Her Very Strict Captain

by Carpenter, Maggie

  “Do you two need to be alone?”

  “No, in fact your timing is perfect,” Scott replied. “Come and join us.”

  “Hi, Jack,” she said as she sat down. “How are you?”

  “Great, really great,” he said with a grin. “There’s scrambled eggs with cheese and tomatoes in the blue bowl, and hash browns in the green one.”

  “Fantastic, thanks, you should’ve been a chef.”

  “So I’ve been told,” he said, rising to his feet. “I’m going to make more toast. Do you want a slice?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “We’ve been talking,” Scott began as she dished out her breakfast. “There’s a chance Jack may be bringing some people back here after he commandeers Conchello’s camp.”

  “Really? You mean like prisoners?”

  “I’d call them people of interest,” Jack declared, returning to his chair.

  “This house is as secure as it gets,” Scott continued, “but if a few of Conchello’s men slip through the net, they could come up the hill and find this place, or lay low in the forest. I don’t want you anywhere near a group of ruthless drug dealers armed to the teeth.”

  “Hey, I was in and out of Sonny’s mansion for over a year and that place was full of them.”

  “And you had to dive off a second-story patio into a swimming pool to survive,” Scott declared. “Here it would be from a cliff into the ocean. Not a scenario I care to think about.”

  “You dove off a second-story patio?” Jack exclaimed, staring at her.

  “I was a college platform diver,” she muttered with a wave of her hand. “It was no big deal.”

  “Ruthless drug dealers aside,” Scott continued, “if Jack does bring anyone back here for questioning, which is likely, it won’t be just overnight.”

  “Stop! You’re totally confusing me. I’ll be in a surveillance van outside Conchello’s estate.”

  “For the operation, yes, but you can’t come back.”

  “Oh, I see,” she said with a relieved sigh. “You had me worried here for a minute.”

  “Sorry, the point is, you need to pack up all your stuff. We’ll be staying at St. John.”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  “I have to get over there now, but pack all your stuff. I’ll send someone over to collect you around midday. The cove has to be kept clear, so you’ll be leaving from the marina. Emily will pick up and drive you there.”

  “What if a civilian happens by and drops anchor?”

  “One of my team will tell them there’s a biohazard in the area and they have to leave,” Jack answered, pushing back from the table and heading for the door. “Scott, it’s time to call Frank. I’ll meet you in the security room.”

  “Good luck, Jack,” Elizabeth called after him.

  “Thanks,” he said with a nod, then disappeared into the hall.

  “I really like him,” she added, turning her eyes back to Scott.

  “He’s a good guy, one of the best,” Scott murmured, “but I have to go. Finish your breakfast, then get your things together. I’ll be in the security room if you need me.”

  Leaning in and kissing her on the cheek, he rose to his feet and walked briskly away.

  She suddenly felt a knot in her stomach.

  But it wasn’t related to Conchello’s party.

  Or Jack’s attack on the camp.

  Something imminent was in the air.

  She just didn’t know what it was.

  * * *

  When the taxi had dropped Dan at the marina, his sharp eyes had noticed two men sitting in a car drinking coffee. It had been blatantly obvious they were on a stakeout. If they worked for Conchello, they’d be on the lookout for both him and Elizabeth. If they were cops, he’d be their target.

  His pulse had ticked up, but reminding himself they were looking for an unkempt man with long dark hair, a thick mustache, and wearing crappy clothes, he walked confidently past them without incident.

  Now carefully guiding the boat from the dock, he cruised through the bay, and into the open waters. The motorboat carried him swiftly toward his destination.

  Initially he thought about Roxy, and what a stroke of luck it had been to connect with her, then his mind wandered to his short-term plans. He’d have to find a suitable rental, which wouldn’t be easy. Though he’d managed to rescue his wallet when he’d made his escape from the van, he couldn’t risk showing his badge or using his name.

  But as the isolated island came into view, an idea popped into his head, and the more he thought about it, the more he believed he’d found the ideal solution. The plan consumed him, and he barely noticed the navy speedboat zipping by a short distance away.

  Cruising into the cove, he was surprised to find it completely empty. He knew how to safely beach a boat close to the sand, but it had been a while, and he’d never done it alone. If anything went wrong he’d be in trouble. Nearing the beach, he ran through the steps in his mind, then went into action.

  His long legs swiftly carrying him from the wheel to the transom to lower the anchor, he hurried back to the wheel, then returned to the anchor again. Quickly finding a rhythm, in just a few minutes, the boat was secure and he was climbing down into knee-high water.

  Jogging across the beach, he saw the track up the hill. If Scott’s home was a twenty-minute walk, his long stride would put him in the approximate area much sooner.

  He started off, his mind so focused he barely noticed the beauty of the lush foliage, or the sounds of the wildlife. When he’d hiked about ten minutes, he spotted a slight opening in the thick vegetation. It seemed too narrow and unused to lead to a house, but instinct sent him forward. Barely a minute later he found himself on a wide, cleared plateau, the vast ocean shimmering below. He paused for a moment to take it in, then returned to the track.

  He didn’t have to travel far before he spied a well-trodden path leading into the forest. Cautiously starting off, he followed it around a bend, then stopped short and caught his breath.

  A pristine two-story home sat in front of him.

  With no other houses in sight, he was sure it belonged to Scott Specter.

  Quickly retrieving an envelope from his satchel, he sucked in a deep breath. If he was there and questioned her, what would she tell him?

  Plucking up his courage, he stepped up to the front door and slid the edge of the envelope into the door jamb. Finding only a keypad and no doorbell, he pressed the call button, and with his heart thumping, he hurried away.

  Chapter 28

  Peering down at the cove through the telescope, Elizabeth had spied a launch anchor off the beach, and saw a man climb out and march up the sand. Assuming he must be one of Jack’s team, she’d thought nothing of it.

  But a short time later, hearing the call button and tuning into the security cameras, she watched a smartly dressed, sandy-haired man leave an envelope and march away. Waiting until he was out of sight, she quickly collected it and hurriedly closed the door behind her.

  For Dizzy Lizzy

  Personal and Confidential

  Staring at the salutation and gasping in shock, she leaned against the wall and slid to the floor.

  “It can’t be,” she muttered under her breath, but flashing back to the visitor’s haircut, she knew it was him.

  With trembling fingers, she tore open the envelope, and pulled out a piece of paper.

  I’ll explain everything. Leave the house and walk down the hill. I’ll call you as you pass by. Don’t tell anyone, and don’t bring your phone.

  Her hands still shaking, she ran frantically out of the house and down the narrow path.

  “Hey, Lizzy, over here.”

  Turning her head and staring into the forest, she saw him standing straight and tall, his hair just as it had been when they were young teenagers.

  Her first love.

  The first boy she’d kissed.

  The first boy who had made her heart race.

  “Danny! What
the hell are you doing here?” she exclaimed, racing up to him and throwing her arms around his neck. “How did you find me? What happened to you? Why didn’t you write or call or something? I’m so happy to see you.”

  But overcome with emotion, joyous tears sprang from her eyes and she could no longer speak.

  “Lizzy… finally…” he murmured, holding her tightly and letting out a heavy breath. “You have no idea the fine line I’ve been walking.”

  “I don’t understand any of this, but I don’t care,” she sniffled. “Come back to the house. I’ll make us coffee. You have to tell me everything.”

  “I can’t go up to the house,” he said softly, breaking their hug. “At least, not yet, but I found a spot where we can sit and look at the ocean while we talk.”

  “I just can’t believe this. My head is spinning. How did you know where to find me?”

  “I’ll explain everything, I promise,” he said, taking her hand.

  Leading her a short distance through the foliage, the vegetation abruptly broke open to a wide, flat plateau. The pristine ocean looked close enough to touch, and as squawking gulls flew overhead, for a moment she thought she was dreaming.

  “Before I tell you anything we have to make the vow,” he said solemnly, breaking into the surreal moment.

  “Oh, my gosh, is it that bad?” she whispered, staring at him with wide eyes.

  “You’ll think so at first, and you need to sit down.”

  “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done.”

  “You won’t understand, and I know how you can be,” he said firmly as they settled into the soft ground.

  “I’m not fourteen anymore.”

  He grinned, then poked out his little finger. “No, but you’re still my Dizzy Lizzy, and I know you haven’t have changed that much.”

  “Okay, you’re right,” she admitted, looping her pinky around his and gazing into his warm green eyes. “My dearest Danny, I vow to listen to everything you say without jumping to any conclusions or making any judgments until you finish. I won’t interrupt, I’ll save my questions until you’re through, and no matter what, I won’t yell.”

  “My dearest Lizzy, I vow to listen to everything you say without jumping to any conclusions or making any judgments until you finish. I won’t interrupt, I’ll save my questions until you’re through, and no matter what, I won’t yell.”

  “Now please, please tell me everything,” she exclaimed, moving her finger away and taking hold of his hand. “Why didn’t you get in touch after you and your mother got away from that creep?”

  “She was terrified the bastard would steal the mail from your mailbox, and find a way to get your phone. Which meant if I wrote to you, he’d find the note, or if I called or texted, he’d get my new number and trace us somehow. She was right to be afraid. He was capable of anything. She was even worried he’d go to your house and question you.”

  “He did—he did come to our house,” Elizabeth exclaimed. “It was so scary. My parents even called the police, and she was right about my phone too. It was stolen.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. As much as I hated not being able to get in touch, I knew Mom was just being smart.”

  “Thank God she never married him.”

  “No shit,” Danny muttered, grimacing as he spoke.

  “Where did you go?”

  “A little place in the Santa Ynez Valley. It was great, except being away from you,” he said with a deep frown. “I missed you like crazy, Lizzy.”

  “I missed you too, Danny, every minute of every day, but Mom kept telling me it was for the best, and you and your mother were finally safe.”

  “We were really scared for the first six months or so, then she met a great guy, a horse trainer of all things, and a couple of years later she married him and took his name. So, uh, here’s where you need to take a breath and remember the vow. No conclusions, no judgments, and don’t yell.”

  “Okay, I’m ready. Let me hear it.”

  “His last name was Miller.”

  * * *

  Watching Elizabeth’s brow crinkle in confusion, and the abrupt accusatory anger flood her eyes, Dan knew the information was almost impossible to process.

  “No, no, no, no, no,” she muttered, shaking her head. “If you’re trying to tell me you were, you are Dan Miller—”

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” he said, cutting her off.

  “But he had long black hair and dark eyes and bushy eyebrows and an ugly mustache. You look nothing like him. And he was so tall.”

  “A little while after we left, I sprouted. My mother said it was the clean air, but apparently it’s not uncommon.”

  “But I would’ve known! I would have had some clue. Fuck! Twister! Oh, my God, why didn’t I realize? You used to do that thing with your body.”

  “I’d managed to keep that under wraps for months, but I was exercising one day and I was seen. When word got out I was terrified it would flick a switch in your head and you’d see through my disguise. I was walking on eggshells for weeks. I’m still amazed you didn’t put two and two together.”

  “I did flash back to you. I thought it was totally weird you and Danny could both do that weird body stuff and shared the same name, but I guess my brain refused to accept it. And you looked so different. You were so different. I still—no—this is too much to take in,” she said vehemently, dropping her head into her hands. “I can’t handle it. You can’t be Dan Miller. He’s a monster.”

  “It was an act, Lizzy, a matter of life and death for us both,” he continued, keeping his voice steady. “Hey, you must stay true to our vow. I promised to tell you everything, and I will, but you can’t freak out. I risked my life coming here. You do realize that, don’t you?”

  As she slowly raised her head, and her red-rimmed eyes stared back at him, he could see his comment sinking in.

  “I’ve been trying to arrest you so I could hide you away and keep you out of danger,” he said earnestly. “I know Scott has your back, but he doesn’t know how Conchello thinks, and how many eyes and ears he has.”

  “Danny, why did you have to be so mean to me at the mansion?”

  “To protect you, and myself too. If Conchello had figured out we knew each other he would have started digging, and that would have ended badly… really badly. I swear, Lizzy,” he said adamantly, “everything I did as Dan Miller was to protect you.”

  “But you killed Manny!” she shouted, glaring at him with hurt and anger.

  “I didn’t!”

  “You didn’t?” she demanded, grabbing his arms. “Look at me and swear it?”

  “I swear it,” he said, staring back at her with an unwavering gaze, “on the Bible, on everything I hold dear, and no yelling, remember?”

  “Why did you try to frame me?”

  He could see she was struggling to keep her voice measured.

  “Thank you for not shouting at me again,” he said softly. “I didn’t do that either. That was Jim Parker, your boss! He was the one who set you up, then started the rumor it was me.”

  “What? No! Why?”

  “I can’t say for sure, but I think he was worried you’d figure out he was working for Conchello, and he knew Conchello liked you, so he didn’t want to be fingered if the frame came to light.”

  “He could have just pulled me out.”

  “Um, Lizzy, from what I heard, he tried, but you and Manny insisted on staying.”

  “Shit, you’re right,” she muttered. “Jim hounded me to give up that assignment. Hey, why did you shoot him when you escaped from that van? Scott had all the evidence he needed to put him away.”

  “The bastard was on his way back to that house hell bent on killing you and Scott and anyone else who was there. It was the only way to stop him, but I aimed for his shoulder. He moved at the last second and the bullet hit his chest.”

  “Oh, my gosh.”

  “I was really worried. He really had it in for you, so I m
ade sure you were sent down here to get you away from him, then I followed as fast as I could. I never thought he’d show up.”

  “But—I thought that was Conchello. Didn’t he order Jim to send me down here, then you to find me when I disappeared?”

  “I manipulated certain events and said certain things to make all of that happen. He thought he was pulling the strings.”

  “You’re kidding? I can’t imagine anyone getting the better of him.”

  “He’s just a man.”

  “Danny… I can’t believe you said that,” she breathed. “Scott made the exact same comment this morning.”

  “I’m not surprised. I like Scott. He’s sharp, but he’s not arrogant.”

  “How do you know?”

  “You’re with him, Lizzy,” he said, lowering his voice. “I made it my business.”

  Letting out a long, heavy breath, she knew it was all true.

  “Please, will you hold me for a minute?” she said with a sigh, leaning against his chest.

  “I’ll hold you as long as you need me to,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around her.

  “How did you end up working for Conchello?”

  “What happened to my mom made me want to be a cop. I started in central California then moved to the LAPD. That’s where I heard you’d become a cop too. I thought about tracking you down. I’m not sure why I didn’t,” he said wistfully. “Anyway, I ended up accepting the undercover gig, but honestly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. When you showed up at the mansion calling yourself Beth Cameron, I was thrilled to see you, then horrified, and furious at you for putting yourself in such a dangerous situation.”

  “But I—”

  “But nothing,” he said angrily, cutting her off. “You had no business being in that hell hole. I was determined to get you out of there. I tried to intimidate you and scare you so you’d leave, but you didn’t.”

  “Danny,” she said softly and pulling back, “what about my partner?”