“This isn’t going to be easy, but I know you can do it,” Ziva said. “I need you to come with me and talk to my brother-in-law Bennett Stone. Tell him everything about the men you saw. And don’t leave anything out. Tell him what you know and what you think you know. It might not seem important to you, but it might be to him.”
“But he is…an…American,” Lily said.
Ziva added, “Yes he is. But he can be trusted. He’s here to help us all. Lily I need you to do this, not for me but for your family and for Tabiq.”
Wow, Ziva’s good. I could use her in a courtroom. All that was left was for Lily to agree. It was asking a lot of her, but I knew she had it in her. Just coming here proved that.
“Yes. I’ll do it. But Ziva, will you come with me?” Lily asked.
“Of course I will. Would you like to go now?” Ziva asked.
Lily nodded. “I need to do it before I change my mind. Or before Vecca comes and makes me go back with him.”
Ziva said, “Lily, you’re not going anywhere you don’t want to. And Vecca won’t be entering New Hope again.”
“What about the other men? What if he sends one of them?” Lily asked.
“New Hope is officially on lockdown. No one enters without security checking them out. And Bennett’s men can’t be bribed or threatened. You’re safe.” She turned to me and added, “We all are.”
“But Vecca got in. How?” Lily asked.
“I was told someone had cut a hole into the fence. It won’t happen again,” Ziva stated firmly.
I needed to hear that because I had the same fear that Lily did. If Vecca got in once, what was going to stop him from trying again? And would Bennett and his security team be ready for whatever was coming their way? God I hope so, for all our sakes.
I realized I’d been holding my breath. This whole situation had my nerves buzzing. I wasn’t in the States. If something went down and men decided to storm the gates of New Hope, what was I supposed to do? I could run and find James, but from what I was hearing, he’d been quite busy defending the place. Maybe it was time for me to go home. This definitely wasn’t adding up to a vacation.
Ziva and Lily got up and I asked, “Where are you guys going?”
“To see Bennett,” Ziva said.
“Does he know you’re coming?” I asked.
Ziva shrugged. “I don’t normally need to call ahead. Why?”
“I know how important this is, but…it’s their wedding anniversary and…Zoey might have…made some plans. It might be wise to call before knocking,” I suggested. I knew what Zoey was wearing (or not wearing) tonight.
“That’s a good idea,” Ziva stated.
Lily added, “Doing this tomorrow is a better idea. It will give me time to write everything I can remember down.”
“Lily, you don’t have to be afraid. I’ll be there with you,” Ziva said.
“Will you be there tomorrow too?” Ziva nodded and Lily continued, “Then please, I beg you, let me meet with him in the morning.”
I didn’t understand why she wanted to delay. I would’ve thought Lily wanted Vecca arrested or whatever happens in Tabiq, as soon as possible. Please Lily, don’t protect him. Not if he is as horrible of a person as I think he is.
“Please, I told Mr. Stone I’d be going to work after speaking with you tonight.”
Ziva said, “You can’t go to work. You’ve had a long day. Take a hot bath and rest tonight.”
“I can’t. I need to earn money. How else will I pay for this room?”
“Lily, don’t worry about the room. I’ll make sure it’s taken care of. So please, take the night off.”
“And tomorrow morning, you and I will go and speak to Bennett. Okay?” Lily asked.
Ziva sighed but she must be thinking what I was. Pushing Lily might backfire and she shut down. Lily was going to help, but like Ziva said, she needed to find the strength within herself to do so.
“Fine, but first thing in the morning. Bennett needs to know what’s going on, but if Robin is right, he might not be thinking about the resort right now,” Ziva grinned.
Not if Zoey has her way.
“All right, I will stay in the room and rest. But will you two stay with me for a while? Not to talk about Vecca, but just so I’m not alone.”
I had been looking forward to my walk on the beach with James, but now, I was glad he’d put it off. This was where I needed to be tonight. Tomorrow he and I could walk and talk. Lucky him, I have a lot of questions.
“I have no plans,” I said.
Ziva smiled and said, “Alex is going to be up all night long working on his next murder mystery so I am free, too.”
“Murder mystery?” I asked.
She replied, “He’s an author.” I must have looked stunned, so she added, “You’ll get used to it, Robin. Whenever you talk about a Henderson, it’s never what anyone thinks.”
“So I am beginning to learn.” With a smile, I asked, “What would you ladies like to do?”
Lily said, “I want to hear all about you, Miss…I mean, Robin.”
“Me? What do you want to know?”
Lily smiled and asked, “Why did you come to New Hope alone?”
That wasn’t something I even knew. “I just needed time away.”
“And you weren’t afraid to travel here all by yourself?” Lily asked.
I hadn’t been, but I was questioning that now. “Sometimes you have to push past your fears to get what you want. And I wanted to be here.”
Lily smiled. “Someday I want to be like you and Ziva.”
“Lily, I think you’re special just the way you are,” I said. “But it’s not a bad thing to dream of something more. What would you want to do if you weren’t working as a waitress at the resort?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I think I could be a good nurse, but I would need to go to school,” she said.
“A nurse! That’s wonderful, Lily. And I know a doctor who has connections to get you into school,” Ziva said. “My brother-in-law Logan has a program to train people to work in the hospitals here. I’d love to talk to him for you.”
“Really? You’d do that for me? Why?” she asked.
“Oh, I can answer this,” I said. “Because Tabiqians take care of each other!”
Ziva smiled and asked, “If you weren’t a blue-eyed blonde, I’d wonder if you had any Tabiqian blood in your veins.”
“We can pretend she’s one of us,” Lily said. “Or maybe we can dye her hair,” she teased.
“Sorry. I’m a little old to be adopted,” I laughed. Changing the subject, I said, “So enough about me. What else do you want to do?”
“I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m starving. How about I order room service?” Ziva said.
“I can go and get it,” Lily offered.
“No. Tonight you’re getting waited on. Robin, can you hand me the menu, please?”
Lily said, “Do you know how ridiculous this is? Calling for room service when I’m wearing my uniform.”
We all laughed, and I said, “Then I guess we will order while you change.”
“Okay, but no having any fun until I return,” she said.
Ziva replied, “We promise.” Once she was out of the room, Ziva turned to me said quietly, “I know this is a lot to take in, but please, I beg you, don’t tell anyone what you have learned.”
“I won’t. You can trust me,” I said.
“If I didn’t believe that, you wouldn’t be here.”
I’ve never met a family with so many secrets. I’m going to get home from vacation and not have any stories I can share.
Chapter 9
James
The next morning, I found myself sitting in Bennett’s office, unable to comprehend what I’d just been told.
“So this is what, exactly? A rebel group forming to take Tabiq back?” I asked Bennett.
“It wouldn’t be the first one,” he said. “We have been facing this for years. There are some
that want the old ways back–not many, but enough.”
That sickened me. It went against everything we fought for in the Corps. But even a vacation spot for the rich, this hidden paradise, had an underbelly of pure evil. “Who the fuck would want to enslave women and sell their…innocence?”
“People who are driven by greed,” Bennett stated.
“No matter where we fight, it’s always the same driving force,” I responded.
“And probably always will be. But that doesn’t stop us from doing what needs to be done.”
“Why not bring this out in the open?” I asked. “You can shut it down by telling the world how fucked up this place is.”
“Tabiq wasn’t always like this,” Bennett said. “There was a time when family was everything here. It was a very poor country, but one filled with love and hope.”
“What happened to it?”
“It took the actions of only a few rich and powerful men to corrupt this place,” he said.
“Why didn’t the military fight for the people?” I couldn’t have stood by and watch my country fall. Fuck, I can’t watch this one fall, either. Defending those who can’t defend themselves is part of my core being.
“The good men who resisted were jailed. The criminals were recruited and put in positions of authority. That included both the police and military here. And their rank was based on one thing–how much they got for the women they brought in to be sold.”
“Then why the fuck are we sitting here when we should be banging on Vecca’s door and having him arrested?” I barked.
Bennett remained calm and shook his head. “The Hendersons have spent years working to help the Tabiqian people become strong enough to fight for themselves. I’m meeting with the chief of police today to share what we have learned. If they ask, our team will support them in any actions they deem necessary. Besides that, our job is to ensure the safety of the guests at New Hope.”
“You expect me to just sit back and do nothing?” I asked, hoping I had heard incorrectly.
“I expect you to follow orders. Make sure no one enters New Hope who doesn’t belong there,” Bennett instructed. “I don’t think you know what this place means to Tabiq.”
“You’re right, I don’t. You know I could take a few men and shut this down today. Why wait?”
“A few years ago, I would’ve taken the action you suggested. But if we can’t get Tabiq to stand on its own, it will fall again. The police are now doing an amazing job of responding to issues. If we interfere now, it would be as though we don’t have any confidence in them. What would that say to the people of Tabiq? They might start to believe the police can’t be trusted again. It’d be a huge step backwards,” Bennett stated. “But between you and me, this doesn’t mean that I don’t have eyes and ears out there on what is going on.”
That was good to know, but I wanted to be one of them. “So now I get to babysit a Henderson investment property.”
“It’s a lot more than that. The name was chosen for a reason. This place is hope for Tabiq. They needed a way to make a living, an honest one. If you knew what else the Hendersons have done here, you might understand why we need to step back.”
“Seems like I have nothing but time today,” I said.
Bennett said, “They built a hospital, schools, and are even working with companies to bring in manufacturing. The goal isn’t for us to run Tabiq, but to equip its leaders and its people, so that greed and corruption can’t take over the second we pull out.”
“From what I saw on my way to retrieve Lily, it looks like you have a long way to go. There is a clear line you cross and then the poverty slaps you in the face.” It explained why they didn’t want tourists out exploring. It would be too tempting for someone like Vecca to make a move and kidnap one.
“The change is happening gradually. They need training, and that takes time. We also want to make sure we don’t help the wrong people. Unfortunately, Vecca and his little band of rebels aren’t the only ones out there. The Hendersons aren’t going to stop until all are brought to justice and Tabiq is able to stand on its own.”
“That will require trusting someone enough to run the country,” I said.
“There is one person who fits that mold. Right now, he’s not interested in the position. With any luck, that will change. Jasper was born and raised here.”
“So what’s stopping him?” I asked.
“The fact that the Hendersons are still here. There’s history between Jasper’s family and the Hendersons. I’m not sure he can get past it,” Bennett stated.
“Then maybe he’s not your guy,” I stated.
“Not for us to determine,” he said flatly.
That was Bennett’s way of telling me to drop it. “What about Lily? You can’t send her back out there until they are all caught.”
“I’m not. She’s going to Boston.”
“Boston? I don’t think you need to send her that far to protect her,” I said sarcastically.
Bennett chuckled. “Nice one. But Lily had mentioned to Ziva that she wanted to become a nurse. Tabiq could use someone like her. Loyal, hardworking, with essential skills,” Bennett said.
Now that sounded like the Bennett I remembered. He appeared to have everything under control, but I still had no idea what he needed me for. “The fence is fixed. You’ve got men monitoring the entire perimeter. What would you like me to do?” Don’t you dare say take the day off. Fuck that. I’m here to work.
“Spend the day with Robin,” he replied.
I’d rather spend the night with her. But I know that’s not what Bennett has in mind.
“Excuse me?” I said. There was no way I’d heard that correctly. He must’ve meant to say ‘Lily’ and ‘act as her personal bodyguard.’
“Robin knows way too much about what is going on here in Tabiq, thanks to my wife and now Lily. I need to know that she won’t be taking this to the media,” Bennett said.
“Why the fuck don’t you just sit her down and tell her not to?” Being direct sounded a hell of a lot better than dancing around what she knows and what she doesn’t.
“James, she’s a lawyer. Do you really think it would be that easy?”
“It’s an option,” I stated.
“Do you trust her?” Bennett asked.
I wanted to say yes, but the truth was, I didn’t. “If either Robin or Zoey find out about this, it’s going to have ramifications that you might regret.” Mostly for Bennett, because he had to live with Zoey. I was less worried about me. What’s the worst Robin could do? Never talk to me? I’m good with that. I don’t like ties. After her vacation, I had no intention of seeing or speaking to her again anyway. But there was something about her that was going to be hard to forget.
“Then don’t fuck it up,” Bennett stated firmly.
Obviously, Bennett had no clue that I’d already come close to doing just that on the beach. It was just a kiss and a little feel, but if we spent too much time together, it might become a hell of a lot more. And it’s not just her lips I want to taste, either.
“You’re positive this is how you want me to spend my time?” Bennett nodded, and I got up to leave his office. “I’ll have my cell phone on if you change your mind and need me for anything important,” I said.
“I do and you’re doing it.”
I shook my head as I left. When I told Bennett I wanted to take a more active role on the team, this wasn’t what I fucking meant.
My cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID. It was Robin’s room. “Hi, is everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes. I was…well, you mentioned taking a walk last tonight. No pressure. I know you’re probably busy working.”
Working. That’s funny. “What are you doing now?”
“Right now?” she asked.
“Yes. I have the day off and thought maybe you’d like to spend it with me.”
“I…was only going to do a little bit of work, but nothing that can’t wait. What are you
thinking about doing?”
I didn’t have a clue. There was plenty to do on the resort, none of which I was supposed to be doing. The doctor’s orders said I needed to protect my remaining kidney. That meant no surfing, horseback riding, or rock climbing allowed. I had to think of something.
“How do you feel about jet skis?” I asked.
“Never tried it before, but it can’t be as bad as paddle-boarding. I spent most of the time climbing back up on the board and very little standing,” she said. “I love doing physical things, but really never did much in the water. For the record, I can’t even swim.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“Nope. I keep telling myself someday I’ll learn, but that day just never comes.”
“Well, put that cute bikini of yours on because today is your first lesson,” I said.
“You really don’t want to spend your day off teaching me how to swim, do you?”
Actually, I do.
“Get ready and I’ll meet you on the beach in thirty minutes.”
“See you there,” she said and ended the call.
I was doing this only because Bennett ordered me to. But the fact that I’d be spending my day enjoying her half-naked body sure didn’t suck. Not acting on what I really wanted to do with her, on the other hand, did.
This is just business, but who said I had to hate my job?
Chapter 10
Robin
I couldn’t believe he meant it. For two hours James tried teaching me the basics, like how to float and tread water. He had started out looking so confident, but about halfway through, I think he realized I really can’t swim.
“You’d think with your…assets, you’d at least be able to float,” James teased.
I couldn’t believe he just called my breasts assets. “Sorry, they’re boobies, not buoys.”
“Guess that’s why you sink.”
“Does that mean we can stop this lesson before I’m wrinkled from head to toe?” I asked.
“We can’t have that.” James scooped me up into his arms and carried me out of the water.
It felt so good being in his arms again, but that’s all it was. When were on the sand, he put me down. The swim lesson was over, but I hoped it wasn’t the end of our outing. This was the first day on the whole trip that I was actually having fun.
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