your call?” Cap’s wasn’t speaking in his usual easy going voice.

“True. But I’d always assumed you were smart and decent for a statie. Not a peckerhead. You know her chances of survival with police interference plummet to zilch.”

Dane heard a few beats of heavy breathing and knew it was anger seething below Cap’s surface.

“What’s your problem, Cap?” He had an inkling that he knew.

“I don’t like any of this. I don’t like that you’re acting like some vigilante, that Shana’s involved— “

“Woe there.” Dane had been speaking quietly, his voice obscured among the general chatter and clatter of the shop, but this conversation felt like it was about to get out of hand. “Since when am I a vigilante? I’m doing the same thing I’ve always done. I didn’t go looking for this, Cap. Whitey came and blew up my house.”

“Trouble always finds you.”

“Nothing new. So why the sudden attitude?”

“You should have stayed in Boston. Should have let me handle this. It would have kept Shana out of danger.”

“Are you shitting me? You think if I stayed that would have stopped her?” He looked at Shana now, without the shades. She met his eyes in a hard stare, confirming what he was telling Cap. She’d been leaning close, listening to the conversation. He wasn’t sure how much she heard. They both waited for Cap’s response to this.

“You could have managed. If you tried. You’ve always been proactive let’s say, in law enforcement without the badge. But this time you’ve let your need to play hero cloud your judgment. You let her put herself in danger— “

Shana snatched the phone from Dane’s hand so fast, even with his lightning reaction, he didn’t catch her wrist until the phone was to her ear and she was hissing her response to Cap.

“Cap, I appreciate your concern, but it’s misplaced. Contrary to what you both think, I’m my own person and I make my own decisions. I’m perfectly capable of handling this. It’s no different than any other— “

“You’re wrong, Shana,” Cap said. Dane heard the emotion in his voice loud and clear. It was in that second that he realized the depth of feelings Cap held for Shana. He felt his temperature shoot up, surprise and alarm made his gut churn. What the hell?

Holding the confusion of emotions in check, he leaned in close to touching heads with Shana to listen.

“This is far more dangerous to you personally from everything we’ve found out. You should leave the island. If you don’t, you should let the police handle this.”

“You know if I did that it would endanger Sassy,” Shana spoke calmly, with empathy. She was the best person he knew. She understood and responded like a loving friend. Dane felt like the undeserving bastard that he was more keenly as she continued.

“You know Dane’s doing what he always does. He’ll have my back. We have Joe and Ronnie— “

“That’s right—you have a whole crew of vigilante’s there to save you when it should be law enforcement’s role.”

And there it was. Cap wanted to be Shana’s hero. Underneath everything.

Dane’s eyes met Shana’s and a flash of understanding passed between them. She’d recognized it too.

“You do have a role, she said. You played it beautifully this morning by the way. We’ll be counting on you at the funeral tomorrow. Between us we’ll get Nash and Hughes and save Sassy unharmed.”

There was a beat of silence and then Cap spoke gruffly. “I hope you’re right. I’ll do my part.” Then he hung up.

Dane wondered why he’d called in the first place, if there’d been something else he’d had to tell them, any intel on Whitey or word from Australian authorities. He’d need to call him back later to find out. But there would be a layer of discomfort now, a layer of concern.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

“Don’t worry about Cap,” Shana said. She spoke with confidence if not comfort.

“Why would I?” He challenged her.

She snorted. “He’s still Cap. He has our back.”

“Then how do you explain the vigilante cracks? As if he suddenly has a problem with us?”

“He’s always had a problem with you. But his admiration for you has always more than made up for his issues with you.”