by Dana Mentink
Lexie sighed, but didn’t pull her hands away. “She told me you were cruel, that you’d used her for a disposable summer fling. She used that as an excuse to date a real jerk of a guy when we got back from the trip. I thought it was part of her getting over her heartbreak. Now you’re telling me it was just immaturity?”
Shaun swallowed the growing lump in his throat. “Sounds like we’ve both been taken for a ride.”
Lexie finally looked up, meeting his eyes with a sadness that tugged at his heart. He wanted to reach across the table and brush away the tear forming in the corner of her eye before it escaped, but resisted the urge. “She was a complete mess, Shaun, so I’m having a lot of trouble believing what you’re saying is true.”
“I promise I’m telling the truth.”
Lexie frowned. “She was used to guys falling all over her and I think she knew her rebound guy was a terrible influence, but she claimed he gave her the attention she deserved… Now that I say it out loud, it sounds like a terrible excuse. And now I can’t even ask her about it. I don’t know what to believe.”
“Can’t ask her about it? Why not?” Shaun still reeled from Lexie’s revelation. What more could there possibly be to say about this situation? “We both deserved our wild-child status for a while there, but I can’t imagine…”
“She’s gone, Shaun.”
How many more surprises could he take?
“She disappeared a few months after the trip. Vanished with barely a trace, all evidence suggesting she ran off with this guy.”
Shaun sensed there was more to her statement than she’d said. Lexie bit her bottom lip and eyed him from beneath her lashes. Lexie, who worked to find missing people. Who panicked about not messing up this job. Who refused to give up on those law enforcement had given up on.
Suddenly, it all made sense. “You think she may have been kidnapped?”
Lexie’s nod was nearly imperceptible, her voice even quieter. “I keep working on these cases, searching for girls like Maria.”
Shaun heard the unspoken words. She hoped for clues, indications, anything that might point to Nikki’s whereabouts. Nikki, the wild, beautiful girl he’d thought he had let down gently, but who’d instead used his rejection as an excuse to spiral her life out of control when she didn’t get what she wanted…who’d lied to her kind, compassionate sister. No wonder Lexie had been angry at seeing him again.
Shaun never would have fallen for someone like Lexie in the past. She’d been too Goody-Two-Shoes, too “safe” for him back then, but people changed. Priorities changed. He’d changed. That’s why he’d said no to Nikki after the mission trip.
He couldn’t begin to imagine how Lexie must be feeling, realizing she’d believed her sister’s lie for so many years. Could he really blame Lexie for acting so hostile toward him? What could he do to prove the truth of what happened in the past?
“Do you think—” he began, but his words were cut short by the arrival of Head of Security Parsons and security team member Josh. Parsons was growling into his walkie-talkie, but offered a terse nod of acknowledgment to Shaun.
“What do you mean, you don’t know if it’s important? Of course it’s important,” Parsons snapped. “Get back down there and find him! Ridiculous.” He shoved the walkie-talkie back onto his belt.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” Shaun said, hoping to diffuse the tension.
“This had better be important,” drawled Parsons. “We’re swamped here. People are panicking about being stuck at sea, even though we have enough food to feed them for a week. You’d think they have no idea how a modern watercraft operates. And I just got a call from my young guy, the redheaded kid. He came across some joker trying to sneak into a restricted area, or should I say, he passed the guy in the hallway and then called to ask if that might be a concern. Can you believe it? Reed’s a good kid but he’s short a few marbles, if you get my meaning.”
“Interesting.” Shaun felt his hopes rising, despite knowing it could be nothing at all. “How’d the passenger manage that?”
“Maintenance elevator,” Josh said, nodding to Lexie, who remained seated at the table. “Told you we needed to get those fixed.”
“Does he have the man in custody? Someplace I can talk to him?”
“Whoa, whoa.” Parsons held his palms aloft. “Slow down. Want to give me a reason why I should let you do that?”
Shaun glanced around the room to ensure that no other ears were within hearing distance. He needed to be careful about how much he told anyone, but as Jack had said, moving around covertly on a passenger ferry would require the cooperation of the security team. And if they’d caught a passenger snooping around, Shaun absolutely wanted to question the guy.
“I’m only going to say this once. Time is a factor here.” He checked to make sure Lexie could hear him. She stood and rounded the table to stand next to him, coffee in hand. “How much do you guys know about human trafficking?”
Parsons huffed, crossing his arms. “I’ve heard of smuggling drugs and guns, but people? Sounds a little extreme.”
Shaun figured as much. He was no stranger to hearing denial on the subject. “Lexie and I chatted about this earlier, but it’s a real problem happening under the noses of North American citizens. One ring in particular abducts young women here and abroad, with the ringleader—known only as the Wolf—working with a pack of accomplices. He preys on those he perceives as weak, encircling and snaring them with lies of a better life.”
“Don’t know what this has to do with us,” Parsons said. “Or you, for that matter.”
Shaun cleared his throat, shot a glance at Lexie and hoped she’d forgive him for this later. “Miss Reilly is searching for one of these young women, and I’m helping her do so.” He heard Lexie’s sharp intake of breath, but avoided meeting her eyes. He’d explain later, insomuch as he could. “I believe the woman she’s searching for has fallen victim to one of the Wolf’s schemes, and it has also put Miss Reilly in the line of fire. The events of the day match up to the Wolf’s modus operandi.” Take him out, the whole ring collapses, Shaun added to himself. “Miss Reilly boarded the ferry intending to find and remove one of his revenue sources. Each girl is worth a lot of money to a trafficker, and by searching for Maria, she’s threatening not only his income, but his entire operation as a whole.”
Shaun watched a struggle play out on Lexie’s face as she tried to fight past the urge of denial—and the urge to punch him in the nose, most likely. He didn’t blame her, but the search for Maria provided the perfect cover for his own search or the Wolf.
“You suspect someone on board is this Wolf? A passenger?” Lexie eyed him with a you owe me look. “It could be anyone.”
“It could.” Shaun hated turning Lexie’s suspicions up a notch, but if it kept her alive, it’d be worth it. He’d seen firsthand what traffickers would do to protect their interests, and it wasn’t pretty. “We know he’s male, but because of the pack mentality of the operation, that’s literally all the physical description we have to go on. The passenger you caught sneaking around would be a good place to start, though.”
Parsons tilted his chin upward, frowning. “Look, kid. I’ve been in the ferry security business for years, and I’ve never heard of such a thing. Drugs, yes. Cops caught one of those rings a few years back, but people? That’s harder to do, isn’t it? We’d notice. Plus, do you really think Newfoundland is where they’d take her? Why not the Pacific? Taking people across the Atlantic sounds backward.”
“That’s a question I plan to get an answer to, the moment I have this man in custody. Remember, these people are professionals. And dangerous. I’d prefer if you and your team handled damage control in the meantime. I’ll get my hands dirty and radio you in for help when we need it, but your primary concern needs to remain on the passengers of this vessel. If they get wind of this, we’ll have mass panic on our hands, and since we’re stuck at sea…”
“It ain’t gonna be pretty. I get it. But
you still haven’t told me why I should trust you instead of waiting for the Coast Guard.”
“I work for the United States government,” Shaun admitted. “As I said, I’m searching for this girl, too. And look at it this way—you’ve got a ferry full of passengers to take care of and a possible international incident on your hands if the Wolf or one of his lackeys is on board. You’re going to need all the help you can get. Lexie and I will do the heavy lifting while you manage crowd control.”
With a sigh of resignation, Parsons pulled his walkie-talkie from his belt and fiddled with the dials. “Government, eh? Fine. Take this one, I’ll grab another from my office. Call when you need us.”
Accumulated tension eased from Shaun’s shoulders. The authoritative routine didn’t always work, but this security team was already in over their heads. A person exuding confidence tended to be a welcome presence in dire situations.
“One more thing,” Shaun said as the men turned to leave. “Don’t tell anyone else what’s going on. The safety of the passengers and this girl may be at stake. The last thing we need is someone running scared, making rash moves or disappearing as soon as we hit the dock. Any news on the passenger, Parsons?”
“Right.” Parsons radioed through to Reed, who didn’t pick up. “He’s probably held up someplace. I’ll track him down and fill you in.” The security personnel began walking away, but Parsons turned around and paused. “You know, if everything’s as you say, I don’t think the kidnapper running scared is what we’ll need to worry about.”
Glancing at Lexie, Shaun couldn’t agree with him more. That’s what I’m afraid of.
*
On the inside, Lexie reeled from the conversation of the past five minutes. Had Nikki actually lied to her eight years ago? Was her sister the one who’d gone after Shaun, and not vice-versa? All this time, Lexie had carried around disgust and anger at the boy who’d stolen her sister’s heart on a mission trip only to stomp on it without warning…except it hadn’t been that way at all. Or had it?
Lexie pressed the base of her palm against her forehead to ease the growing pressure. Who did she believe? Reconciling this strong, compassionate man across from her with her sister’s story would be impossible had she not seen this version of Shaun in action.
Perhaps proving even more difficult to believe was what he’d just told the security officers. Combined with giving a different last name to the medical staff—she knew she hadn’t remembered that wrong—something else was going on here. Something she doubted Shaun would willingly tell her on his own, so she decided to take a direct approach.
“Changed your last name when you started working for the government, did you?”
He flinched at her accusation, and Lexie pressed her lips together to suppress a knowing smile. After a few beats of silence, Shaun ran his fingers through his hair, offering up a disarming grin.
“It’s like I said, I work for the US government.”
Lexie said nothing and stared him down, waiting.
Shaun chuckled, looked around to double check that they were alone in the room, and leaned in closer to Lexie. “You’re very perceptive, Reilly. Yes, I did have to change my name. I’m CIA and I need to protect my cover. As you can tell, I didn’t count on bumping into someone from my past. It happens less often than you’d think.”
Lexie stifled a gasp as a thrill crept up her spine, which she immediately tamped down on. Shaun Carver, CIA? And yet, she believed him. His coffee-brown eyes pleaded with her for trust and understanding, and for a moment, she was tempted to give it to him.
To distract herself—and to possibly drown the migrating stomach butterflies—she drained the remainder of her coffee, grateful to have at least some sustenance in her stomach. “You’ve been doing this awhile, I take it?”
A flicker of annoyance crossed Shaun’s features. Did he think she’d just drop it? The man had willingly put himself in possible danger on two occasions already, and despite herself, Lexie felt her heart warming at the depth of Shaun’s concern for both her and others. It was an undeniable and unavoidable change from the version of him she’d thought to be true, almost magnetic, compelling her to want to know more about him. To get a little closer. And yet, that would compromise her focus. Besides, they both had a serious job to do.
“Let’s just say I’ve spent the past three years on the trail of some very dangerous people.” Shaun pushed away from the chair he leaned on. “We should get back to the search, if you’re ready. Try to piece the clues together.”
He had a point. They did no good by sitting around. “Fine. But if what you’ve told us puts Maria in danger—”
Shaun rubbed a hand down his face. “Honestly, right now? It’s not only Maria I’m worried about. Anything we tackle from this point onward, we tackle together. You’ve already been targeted, and I don’t trust the Wolf to leave you alone until he’s convinced you’ve given up on the girl.”
“Which I haven’t. And I won’t.”
“Trust me, I understand. I’m not going to try and talk you out of it.”
“You won’t? Won’t I compromise your operation or whatever?”
Shaun’s gentle laugh sent a rush of warmth to her center. It was a reassuring sound in a tense moment, but she clamped down on the urge to fully let her guard down, regardless of his undeniable sincerity. She still hadn’t decided if she believed him.
“You’ve just become part of the operation,” Shaun said, interrupting her thoughts. “But let’s keep that between us, shall we?” His seriousness with those final words only vanished once she’d nodded agreement. He then motioned for her to follow him, and they exited the lounge in silence.
Shaun positioned himself about two feet behind her as they checked the public rooms on the deck, searching for any sign of disturbance or possible person-sized hiding spaces.
Even at this distance, Lexie found herself fully aware of Shaun’s presence. He matched her every step and every turn, ensuring he’d be within arm’s reach should they come across any danger. In a way, it was comforting, but having him so close brought up unwelcome feelings that were getting harder to bury.
As they exited a small cloak room, Lexie couldn’t help but notice Shaun’s build as he glanced from one side to another down the hallway. With such broad shoulders and chest, anyone who didn’t know what he did might mistake him for a construction worker or logger. Of course, his plaid shirt and puffy vest didn’t help. She supposed not all spies wore suits and dark sunglasses, despite what she’d seen on television.
“Library,” Shaun said behind her. Lexie stopped and touched the door on their right. “Even if there’s nothing in there, we might as well sit down and go over what we have so far.”
“You mean, the nothing we have so far?” Lexie entered the room and Shaun closed the library door behind them. Six-foot-high shelves lined the walls of the small room, and several armchairs and coffee tables were strategically placed in small groups or singles. Lexie’s shoulders dropped by an inch as her tension began to melt away. Shelves of books tended to have that effect, enveloping her with a sense of peace. Shaun surveyed the room with an impassive gaze, tucking his hands in his back pockets.
“This is nice,” he said. Lexie gaped at him, barely believing her ears. He caught her eye and shrugged. “No, really. I don’t get to read much, but if I wanted to get away from the bustle of a busy ferry trip, I’d come here. Something tells me you would, too.” He watched her curiously, as though seeing her through a magnifying lens.
Lexie rolled her shoulders back, trying to ease the discomfort of feeling examined. “Yes, I would. Deductive reasoning from a trained agent?”
“Or a good memory from the distant past?” He winced and looked back toward the door. “But you might want to be careful how loud you throw the A word around. It’s not a feature we want to advertise. Right now I think we have the element of surprise, with the Wolf knowing only of your purpose here, not mine, as far as we know. This should give us
an advantage both in keeping you safe and in searching for Maria, though that could change at any moment.”
Shaun walked around the room’s perimeter, checking behind tables and tapping on the sides of shelves. Lexie followed suit, starting at the other end of the room until they met in the middle. The final shelf yielded no secrets, which didn’t surprise Lexie. Searching rooms had seemed like a good idea until they’d come up empty in one place after another. She still wasn’t entirely sure what they were searching for, but Shaun had ideas about intelligence gathering from subtle clues that she couldn’t very well argue with.
She leaned against the final shelf as Shaun swept his hand across the top, coming away with a handful of gray dust for his efforts.
He raised his eyebrows and held his palm up toward her. “Huh. Dust at sea. I had no idea.”
Lexie suppressed a laugh. The man had saved her from being choked to death and hadn’t hesitated to enter her room when he thought someone dangerous might be inside, but a sprinkling of dust stopped him in his tracks. “Where there are people, there’s dust, Mr. Lane. Or did you think the sea automatically vacuumed it out of the air?”
“Guess I never thought about it,” he said, wiping the dust on his jeans. “Dusting at sea just seems…wrong, somehow.”
Lexie couldn’t hold back the laugh this time, but as her giggle escaped, she became acutely aware of just how close Shaun stood to her. Her breath caught as he smiled at her, and in the strangeness of the moment, she found herself unable to move away.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything here,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “We haven’t found what we’re looking for.”
He swallowed hard, and Lexie thought she saw a bead of sweat break out on his forehead, despite the cool air of the ship.
“I wouldn’t say that,” he said, his voice deep and smooth.