“Your daughter is well protected,” Giovanni insisted. “I have dozens of trained men guarding the resort, and there are security cameras everywhere.”
Matt didn’t appear convinced, although he kept his voice down and attempted to keep his concerns from showing around the other guests. “What about the guard they found washed ashore?” he demanded. “You sent that man to protect us, and someone put a bullet in his back. I haven’t seen my own bodyguard since our first night on the ship. What if he’s dead too?”
“I’ll talk to Corbin,” Giovanni informed him. “He’ll do whatever it is he does to keep things running smoothly. I assure you, whatever happened on the ship was unfortunate, but it can’t happen here. Security is too tight.”
“Then tell that one to stop following me around,” Matt remarked while indicating Sealy. “Put him at my daughter’s side. She’s the important one.”
“I’ll pull our kids aside after brunch and go over security with them, if it’ll make you happy,” Giovanni announced. “Believe me, Matt; if this island wasn’t safe, I’d be dead by now.”
“I suppose you have a point,” Matt muttered. He groaned softly and attempted to control his anxiety. “I’m going to have a drink and try to enjoy today. After the wedding tomorrow, I’ll be able to relax.”
“It’ll all be fine,” Giovanni insisted.
Matt walked away. Luke seemed to realize his father had left then hurried after him. Sealy approached Giovanni after receiving a glare.
“I want to know what’s going on around here,” Giovanni demanded in an angry whisper. “Find Corbin. Make sure he has everything under control. I want to know how Allen was killed onboard that ship.”
“Yes, sir,” Sealy announced then left.
Sealy passed Sal and Pinto where they sat at their table. Pinto watched the way her father stared after the large bodyguard. His look was troubling. She leaned across the table, having a difficult time hiding her concern.
“Something wrong, Dad?”
He was silent a moment then seemed to realize she was speaking. Sal forced a smile and attempted to look relaxed.
“No, dear,” Sal replied. “Everything is fine. Nothing for you to worry about.”
She stared at him and didn’t appear convinced. “Why are you lying to me?”
Sal eyed her then sighed softly. “Giovanni has made plenty of enemies in his time,” he informed her. “Something just doesn’t feel right.” He reached across the table, took her hands in his, and stared into her eyes, concerning her. “If anything happens, I want you to find Beck’s team, no matter how you feel about him right now, and do whatever they tell you.”
“What do you think’s going to happen?” she nearly gasped, alarmed by the comment.
“I don’t know,” Sal remarked while drifting off into his own world. “They say a shark can smell blood in the water. I’m smelling blood.”
“This has nothing to do with Will, does it?” Pinto asked with concern.
“Not anymore,” Sal muttered.
Giovanni approached their table with a broad grin on his face. His son, Marco, and Marco’s bride-to-be, Belle, were directly behind him. Sal immediately stood and gave his old friend an Italian hug then pulled away.
“Marco,” Giovanni announced cheerfully. “You remember my good friend, Salvatore Romano.”
Marco politely shook Sal’s hand. “Yes, I remember very well.”
“Do you also remember his daughter, Pinto?”
Marco eyed Pinto with some surprise then laughed while saying something in Italian. She stood and allowed Marco to hug her the same way Giovanni hugged her father. He pulled back and marveled at Pinto.
“It’s been a long time, Pinto,” Marco announced cheerfully. “We were just teenagers when I last saw you.” He laughed softly. “You used to follow me around everywhere I went.”
Pinto laughed at the memory. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Marco.”
“I’m so glad you could make it to the wedding,” he announced then pulled Belle to his side. “You never met my bride-to-be. Belle, this is Pinto, a dear friend of the family.”
The women politely shook hands. Belle was everything a well-bred woman should be. It was obvious she came from a wealthy family. Although her family was wealthier than Sal, she was gracious toward Pinto.
“I’ve heard many stories about Marco’s childhood,” Belle announced cheerfully. “It’s nice to finally meet some of his friends from when he was a boy.”
“I don’t know that we were friends,” Pinto teased while grinning at Marco. “Your future husband used to chase me around the mansion grounds with garter snakes.”
Marco laughed and hid his smile. “I loved the way you screamed,” he teased.
Belle attempted to frown but couldn’t be upset with Marco. She shook her head then looked at Pinto. “All young boys are bad at that age,” she remarked. “My brother, Luke, was the worst. Have you met Luke?”
Pinto shifted uncomfortably then smiled. “Yes, we spent some time together on the ship.”
“I’ll bet,” Belle announced and gave her a quick once over. “He was probably stuck on you like glue. Honestly, he hasn’t matured that much over the years. Don’t be afraid to tell him where to go.”
Pinto laughed knowingly.
†
Sealy walked along a path in the garden, being the quickest way to the hotel entrance near the security office. Someone darted along the path near the generator shed. Sealy stopped and stared only a moment then hurried after the suspicious person. The generator building was responsible for maintaining power to the resort. If anyone tampered with it, the results would be devastating, particularly before the wedding tomorrow. Sealy touched his ear transmitter.
“Corbin, do you copy?” he announced.
“Yeah, Sealy, I copy,” came Corbin’s voice over his ear transmitter.
“I have suspicious activity near the generator building. I’m going to check it out,” Sealy informed him. “Have maintenance give the generator a thorough inspection.”
“I’ll have someone there in five minutes,” Corbin replied. “Do you need backup?”
“Nah, I’m fine,” Sealy replied with little care. “It’s probably nothing.”
“Okay,” he responded. “Corbin out.”
Sealy removed a semiautomatic from his hidden shoulder holster and approached the nearby building in search of his mysterious intruder. He circled the building but didn’t see anyone nearby. Sealy checked the door. The massive lock was broken. He cursed softly under his breath, again looked around, and then entered the generator building. Sealy wandered past the massive generator and looked around for any signs of trespassers, although it seemed as if the intruder had fled the scene already. As he glanced over the generator for signs of tampering, he noticed a smudge of something on the machine. Sealy touched the smear and looked at the blood on his fingertips. He immediately became alert and looked around. The door opened and a maintenance man in a navy blue jumpsuit, wearing a tool belt, approached while carrying his toolbox.
“Someone was in here,” Sealy informed him and again looked around. “Who was supposed to be on duty here? We need a head count.”
When the maintenance man didn’t respond, Sealy turned to look at him. The man stood in the shadows. By the time Sealy saw the gun in his hand, it was too late. The maintenance man impersonator fired the weapon affixed with a silencer twice, shooting Sealy in the chest. Sealy fell back against the generator, dropping his gun. He slowly sank down the machine to the floor.
†
The expensive fourth-floor suite remained dimly lit despite being only late afternoon. All the curtains and blinds were drawn, which wasn’t typical for housekeeping to leave the room dark once they made their rounds. Another blind mysteriously closed, making the suite even darker. A small figure mostly in black slipped across the room and approached a decorative armoire. The cabinet door opened to reveal the television and a small safe just beneat
h it. A code was entered into the keypad, allowing the safe door to open. Black gloved hands scooped out the contents into an awaiting black bag. The gloved hand paused and held Emily’s ruby and diamond tennis bracelet, admiring it. It went into the bag. The safe door closed. A chisel struck the edges of the safe near the latch, leaving enough damage to create the illusion that someone physically broke into the safe. The thief turned to leave. A blind suddenly opened casting bright light onto the thief.
Mac shielded her eyes from the light and looked at the balcony door. Zack leaned against the frame with his arms folded across his chest and shook his head in disapproval.
“Oh, Mac,” he scolded softly. “You’re like the bad little kitten putting pulls in the curtains.”
“I resent that,” she scoffed and became annoyed. “Why are you following me?”
“I’m bored,” he announced simply. “Playing dead isn’t as much fun as it used to be. I thought I’d play with my imaginary friends instead.”
She rolled her eyes and headed for the door. “You’ve got no friends. Find another playmate.”
The black bag suddenly flew from her hand, surprising her. She turned and narrowly avoided Zack’s black, booted foot to her face. Mac became enraged and spun into a roundhouse kick, nearly clipping him. He dodged the kick and deflected the return kick, which immediately followed. He went low and swept her legs out from beneath her then watched her crash to the floor with satisfaction. As he sprang back up from his low spin, Mac kicked upward, catching him in the chest and sending him backward into the bed. As she attempted to grab her bag and leave, Zack sprang to his feet and spun into a high kick for her head. She ducked and punched for his crotch, missing and striking his inner thigh. It stung despite being off target. Zack blocked her next punch and held her immobile a moment.
“No cheap shots, Mac.”
“You don’t make the rules,” she snarled and pulled free, again attempting to punch him in the crotch.
Zack kicked her in the inner thigh, purposely avoiding center. She cried out and glared at him.
“I can play that game too,” he teased while smirking with satisfaction.
She cried out with frustration and threw fast punches and kicks, causing him to block several blows while backing up. He caught her around the neck and slammed her onto the bed, landing on top of her. He easily pinned her to the mattress. She fought against his body and hands holding her wrists to the bed. His look was serious as he stared into her eyes.
“What the hell do you do for fun on this boring island?” he casually asked.
Mac stopped struggling and stared at him with surprise. “What?”
“I’m bored,” he again informed her. “I need something to do or I’ll go out of my mind.”
She stared at him almost at a loss for words as her mouth fell open. She hesitated only a moment then fumbled for an answer. “There’s an archery range,” Mac replied, uncertain whether he was serious or not. “I could find you a nice crossbow to play with.”
He released her and sighed. “That’ll do.”
She slowly sat up while staring at him then shook her head. “You’re one strange man.”
“Well, we all can’t be well-adjusted role models like you, Mac,” he replied while heading for the bedroom door then cast a look at her discarded bag on the floor. “Don’t forget your bag.” He left the bedroom.
Mac sprang up from the bed, snatched her bag, and uncertainly followed Zack.
Chapter Thirty
The remaining six members of the team sat at one of the tables on the veranda overlooking the ocean. Gil fed Darth some leftovers from the elegant brunch while they discussed the new plan. The wedding guests had dispersed and most went back to their rooms to change for an afternoon on the beach or enjoying other activities, leaving the resort unusually silent.
Beck played with his dainty cup of coffee while eyeing Jackie. “You were right telling Zack to stay dead for now,” he announced. “We need to figure out what’s going on. Obviously, the dead guard stumbled upon something.”
“The biggest target here is Giovanni,” Gil added while feeding Darth leftovers.
“Banks is high on that list too,” Monroe informed them. “He probably has more money than Giovanni and a pretty ugly resume.”
“Maybe we should keep our butts on the sidelines and let them kill each other,” Bogart suggested with disinterest. “Why should we put our asses on the line for a couple of murdering mob bosses anyway?”
Kirk leaned back in his chair and casually shrugged. “I’m with Bogart on this one. Let them kill each other.”
“As much as I share your sediments regarding the head honchos,” Jackie informed both men, “you have to remember there are innocent people staying here.”
“Yeah, like my girlfriend,” Beck snapped.
“If we stand aside and let this happen, there’s no telling how many people could be killed,” Jackie announced. “We don’t even know what they’re planning.”
“We don’t even know who they are,” Bogart interjected.
“That’s why we have to figure out what’s going down before it happens,” Beck replied. “I’d like to get a look at their security system.”
Monroe suddenly cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair while playing with his napkin. He’d given the silent signal that someone was approaching, indicating they should change the subject.
Jackie leaned across the table and smiled cheerfully. “Remember the time he dropped his pants in front of that general to show him the scar on his ass?”
The guys laughed as Corbin approached their table.
Corbin eyed all six and attempted to join in with their cheerful enthusiasm. “Stories about Zack?” he asked while pulling up a chair from a nearby table. Corbin sat in the chair facing backward and leaned on the backrest.
“Actually, we were talking about my father,” Jackie informed him.
Corbin considered the comment a moment then nodded and smiled with realization. “That’s right,” he announced and pointed at her. “You’re Jackson’s daughter.”
“Guilty,” Jackie replied.
“Jackson Remus,” Corbin remarked while shaking his head. “He was legend.” He eyed the men. “You all bailed after his death.”
They nodded.
“Had no choice,” Kirk boldly announced. “Zack stopped taking orders long before that. He knew he’d never survive another commander, so he already planned on retiring when Jackson announced his retirement.”
“With the commander and Zack gone, there wasn’t much of a team left,” Monroe continued. “The trick to staying alive is trusting your team.”
“New guys tend to get old guys killed,” Kirk remarked then eyed Bogart.
Bogart groaned, taking the meaning, and looked away with disgust.
“You don’t have to tell me. I’ve lived that nightmare too,” Corbin announced then sat up straight. “Are you guys ready to get to work?”
“Sure,” Beck replied and immediately straightened in his chair. “What’s the ops?”
“We lost contact with Sealy this morning,” Corbin informed them. “Something stinks around here, and I don’t like it. We’re doing a sweep of the resort and the entire area surrounding it. All hands on deck on this one. We have a lot of ground to cover, but I want every inch of the resort checked and double-checked.”
“Count us in,” Beck replied with enthusiasm. “Where would you like us to start?”
Corbin removed a copy of the resort map from his pocket and placed it on the table. “We have trails, beaches, waterfront, and the zip line area on top of the mountain. All this area needs to be covered.” He indicated red marks. “I have enough guys scouring the resort and the immediate area surrounding it. The rough terrain is more your speed.” He frowned and shook his head with disgust. “I hate to admit it, but the guards we’ve hired aren’t exactly the outdoor type.”
“Lucky for you, we are,” Kirk teased.
“
One soldier is worth ten Academy cadets,” Corbin replied. “We have ATVs, horses, and jeeps for the wider trails. Take your pick and have at it. Grab some handheld radios and supplies from the security office.”
“What do you have?” Kirk asked. “Rifles or shotguns?”
“Neither,” Corbin replied without hesitation. “We’re not in the habit of frightening our guests with armed men running around. This is a resort for the rich and spoiled.” He then chuckled softly in his throat. “I’m sure you’re all packing knives. That’s all the weapons any of you need.”
“He’s got you there,” Jackie teased.
The guys considered the comment then laughed in response. Bogart was the only one who didn’t get the joke. Once Corbin left, their serious moods returned. Beck immediately leaned across the table.
“We’ll need our own radio channel other than the one they assign,” Beck informed them. “Trust no one.”
“They have skeet shooting,” Kirk announced while indicating the amenities listed on the map. “I could secure us some shotguns and a couple boxes of shells.”
“No,” Beck launched back. “He said no weapons.” There was a brief silence. “That means anything visible to guests. We have our Bowie knives and stun guns.” He then looked at Jackie. “Do you have your tactical batons?”
“Of course,” she replied almost offended. “Never leave home without them.”
“We can search Zack’s bag and see what goodies he slipped past ship’s security,” Monroe announced. “There has to be something useful in there.”
“We’ll go in two-man teams and then separate as the terrain expands,” Beck announced. “Jackie and I will take the jeep to this point.” He pointed to a spot on the map. “We’ll then hike north and south from this point.” He indicated the beach. “Monroe and Gil will take this area and split up right around this rock formation. Gil and Darth can take the area by land, and Monroe can secure one of those water bikes.” He then indicated another part of the woods. “Kirk and Bogart will take this area on ATVs and split up around this point.”
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