Undiscovered (Treasure Hunter Security Book 1) by Anna Hackett Page B

it’s not just the job getting to you. Maybe it has something to do with a certain sexy, mouthy archeologist?”
    Dec narrowed his gaze at his friend but stayed silent.
    “Come on, Dec.” Logan sat up. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. Watch her when she isn’t looking. I haven’t seen you look at anyone that way—”
    “Drop it, O’Connor. There is nothing going on with Rush and me.”
    “Oh? In that case, you won’t mind if I take a stab at her? That mouth of hers—”
    Dec moved without thinking. He blinked and realized he had the front of Logan’s shirt bunched in his hands.
    His friend had a smug grin on his face.
    “You’re an asshole.” Dec let him go.
    “I like her,” Logan said.
    Shit . Dec ran his hands through his hair. He did, too. Too much. “I’m a one night kind of guy, that’s all I have to offer. She’s not.” She deserved so much better.
    “You don’t have to be. I know you’re dragging around all that stuff with Anders—”
    Dec sliced a hand through the air. “Right now, all I can focus on is keeping her safe.”
    Logan raised a brow. “I thought you were focused on catching Anders.”
    Dec stilled. “That, too.” But his gaze moved over the dig until he found the head covered by a battered hat, and the tight, compact body. She was hunched over, working with that fierce concentration of hers.
    Dec had been after Anders for years. But he knew if it came down to Layne or Anders, Dec would protect her with his last breath.
    “Dec, do you copy?”
    Morgan’s voice came through his earpiece. “Yeah, Morgan?”
    “I’ve got something. Hale and I are coming to you.”
    “Roger that.”
    A moment later, Hale and Morgan jogged up the dune.
    “What is it?” Dec asked.
    “Informant in Dakhla got in touch with me,” Morgan said. She’d spent a day at the oasis cultivating a few informants. Morgan might have a tough exterior, but when she turned on the charm, people warmed to her instantly. “Anders has been spotted.”
    Dec cursed. He’d known Anders wouldn’t be far away.
    Morgan cleared her throat. “And a couple of tourists, young women from Germany, were found murdered in a back alley. They’d been tortured. Multiple cuts and stab wounds.”
    Dec’s jaw tightened. It sounded like Anders’ MO. Fuck . Dec’s hands curled into fists. Two young lives lost, and even though it was Anders who had done the deed, Dec felt the weight of guilt settle over him.
    If he’d done the right thing and stopped Anders all those years ago, those girls wouldn’t be dead.
    The bastard had to be stopped.
    Dec stared at the dunes around them. Wondering if Anders was out there, watching them.
    “Change up our guard patrols. If Anders is watching us, he’ll be trying to learn our routines and find a weak spot. A way in.” Dec looked down the hill at Layne again. “We aren’t going to give him one.”
     

Chapter Seven
    Layne took a long drink of water, stretched her aching shoulders, and glanced over at her tired team. They were sitting around near the tents, drinking, joking.
    They’d been so shorthanded in the main part of the dig, she’d ended up hauling buckets of sand to clear a new area. Not only were many of her workers tossing up everything in their bellies, but a few local workers had blamed it on the curse and had left. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. She’d lost count of how many buckets she’d carried, but her achy, tired muscles were the payback. She closed her eyes and dreamed of a nice hot bath.
    Yeah, that wasn’t happening any time soon.
    “Looks like you need this.”
    Declan’s voice made her open her eyes. He was holding out a bottle.
    “A Diet Coke!” She snatched it, cracked the lid and took a sweet sip. “The real stuff. Where did you get this?”
    “Security secret. Busy day?”
    “You could say that.” She pulled a face. “Lots of people are sick and I’ve had workers leave. They say the curse of the mummy is to blame for our bad