Карен Кингсбери - A Distant Shore [calibre]

Instantly Jack was off her, and laying on his side again. “I’m sorry.” His eyes were void of every emotion but one—frustration. “He had to believe us.”

“Yeah. I think he did.” She wondered if he could hear her heartbeat.

If this FBI agent was tempted… if he was feeling anything physical for her, he didn’t show it. Instead, he studied her face. “You’re a victim, here. Do you know that? Just because your father never trafficked you, doesn’t mean you’re not a victim. You are.”

They were both whispering now. Eliza forced herself not to think about his kiss. “You told me I was a criminal. I could serve time.”

“You could. But what you did… grooming those girls… you had to do that.” His eyes saw straight through her. “We know all about your father. The goal is to set you free, get you help so you can have a new life.” He paused. “You and all the girls here.”

“What if…” Angry tears filled Eliza’s eyes. She didn’t know how to feel. In this room she had always been spared interaction with men. But not this one. Not Luke. “What if I don’t want to do this.”

“I don’t blame you. All you’ve known is captivity.” For the first time she heard sympathy in Luke’s voice. “But you will help me. That’s what you said, right?”

Eliza closed her eyes so the tears wouldn’t come. She was going to get killed. She could already feel the bullet ripping through her body. Or maybe… just maybe… She dabbed her fingertips beneath her eyes and looked at Luke. “I hate this. But yes. I’ll help you.”

For the next ten minutes, with the two of them lying beneath the sheets facing each other, Luke told her additional details about the raid. He promised there would be more information tomorrow. “Missions are always evolving.” His body was inches from hers, but he spoke to her like they were sitting in a business meeting. “We have to keep the plan fluid until the final hour.”

Eliza looked away. What was she feeling? For the first time since she was brought here, she’d kissed a man. A man who treated her with respect. A man nothing like the other men who visited the Palace. She had no choice but to go along with his plan. Never mind about the kiss or how it felt to be in his arms. If this plan worked, Eliza was sure of one thing. Once she was free, she would never lie in bed with a man again.

Not ever.

CHAPTER NINE

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

—Psalm 41:1

The mission was on. Eliza had agreed to help, which was the only good thing that had happened last night.

Jack brought his coffee out onto the balcony of his hotel room and looked at the afternoon sky. No clouds today. Just a vast endless blue. He took a sip and shook his head. He had expected Eliza’s bodyguard might burst in midhour. Agent’s intuition, he called it. That knowing sense.

There were lines an agent wouldn’t cross when it came to breaking up a trafficking ring. Jack wouldn’t let a woman touch him inappropriately, and he wouldn’t make a physical advance on her. Not unless his or her life was in danger. And even in that case, the instructions were to keep things platonic.

As much and as long as possible.

If Jack hadn’t kissed her, he’d be dead. That much was certain. Jack was tall, but the guard had a few inches on him, easy. Between the man’s size and his assault rifle, Jack wouldn’t have had a chance. Still he hated what he’d had to do.

And tonight would be Round Two. Earlier Jack had stopped by the Palace to speak with Anders. No need to take part in “showtime” as the sick man called it. Jack told him he wanted to see Eliza again. Same time. Basically, Eliza had passed the first test. The big bodyguard stared at him throughout his brief visit, but Anders seemed pleased.

“I’ll have to call your father one of these days.” Anders gave Jack a pat on the back. “Tell him we’ve been pleased to host you here at the Palace.”

If he ever got out of agent work, Jack figured he could be an actor. He didn’t blink or act out of sorts at all. He simply allowed an easy laugh. “Tell him he owes me a golf game.”

“Yes.” Anders winked at him. “Your old man can play a mean game of golf. I remember that.”

Somehow Jack had gotten out of there and back to his hotel without having anyone trail him or shoot at him or run him off the road. The other operatives were all on high alert, and each of them knew about the guard bursting into Eliza’s room last night.

His phone lit up and Jack recognized the number. Oliver Layton. This was the conversation Jack was waiting for. “What’s the word?”

Oliver was expert at collecting recon and condensing it into the most action-based response. “Elisa’s guard last night was probably Asia. He’s one of Anders’s favorites, and he’s suspicious of everyone.”

His boss went on to explain that one of the police officers who used to work for Anders had turned over evidence. The man was now working with Police Chief Averes. “Our informant says that every few months Asia drops in during the girls’ sessions. Usually when Anders has a doubt.”

“That’s what I thought.” Jake leaned over his knees and looked out across the ocean.

“Apparently you convinced him.” Oliver sounded wary. “You kissed the girl?”

“I did. For a few seconds, yes, sir.” Jack wanted to be up front. “I had no choice.”

“I know.” Oliver exhaled. “That’s why we put you on the job. Your actions are always above reproach.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jack wished he felt that way about the choice he had to make. “So… are we good for tonight?”

“Yes.” Oliver sighed. “Turns out Henry the Third left a journal. Apparently his first visit to the Palace was with Alexa. Eliza’s friend.”

Jack felt like someone had kicked him in the gut. Poor Alexa, whoever she was, wherever she had been taken from. Her life had been a nightmare. And no wonder Eliza was angry. As the kept princess of the Palace, she had watched the girls suffer through their daily existence. Year after year. Of course Eliza hated men, and she would hate Jack, too. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Terrible.”

“It is.” Oliver paused. “One of our informants heard Anders talking about having a full house last night. He was at the Blue Breeze during work hours.”

McMillan was vile. Jack stood and walked to the balcony railing. Of course the man would hide at the yacht club through the night. In case of a raid. Such a coward. Thursday night couldn’t come fast enough. He would gladly shoot Anders in the face if it came to that.

Gladly.

“We have to talk about Anders.” Oliver was all business. “If he’s at the Blue Breeze Thursday night, we need a way to take him in. I’d prefer we don’t do a concurrent raid on the yacht club, obviously.”

“I agree.” Jack could imagine a hundred ways that could go wrong. They needed to focus their efforts.

Oliver explained his idea. The police chief would close the Blue Breeze for a twenty-four-hour period for a health inspection. Those were required across the beach, and inspectors were permitted to make unplanned visits if they received a complaint.

“I like it.” The phone call ended and Jack finished his coffee. Missions like this required him to keep up his workout routine. He was in the field too often to rely on a gym, so he spent the next hour using his body weight to work his biceps, traps, chest, core and quads.

He needed to head to the beach and swim again. If he didn’t get his cardio in he couldn’t think straight. A superior of his once taught him that a special agent was part man, part machine. And the machine needed to work every day to be strong enough for the field.