by Liliana Hart
Elias answered in English, laying on a heavy Australian accent since their passports gave them that origin. It was best if they didn’t find out he spoke the language like a native to the islands. It is always interesting to discover what people will say then they think you can’t understand.
“We can board?” the man asked, his accent thick. The look on his face made it clear the question wasn’t really meant to be answered. And then his eyes went to Miller and Elias saw red. He looked her up and down like a piece of meat. Like they’d planned. And the man was all but salivating as he took in her every curve. Elias hadn’t expected it to bother him as much as it did.
“Sure, mate,” Elias said. “My wife and I were just about to anchor for the evening. It’s a romantic spot. This is our anniversary trip, and my boss was generous enough to offer his boat.”
Reminding him of the man who owned the boat seemed to be the right tactic, because he became a little friendlier.
“Congratulations, señor,” the man said, barely taking his eyes off Miller. “Your boss has always been a generous man.”
The cutter cut its engine and drifted close beside them, and they hooked a ramp to the yacht and then hooked the other end on the cutter, so the two boats were connected together. They boarded the Devil’s Due one by one, the spokesman last.
“My name is Diego,” he said, nodding. “You have passports?”
“Of course,” Elias said. “Let me get them.”
He went to the drawer where he’d put their passports and the envelope of cash and grabbed them both, and he saw Miller out of the corner of his eye watching the other men. They’d spread out above-and belowdeck, doing a full search of the boat. She had a hip propped against the kitchen island, and she stood so the slit of her sarong showed her entire leg to the hip. While Miller was watching the other men, Diego was still watching her.
Elias handed him the envelope and watched as Diego looked inside briefly and flipped through the bills. Then he put it in the inside pocket of his uniform shirt. He barely glanced at Elias’s passport, but he studied Miller’s a little more closely. And then he looked up at her and gave her another of those long, slow perusals from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Most people would have been uncomfortable with the scrutiny, but she stared back at him steadily, her posture relaxed.
Elias felt a surge of pride.
“Your picture doesn’t do you justice, señora,” Diego said, bowing his head slightly.
Miller smiled and Elias watched as Diego took even closer notice. Damn that smile. Miller was uniquely beautiful at a glance. But she was stunning when she smiled. And dammit, she was his.
“I heard that every time I had to take a school picture,” she said, taking his cue and speaking in her own Australian accent. He shouldn’t have been surprised. There wasn’t much she couldn’t seem to do. “It takes a lot of work for a camera to make me look good.”
“Impossible,” Diego insisted. “You are muy hermosa always. But in person …” He put his fingers together and put them to his lips, kissing them. “Exquisito.”
Diego’s men returned from their search one by one, their eyes on Miller as they gathered on the deck, and Elias braced himself for a fight. But Diego gave them orders to get back on the boat and start the engine.
“I hope we meet again soon,” he said, nodding to Elias and then Miller. “Take caution during your time on the islands. I’d suggest hiring a guide if you don’t have protection for yourself. There are many dangers lurking. You have a great treasure under your care. These are unsettling times on the island, and there is little help for those isolated in areas such as this. Many are never found.”
Diego crossed the ramp and they disconnected the boats, and then the cutter was gone as quickly as it had come up on them.
“Well, that was really weird,” she said, rubbing her hands down her chilled arms. “I’m not sure if he was telling us to be careful or warning us to stay out of trouble.”
“Both,” Elias said. “We’ll anchor at the middle island for the night. There’s a couple of other boats docked there, and it might be best to have company for the time being. You’re about to get your afternoon rain.”
“How long do you think we have before they’re back?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “These men are sloppy. If I were doing a search of this magnitude, I’d make sure every one of my men had studied your picture. And then I’d have computer renderings done of what you’d look like with different hair colors and lengths. Not one of those men even thought you looked familiar. I was watching their eyes. But Diego will figure it out. You just had to go and smile at him,” he said, shaking his head. “That smile is so distinctive you might as well have a big ‘I’m Miller Darling’ tattoo on your forehead.”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’ve been drinking the seawater. There’s nothing remarkable about my smile. Diego was too busy looking at my breasts to notice my smile.”
“In that case, he’ll probably be back sooner. Those are pretty unforgettable too,” he said.
“Funny,” she said.
“I have my moments,” he said. “In all seriousness, I think our time is limited. Diego wasn’t just captivated by your body. He’s more seasoned than the others. He spent some time studying your face. And, like I said, your smile gives you away. Hopefully, we’ll be lost pretty far in the mountains by the time they start to hunt us.”
“Maybe use a different word from ‘hunt,’ ” she said. “I don’t like the idea of being anyone’s prey.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Dawn came early the next morning.
Especially since he’d spent most of the night awake. His mind had been racing, and he’d held Miller close, feeling the rise and fall of her chest against his side. His body had been on alert, waiting for Diego and his men to catch them in a surprise raid. But he had to remind himself that those men weren’t SEALs. They wouldn’t do things the way he did.
He’d made sure he had a cup of coffee ready for her and the shower was on as he got her out of bed before the sun rose. She took the cup sleepily and stumbled her way into the shower. And when she came out she was about halfway awake and managed to put on her explorer pants, a white tank top, and an overshirt without looking like she’d been dressed by a blind drunk.
He waited for her to wake up completely before he gave her instructions on what to pack for the trip onto the island. When she was finally alert and coherent he realized he’d gotten good at judging how long it would take her to transform into an actual human being in the mornings, and he’d woken her in plenty of time to see the sun rise.
“Watching the sunrise is a lot more enjoyable when you’re about to go to bed,” she said. “I can’t imagine why anyone would ever wake up early to see it.” She’d brought extra clothes and socks and any personal items she needed upstairs to lay out to pack. And then they divided up food and water bottles to carry between them.
“It’s one of those things morning people like to do, I guess.”
She cut a glance at him out of narrowed eyes. “You’re one of those morning people. I can tell. You don’t have to pretend. I see you running by my house at godawful early times while I’m finishing up my work for the night.”
His lips twitched. “You watch me run by your house?”
“I just happen to be standing by my window thinking as you’re jogging by,” she said.
“Huh, maybe I should start knocking on your door in the mornings,” he said. “What we’ve been doing the last couple of days is a hell of a lot better exercise than running. Easier on the knees too.
“Okay, put on your pack and let’s test the weight. It won’t do us any good if you can’t walk the first mile.”
“You should really stop underestimating me,” she said, putting the pack on and adjusting the straps more comfortably. “This is not my first rodeo. I can make fire from sticks and I know my cardinal directions. You w
ouldn’t believe some of the research I’ve done for my books.”
“I would never underestimate you,” he said. “You amaze me every time you open your mouth.”
He took both packs out to the diving deck and lowered the Zodiac into the water. When he came back inside he reactivated Elaine from her sleep.
“Elaine, reboot programs.”
So good to hear your voice again, Elias … Rebooting all programs, and waiting for instructions. While I was waiting for your return, I took the liberty of retrieving your file so I could look at your picture. You’re a very handsome man, Elias Houston Cole.
Miller snorted out a laugh, and Elias smiled, but he was hoping that was all Elaine said about his file. He knew there were areas of it that were classified, but he wasn’t sure how much Elaine had access to.
“Houston?” Miller asked.
“My great-grandfather’s name,” he said. “He was a Texas Ranger. Elaine, unlock the weapons closet.”
Yes, Elias … Is there anything else?
“Stand by,” he said, moving into the kitchen.
He punched in several numbers on the microwave and then hit the start button. The pantry door slid open, and then it began to rotate so the food that had just been visible was now relocated to the hidden chamber between the walls. In place of the pantry was the small arsenal they’d brought with them. He took the Sig P229s and checked the magazine, and then he handed it to Miller.
“I’ve got a hip holster that should fit you, and it shouldn’t be uncomfortable or get in the way of anything,” he said. “I’d prefer you wear it instead of carrying it in your pack.”
“I’d prefer to wear it too,” she said.
He strapped on his holster, and stuck a sheathed Ka-Bar in his boot, and then sheathed a machete on his other hip because they wouldn’t be going through well-traveled paths. He made a few other selections for his pack, including flares and fire starters, though it might be interesting to see Miller using sticks to start their fires. He’d already packed food and water. He hoped to make it to the first waterfall by dusk and set up camp there. But that would depend on the kind of pace Miller could keep up with. It wouldn’t be an easy trek, even for an experienced hiker.
“Elaine,” he said. “Secure all classified areas and do a continuous scan for threats within a twenty-five-mile radius. Alert me if there are any problems.”
What are my orders if any hostiles board me?
“Listen and record,” he said. “And scan faces for recognition. We’ll see how many we can take down while we’re here.”
Complying …
Once he had everything he needed, he took the smaller hip holster and fitted it around Miller, making the adjustments where he needed to.
“How does that feel?” he asked after she holstered the Sig.
“I’m not going to lie,” she said. “It feels pretty damn sexy. I’m used to carrying concealed. It doesn’t have near the same impact.”
“Funny,” he said. “The thought of you carrying concealed scares the hell out of me.”
“What should really scare the hell out of you is that most of the people in Last Stop are carrying concealed. Ginger Anderson is almost ninety years old. She wears it on her right hip, and it makes her list to the side so she walks in a circle everywhere she goes.”
Elias burst out laughing because he knew exactly who she was talking about. And now that he knew the reason, it was terrifying. She didn’t look strong enough to even lift a weapon, much less fire one.
“You’re right,” he said. “That scares the hell out of me. Remind me to tell Tess we need to start patting people down before viewings and funerals.”
“It wouldn’t do any good,” Miller said, following him to the dive deck where their gear was. “Everybody knows the best place to be armed is at a viewing or a funeral. People lose their minds when relatives die. You should know by now there’s usually at least two good fistfights a year and a lot of ugly family secrets that come to light during funerals and viewings. If you take their guns away, then you’ll be cheating Tess out of the opportunity of getting more business. Funerals are hard to come by in Last Stop.”
“If I were any other person listening to you, I’d think you needed to be committed. But after living in Last Stop the last couple of years, I can say with certainty that you’re speaking the truth. Which is disturbing in itself.”
He climbed down the ladder into the Zodiac and started up the engine, letting it run a couple of minutes while Miller handed down the packs and he got everything secured. She came down the ladder and he helped her step into the Zodiac. It could be an adjustment to get used to an inflatable craft. And it was going to be a real test of the medicine he’d injected her with the day before for seasickness.
“Hold on like this,” he said, showing her how to wrap her left wrist through straps that could be used to flip the boat right side up if it ever capsized. He figured it was best not to mention that’s what they were for.
“I hope that medicine holds out,” she said.
“I was just thinking the same thing.” He gave her a thumbs-up and then took off from the berth beneath the dive deck of the yacht.
He heard her swear and then grinned as the wind and droplets of water slapped him in the face. It was almost like being home.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Aguas Mortales wasn’t what she’d been expecting. There were few palm trees, and there was nothing peaceful about the jagged rocks and crashing waves.
The three islands rose out of the ocean menacingly. The island in the middle was mountainous, completely covered in trees so it looked like little tufts of broccoli had been planted on every square inch. The island on the opposite side was rocky, the volcanic nature lending itself to more of a barren wasteland than an inhabitable space. But there were small cabanas on stilts that had been built along the water’s edge and farther up in elevation.
They’d taken the Zodiac to the third island, leaving the Devil’s Due anchored at the adjacent island because it was too difficult to approach the island where they needed to be. She noticed it also had the broccoli trees, and there was just a thin strip of white sand around the perimeter, along with a whole hell of a lot of rocks.
Elias explained that Zodiacs were built with a kind of fabric that wouldn’t tear when out of the water, and sure enough, he’d driven it right across the rocks and up on shore.
“These are the best,” he said, patting the side of the Zodiac almost lovingly. “It’s what we used as SEALs. We’d load up in the helicopter and they’d take us over international waters. We’d push the Zodiac out first and then each jump in after it. It’s very cool to see.”
“You lost me at jumping out of a helicopter into the middle of the ocean,” she said.
“Never say never,” he said. “I got you on a boat, didn’t I?”
“You tricked me,” she said, grinning. “I don’t think even your kisses would be distracting enough to make me free-fall into the ocean.”
“Challenge accepted,” he said. “It really is incredible. I miss it. There’s nothing quite like that particular rush of adrenaline. It takes a coordinated effort to get it inflated and the motor set up. And then we’ll take it at top speed toward land. They’re made so they can be stored underwater, so we can go in covertly until the land mission is done.”
“That’s incredible,” she said. “Why aren’t we doing that? They’ll see it if they’re looking for it.”
“This isn’t military grade,” he said. “And it would take more than you and me and scuba gear to get it strapped down.”
“Good point,” she said. “You don’t think anyone will bother it if we leave it here?”
“I’ve got an alert set up if anyone should tamper with it or the Devil’s Due. But we’ll hide it as best we can.”
She helped him drag the Zodiac farther up on the shore, and out of sight from anyone coming from the water, and then they dragged it up into the jungled area and put it o
ut of sight as best they could. The dark color of the Zodiac made it camouflaged, and virtually impossible to see unless someone happened to stumble directly across it.
“The good thing about this beach,” he said, “is that the waves come up pretty high on the shore. Our tracks will be gone and they won’t be able to see exactly where we’ve gone ashore. With any luck, if Diego comes back, he’ll think we’re hiking from where we docked the boat.”
She looked at the beach where they’d come ashore and saw the tracks where they’d dragged the boat were already dissipating. She hadn’t realized how far they’d dragged it, or how steep the incline had been to where they were starting their journey from.
“Cripes, this weather is bipolar,” she said. “It was freezing last night and this morning, and now I feel like I’m in an oven. A wet oven.” She took off her overshirt and tied it around her waist, leaving her in the tank she wore underneath it. Then she put her pack on over her shoulders and tightened the straps.
“It’s an interesting location,” he told her. “We’re so close to the equator it’s fairly temperate when the sun is shining, but you add in things like the rains and El Niño, and when the sun goes down, temperance goes out the window. Plus, the humidity sucks.”
He took off at a pace that made her glad she worked out five days a week, and she knew her competitive spirit wouldn’t allow her to ask him to slow down if she started to get tired.
Sweat dampened her skin and clothes and the humidity was so thick she could drink it. The canopy of trees kept the heat from escaping, so it was like being inside a slow-cooker. The colors of the jungle were vibrant—a backdrop of green with splashes of purple, red, and yellow flowers for color.
She’d never realized how loud it would be, the chirping of birds and the constant resonance of something that sounded like a herd of amplified crickets. And through the noise and chaos, it felt like something was always watching—always hunting.
Miller noticed Elias’s shirt was already soaked. She also noticed that as he led her deeper onto the island, he barely made any sound as they climbed over rocks and branches and went through a small stream. Whereas she sounded like a rhinoceros behind him in comparison. It just showed her how well trained he really was.