In the next instant, the stranger took off in a run.
Chapter Three
Bethany sat in the front seat of Griff’s truck and held Ada close, lifting silent but fervent prayers. She’d heard Griff yell. Sensed an urgency about him.
But Griff was out of sight. The cabin at the center of the boat blocked her view, and she had no idea what was going on.
What had Griff seen that made him react like that? Was it the man who’d tried to snatch Ada? Had the guy somehow managed to follow them aboard the ferry?
Her heart beat faster.
“Love you, Mommy.” Ada touched Bethany’s feather-shaped earring.
Bethany smiled. “I love you too, darling.”
Ada continued to play with Bethany’s earrings, temporarily distracted.
Bethany’s thoughts drifted again. She’d been so careful on the way here. Just like Griff taught her, she’d looked in her rearview mirror. She’d turned where turning wasn’t necessary. All in order to lose anybody who might be following.
She wanted to believe she was overreacting to all of this. But there was no overreacting involved here. The situation made her feel like she’d been sucker punched.
She remembered hearing the police mention the Savages. Could the person behind Ada’s attempted abduction really be a terrorist? It just didn’t seem within the realm of possibility in her simple little life.
But when Bethany had married a SEAL, she’d opened her life up to all kinds of secrets that she had no knowledge about. How was this all connected? As soon as she had some alone time with Griff, she was going to ask him.
“I want Daddy,” Ada announced.
Ada tried to stand, to get out of Bethany’s grip, and to explore more of the truck. Maybe she wanted to catch a glimpse of her dad whom she loved so much.
“Not now,” Bethany said. “He’ll be back in a minute.”
Bethany lifted more prayers. Faster prayers. More desperate prayers.
They were kind of her thing. Especially lately.
As she glanced around again, she sensed something shift.
Everybody on the ferry seemed to freeze.
Bethany wanted to see what was going on for herself, but she couldn’t risk exposing her daughter to potential danger. The truck was the safest place for them to be . . . she hoped.
Shouting sounded in the distance. More footsteps rushed across the metal grates of the deck. People darted back into their cars, sheltering their children as they moved.
Bethany waited, but she didn’t hear anything except Ada cooing on her lap. No bullets whizzed through the air. No one ran toward her.
Bethany could hardly breathe. What if the man from the park appeared? What if he tried to take Ada again? If he had a gun, Bethany would be powerless to stop him and . . .
Panic tried to claim her.
Bethany couldn’t let that happen. Griff was here. Despite his shortcomings, he would protect her with his life if it came down to it.
The ferry had slowed, Bethany realized.
She glanced around. They weren’t at the dock. Land was still only a sliver in the distance.
What was happening?
Finally, Griff jogged toward her.
He looked fine. Thank goodness. Bethany’s shoulders sagged with temporary relief.
She braced herself for whatever he had to say. Her gut told her it wouldn’t be good.
* * *
Griff felt the tension mounting in his muscles as he climbed inside his truck and slammed the door.
“Are you okay?” Bethany stared at him, the words rushing from her lips.
“I’m fine. I saw someone who fit the description of the man you told me about. He was watching us. When I went to talk to him, he ran.”
She sucked in a breath and rubbed Ada’s back. “Did you catch him? Where is he?”
Griff grimaced as he remembered how things had played out. “When he saw me coming and realized there was nowhere to go, he jumped into the water.”
Bethany’s eyes widened. “He jumped off the ferry? Why would he do that?”
“It was the easiest way to get away, I suppose.” Griff may have done the same thing if he’d been cornered.
“Did anyone go in after him?”
Griff had been about to go into the water himself. But then he’d stopped. What if that had been the plan? For Griff to chase this man and leave Bethany and Ada exposed? What if the man was working with somebody else who waited for Griff to do that so he could move in?
Griff couldn’t take that risk.
“A crewmember jumped in after him but couldn’t find him,” Griff said.
“He just disappeared?” Bethany’s eyes widened with disbelief. “How is that possible? It’s a long swim back to shore.”
“But it’s not impossible. I’m sure officials will send another crew to look for him.”
Her hand washed over her face as shock captured her features. It was a lot for anyone to comprehend, especially when coupled with the fact that Ada was potentially at the center of everything. “I can’t believe this.”
“These guys can’t be messed with. It’s why I wanted you to come here.”
“But in Lantern Beach, there’s nowhere to escape. If these guys come after me, I’m stuck on this island.”
“You’ll be with me and the rest of the Blackout guys. We’re going to catch them, and we’re going to end this.”
A frown tugged at her lips. “I hope you’re right.”
“Catch them, Daddy. Catch them. Warrior.” Ada jabbed her finger into his chest.
He tried to smile, tried to set his daughter at ease. But this just might be his toughest mission yet. Mostly because of what was at stake—the people that meant more to him than anything else in the world.
Chapter Four
For the rest of the trip to Lantern Beach, Bethany could hardly swallow because of the lump in her throat. What happened to that man? What if he survived in the water and came after her again? Even worse, what if Griff and his friends couldn’t help? What if this was bigger than them?
She glanced at Ada as she sat in the backseat. Her daughter looked at a picture book, totally immersed and totally clueless about the danger circling them.
Not Bethany. Her head still spun, and her pulse pounded too quickly. This was all such a nightmare. She felt certain she would wake up any minute now and resume her normal life. But that wouldn’t be happening.
Griff pulled his truck to a stop in front of a cottage surrounded by six colorful cabanas out back. Sand dunes ripe with seagrass promised that the ocean was close, and seagulls flying overhead begged anyone nearby to listen to their cry. In other circumstances, this would be perfect.
“This is where you’ll be staying.” Griff cut the engine and turned toward her.
“It’s right on the beach,” Bethany said, trying to look on the bright side. “I’ve always wanted to stay oceanfront.”
Half his lip tugged up in a smile. “I thought you’d like it. I’ll get your stuff in a minute, but I’ll let the guys say hi first.”
Bethany felt a quake of nerves as she climbed from the truck. She started to get Ada, but Griff beat her to it. The way he held his daughter in his arms made it look like he never wanted to let go.
Bethany’s heart pounded as bittersweet feelings gripped her. Ada deserved to have her dad in her life. Bethany would never forgive Griff for not wanting to be a part of their daughter’s future. It was one thing to hurt Bethany but an entirely different story to hurt her daughter.
With one arm holding Ada, Griff placed his other hand on Bethany’s back as he led her upstairs to the cottage. Just feeling his touch sent a shiver through her.
Bethany wanted to grumble beneath her breath. The last thing she needed was to feel warm fuzzies when she was around the man who’d broken her heart and abandoned her.
On second thought, maybe that wasn’t a warm fuzzy feeling. Maybe it was the scorching hot sting of betrayal.
; All of that was forgotten when she reached the screened-in porch and the old crew greeted her. Griff’s best buddies from his SEAL team. The ones Bethany had shared dinners with, whom she’d celebrated alongside, whom she’d mourned with. Those things bonded people for life.
Immediately, Dez Rodriguez swept Ada from Griff’s arms and gave her a twirl. Dez, the charming troublemaker of the group. His picture had appeared in a magazine recently with popstar Bree Jordan, and Bethany wondered what their story was.
Maybe she would find out later.
Ada giggled, almost as if she remembered Dez. Was that possible? It had been nearly a year since her daughter had seen him.
Benjamin James was also there—Angel Eyes, as the guys had called the youngest, newest member of their team.
Ty Chambers, who wasn’t on Griff’s team but who was a friend, stood near the door, a golden retriever wagging its tail beside him.
The guys had always made a big deal over Ada. They’d said that she would be the most guarded little girl on the East Coast, and, as Bethany watched them now, she didn’t doubt it.
“Bethany,” a soft voice said.
In the middle of all the testosterone, Elise Oliver appeared. Elise with her petite build, smattering of freckles, and glossy brown hair. Bethany had never been so glad to see another woman.
Her old friend pulled her into a hug. “It’s so good to see you, Bethany.”
“What are you doing here?” Bethany said, still touching Elise’s arm. Of all the people she’d expected, Daniel Oliver’s widow wasn’t one of them.
“It’s a long story, but I’m hanging out here for a while. I’m helping with the organization that Ty started called Hope House.”
Colton Locke stepped onto the porch and gave Bethany a hug before wrapping an arm around Elise’s shoulders. “It’s good to see you, Bethany.”
Bethany’s lips parted. Elise and Colton? There was definitely a story here. But now that Bethany saw the two of them together, she realized what a great couple they made.
She smiled when she saw the way Elise beamed. It was good to see her friend happy again. After Daniel had been killed during a training exercise, Bethany feared her friend would never find joy again. The two of them obviously had some catching up to do.
Almost as if this was a reunion instead of a bodyguard mission, they all went inside and shared a meal that Dez and Colton had prepared. It was dinnertime. It had been a long, long day.
Being with everyone felt like old times. Something about it made Bethany a little heartsick.
The way she thought her life would turn out, and the way it actually had turned out were two completely different things. There were times that Bethany desperately missed this part of her old life.
She sat back and listened to the guys rib each other. Watched Griff looking so happy, so much like he’d moved on. She observed Colton and Elise, both getting second chances at love.
Bethany . . . she’d merely been surviving. She wasn’t complaining. She loved being a mother. But between work and taking care of Ada, the rest of her life was a blur.
She didn’t often admit to people just how hard it had been when Griff left. But her heart hadn’t been the same since. Maybe it never would be.
What she’d told Cindi was the truth—Bethany wasn’t ready to date again. Nor did she have time to. In the back of her mind, maybe she’d hoped Griff felt the same way. That maybe he felt incomplete without her.
Looking at him now as he joked with Benjamin, it sure didn’t seem that way.
As the sun began to set, Ada’s eyes began to droop.
“Let me show you where you’re staying tonight,” Griff said. “I’ll get you moved in so Ada can rest.”
Bethany nodded, another tremble of nerves raking through her. “That would be great.”
But she dreaded being alone with Griff again and began praying for a good dose of patience and a whole lot of forgiveness.
* * *
Griff opened the door to his cabana and let Bethany and Ada slip inside. He’d loaded his arms with luggage and set everything just inside the doorway.
“You guys can stay in here,” he told them. “With me.”
Bethany’s eyes widened as she glanced around. The place was adorable—but small. There was a double bed, two chairs with a small table, a kitchenette, and a loft. She assumed that through one doorway was a bathroom and a closet through the other.
It was . . . tight in here.
She glanced back at Griff, uncertain if she’d heard correctly. “With you?”
Griff’s hands went to his hips and that stubborn look returned to his eyes. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“But there’s just a double bed in here.” She pointed to the tightly tucked bedspread. Griff had always loved for his space to be tidy and neat. Some things hadn’t changed.
He shrugged, that cool look still in his eyes. “I have a cot. I’ll sleep on it. No big deal.”
Bethany gave him a look.
Griff shrugged again. “What? It’s not like I’ve never seen you sleep before. I know you drool sometimes, but I think it’s adorable.”
If Bethany wasn’t so mad at him, she might slap his chest. That would seem too much like flirting. She couldn’t risk that miscommunication.
They were two adults. Certainly, they could handle this situation together. She was just grateful to have a place to stay.
“Fine,” she said with a resigned sigh. “We’ll stay in here.”
“I promise I’ll be good.” Griff held up his hand in the Boy Scout pledge.
“And I promise that, if you’re not, I will tap into all of those Navy SEAL skills that you taught me, and I will make you regret it.” Bethany tried to sound tough and to make her boundaries clear.
But she knew Griff wouldn’t be making any moves. If he’d wanted to do that, he would have stayed married.
Instead of seeming threatened, a smile played on Griff’s lips. “Besides, you always talked about how fun it would be to have a tiny house.”
“That was before I realized how big your ego was,” she shot back, trying not to smirk.
Griff let out a long, low chuckle before shaking his head. “Good one.”
They’d always had lively banter. It was one of the few things they were good at as a couple. No, that wasn’t true. But it was how things felt most of the time. At least, they did in retrospect.
“Let’s get you settled.”
Bethany grabbed Ada’s bag. But, as she reached inside to grab some lotion, her hand felt something unfamiliar.
She pulled the mystery object out and held up a knife with something resembling dried blood on the edge.
Her gaze met Griff’s. “What is this doing in Ada’s bag?”
Chapter Five
“Who else had access to this bag?” Griff lowered himself on the end of the bed. As Ada ran over to him and raised her arms, he lifted her into his embrace. He wished he never had to let her go—especially after seeing the knife that had been nestled between her water bottle and favorite stuffed animal.
He’d picked up the knife with a paper towel and placed it inside a plastic bag to preserve any evidence. He needed to take it to the police chief in town so she could examine it for fingerprints and DNA. But first he wanted more information.
Griff didn’t like any of this. Whoever left the knife wanted to send a message—a message to let them know he was close. Near enough to touch them. And that he would be back, no doubt. Danger continued to accelerate, and the tension across his chest only grew.
“Ada was at daycare yesterday. I suppose anyone who works there could have gotten into the bag.” Bethany shrugged, worry clouding her gaze. She offered a tight smile at Ada, as if she tried to put their daughter at ease.
“Anyone else?”
Bethany sat back in one of the chairs near the window and scrubbed a hand over her face. “I had it at the police station and at the park also. I . . . I don’t know.”
Griff bit down. More than anything, he wanted to reach out to her. To try to offer comfort. But he knew his touch wouldn’t be welcome. He also knew it wouldn’t be a good idea considering their history.
None of this was supposed to happen. When Griff left, trouble was supposed to leave with him. So why was someone targeting his family now?
“If you remember anything else, let me know,” Griff said.
Bethany nodded. He already missed her bubbly retorts. The times when she tried to sound mean, but she couldn’t. She didn’t have it in her. Right now, she just looked frightened and overwhelmed—as she should.
“Listen,” Griff started. “I need to go talk to the guys, tell them what’s going on. We have to set up a plan to keep you safe, and we have no time to waste. When I get back, we’ll talk? I’ll let you know what I know.”
“Okay. That will give me time to get Ada to sleep.”
Griff stood, hesitant to leave, especially as Ada gripped him more tightly. Everything he wanted in the whole wide world was right here. But he had no choice but to hand Ada over to Bethany, especially if he wanted to find some answers.
He lingered one more minute. “I’ll station a guy outside, okay? No one will get to you.”
“Thank you.” Bethany shoved a lock of hair behind her ear, but her eyes still looked glazed and her features too pale.
“I’ll be back, baby girl,” Griff murmured, kissing Ada’s cheek.
His daughter grinned and leaned forward, her lips skimming Griff’s nose. “Love you, Daddy.”
His heart nearly broke right there as he remembered everything he’d lost—all for a job that sometimes felt meaningless.
He handed Ada to Bethany, took one last look at them, and then stepped toward the door. Above all, he had to keep these two safe, no matter the cost.
* * *
“So a member of the Savages is behind this?” Dez rubbed his jaw, a contemplative expression on his face as he leaned back in his chair.
Ripple Effect: Lantern Beach Blackout, Book 3 Page 3