Navy SEAL Security

by Carol Ericson

  “I’m on it. I owe Jack.”

  “We all do. I have another name to give you— Castillo. My CIA contact slipped it to me. He’s connected to the Velasquez boys. And one more thing, I’m giving you a new number for me.”

  As the colonel rattled off the number, Riley lunged for the glove compartment. He groped in the dark recess, and his fingers tripped across a pen and a scrap of paper as other papers floated to the floor of the car. He jotted down the colonel’s new number and ended the call.

  Glancing at the cell phone in his hand, he realized he couldn’t leave the phone in Carlos’s car for the police to find. Not that the colonel had an even remotely traceable phone number, but just like the fingerprints in Amy’s house, he wanted to err on the side of caution. That included the fingerprints in this car. He’d wipe it clean before abandoning it.

  Then he’d get back to his safe house, claim his own car and skulk outside Amy’s house after the cops left just to make sure she got off to her friends’ house okay.

  He pressed his knuckle against the switch for the dome light and bent forward to retrieve the papers from the car mat. A few receipts. A scribbled address. Registration.

  Pinching the corner of the registration between two fingers, Riley raised it to the light. He read the name aloud. “Carlos Castillo.”

  Castillo.

  The name slammed against his brain, and bright spots danced in front of his eyes. Amy’s ex hadn’t been the victim of bad luck. Carlos had chosen Amy for a reason. The Velasquez cartel had chosen that beach for a reason. Someone killed Carlos Castillo for a reason.

  And now they might have a reason to kill Amy.

  AMY GULPED IN A LUNGFUL of the damp evening air as she squared off with the San Diego Sheriff’s deputy. She pointed a shaky finger toward her house. “His body was on my kitchen floor. He was dead.”

  “Ms. Prescott, can you explain to us how, not one, but two dead bodies can disappear in one night?” Deputy Sampson crossed his arms over his chest.

  He and another sheriff’s deputy had accompanied her to the beach, and just as Riley had predicted, someone had collected the body of the diver and Riley’s diving gear. In the meantime, the sheriff’s department had sent another car to Amy’s house to check on the dead body of Carlos Castillo. Amy hadn’t expected that one to disappear, too.

  Why? Why would this drug cartel remove Carlos’s body?

  She closed her eyes. Maybe she had dreamed the entire episode. She licked her lips, still salty from Riley’s kiss, and knew she’d been wide awake.

  “Call Carlos’s wife. I’m sure she’ll verify that he’s missing.”

  Deputy Sampson slipped a phone out of his pocket. “What’s the number?”

  “I—I don’t know his home number, just his cell.”

  “What’s that then?”

  “I don’t know that either. I can’t remember it, and I deleted it from my contacts.”

  The deputy rolled his eyes, and Amy clenched her jaw to keep from screaming. She ground out between clenched teeth, “Why would I lie about a couple of dead bodies and a mysterious spy?”

  “Look, Ms. Prescott. I’m not saying you’re lying, but there’s not much we can do right now with no bodies to back up your story and your, uh, spy nowhere to be found.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Maybe Mr. Castillo wasn’t dead, and he got up and walked away.”

  “He was dead.” She clenched her hands in front of her, recalling that she wouldn’t let Riley touch Carlos’s body. “H-he looked dead.”

  “Maybe you did stumble on some kind of drug deal. God knows, this close to the Mexican border we’ve seen plenty of crap going down. We’ll send someone out to the beach again tomorrow. The body just might wash up on shore. And obviously if we get a call from Mrs. Castillo reporting a missing husband, we’ll be back.”

  Another deputy jogged down her front steps. “If someone did snatch the body, whoever it was did a great cleanup job.”

  “And what about the wet suit?” Amy shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Not that she wanted to put the cops on Riley’s trail, but a little bit of evidence might show she hadn’t been delusional.

  “Did you find the wet suit on the living room floor?” Deputy Sampson jerked his chin toward the other deputy.

  “No. There’s some sand around, but isn’t she a lifeguard who just got off work?”

  Amy stamped her foot, feeling about two years old. “I’m not making this up. A man saved my life on the beach and came home with me. He’s the one who dropped me off at the station.”

  “Did you have a bad breakup with this ex-boyfriend of yours, Ms. Prescott? You found out he was married, you went a little crazy?” He held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t blame you. Maybe you changed your mind and you wanted him back. He’d rush to your rescue or something, leave his wife.”

  Amy’s jaw dropped. “That is so not me, Deputy Sampson.”

  He lifted his shoulders as the other two deputies ambled toward their squad cars parked at the curb, their red lights still casting a glow over the few neighbors who’d remained outside during the excitement.

  Amy rubbed her arms. This was it. They were leaving. They didn’t believe her, or they strongly doubted her. Thought she was some love-obsessed loon.

  “I’ll tell you what.” Deputy Sampson shoved his useless little notebook in his pocket. “Like I said, we’ll send someone to check out the beach tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll look into the whereabouts of Carlos Castillo. If he’s missing, we’ll be back.”

  “I probably won’t be here.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m not going to stick around to see if they bring the body back. You don’t plan to stick around—do you?”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Prescott. We’re not in the bodyguard business, but I’ll make sure a patrol car takes a couple of turns around your neighborhood tonight.”

  Yeah, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Amy gripped her upper arms. It didn’t matter. These sheriff’s deputies with their rolling eyes and tight-lipped suspicions didn’t make her feel safe anyway. Only one man could make her feel safe right now—Riley, her phantom spy.

  She pointed to Deputy Sampson’s notebook, now tucked away in his pocket. “You have my cell phone number. I’ll probably be spending a few days with some friends.”

  “Good idea.”

  With their so-called investigation wrapped up, the cops scrambled for their squad cars and started their engines. Amy turned her back on her neighbors’ curious stares and slammed the front door of her rental house. She couldn’t bring herself to go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

  How could there be no evidence of a dead body? Professionals. Riley had warned her about these drug dealers. But Carlos’s wife would miss him and contact the police. Then they’d come running back here with the smirks wiped off their officious faces.

  Right now she planned to get out of there. Riley had tried to reassure her that the murderous thugs were after him, not her, but those same murderous thugs had slipped into her house while she was gone and stolen the dead body of her ex-boyfriend. Not a good sign.

  She’d spend a few days with Sarah and Cliff. She didn’t figure she’d have much luck rounding up her cat, Clarence, tonight. Maybe she’d leave a note for the girl down the street to put out food for him in her absence.

  Amy crept down the hallway toward her bedroom, flipping on all the lights. She perched at the end of her bed and reached for the phone. She called Sarah and Cliff and got the babysitter.

  “Could you ask them to call me as soon as they get home? It doesn’t matter how late.”

  Amy dragged a suitcase from her hall closet and heaved it on top of her bed. She scooped up an armful of shorts and jeans and shoved them into the bag. She threw open her closet door and swept T-shirts and sweaters from their hangers.

  After cramming everything in the suitcase, including her damp lifeguard swimsuit, she headed for the bathroom. She dumped some toiletries into a small bag and sp
un around.

  Right into the solid form of a naked man.

  A scream gathered in Amy’s lungs, but before she could let loose, she realized the naked man was only half-naked—and he was no stranger.

  “Riley! What are you doing here? The cops just left, and they didn’t believe more than half of my story, especially since Carlos’s body is gone.”

  He gripped her shoulders, his fingers pinching her flesh. “You need to get out, Amy.”

  She swung the toiletry bag from her arm. “That’s what I’m doing.”

  “I mean you need to leave now, with me.”

  “W-what are you talking about?”

  “Your ex-boyfriend, Carlos Castillo, wasn’t who he said he was.”

  “I know that. He was married.”

  “It’s worse than that, Amy. He was involved with the Velasquez Drug Cartel. And now so are you.”

  Chapter Four

  A jolt speared Amy’s chest and she sucked in a sharp breath. “I don’t believe you. Why are you saying this?”

  “My…associate gave me his name. Carlos Castillo, right?” Riley tightened his grip on her shoulders and gave her a shake.

  Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded. She hadn’t told him Carlos’s last name. As her heartbeat raced, her mind slowed to a sluggish crawl. Her tongue felt thick and numb in her mouth. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to face any of it. Hadn’t she endured enough drama in her life already from her childhood?

  “I’m sorry.” Riley released his grip and rubbed her upper arms. “I’m worried about you. What was Carlos doing here? Why did he single you out?”

  “I don’t know.” Amy dragged her hands through her tangled hair and blew out a breath, expelling all her self-pity with it.

  She straightened her spine. “It must have something to do with the beach. That’s where we met. He must’ve sought me out there for a reason.”

  “Hold that thought.” Riley grabbed the toiletry bag from her hand and charged past her into the bedroom. He dropped the bag into the open suitcase and glanced over his shoulder. “You have everything you need? I’m getting you out of here.”

  It looked like she had everything she needed standing right beside the bed. Riley knew how to take control of a situation and obviously relished the challenge. “I was waiting for a call from my friends before heading over to their place.”

  “How about you head over to my place for now? With what you know and what I know, maybe we can figure out your level of involvement in this mess.” He zipped up her suitcase and hauled it off the bed.

  She tilted her head. “You’re going to tell me what you know?”

  Shrugging, he yanked up the handle on her bag and wheeled it out the door as she stepped aside. “You’re in it up to your pretty chin, so you deserve to know what’s going on. And I’m relieved to find out I’m not responsible for your involvement or Carlos’s death.”

  He thought she had a pretty chin? She rubbed it and then clenched her teeth. “I’m glad the fact that Carlos targeted me for some kind of criminal enterprise is making you feel warm and fuzzy inside.”

  Riley grinned, and then she felt warm and sticky inside. If she had to take off into the wild unknown with drug dealers pursuing her, at least she had a hot guy along for the ride.

  “You know what I mean.” He pointed to the front door. “I still have Carlos’s car. Let’s use that instead of yours.”

  She held up her index finger. “Hang on. I need to leave a note for the neighbor girl to feed my cat.”

  As she scribbled the note, Riley flung open the front door and peered into the darkness. “It’s all clear. Where does the girl live?”

  “Two doors down.” She waved the piece of paper stuck to her finger with tape.

  She jogged down the sidewalk and slapped the note on the outside of the mailbox. Poor Clarence must’ve high tailed it out of there when Carlos came calling. Her cat never liked Carlos. She should’ve paid more attention to his feline instincts.

  She joined Riley at the rear of the BMW. He popped the trunk and heaved the suitcase inside. “When we get to my house, we’ll search the car. I haven’t had time yet.”

  “Looks like you haven’t had time for anything.” Amy allowed her gaze to wander down his body to his swim trunks, now dry and hanging loosely from his slim hips. The muscles of his flat belly clenched as he slammed down the trunk.

  He tugged at a stiff lock of her hair. “You, either. When we get to my place, we can take a shower.”

  Her cheeks warmed, and Riley lifted one brow. “One at a time.”

  How’d he see her blush in the dark? Unless the same naughty thought had popped into his head.

  As she slid onto the passenger seat, Amy drew her eyebrows together. She must be overcoming her trust issues—by leaps and bounds—since she’d accepted Riley’s story so readily. Something about the man instilled confidence—and a whole lot more.

  Of course, she’d been willing to trust Carlos, too, and look where that had landed her. Or had she? She’d never let Carlos completely into her life. She’d never slept with him. He had accused her so many times of holding back. That’s why she was surprised when she’d discovered his marital status. Usually men cheated on their wives so they could sleep around, not hold hands and walk on the beach.

  Unless those men were sinister drug dealers with ulterior motives. Carlos probably didn’t even have a wife.

  Riley hit the highway and accelerated. “So the cops didn’t believe you?”

  “It’s like you said.” She slumped in the leather seat. “They didn’t find anything at the beach, and then when we got to my place, someone had removed Carlos’s body.”

  “Did they question you about me?” He slid a sidelong glance at her.

  She snorted. “They thought I’d watched too many James Bond movies.”

  He smiled, but she heard him release a long breath. “I wonder why they took Carlos, and how. You’d think your neighbors would’ve noticed people dragging a dead body from your house.”

  “Lots of older folks in that neighborhood, not much activity at night. So how’d you find out about Carlos’s connection to the drug dealers?”

  “I saw his registration minutes after my contact gave me his name. It makes sense, but it doesn’t explain what he was doing at your house at the time of the drop, or why his associates killed him. What can you tell me about Carlos?”

  Amy curled a leg beneath her and gazed out the window. “I met him before summer started. He was charming and interesting and he kept coming back to my beach. We started dating and then I discovered he had a wife.”

  “How’d that happen?”

  It sounded so petty now, but any information she could give Riley might help. Amy cleared her throat. “I—I didn’t trust Carlos. Some of his actions seemed suspicious—the parking around the corner, the excuses for never meeting at his place, the endless cell phone calls. So one day I answered his cell phone.”

  Riley reached over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Don’t look so sheepish. You had good reason to suspect him and you followed your instincts. Who’d you find on the other end, the wife?”

  “Yep.” She clasped her hands between her knees. “Of course, now I’m not so sure. For a wife, she didn’t seem very upset that another woman had just answered her husband’s cell phone.”

  “Did you confront Carlos?”

  “I did and he admitted it. I immediately ended the relationship.”

  Riley drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel and narrowed his eyes. “She could’ve been the real deal. Drug dealers get married, too.”

  “I guess.” She lifted a shoulder. “So why do you think he hooked up with me in the first place?”

  “He wanted access to that beach.” His lips quirked in a quick grin. “Not that you aren’t without your charms.”

  Amy rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry. No offense taken.”

  “He probably wanted to find out about lifeguar
d schedules and procedures and pass the information on to the guys in the boat.”

  “He did ask a lot of questions, which seemed natural at the time. But what was he doing back at my place tonight, why’d his associates kill him and why’d they come back for me…or you?”

  “And now you’re asking a lot of questions, none of which I can answer.”

  “How about I start asking some you can answer?” Amy shifted in her seat and studied Riley’s profile. This man with his ready grin and sarcastic quips could turn lethal in a matter of seconds. His dark blue eyes could shine with humor and cloud over with secrets just as fast. She wanted to dig deeper to solve the enigma of Riley…. Riley. She didn’t even know his last name.

  “I’ll answer anything you like once I’ve had a shower and something to eat.” He jerked his thumb toward the window. “We’re here.”

  Riley wheeled the car into the parking lot of a nondescript apartment complex. Amy didn’t know what she expected for a safe house, but a sprawling apartment building in the middle of San Diego didn’t exactly fit the bill for a secret agent.

  Riley pulled into a numbered parking slot. “Good thing I stole Carlos’s car since I left mine down by the harbor.”

  “It won’t be such a good thing if Carlos’s wife reported the car stolen.”

  Riley grabbed the door handle and raised his brows. “If Carlos had a wife.”

  Amy scrambled from the car while Riley unlocked the trunk. She joined him at the rear of the car as he yanked her suitcase from the back and set it on its wheels. Then he ducked back inside the trunk, sweeping his hands across its surface.

  “Doesn’t look like Carlos kept anything in here, but he left his jacket in the backseat along with his cell phone. We can take a closer look at the phone once we’re inside.” He slammed the trunk closed and locked up again.

  Amy liked the sound of that. Riley really did plan to include her. Must be because the drug cartel had put her directly in their line of fire.

  Every crisis had a silver lining.