Danger felt close—too close—and he didn’t want to take any chances.
Anger—and sorrow—still burned through him when he thought about the way things had played out.
Things weren’t supposed to happen this way. But the best thing he could do right now was to give Elise some space. He hoped in the morning they could talk.
Sitting at the desk, Colton rubbed his eyes. He had to figure out who was behind this. Failure wasn’t an option.
What was he missing?
The burner phone Daniel had left seemed to be a non-lead. The numbers were untraceable.
It was the code and the photos that were their best bet for finding answers.
He began poring over the photos that Daniel had taken. What event was this? Everyone was dressed to the nines.
As he stared at the rooms and décor, he realized the place seemed vaguely familiar. But he couldn’t identify why.
What kind of events would draw these crowds of people? The commander? The Secretary of the Navy? Tara Campbell?
Colton got on the computer and began clicking on things. A few minutes later, he had his answer.
These were taken at an art gallery in Norfolk.
An art gallery? Colton wasn’t sure that offered him any more answers than he’d had before.
Something about these photos and the people in them were important enough that Daniel had hidden them. It shouldn’t be this hard to figure out what.
Colton let out a sigh and leaned back. He ran a hand over his face, fighting frustration over it all.
Maybe he just needed some sleep.
Maybe things would look brighter in the morning.
* * *
Elise felt like she had just fallen asleep when she heard a buzzing beside her.
She sat up in bed, unaware she’d been sleeping so deeply. She’d been pulled into a dreamlike vortex where she was being chased by a masked man. Now sweat covered her brow, and her sheets felt wet with perspiration.
The buzzing started again.
Her gaze went to her nightstand, and she saw that it was her phone.
A sick feeling formed in her gut. The only person who used this number was the person threatening her. Was that person calling her now?
She glanced at her watch. Two AM.
Elise prayed this was just a wrong number and not another threat.
But she knew better.
With trembling hands, she picked up the phone and put it to her ear. Her throat was dry and scratchy as she answered.
“Leave the house,” a deep voice ordered. “Right now.”
“Why would I want to do that?” Her voice quivered at the foreshadowing of what was to come.
“I planted tripwire bombs at each of the cabanas and the cottage where you’re staying. If you refuse to cooperate, I will be forced to detonate my little toys—I set up a remote option as well. Your friends will be no more.”
Elise gasped, instant—and horrifying—pictures filling her mind. Pictures she couldn’t bear to visualize.
“What do you want me to do?” she whispered.
“Tell no one where you’re going. If I suspect you of slipping up, I’ll be forced to take action. I’ll test out this remote option on one of the cabanas, just for fun.”
She pressed her eyes shut.
“You’re going to step out the front door,” he continued. “Walk over the sand dune. I’ll give you further instructions once you do that. You have five minutes. Not a moment more.”
“Won’t the bomb go off?”
“I have all that figured out. You just come out.”
Sweat scattered across her brow. “I don’t have the evidence with me, if that’s what you want.”
“I want you, Elise. Five minutes.”
A chill swept over her, a chill so frigid Elise felt as if she might pass out. Before she could argue or say anything else, the line went dead.
Elise had to make a choice. But she already knew what it was. There was no way she could let her friends get hurt because of her. But that didn’t stop the nauseous feeling from rolling around in her stomach.
This was it. When she left this house, Elise would most likely never see these people again.
Even after everything that happened yesterday, the gang here still felt like family. These people had been there for her.
She glanced at her watch again. It was 2:03 now. She didn’t have much time to get outside or the man would take drastic measures.
Elise threw the covers off and pulled her shoes on, along with a coat. She started toward the door but paused. Quickly, she ran back to her dresser, found a pen and paper, and scribbled a quick note. Maybe someone would see this in time.
With one last glance at her room, Elise tiptoed down the hallway. This was it. The moment she should’ve known was coming.
The moment when the bad guy would win.
Elise only wished she had a little more time to make things right.
Instead, she left the note by the front door and prayed everyone saw it in time.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Elise felt the trembles claim her as she stepped outside. Please, Lord, help me now.
She didn’t know if she was doing the right thing or not. She only knew that she had to do it. She had no other choice.
A frigid wind swept around her as soon as she paused on the screened porch. It seemed to warn her to run now while she could. Instead, she quietly closed the door behind her, so as to not wake anybody else up.
IEDs . . . that was all she could think about. They had been planted around here somewhere and could detonate at any moment.
She craned her neck and saw the box attached to the door. The blood left her face.
A wire came from the box, over the windows.
The man hadn’t been bluffing.
There was a bomb on this house.
She had no assurance that the man wouldn’t blow up the house anyway, despite her keeping the promise. But what other choice did she have?
For that matter, how did she know that her next step would be safe? That an explosive hadn’t been planted in her path, as well as around the buildings?
That was the thing. She didn’t know that. She couldn’t know.
She hurried down the steps and into the darkness below. Without any streetlights or outdoor lamps, the darkness felt deeper here than in her suburban neighborhood. The blackness unnerved her, took her breath away.
Despite her fear, she climbed the sand dune. Crossed to the beach on the other side. It seemed even darker here, more ominous.
What was next? The man had said he’d give her more directions. But Elise didn’t see anyone out here.
Her gaze went to the cabanas in the back of the property. Was Colton sleeping in his bed now, oblivious to all this?
Elise’s heart rate sped as she thought about him. Though he’d kept the truth about Daniel’s death from her, Elise knew deep down inside that she cared about him. She just needed time to work through her emotions. Would she ever have that chance?
A muted cry lodged in her throat at the thought. If only she could talk to him now. Explain things.
But that wasn’t an option.
Elise glanced at her phone. Still nothing.
It’s not too late. You can still run back inside and tell somebody.
But Elise knew that she wouldn’t do that. Whoever had made these threats against her knew the same thing.
As she began pacing again, she sensed someone behind her.
The next thing she knew, a black bag came down over her head. Before she could scream, a hand covered her mouth. An arm clamped down across her and lifted her from her feet.
“I knew you’d come. Say goodbye to your friends—because this is the end of the road.”
* * *
Cassidy awoke to a strange sound. What was that?
She nudged Ty beside her. “Wake up. Did you hear that?”
He pushed himself up in bed, his eyes still hazy from slee
p. “What?”
“I heard something.”
They both paused and listened. Nothing. Silence.
Then . . . she heard it again. “There it is.”
“That’s just Kujo.” Ty ran a hand over his face. “I thought I saw Griff sneaking him some food earlier today. Maybe his stomach is upset.”
Cassidy wasn’t convinced. “Something is wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it. Kujo doesn’t usually wake us up. I’m not sure he was the one who woke me. I think it was something else.”
“He’s scratching at our door right now. He must need to go outside. I’ll take care of him.” Ty climbed out of bed and threw on some jeans and a T-shirt.
Cassidy knew she wasn’t going to be able to stay in bed while Ty checked things out. All of her senses were on alert for some reason. Most likely it was everything that had happened here lately. It put her on edge. But she needed to be certain.
She pulled on a sweatshirt and grabbed the gun from the safe beside her bed.
Ty walked ahead of her in the hallway, speaking in low tones to Kujo. Cassidy glanced up and down the dark corridor but saw nothing out of place. Elise’s door was closed. Hopefully, they wouldn’t wake her.
Cassidy wandered into the kitchen just as Ty paused by the front door. He leaned down and picked up something on the floor.
“What is it?” Cassidy asked.
Ty’s worried gaze met hers. “It’s a note. From Elise. We can’t open this door. Not if we want to live.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Colton held the paper in his hands. “You found this note by the door?”
Ty had woken him up with the update about Elise. It still felt surreal.
Cassidy nodded, her face withdrawn and pinched with concern. “Kujo was acting weird, and we knew something was up. By the time we got here, Elise was gone.”
They met at the kitchen table. They spoke to Dez and Griff on the phone, and Benjamin . . . he was gone.
“You really think the place is rigged?” Colton asked, trying to think the situation through and keep a cool head.
Ty nodded. “I checked. I can see some kind of box near the handle, and there’s a trip wire of some sort over the windows. Based on the amount of C-4 I can see, this whole place could go up in flames.”
“And we can’t get out the windows either?” Colton asked.
Ty shook his head. “No, we can’t. Too bad Benjamin isn’t here. He was a bomb tech before he was a SEAL, right?”
Colton nodded. “That’s right. That would also make him the perfect person to do this.”
Cassidy blinked with obvious surprise. “You think Benjamin could be responsible?”
“He has the means and the opportunity. I just don’t want to believe that he has the motivation also.”
Cassidy glanced at Ty then Colton. “Then what do we do now? You’re talking about things that are a little bit out of my league right now.”
“Do you have any bomb-sniffing dogs here on the island?” Colton asked.
“Dane has a dog who’s been trained. But he’s not here right now. He went over to Hatteras to hang out with a friend last night.”
“How long will it take him to get here?”
“The first ferry doesn’t leave until seven AM.”
“We won’t have that kind of time. Can you call him and see if he can get here ASAP? We need to find Elise. Every second she’s gone, the less likely it is that we’re going to find her.”
Alive.
Colton didn’t say the last word. But it lingered in his mind.
The less likely it is that we are going to find her alive.
His stomach clenched at the thought.
He couldn’t lose someone else on his watch. Not again.
* * *
Whoever the man was who’d grabbed Elise, he was strong.
He half-carried her, half-shoved her forward. Where was he taking her?
She stumbled over the sand, wanting to struggle. To fight. But it was no use.
This man could clearly overpower her. And, if Elise fought too much, he could set off those bombs.
Finally, they stopped. Something opened, and, the next moment, he shoved Elise into a dark space.
A car trunk. It was the only thing that made sense.
He jerked her hands behind her, and she heard a low-pitched screech.
Duct tape.
He bound her wrists behind her back.
A click sounded. Like a door latching.
A few minutes later, Elise heard more clicks and then an engine started. Slowly, the vehicle rolled down a gravel road.
Whoever had abducted her must have parked on a side road, somewhere no one would see his vehicle.
But the bigger question was: where would he take her?
As the car continued to move down the road, all Elise could think about was the people she loved.
Daniel’s face plowed into her memories. He would have never wanted this for her. His whole life, he’d tried to protect her. He’d tried to protect his country. And, in return, someone had betrayed him and made him look like a traitor.
Her stomach turned at the thought.
Her thoughts shifted to Colton next. She didn’t think it possible that she’d ever fall in love again. And it wasn’t that she was in love with Colton, but Elise could feel something growing inside her. Something sweet and warm. Something she didn’t want to let go of.
Elise had failed Daniel. But she vowed she’d never be that person again. She had to fight for the people she believed in.
She felt around the back of the vehicle. It was clean, absent of any stray leaves or specks of wood or anything else one might feel in the back of an often-used vehicle. Could the car be a rental?
Maybe.
But that also meant there was nothing back here, nothing to protect herself with.
What did they do in some of those TV shows? The victim felt around until she found a latch that would open the trunk. Or she kicked out the brake light so she could see where she was.
The black bag made it hard to move, do much of anything.
Instead, Elise mentally tried to keep track of where they were. She hadn’t felt the driver turn anywhere. Did that mean they were headed down the main stretch of highway that went north and south on the island? It made the most sense.
What was at the other end? If she remembered correctly, the ferry docks were down there as well as an old harbor. The lighthouse wasn’t too far from that area either.
What would this man do with her at any of those places? Certainly, the ferry wasn’t operating at this hour.
Keep thinking, Elise. Keep thinking.
Who was the person who’d grabbed her? He was strong. He didn't even breathe hard as he carried her. He felt like nothing but solid muscles beneath her.
Benjamin?
No, why would he even pop into her head. Benjamin wasn’t a bad guy, despite the conflict between him and the rest of the team. He wouldn’t do that.
Who else?
The man who’d come into The Crazy Chefette fluttered through her mind also. What was his name? Leonardo?
He was obviously strong and capable, and he just happened to be on the island right now. Could it have been him?
She couldn’t rule him out.
Henry? She didn’t think so. Her gut told her the man had been telling the truth.
Maybe it was someone she hadn’t put her eyes on yet—a member of the Savages who blended in.
But nothing made sense still.
Elise had to figure this out. Her life depended on it.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“How much farther away is the bomb-sniffing dog?” Colton peered out the window, trying to get a good look at the bomb. But the angle was bad, and it was dark outside.
He only knew he couldn’t do anything to risk setting the device off. They’d be no good to Elise if they were dead.
> “Dane is trying to get a friend to bring him over on a boat right now,” Cassidy said. “But I’m going to say he’s at least an hour away. My guys are on their way here also. The bad news is that they don’t have much bomb training.”
“We don’t have an hour.” Colton felt his hands fist at his side.
“Since we’re all stuck here,” Ty started. “How about we look at this evidence one more time? If we can figure out who this implicates, then we can figure out who grabbed Elise.”
Reluctantly, Colton nodded. It was a good idea. It would keep their minds occupied until the bomb was disarmed. Right now, he felt like he was going crazy.
He pulled printouts of the evidence from a folder he’d left in the office and brought them to the kitchen table.
Cassidy picked up one with the code on it. “Is there some kind of cypher for this?”
“If there is, we haven’t figured it out yet. The woman who was helping us died in a car accident.”
“Lots of accidents and tragedies surrounding this, aren’t there?” Cassidy frowned.
“You can say that again,” Colton said. “I’ve had no luck figuring it out myself. None of us have.”
“Let me take a look at this. I actually took a class on it back when I was in . . .” Cassidy’s voice trailed off, and she shook her head. “Back when I did my police training.”
“That will work. Ty, could you examine these pictures? I’m going to try to get Tara Campbell’s boyfriend on the phone.”
“You know it’s 2:30 in the morning, don’t you?” Ty asked.
“I do. But this is life or death. It can’t wait.”
While everyone else got to work, Colton went into the office and used the secure line there to dial Joseph Monsoon’s number. A sleepy and slightly annoyed voice answered on the third ring.
“This better be important.”
“Someone is going to die if you don’t answer my questions.” Colton prayed the man wouldn’t hang up.
Dark Water: Lantern Beach Blackout, Book 1 Page 15