Dark Water: Lantern Beach Blackout, Book 1

by Barritt, Christy

  The ocean was deadly and unrelenting.

  If this man didn’t kill her, then the Atlantic would.

  * * *

  It took twenty minutes for Cassidy to secure a boat.

  Colton felt certain the man who’d abducted Elise had taken her out on the water. The man didn’t plan on staying on this island with Elise. It would be too risky.

  If Leonardo wasn’t behind this, then who was? Could it be Brian Starks? He was a possibility. The man was almost a wallflower. But he was always there. Always listening. It was the perfect job for someone who wanted to spy for the enemy.

  The thing Colton couldn’t understand was why he’d never seen this man on the island. Certainly, he would have recognized him.

  As they headed out on the water, Colton’s anxiety grew. The way the wind blew . . . the way the waves kicked up . . . there was a storm stirring. They didn’t have any time to waste.

  Dez put his phone to his ear and then looked back at Colton. “A small craft warning has been issued.”

  “Then let’s move faster.”

  Colton just prayed they got to Elise in time.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Finally, the roar of the engine died down. Elise heard footsteps coming toward her as she lay on the floor, unable to move. A moment later, the man yanked her to her feet and shoved her into some sort of seat.

  Elise held her breath, waiting for whatever was coming next. Was the man holding a gun to her? Or knife?

  She had no idea.

  Next thing she knew, the bag around her head was snatched off.

  Elise blinked, trying to get her surroundings into focus.

  She was definitely on a boat out in the ocean. The darkness around her . . . it nearly swallowed them. It was impossible to see where the sky ended and the ocean began.

  But it was the man in front of her that took her breath away.

  “Jason?” she muttered. “But . . .”

  He’d transformed from the so-called homeless man into somebody much more determined and driven. His eyes even took on a new light—the light of someone calculated and deadly.

  He reached up and tugged at his hairline. As he pulled it back, he revealed a wig.

  She blinked again. Elise had seen this man before. His dark long hair had been so overwhelming that it obstructed his features. But now that she looked closer . . . was he in one of those pictures that Daniel had stowed away? She couldn’t be certain. There was something else . . .

  “Do you know who I am yet?” A gleam sparkled in his eyes.

  “I’ve seen you before.”

  He grinned, looking a little too satisfied. “Yes, you have.”

  Elise sucked in a breath as realization washed over her. “You were the man who was driving the limo that day I met with the commander.”

  “Give the girl a diploma,” he said with a chuckle. “You finally put the pieces together.”

  “You were the one behind this the whole time?” As she said the words, a wave crashed into them and the boat rocked. Water sprayed over the deck, chilling her to the bone.

  No one should be out in this water tonight. No one.

  “My name is Jason. Jason Perkins. Proud member of the US Navy at your service.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Elise tugged at the binds around her wrists. The moisture seemed to loosen them. If only she could slide her hands out . . .

  “I’m just following orders.”

  “Orders from who?”

  “The Savages, of course.” He smiled.

  “The Savages sent you after me? Why would a group like that be so focused on me?”

  “I think we both know the answer to that question. I need those papers and the other evidence that you found.”

  She raised her chin. “I don’t have them with me.”

  “Where are they.”

  “I can’t tell you that.”

  He stepped closer. “Oh, you’re going to tell me that information.”

  As a moment of fear swept over her, Elise considered backing off. “I can’t do that.”

  He reached for her throat and pressed until the air no longer went into her lungs. Panic rushed through her.

  “Are you sure about that?” he growled.

  He released his grip on her long enough for her to rasp, “You might as well go ahead and kill me.”

  “Oh, I’m going to do that. But I need that information first.”

  More water slapped over the edges of the boat, and a wave jostled them, nearly sending them toppling to the other side of the boat.

  Please, Lord . . . help us.

  “Why did you bring me out here?” she asked.

  “So I could show you exactly how your husband died. In fact, I’m going to do more than show you how he died. You’re going to experience it for yourself.”

  Anger displaced some of her fear. Elise narrowed her eyes and stared at Jason. “You’re sick.”

  “I kind of like it this way.” He grinned again.

  “You won’t get away with this.” She tugged at her binds again. Her wrist finally slipped.

  The duct tape came off, and her hands were free. She wasn’t sure how much good that would do her now, though. Jason could easily overpower her.

  “Of course I will. Who else is out here who is going to stop me?”

  Another chill rushed through her at his words. “Blackout is going to find you.”

  “Blackout is going to die when I accidentally set off one of those bombs I left around the house.”

  “They’re smarter than that. They’re going to find the bombs, and they’re going to figure out a way to find me.”

  “I like your optimism, but that’s not the way it’s going to work out.” Jason’s hand squeezed her throat again. “Now, do you want to rethink telling me that information?”

  * * *

  “There it is!” Colton yelled.

  He spotted the shrimp trawler in the distance and cut the lights on his boat. He slowed, trying not to alert anyone onboard that he was coming. The darkness would be his friend right now—but these waves wouldn’t.

  A storm stirred in the distance.

  His phone rang, and he saw a new message from Griff. His friend had managed to enlarge that photo. Colton handed the steering to Dez and clicked on the picture.

  In the corner of the photo, he spotted a new face in the corner—barely reflected in the mirror.

  “What is it?” Dez asked.

  Colton sucked in a breath as realization washed over him. “That’s Jason, the homeless guy here on the island.”

  “What’s he doing at a charity event like that?” Dez said. “Weren’t tickets hundreds of dollars?”

  “He’s obviously not homeless. That must have just been a cover.” Colton’s stomach clenched at the thought.

  He called Griff, needing more information.

  “I had a friend of mine run his photo through the system,” Griff said. “Our homeless guy is actually Jason Perkins. He was a combat driver in the Navy, but his vehicle hit an IED. He spent months in recovery. When he was finally released, he had a career change and became a different kind of driver—he became part of Secretary Stabler’s entourage. His main task is acting as chauffeur.”

  Colton didn’t like the sound of any of this. “Any idea how he got involved with the Savages?”

  “I’m still researching it. But I heard when he was stationed overseas, he became friendly with the locals. My guess is that’s how he got involved. He could have begun sympathizing with them. Maybe his goal all along was to get in a position with someone high-ranking so he could get inside information.”

  “Keep researching. Good job.”

  “Do you think someone sent him here to do the job? And, if they did, was it the Savages or someone inside the command?”

  Colton didn’t even want to think about the possibility. Right now, he just needed to concentrate on finding Elise and making sure that she was safe. As long as Colton knew she would be
okay, then hope remained that maybe they could talk things through. That maybe he could somehow convince Elise that he’d only been trying to protect her. Maybe she would forgive him.

  He called Cassidy and gave her their coordinates. They would need all the help they could get. Colton didn’t know if they were going up against one guy or many. He only knew he didn’t want to be ambushed again.

  As they got closer to the trawler, they cut the engine and drifted the rest of the way. Just as they got on the backside of the boat, a male voice rang out.

  “This is what Daniel felt like before he died,” the deep voice crowed.

  “You’re sick,” someone said. Elise.

  As Colton’s eyes continued to adjust to the darkness, he saw Elise on the bow. Jason loomed in front of her.

  Colton nodded at Dez before boarding the boat. Using all the stealth within him, he crept closer to the scene. Jason didn’t seem to hear him. That was a good sign.

  But as Colton got closer to her, the fear in Elise’s eyes became clear.

  He had to stop this now.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Jason stepped away from her, and Elise sucked in deep breaths of air. She watched as he reached down and pulled out . . . a gun.

  Not just any gun.

  An automatic machine gun.

  That weapon could take out someone long-range without a problem. And Jason stood only a few feet away from her.

  This nightmare was far from over.

  Elise looked below and saw the dark water there. The weather had been growing worse, and the waves were becoming larger by the moment. As the wind swept over the boat, Elise grabbed the railing so she wouldn’t lose her balance.

  Her throat went dry at the sight of that water. It could be her grave. There was no way she would survive out here for very long. No one could.

  Was this what Daniel felt? Had he been afraid? Elise had a hard time seeing it. He’d always seemed so valiant, so fearless.

  “You got your hands free,” Jason muttered. “But that’s not going to help you now.”

  Elise ignored him, tried to push away the fear he tried to stir inside her. “How did you know about the items I found?”

  “Easy. I heard you talking to the commander.”

  That’s what she assumed. “Then you started following me?”

  “I did. This would’ve been so much easier if you had just given me that information that day I went to your house.”

  Anger zinged through her blood as she remembered her house fire. “You didn’t have to kill Bernie.”

  “I wouldn’t have if he hadn’t gotten in my way.”

  Acid burned in her stomach. This man was disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. “Then you had to pull Henry into this as well.”

  “The plan was brilliant, and it messed with your mind,” Jason said. “Win-win. You’ve got to know that we will do whatever it takes to get our way.”

  “Why did you even target him?” she asked.

  “He was my Uber driver. He talked about how much he loved his wife. Even had a picture of her on his dashboard. I got his license plate number and tracked down his address. He was the perfect target. He practically handed himself to me.”

  “So I see. Innocent lives mean nothing to you.”

  “There’s no such thing as an innocent life.” Jason chuckled as if the idea was entertaining.

  “How many of you are there here?” Buy time, Elise. Just buy time.

  His laughter faded, and that intense look returned to his eyes. “I can’t answer that question. Now, enough talking.”

  Elise could hardly stand to think about it. There was so much evil and corruption out there. Sometimes it felt useless to even fight it. But what other choice did she have?

  “Now tell me where the information is.” Jason raised his gun again.

  Fear trembled through her again. “I told you, I can’t do that. What’s it going to matter? If I’m dead, no one’s going to find it anyway.”

  “We can’t know that. That’s why we need it.” He stepped closer and pressed the gun into her side until she gasped.

  “You’re out of luck then.” The waves rose and fell again, reminding her of a rollercoaster—a terrifying rollercoaster. More water splashed aboard. If the boat tossed too much, Jason could accidentally pull the trigger.

  “Then after this, I’ll just have to kill off your friends one by one until they give me the copies you gave them.”

  Elise felt her face go paler. “Leave them out of this.”

  “Too late. You pulled them into this.”

  Just as Jason said the words, she spotted movement behind him. Was she seeing things?

  But she knew she wasn’t.

  Colton. That was Colton. He was on the boat.

  Her heart soared. Maybe there was hope.

  But as she glanced at the gun again, her hope began to plummet. One pull of Jason’s finger and her life would be over . . . just like Daniel’s had been.

  * * *

  Colton had to make his move. It was now or never. As he saw the man raise his gun back up toward Elise’s head, he knew that time was running out. He glanced on the other side of the boat and spotted Dez there.

  Between the two of them, they could take Jason out. Colton hadn’t seen anybody else on the boat. Jason had clearly anticipated an easy mission.

  “This is your last chance,” Jason said. “Tell me what I need to know.”

  “I can’t do that,” Elise said.

  “Okay, but I feel like it’s only fair to warn you that this water is so cold that it will kill you in less than five minutes. That’s if the sharks don’t get you first or if the currents don’t pull you out.”

  Elise visibly shuddered. But she said nothing.

  “Have it your way,” Jason said.

  Before he could pull the trigger, Colton darted from his hiding place and tackled him. Their bodies collided, and they hit the deck. As they did, Jason’s gun fell to the ground—but not before firing.

  Colton gasped and looked up. Elise tumbled over the railing. Had she been hit?

  Colton’s heart leapt into his throat. “No!”

  Dez grabbed Jason’s arms, securing him in place. “I’ve got him. Go get Elise.”

  Without thinking about it anymore, Colton ran to the edge of the boat. He reached the railing just in time to see Elise go under.

  He dove in after her, determined that he wasn’t going to lose her now.

  Chapter Forty

  Elise felt the cold water hit her, and the air left her lungs. She had never felt such cold, such overwhelming cold. It seeped into every part of her body until she felt like she could no longer move.

  Another wave came and covered her head. Elise managed to pop back up. To take a breath. Her limbs weren’t cooperating, and moving was a struggle.

  But she had to try.

  Another wave pulled her under again, farther and deeper this time.

  Elise sputtered as she came up. Water filled her nose, her mouth.

  She wouldn’t last long out here. Not in these conditions.

  Daniel . . . was this how he’d felt? Or had his death been quick?

  Strong arms wrapped around her. As she surfaced from the water again, she heard someone say, “I’ve got you.”

  Colton. Colton had come after her.

  He swam with her toward the shrimp trawler in the distance. As they got closer, Dez reached down and pulled her onto the boat. She collapsed there, sputtering and coughing water from her lungs. Uncontrollable shivers claimed her entire body.

  Colton surfaced a moment later. With Dez’s help, he climbed aboard. Trembles overwhelmed his body, but all of his focus seemed to be on her.

  He bent down next to her. “Were you shot?”

  Elise did a quick inventory, her thoughts murky and unclear. “No . . . I don’t think so.”

  He closed his eyes and bent toward her. “Thank goodness.”

  Just as the words left his lips, lights
shone in the distance.

  Backup was here, Elise realized. Maybe this was finally over.

  Chapter Forty-One

  An hour later, they were all back on the shore and Jason had been taken into custody.

  Elise was tucked safely into the back of Cassidy’s police cruiser. A paramedic checked her vitals, while Cassidy took her statement.

  Thank goodness, the Coast Guard had shown up when it did. Just one slip in the timing of everything, and they might not all be here right now.

  As a familiar face appeared in the distance, Colton straightened his back.

  It was time to make things right.

  Colton strode across the parking area of the docks. The sun was beginning to rise, scattering its light around him. It promised a new day, a new start.

  Colton paused in front of Benjamin and swallowed his pride. “Thank you for your help earlier.”

  “It’s no problem.” But Benjamin’s words still sounded hard.

  “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

  Benjamin shrugged, his shoulders stiff. “I know you don’t know me as well as you know the other guys . . . but if you gave me a chance, maybe you would see I’m not that bad.”

  “You’re right. And I’m sorry. I think we were all looking for someone to blame. I should have never set my sights on you.”

  Benjamin stared at him another moment before nodding. “It’s okay.”

  Colton felt his muscles loosen.

  Benjamin reached for his hand, and their grips locked before they gave each other a man hug.

  If Benjamin could forgive Colton, then maybe Colton should forgive himself.

  Jason had been the one who’d sold them out. He’d heard everything that had been planned, and he’d told the Savages about the SEAL team coming to take out their leader. The man had positioned himself to obtain information and then use it against the US. His plan had been clever.

  Thank goodness, he was behind bars now.