by Jamie Begley
“Who told you that?”
“Hammer, when I asked him to look into Slate being a confidential informant. I didn’t want to see you arrested.”
“You should have minded your own business.”
Ginny quit shrinking away. He wasn’t going to hurt her. She was just being silly. Gavin might look like he could crush a can with one of his pinkies, but she was certain he would never lay a hurtful hand on her.
“Anything that could hurt you is my business.”
Gavin gave her an astonished look. “You didn’t consider that not telling me the truth about who you are and making a deal with the FBI—where you deliberately placed yourself in danger—is hurtful to me?”
“I was going to tell you this morning. I already told you all this.”
“When?” he said, ignoring her, “I sure as fuck must have missed you trying to start that conversation with me. I could swear on a stack of Bibles that I didn’t hear anything remotely like, ‘Hey, Gavin, by the way, my name is Evangeline.’”
She tightened her lips at his heavy sarcasm. “I will repeat myself again! I had every intention of telling you when you told me you were going to see Taylor,” she snapped back.
“Me going to see Taylor is irrelevant,” he ground out, their noses bumping each other’s.
“It was pretty darn relevant to me.”
“If Taylor was still important to me, why in the fuck would I offer to find us a place to live where you wouldn’t be embarrassed about us fucking under Silas’s roof?”
“Lower your voice,” Ginny whisper-screamed at him. Then she poked her head over the chair in front of them to see if any of the agents were listening.
Gavin rolled his eyes at her. “You’re wasting your time. I’m pretty sure they are recording our conversation.”
She swiveled her head toward him. “Why would they eavesdrop on our conversation? They didn’t know you’d be here.”
An exasperated Gavin made her feel like she had noodles for brains.
“They would want to listen to any conversation between you and Hammer or the FBI talking among themselves. This plane doesn’t belong to the FBI; it’s Allerton’s private jet.”
“Oh …”
“Yeah … oh,” he said snidely.
“You don’t have to be so rude.”
“Evangeline,” Gavin mocked, “if you think I’m being rude now, wait until I get you alone.”
Chapter Eight
Ginny was apprehensive when the plane began its descent onto Sherguevil Island. A confusing array of emotions assailed her—dread, fear, even excitement. She wanted to burst into tears at the thought of seeing her mother and father again, but the growing sense of panic at putting Gavin and herself under Allerton’s control overcame her.
“Will your parents be waiting?”
“I don’t know.”
The possibility of her parents waiting for her to step off the plane added another level of turmoil. Her natural instinct was to want to see them; however, Ginny was unsure how she was supposed to react or how she should feel. She was no longer a child or naïve enough not to wonder why her parents had remained on Clindale Island. The way they had washed their hands of Trudy was a unforgivable offense to her; they had basically chosen Allerton over their children. Even if they had left the island and returned to the States when she was grown, she was uncertain if she would have contacted them. It would have place Trudy in too much danger if her parents realized she was still alive, assuming that information would get back to Allerton. She never wished ill on anyone in her life, but she had hoped age would catch up with Allerton and solve the problem for her. She should have known better. The devil takes care of his own.
“Are they on Sherguevil or Clindale Island?”
“I don’t know.”
Feeling wistful, she tried to catch a glimpse of Clindale Island from the window, but from her viewpoint, it wasn’t possible.
“I guess we’re about to find out.” Her attempt at humor failed miserably.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you nervous before.”
“You want to know the truth?”
Gavin made an exaggerated face, practically rolling his eyes. “That would be a first.”
Lowering her eyes so he couldn’t see the hurt he just inflicted, she was aware she had no one to blame but herself. “I’ve never lied to you … I might had withheld certain facts, but I didn’t lie.”
He brought his hand to his ear to point at the black pearl. “How about this? You stole my earring, let me search around for it, and even waited in the car while I looked in the bar.”
“I didn’t tell you that you lost your earring; you assumed you had. That’s not my fault.”
A frown cut deep grooves across his forehead. “I could swear you used the word lost.”
“You must be mistaken.” She shrugged. “I’ve been nothing but truthful to you.” At least she hoped she had. Omitting certain facts wasn’t technically a lie, was it?
“Okay ….” Gavin sarcastically went on as if he didn’t believe her. “So, what truth were you about to tell me this time?”
Thinning her lips into a line, she showed him her irritation. “Never mind. If you’re going to be sarcastic, I’ll just keep it to myself.”
Gavin looked like he was a hairsbreadth from shaking her.
She decided to sit on her high horse another time—when she wasn’t already in fear for her life.
“I was just going to say, I’m usually nervous when I’m around you,” she admitted, embarrassed.
A soft bump as the plane landed forestalled any further conversation, bringing back the feeling of dread. Even with Gavin here, it was in full force as she uneasily began unbuckling her seat belt as the agents prepared to disembark.
Agent Collins made his way down the aisle toward them.
“Mrs. James, like I told you when we left Treepoint, we’ll all have to be isolated to make sure we don’t have the virus. Mr. Allerton has assured us that we will be given adjoining bungalows. The FBI doesn’t expect any complications and, hopefully, with your help, we will be able to get this charge against you resolved in an expediated manner.” Agent Collins then walked away from them to go outside.
Ginny rose to her feet to follow after him, but was halted when Gavin refused to budge.
“What charge?”
She sat back down. “Theft.”
“You’re shitting me?”
“I wish. Gavin, they are waiting for us. We can talk about this in our rooms.”
Reluctantly, Gavin stood up. “You don’t leave my side, you got me?”
“It’s pretty hard not to. You’re speaking loud enough they can hear you outside.”
Gavin moved out from the seats, taking her arm and holding onto her as they walked down the small aisle.
“It’s going to be okay, Gavin. The FBI has all of this planned out.” She didn’t know if she was trying to reassure him or herself as they stopped briefly before going outside.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Gripping her arm tightly, he then lowered his head to go through door.
Stepping out into the bright sunlight, Ginny saw the agents already waiting by two pastel-colored vehicles resembling Jeeps. “What are those? I’ve never seen those before,” Ginny asked.
“They’re Mokes.” Gavin paused, preventing her from going down the steps. “They’re military grade Jeeps. Don’t let their cute appearance fool you. They were made to go over any type of terrain.”
“I won’t.” Nodding her understanding that the Jeeps were wolves with sheep’s’ appearances, Gavin finally let them reach the ground.
Agent Collins escorted them to the first Moke. Taking the back seat while Collins took the front seat next to the driver, they waited for the other agents to get settled in the other Moke before the driver started moving away from the plane. The paved trail wound downward through the jungle, filled with towering palm trees swaying overhead in the salty air.
> The overhead T-shaped bars weren’t wide enough to provide a shield from the sun, as the palm trees became sparser and the heart of the jungle gradually tamed. Small homes took the place of the dense foliage when the Mokes reached level ground.
The homes were small but designed to fit seamlessly into the landscape. So far, the island gave the impression of a vacation getaway rather than the headquarters of Allerton’s charity.
Ginny looked around with interest as they drove along at a slow speed. As they passed the market area, Ginny tried to remember if it was the same when she had been a child. Nothing seemed similar to her vague memories.
Deciding to stop pressuring herself, Ginny was unsure if her anxiety was the root of the problem or if the island had changed that much since she had been a child. But when they rounded a curve to drive along the ocean front, bringing her within sight of the building that she had once begged Manny to go inside of, it was just as she remembered.
The largest building on the island she had seen so far was surrounded by majestic palm trees. Three stories high, the palatial structure was big enough to be a hotel, with a balcony encompassing the top floor. On each side of the building, people were eating at tables underneath a colorful array of beach umbrellas. Waiters in black and white uniforms moved among the tables, serving the guests. It was weird that not one person glanced up to see the Mokes, the guests and waiters overlooking them as if they didn’t exist. Her sense of dread increased. Despite only being several feet away, Ginny found it their behavior disconcerting. Her group was being markedly ignored.
Turning her head, she met Gavin’s eyes and knew he was just as concerned.
Twisting herself forward in her seat, Ginny looked past Gavin to see the beach. The view before her was also one she remembered. Two rows of large boats were moored at the long dock, while the huge, more expensive yachts rocked on the sea farther out.
“It’s as beautiful as I remember.” Unaware of the soft sigh that escaped her, Ginny wanted to jump out of the Moke to walk along the pier and get a closer look at the stunning crafts.
Gavin reached out to take her hand, linking his fingers with hers, grabbing her attention. “Nuh-uh. You got in trouble the last time you did that.”
Ginny blushed. “I wasn’t going to jump out.”
“Seemed that way to me.”
“You’re mistaken,” she denied, turning redder as his eyebrows climbed caustically. He wasn’t buying her fib for a second. “Some habits are hard to deny,” she admitted, shamefaced.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. I could get a hard-on for a few of those beauties myself.”
If she wasn’t embarrassed before, she was now.
“I think they’re pretty. I want to see what they look like inside, to see if they match the outside.” She tried to explain what she felt seeing the sleek, proud vessels.
“You want to get up close and personal.” His brow arched even higher.
She wasn’t dumb enough to respond to that. Giving him a cold shoulder, she pointedly ignored the boats and Gavin’s low laughter as they passed them.
“I bet you were a handful when you were a child.”
“I was an angel.”
“I think you still are.”
Unable to prevent herself, she turned back to him, expecting sarcasm. However, the sincerity she saw would have floored her if she’d been standing. Had he just said something nice to her twice in a row?
“Did you take a nice pill when I wasn’t looking?”
“I can be nice when I want to be.”
“Are you still angry with me?”
The Gavin she knew and loved reappeared. His expression once more turning grim and threatening.
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then do me a favor, if you did take a nice pill, then take the whole bottle. I have Prime; I’ll order you another.”
Chapter Nine
The Mokes continued steadily on the paved trail around the front of island, winding into a turn to the side of the island that faced Clindale. The majestic palm trees on Sherguevil provided camouflage for the large building, airport, and numerous smaller buildings from the shores of Clindale.
As the Mokes veered onto another trail, they stopped beside an outcropping of small beachfront bungalows. Guessing this was where they would be quarantined, they got out of the Moke.
Ginny frowned as she stared across the water to Clindale Island. Something was different. Frowning, she took a step forward, but was suddenly stopped.
“Mrs. James, Mr. James, you have been assigned this bungalow. The four of us will share the other three. I will be in the one closest to you. Two agents will take turns stationing themselves outside yours to ensure your safety.”
“Thank-you.”
Ginny walked beside Gavin toward the small bungalow that Agent Collins had indicted. Then any relief that she might have felt toward Agent Collins’ assurance was dispelled when he held out a hand toward Gavin.
“I need to check your duffel bag. I’ll return it to you when I bring Mrs. James’ luggage.”
Anticipating Gavin’s refusal, Ginny was surprised when he held it out without a comment. He might not have said anything, but his disparaging features had Agent Collins walking toward the other agents who had remained by the Mokes. Ginny, relieved he had restrained himself from having a no-win argument with Collins, gladly walked into the bungalow when Gavin opened the door for her.
The bungalow was larger than it appeared outside. It had a medium-sized living room with a cream and white plush sofa, matching chair, and a low glass coffee table that was half the size of the sofa; the table was engraved with birds on the legs. Two ceiling fans made the room feel airy, and with the green palm trees and colorful succulents, the scenery from outside the open window gave the impression of relaxed comfort. A tall vase filled with tropical flowers was centered on a long marble console table one the wall with a television. To the side of the room was a small kitchenette with a bistro-style table with two white cushioned chairs and there was a basket filled with a variety of fresh fruits.
Ginny remained beside the door as Gavin went to the door next to the table and opened it, seeing from where she stood that it was a bedroom. When Gavin went inside, Ginny followed.
The bedroom was lovely with a grey, thickly padded headboard. The full bed took up half the room and was covered in a subdued coral-colored bedspread. The matching curtains framed the patio doors, which had been left open allowing in fresh air. To the left of the room was an en suite bathroom with a diamond-shaped mosaic tiles, as well as a large shower the size of the entire wall. Caddy-corner with the shower sat a two-person soaking clawfoot tub that faced a window with a view of the sea. The room had an earthy, sensual appeal that had Ginny feeling uncomfortable.
Gavin was taking off his jacket to hang in the closet. Realizing she was completely alone with him, she decided to go back to the living room. She didn’t make it, as his voice stopped her cold.
“Have a seat while I check the room out.”
Nervous, Ginny went to sit on the end of the bed, watching Gavin as he took a lighter out of his jean pocket, then lifted the flame to the mirror that was over the dresser facing the bed.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure it isn’t a two-way mirror,” Gavin explained, snapping the flame off before he went to the side of the mirror to run his hand along the frame. He removed each of the paintings on the wall, then stacked them inside the closet. He didn’t stop there. After removing the paintings, he went through the bedroom, picking up a small, artificial plant and a small clock, placing them in the closet, also. Thinking he was done, Ginny couldn’t understand what he was doing when he climbed on the bed to place a towel over the light fixture that was centered on the ceiling, giving the room a purple hue.
“Don’t you think that’s a little too much?”
Ginny really wished she kept the sarcastic thought to herself when Gavin jumped off the bed taking the co
mforter with him. He tucked it around the metal frame of the mirror above the dresser. Seemingly satisfied, he pulled the drapes closed over the balcony doors before going to the bedroom door. Her heart went to her throat when he turned the lock, then turned around to face her.
“My luggage should be here any moment,” Ginny hastily reminded him.
“They won’t be coming anytime soon.”
“Why not? It’s not that long of a drive from the airplane. Agent Collins already checked my luggage before I left.”
Gavin’s lips curled in a sinister smile. “I bet it only took him a couple of minutes, too.”
“Yes. Why does that matter?”
“I can guarantee nothing will be coming through that door that Allerton doesn’t want you or me to have that could be used as a weapon or a way to contact someone off the island. Do you have your cell phone?”
“Yes.” Ginny took out her cell phone. “See? We can call—”
“How many bars do you have?”
Ginny pressed the button on her cell phone and then her heart sank with a thud. “None.”
“Me neither.”
“When did you check?”
“When we got out of the Moke.”
“I didn’t see you.”
“You were too busy looking across the water at Clindale. Does it look like you remember?”
“No, and I don’t know why ….” Ginny still couldn’t put her finger on the difference, but then she became sidetracked when Gavin started dragging the chair over to the bedroom door.
“What are you doing now? You need to unlock the door if you’re going to put the chair in the living room.”
Small tendrils of alarm began filtering through her bloodstream as Gavin tilted the chair back to brace the door. Her eyes widened when he started undressing. Once his shirt was removed, he began unbuckling his belt, sliding it loose from his jeans as he walked toward her.
“What are”—Ginny lowered her shrill voice—“you doing? If you lay a hand on me with that belt, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” he goaded, moving closer to her with determined steps.