Free Bound by Danger by Terry Spear Page B

his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her.
    “I guess you’re still a bit tired from last night.”
    She nodded. Actually, she wanted to concentrate further on the vision. The more details she could see, the more she could help the man who was in trouble.
    The man’s short-cropped hair made her assume he served in the military. She didn’t like rescuing military personnel. A case or two wouldn’t have aroused much suspicion, but she’d already saved four men’s lives on separate occasions at Fort Hood during the year. She was certain word would soon catch her boss’s ear.
    But this man swam off-post, dripping wet with water lapping at his chin. He treaded water in the lake. But what circled the man that could end his life? A shark?
    No sharks in the lake last she’d heard. She snuggled closer to Dave’s shoulder and his fingers tightened on her.
    He sure felt good. She wanted nothing more than to curl up with him in his black sheets and share the space as one.
    Then the man in the water cried out. He would die if she didn’t save him. Somehow she had to rescue him, but where was he? And when would it happen?
    ***
    Not until Deidre met the dark-haired friend of Dave’s who off-loaded his ski boat from the trailer into the water, did she begin to think about Dave’s statement. He was new to the neighborhood and didn’t know anyone. Maybe he meant in Killeen. Still, she pondered the notion. Once she was alone with Dave, she had some questions to ask him.
    The man appeared to be about Dave’s age, late twenties. He wore jeans, cowboy boots and a western shirt with a beeper attached to his belt. His attire was more suitable for western rodeo day than boating. A definite twinkle of amusement sparkled in his eye as he considered his friend and her.
    “Dave said you wouldn’t need the skis because you didn’t have a spotter with you,” the man said.
    “Bill Hummer,” Dave said belatedly.
    Deidre yawned inadvertently. Her cheeks warmed as the two men studied her. “Sorry, bit of a late night. Don’t know how to ski.”
    “We’ll have to take that brother of yours with us sometime, and I’ll show you how to waterski.” Dave tugged at her arm as he led her to the boat. He loaded the ice chest and their bags, then waved at his friend.
    Deidre laid her towel over the hot vinyl seat, then slipped out of her shorts. She turned to see Dave watching her, and she sat on the seat.
    He backed the boat into the lake and waved again at Bill, who still stood observing them from the shore.
    “Known him long?” Deidre applied sunscreen to her legs.
    When Dave didn’t answer her, she looked up to see him studying her movements with interest. She smiled. “Shouldn’t you keep your eyes on the water?”
    “Wide open spaces—no people, no boats for miles.” He waved his hand at the lake.
    She studied the water, dark and rippled with the breeze. Then she slipped her sandals off and smoothed sunscreen over the top of her feet. She caught him looking at her again. “They often get burned.” She pulled off her shirt and tucked it into her bag. “So where are we going?”
    “To that island over there. We can swim around that cove.”
    “Just like the Hawaiian Islands.”
    He chuckled. “The beaches aren’t white sugar like the Hawaiian shores…and you can’t see a lick of anything in the water here.”
    “Never been to Hawaii, but I can dream.”
    When they drew close to the island, he weighed anchor. “Want to swim over there?”
    “Sounds like fun. I’ve been here a year already and never been to any of the lakes.”
    She dove in, surfaced, then turned to see him diving into the water. The water felt refreshingly cool on her skin on the hot sunny afternoon. They swam side by side. When they reached the shore, they climbed out.
    Deidre sat on the beach and dug her fingers into the wet sand. “You’re right, not sugar white sand.” With two handfuls of gray granules, she began to build a castle.
    Dave