by Jan Thompson
Logan’s heart nearly skipped a beat. “She said that?”
Mrs. Ping nodded. “I talked to her before calling you.”
“What else did she say?”
“She said she will only do this if you agree.”
“Of course.” I want her to stay with me past Sunday!
“Good. She wasn’t sure if you will go for it.”
“No? Did she say why?”
“Because she wants us to stay together and fly home together today. She doesn’t want to disrupt Jonas’s routine or your plans.”
“Plans?” My plan is for her to stay with me for the rest of our lives.
The captain’s voice came over the public address system, and Mrs. Ping blushed again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve arrived in Victoria, British Columbia. Please make sure to have your passport and boarding pass with you before you disembark for your excursions and activities. No need to bring umbrellas today because it will be a beautiful and sunny day on the island. Have fun, everyone!”
“All right, Mrs. Ping,” Logan said. “We will see you in Atlanta on Saturday night. Text Wallace to make sure he picks you up at the airport.”
Mrs. Ping’s face looked concerned. “Will you be fine with Marie, Mr. Logan?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you getting along?”
“We get along, surprisingly.” Logan chuckled. “If you’re implying you’re worried that we might fight on the flight home to Atlanta, you can put that to rest. We haven’t fought all week.”
“Maybe the fresh Alaskan air helped.”
“God helped.”
“Yes, for sure. I have been praying for you two.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Ping.” He didn’t want to talk more. “We better go. Is Jonas still in your room?”
“No. Marie took him downstairs. They’re probably waiting near the gangplank.”
“Wow. So we know all the different parts of the cruise ship now, don’t we?”
Mrs. Ping smiled. “I’m a fast learner.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Marie didn’t know how to stop Jonas from sobbing into her blouse. It was all wet on one side, near her hip. He seemed to try his best to keep his crying quiet because there were other kids around. The crowd in the foyer was noisy, and nobody seemed to pay any attention to a weepy five-year-old.
There was so much of Logan in Jonas.
All Marie could do was pray for Jonas that God would surround him with His protection for the rest of his life. She might not be around until the time when Jonas was old, but eternal God would always be there for him.
And for Logan too.
She prayed silently that Jonas would someday believe in Jesus Christ, the strong tower whom Jonas could run to whenever he needed shelter from the storms in life. She knew the storms would come, but she prayed that Jonas would be ready for them.
God would shelter him.
Marie had no doubt about it. She recalled the verse she had shared with Logan on the morning the ship arrived at the glacier fields. Psalm 61:3 had been her anchor verse in the last three years of her career.
For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
She wanted to retire sooner than later—before the job killed her. Marie wondered if she could call it quits by Christmas so that she could spend the season at home—
Home?
Home as in Logan’s house?
Well, she could always rent a condo nearby, in Buckhead somewhere, so that Jonas didn’t have to go too far to see her. Maybe they could rework their custody agreement so that she could get equal time with her son.
And what about Logan?
Marie didn’t know what to think about Logan. He had taken it like a man that night when Buchanan’s men broke into her stateroom.
She thanked God that Logan wasn’t hurt beyond the broken arm.
It could have been so much worse.
In fact, Buchanan could have come for Jonas.
Marie was sure that as long as Buchanan was still alive, he would. He probably had Logan’s Atlanta house staked out by now.
Marie would be eternally grateful to her friend Esperanza who had pretty much put herself in charge of her family’s safety.
Marie had received a message from Esperanza the night before, stating that her security company would ensure the safety of Logan and Jonas if Marie helped Mendenhall Security to track down Buchanan.
It sounded like Esperanza did not want Zaid to get to Buchanan first. However, she did not tell Marie why. Marie could guess that what Buchanan knew about his terrorist associates would be more valuable to Esperanza than his head on a platter in Zaid’s execution court.
“I want a free shirt and a woolly mama!” Jonas whined as he pushed away from Marie.
“You can get a free shirt anywhere.” Logan rolled his suitcase to a stop next to Jonas’s suitcase. “Did you mean a specialty tee shirt?”
“Especially tee shirt.” Jonas sniffled. His eyes were like puppy dog eyes.
Marie debated whether to tell him to stop that nonsense or to let Logan handle it. She chose the latter.
“And a woolly mama!” Jonas raised his hands up in the air.
“Mammoth,” Logan corrected him.
“What I said, Daddy. Woolly mama!”
Tall order, Marie supposed.
Instead of answering Jonas, Logan turned to Marie. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m fine. How’s your arm?” Marie asked.
“All my x-rays have been sent to my physician in Atlanta. I’ll be seeing an orthopedic specialist on Monday.”
“Good.” She waited to see if Logan was going to talk to Jonas.
He did not.
Jonas detached himself from his mother’s side, strutting in a circle, making elephant noises. He was in his own little world now.
“He needs siblings to play with,” Marie blurted before she realized she had spoken aloud.
Logan’s eyes were on her. “I hope not half-siblings.”
Before Marie could respond, she heard Jonas call out, “Abdul!”
“Abdul!” He waved to an entourage coming down the stairs. “Mommy, can I go talk to him?”
“Wait until they get here. This is where we assemble to get off the ship,” Marie said, waving her hand around her in the foyer. However, most of the people were in the lounges, waiting for their sections to be called. The Urquharts had drawn an A, and would be the first ones off the ship.
“What sample?” Jonas asked.
“Assemble. Stay here. He’s coming this way.” Marie waved to Aliyah, who waved back—slightly.
The princess looked a bit sickly, and her hand was on her stomach.
Uh oh. Marie wondered if it was something she ate. She had heard of passengers getting food poisoning onboard cruise ships. However, she had been well this entire trip, and hadn’t heard of anyone else getting sick. That didn’t mean there weren’t actual cases of people getting sick while on a cruise—or vacation, for that matter.
Aliyah’s palm went to her face and she dashed around the corner in the direction of the ladies’ restroom. Her assistant spat out orders to the men around Abdul—including Zaid and Omar—before she ran after Aliyah.
“If it’s time to go, wait in the vehicle for us. Leave Omar here to escort us down.” Or something like that. Marie had only heard parts of it because the assistant spoke quickly, and the foyer was crowded with people talking and laughing.
Abdul pointed to Jonas. Jonas was still making elephant noises. Next thing Marie knew, the two boys were walking like elephants—or Woolly Mamas.
Zaid barely nodded to Marie and Logan. He didn’t say anything to them even though he was only a few feet away from them. His eyes looked tired.
Not a morning person?
Marie’s watch said it was quite early still, even though the sun was rising. If their circumstances hadn’t changed, they’d all be looking forward to a fun day in V
ictoria. She hadn’t been to the gardens in years, and would love to join Mrs. Ping on the tour—even though she might end up being the third wheel.
She wondered what Logan would have liked to do in Victoria. He was the type who might enjoy the natural history museum. Well, Marie would too. It would have been a happy family vacation.
“Sorry we’re going to miss Victoria,” Marie said to Zaid.
“You’re sorry?” Zaid raised an eyebrow. “Thank God you’re alive.”
“I thank God every day,” Marie said.
“Good.”
Aliyah returned, and their group went to the front. Marie assumed the princess didn’t need to draw a number and wait their turn.
Jonas seemed sad to see his friend go. Marie thought that maybe later in the year or sometime, she could call the number on Zaid’s business card and invite them over.
You know, just like that.
Marie chuckled at her own naïveté. Surely a prince wouldn’t be that easy to invite.
Logan leaned toward her ear. “Something funny?”
Marie didn’t get to answer. She pointed to the people coming out of an elevator.
Mrs. Ping and the captain of the Alaskan Queen of the Arctic Seas.
She was wearing a wide-brimmed hat that matched her bright lime green blouse. Marie didn’t remember her wearing anything bright in the last five years. She might have gone shopping in Ketchikan or onboard the ship.
And what is that? Lipstick? When was the last time Mrs. Ping had worn lipstick?
Marie was smiling and thinking all those thoughts, and didn’t realize Logan was holding her hand.
It was obvious that she had indeed let her guard down with Logan to the point that she wasn’t bothered that his fingers were entwined in hers.
He squeezed her hand gently.
It still didn’t bother her.
Is this good or bad?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Logan wondered what went through Marie’s mind as they walked across the gangplank ahead of a porter rolling a luggage cart containing their three suitcases. Jonas had insisted on carrying his own backpack, so he did.
Marie was looking in the direction of the parking lot, where the royal family was climbing into two SUVs with tinted windows.
Aliyah and Abdul went in the first vehicle. The assistant and one of the bodyguards went into the second one. Zaid and another bodyguard were talking to each other outside the vehicles.
“Where’s our ride?” Logan asked.
Marie pointed to a black SUV that was making its way around a row of tour buses—some were double-decker buses painted red—toward them. “We have enough time to get to the airport.”
“Forty minutes. When’s our flight?”
“Any time we’re ready.”
“Ah, yes. I forget.” A private plane courtesy of Mendenhall Security.
If they had flown commercial, it would take them at least nine or ten hours to get to Atlanta from the Victoria International Airport, with one or two stops on the way.
He wouldn’t have minded paying for the private jet, but Mendenhall Security had insisted on paying for it because they considered Marie of high value, and therefore, her family was too.
High value? How?
Logan did not consider himself an inquisitive man, but this was his wife—uh, ex-wife—whose real job seemed to be a black hole to him. Why?
Before they reached their own ride, Logan turned to look at the royal family one last time, to the two bodyguards now walking toward their respective vehicles.
Zaid opened the front passenger side door—
Jerked back.
And collapsed to the ground.
People started screaming around Logan as the SUV carrying Aliyah and Abdul sped off.
“Take Jonas back to the ship!” Marie started running. “Now!”
Logan glanced back at the parking lot, just as Aliyah’s second SUV swerved around them and screeched across the parking lot after the first SUV.
Marie was running toward Zaid on the ground.
For a second, bile formed in Logan’s throat, and he felt a pang of…
Jealousy?
Nearby, the driver’s side door of the Mendenhall Security SUV opened, and someone stepped out. A woman taller than Marie, dressed all in black. She knelt down and started to remove Zaid’s vest.
Someone jostled against Logan. He stepped to the side as several of Zaid’s men rushed down the gangplank toward their downed team member.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please return to the ship for your safety and security.” The public announcement was so loud that it startled Logan.
Shipboard security came down the gangplank, ushering everyone to get back into the ship. Logan held Jonas’s hand tightly.
“What’s going on, Daddy?” Jonas walked as fast as he could to keep up with Logan. “Where’s Mommy?”
Logan didn’t answer him. If his left arm weren’t in a cast, he could have swept up Jonas and carried him in his arms.
“Walk faster, Jonas.” Logan almost dragged him.
“I want Mommy!”
“Not now, Son. Let’s go. Mommy is coming.”
Is she? Logan wasn’t sure. He could pray she would.
And he did.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Vehicles from the Victoria Police Department surrounded Marie and Esperanza in the parking lot, their flashing lights indicating to the arriving ambulance where to pick up a barely alive Zaid, whose life the duo had saved.
God saved his life.
Marie and Esperanza had stepped aside as the emergency medical responders took over.
A couple of officers approached Zaid’s men, and one more came to talk to Esperanza. She was quite a sight, with blood all over her hands and jacket.
Marie looked at her own hands, smeared with Zaid’s blood.
Why can’t this vacation be uneventful?
Marie prayed to God for the safe return of Aliyah and Abdul as the ambulance sped away with Zaid and one other bodyguard.
When the police officer had finished recording Esperanza’s statement, he turned to Marie. “You’re with Mendenhall Security too?”
“No, sir. INTERPOL. I’m on vacation.”
“Some vacation, eh?” The officer remained stoic. “Tell me what happened.”
As much as she could recollect, eyewitness Marie did. As to who might have done it, Marie had no idea, though that would not be part of her statement. Observations were best reserved for the investigators, whoever they might be.
There was nothing more to say.
Clearly, the royal family had enemies. How they found out where Aliyah and Abdul were today was another matter altogether. Marie didn’t get any sense that the royal family was trying to keep their cruise a secret. Abdul had been everywhere in public—on the cruise ship, in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria.
Granted, Aliyah and her assistant wore their hijab every day, but Abdul and the male security guards did not.
Whatever it was, Marie was sure that Zaid’s team had taken the utmost precaution.
Yeah, before Wednesday happened.
What if Marie’s presence onboard had triggered something?
“One inch to the right, and his neck would’ve been severed.” Esperanza opened the back door of her SUV.
Four or five years ago, that statement would have made Marie flinch.
“They missed because the vehicle was moving and Zaid ducked.” Esperanza pulled off her blood-soaked jacket and tossed it into a rectangular plastic bin. She pulled a couple of sheets of hand wipes from a container and handed them to Marie.
“Faster than a speeding bullet.” Marie wiped Zaid’s blood from her palms and then spot-cleaned her blouse and pants.
“God wants him to live.” Esperanza put on a clean jacket that looked exactly like the stained jacket she had discarded. “Go get your family. We have a plane to catch.”
Marie didn’t move. “I can’t help thinking�
�”
Around them, police vehicles started to leave. A few officers went up to the ship. Marie thought they were probably getting statements from eyewitnesses.
She figured Logan and Jonas were safe onboard. If Mrs. Ping was with them, she would keep them both safe. That was the main reason Marie had hired the seemingly unassuming fifty-something.
“It’s not your fault,” Esperanza kept her voice low. Police cars were still in the parking lot. “I looked them up. The boy’s father has many enemies—including relatives. Did you know that the boy is eighth in line to the sultanate?”
“Whoa. No wonder security was tight.” Marie’s heart sank. “And then I showed up.”
“Don’t give yourself too much credit.” Esperanza closed the vehicle door. “Stop looking so worried. We have bigger problems than this.”
“What if my own son had been abducted?”
“Well, he wasn’t. We don’t deal with hypothesis right now, okay? Let the police do their job. You and I, we need to talk about Mr. B.”
Marie had to switch gears for a quick minute.
“On the drive here from the airport, I found out that we know where he is.” Esperanza’s voice was low.
The parking lot was empty save for two police cars and a row of empty tour buses parked away from Esperanza’s SUV. All the passengers were still onboard the ship until the police cleared them to go on land.
Buchanan. “I want in on it. I want this over and done with.”
Catching Buchanan was the only way her family could be safe.
However, Marie had given her word to Logan and Jonas that she would be with them until Sunday before going back to work. The only way she could go with Esperanza once they dropped off the two of them was to get Mrs. Ping to fly home today as well.
I hate to spoil her garden walk with her new boyfriend.
“I thought you wanted to spend the weekend with your family,” Esperanza added.
“I’ll talk to Logan.”
Esperanza took a deep breath. “Let me handle Mr. B. If you get involved, your boss is going to ask questions.”