by Toby Neal
“Not up to you anymore. I let you have your chance, and he almost got you.”
Sophie looked down, because she couldn’t bear to see the expression in Connor’s eyes—the note of fury and anguish in his voice was more than enough. He went on. “Don’t be stubborn. Admit he’s out ahead of us right now, and we need to bag him by any means. And I have the means.”
Sophie whirled and strode down the beach. She could hear his footsteps following, and she sped up. She was too angry to speak. The men in her life thought they knew better, thought she couldn’t handle her own business, when she’d proved over and over again that she was both competent and deadly.
Whatever sloppiness might have occurred up until now was over.
She turned back to face Connor at last. She took in all of him visually: the light of morning falling over Haleakala, striking his shoulder like a lance, lighting his blond head with gold like a warrior’s helmet, caressing the planes of his face, molding over his muscled body. “If you do this, we’re done.”
Connor had halted too. His gaze was hot and determined. “I’ll just have to trust that this is one more thing we can get past eventually. Are you going to walk off again and make me follow you? Or can we head back and get on with this manhunt?”
“Give me your lead on Assan,” Sophie snapped. “And I will use DAVID to find him.”
“Because that has worked so well.”
Their gazes clashed. Sophie tightened her lips. Whatever anger she felt right now needed to be put aside in favor of finding her ex. They fell into step walking back to the beachfront mansion, but Sophie kept a couple of feet of space between them, and Connor shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Assan is bound to have left some trace of himself online now that he is using hired assistance. I’m sure Lei and the FBI will have more to work with, as will I. So, what’s that lead?” Sophie said.
“Just let me do what I need to do. Don’t make this about us.”
Sophie didn’t like his tone, or his attitude. She narrowed her eyes. “No. I don’t need or want your help. On this or any other case.” She did not know when that realization had hardened into crystal clarity, but it had. “Give me that lead!”
Connor stared at her for another moment. His face might have been carved from stone. He turned and walked briskly toward the mansion. Clearly, he wasn’t sharing his intel with her.
Sophie watched him go. He reached the end of Miller’s compound, and the almost invisible Plexiglas gate opened for him like magic.
Like she had opened for him.
It had taken time and effort to lure her in and break down her resistance and caution, but in the end, she had yielded to him. Let herself be hopeful for a future.
Let herself love him.
Had she made the right choice? Was there any way to go back?
Her body tingled, remembering how good they’d been together that one weekend, and her chest felt heavy and sore at the thought of goodbye.
This was even worse than when Alika dumped her and left for Kaua‘i. She was such a fool.
Sophie broke into a jog and moved briskly down the beach, fighting off depressive thoughts that swirled in to fan her self-doubt.
She entered the house a half hour later and was surprised to see Jake standing outside the den that had been their former security headquarters, arms crossed on his chest, face serious.
He was guarding someone inside that room.
Sophie had finally relaxed from her confrontation with Connor, but now sweat pooled in an itchy line down the back of her shirt from the heat of the run. She couldn’t wait to be alone and sort through what was going on, couldn’t wait to get into the shower and then back into the cool dim computer area to check DAVID’s data caches that were scrubbing the internet for traces of Assan. Even stacking and sorting the behavior patterns they had been recording using Security Solutions’ AI surveillance program seemed appealing, because she couldn’t wait to be back in her comfort zone. “Did Mr. Miller get back or something?”
Jake’s lips tightened, his gray eyes unreadable. “Lei and Pono are interviewing someone.”
“Good. It’s about time you had a break in the Blondie case.”
Jake’s expression didn’t change, and now Sophie frowned. “Is the interview in there about my case?”
Jake shrugged and looked off over her shoulder. His body language sent a clear message.
“Well, it’s apparent you’re not going to tell me what this is about, so I might as well take a shower. Let me know when I’m to be honored by your confidence. Partner.” Sophie walked stiffly past him down the hall.
She had worked so hard for calm, and it was gone in a moment.
Chapter Five
Washing up and changing back at her room, Sophie considered who Lei and Pono might be interviewing in the den. Maybe they’d got a lead on someone who had leaked information about her movements at the house to the would-be kidnappers; the fact that those thugs could grab her when they had seemed awfully convenient.
Sophie felt her belly hollow as she considered the various staff people who might have been compromised: Antigua, either of their two young operatives, Jesse or Ronnie, Pepe, the groundskeeper. Even someone at Security Solutions off-site, with remote access to the nanny cam software that was always recording her movements around the estate, could have leaked her location.
On the other hand, this new development could be about the Blondie case—but if so, she couldn’t think of any reason why Jake wouldn’t just tell her what that was.
Sophie needed a good strong cup of tea after this rough start to the day. She had brought her own tea, special ordered from an import company, and carrying the small paper bag, she headed into the heart of Miller’s mansion, the gigantic state-of-the-art kitchen.
Antigua was washing something up at the sink, her toned arms deep in suds. “You’re late for your morning tea.” She gestured with her regal head to a carafe resting on the marble sideboard. “I made you some hours ago.”
“Thank you.” Sophie felt a lump in her throat, a combined reaction to the woman’s thoughtfulness and relief that it wasn’t Antigua being questioned in that closed room. “My boyfriend Todd and I had a talk, then I took a beach run to clear my head. I’m ready for anything now.” Her smile felt automatic, a mask to hide her turbulent anxiety. Calling Connor her “boyfriend” still felt awkward, odd. They were too mature, and the relationship too intense, for the word to feel like a fit.
“Well, he’s still here, talking with the cops. I don’t know what they wanted to talk to him about, what he might have known about your attack or even the Blondie case, but they’re all closed up in the den.”
Sophie hid the tightening of her abs in response to this news by busying her hands with pouring the tea.
What could Lei and Pono be talking to Connor about?
There were too many possibilities, and few of them were good.
Sophie did not let her mind speculate, keeping her voice level and matter of fact. “Okay. Tell him I’m heading out to the security center and perhaps he can stop by on his way out. When is Mr. Miller getting back?”
“I spoke with him this morning. He is staying over in Quebec for another concert, but then, he should be home for a week or so.”
“I hope we get a break on the Blondie case before he returns.” Sophie nodded to Antigua as she walked out. She wrapped her hands around the mug, hoping it would warm her as she hurried back across the length of the mansion, out the side door, and over elegant embedded flagstones to the guest cottage where the security center was located.
She dismissed Ronnie, who’d been keeping watch on the monitors. Sitting down in the comfortable leather office chair in front of the multiple screens surveilling the property, Sophie tried to keep her mind from wandering back to the den and Connor.
Maybe they were talking to him about Security Solutions’ role, and response to her attack. After all, Connor was her boss, even if only technically
. Could it be about their relationship? The lead he’d uncovered about Assan?
She refused to consider that they might know about the Ghost. She was the only one who knew about the Ghost.
She would know soon enough.
Sophie wrestled her thoughts back into focus by putting on headphones and filling her ears with classical music as she pulled up the complicated algorithm of the nanny cam surveillance software and began to assess the emergent patterns.
Unfortunately, all of the data she’d gathered would be outdated when Shank Miller returned. The whole point of the software was to automate and identify abnormal behavior patterns. When tuned up correctly, the software was much more accurate than hired watchmen. Sophie hoped getting it set up might not only protect Miller more economically than a large human staff, but it could lead to a break in the Blondie case.
Sophie had enough data about the rest of the household’s “normal” life patterns to run the program effectively, but Miller hadn’t been home enough to integrate his patterns into the overall picture, and the software would need to be trained all over again when Miller took up residence.
That was a problem.
But maybe now she could take a break and go back to Oahu and see Ginger while Miller did that last concert in Quebec.
And see Connor, and work things out with him.
Connor wouldn’t like her going back to her off-the-grid apartment and alternate identity as Mary Watson, but until she knew better, Sophie hoped that Assan didn’t know about that identity. Mary Watson existed to give her a layer of protection and anonymity, make her harder to find.
Sophie assembled the nanny cam analysis into a single report and contacted Kendall Bix, her immediate supervisor and VP of operations at Security Solutions. She wanted to get the okay to go back to Oahu before she had to talk to Jake about it.
Bix was noncommittal on the phone. “I need to check in with Jake. And Dr. Kinoshita just let me know she’s coming over for a consult on the Miller case. I think you should be present for that, and afterward we can talk.”
“When is the doctor arriving?” Sophie had a pen ready to jot down the date, time, and flight number.
She was still on the phone with Bix when the door banged open, and she spun to face the threat.
Connor stood in the doorway, aqua eyes ablaze and hair mussed. He strode back and forth rapidly while she wrapped up the call. His muscles were pumped, and anger seemed to shiver in the air around him. The minute she got off the phone he grabbed her by the arms, pulling her up out of the chair. “Hey!” she exclaimed, but he kissed her anyway.
Sophie stiffened, pulling back, twisting her face away. He held her close, then let go abruptly, stroking her arms. “Sorry about that. I just needed to hold you a minute.”
“I don’t like being manhandled,” Sophie said. “You know why.”
“Damn it. Yes, I know. I just couldn’t bear to leave with discord between us.”
“That didn’t help,” Sophie said.
Connor threw up his hands, stalking away. She’d never seen him so agitated. “This is so difficult! And it’s going to get even harder.” He spun to face her, pinning her with a hard, blue gaze. “You’re going to hear things about me. Don’t believe what they tell you.”
“What’s this about?” Sophie frowned. “What the hell is going on?”
“I wasn’t supposed to speak to you at all. I have to go. They’ll be here any minute. Just believe me—I had nothing to do with what they’re saying. I’ll be in touch.” He whirled, and the door slammed closed behind him.
A moment later, she heard the roar of the white Security Solutions SUV Connor drove leaving the estate.
What was happening? The nagging, prickling hurt of the way they’d parted brushed along her nerves, making her stomach knot, and the sight of Connor barely hanging onto self-control was not reassuring.
A knock came from the door. Sophie answered it. Lei stood on the step, Pono a looming but benign presence behind her shoulder. Both of their faces were uncharacteristically serious.
“We need to speak with you about your case. And something else. Where can we be guaranteed confidentiality?” Lei asked.
Sophie gestured to the cluttered dining room table inside the cottage, site of many a team meeting. “The men sweep the house and grounds for bugs twice a week, and the last time was yesterday. The biggest possible interruption is Jake, and if you’ve dealt with him, we should be fine.”
Sophie knew it was bad when the two didn’t even smile. Lei just made a motion with her head, and Pono locked the door behind them.
Sophie cleared off the cluttered dining room table with quick, jerky movements. “Who were you interviewing in the den?” she asked, to get things started.
“We had questions for your boyfriend, Todd Remarkian.” Lei sat down at the table, Pono beside her, and opened a file.
Sophie kept her face neutral, hiding her apprehension. “Is this something to do with my attack? Or with the situation with Blondie?”
“Neither.” Pono spoke this time, lacing thick fingers together and gazing at her over them with soulful brown eyes. “There’s an investigation going on at the FBI. They are looking into Remarkian for shady online dealings through Security Solutions.”
Sophie’s stomach lurched and tightened as she sat down slowly, facing them. This had to be something to do with the Ghost. But how had they detected the Ghost’s activities?
“As you know, I’m the FBI contact for Maui,” Lei said. “Technically, this isn’t a case for Pono to be involved with, but I got clearance since I needed backup for the interview with Remarkian.” Lei blew out a breath, shook her head, and made eye contact with Sophie. “There is an investigation into allegations that Remarkian is involved in some illegal online activities. An agent was killed not long ago, and there are those who think he was behind it.”
Sophie gasped. “No. That’s impossible.” They were onto the Ghost—and thought he was involved in the death of an agent? This was worse than anything she’d dared imagine. Connor would never be involved with something like that…unless the agent was dirty.
“I’m sorry about this.” Lei’s tilted, warm brown eyes were serious as she gazed at Sophie. “You two are dating. I hate to throw a spoke in the wheel of your first big relationship since Alika…but these are serious concerns. Is there anything that worries you about his activities? About his online presence?”
Sophie stood up in agitation. She shoved her hands into her pockets, and paced. She had to buy time and get more information. “Where is this coming from? Who called you from Oahu?”
“Ken Yamada. My former partner in the FBI. You’ve worked cases with him, too. He told me he’s had an eye on Todd since the disappearance of Sheldon Hamilton on your last case together. And I believe you know all about that case.” Lei’s gaze was implacable when Sophie glanced at her friend.
“I can’t believe Todd would ever be mixed up in…murder.” The word stuck in Sophie’s throat. What a lie. The Ghost dealt his version of justice evenhandedly, with no regard for title or position. The Ghost believed in matching the severity of the crime with the severity of the punishment. If this agent was dead at the hand of the Ghost, the man had done something really terrible.
But Connor had told her to believe in him, that he wasn’t involved with what they were accusing him of.
“I can’t talk with you about this,” Sophie said abruptly. “It’s a conflict of interest for me.”
Lei frowned, surprise in her raised brows. “What? You know something.”
“I cannot participate in this investigation at this time,” Sophie said woodenly. “I have to check some things out. I will get back to you when I’m ready to share. If I’m ready to share. Otherwise, you can subpoena me and I’ll speak to you with a lawyer present.”
Sophie’s stomach churned as the faces of her friends stiffened and went cold. Finally, Lei stood up. “Okay. I know it won’t do any good to drag you down to the
station or something like that. This is a very sensitive situation, and we are all aware of that. I’m sorry even to have to put these thoughts into your mind about Todd, Sophie, but better sooner than later if there’s truth in it, right?” She cocked her head with a sad smile.
Sophie could not smile back. “You are correct. If we can be done, now, I need to make some phone calls.”
Chapter Six
Thinking about the report from the two operatives who had failed to capture his wife filled Assan with familiar rage. She was so much stronger than she used to be. It didn’t pay to underestimate her ability to evade him.
But that strength would also make her capture so much more satisfying.
He had to find a way to punish her. She would expect it—she’d know she’d earned his wrath. And once she’d been chastened, he’d find a subtler way to capture and control her.
Assan looked out the window at the view of ocean and sky: another boring tropical seascape. The climate was nice here, not as hot as Hong Kong—but the slow pace of life, the celebratory mood of the people in his area, the need for concealment—all of it irritated him. He would be here only as long as it took to get his hands on her, and to do the business they had together.
A slow smile spread across Assan’s face as he considered an idea. He picked up the phone to contact his man on Oahu.
Ken Yamada had a cool voice on the phone, carrying the lilt of someone who had grown up in Hawaii. “This is Special Agent Yamada.”
“Ken? It’s Sophie.”
Lei and Pono had left Sophie alone at last, and after turning over the surveillance cams to Ronnie again, Sophie was back in the guest room inside Shank Miller’s, throwing her clothing and belongings into a duffel.
“Sophie.” Ken sighed, and Sophie could clearly picture her former colleague’s severely handsome, ascetic face, the way he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lei and Pono must have talked to you.”
“Yes, they did.” Sophie rolled each item of her simple clothing into a tight bundle and packed it into the bag. “And as a friend, I’m wondering why you didn’t call me yourself as soon as you suspected Todd Remarkian might be mixed up with the vigilante we investigated on that Security Solutions case.”