Карен Кингсбери - A Distant Shore [calibre]

Or whether she’d see the light of day again.

They were two steps from the larger building when three unmarked cars and two police vehicles squealed around the corner. Six guns were aimed at the man before he could reach for his own.

Camille was one of the agents, and she helped Eliza to a waiting car. Eliza had seen the girls at the Palace get roughed up by men—sometimes in the hallways of the mansion when they didn’t know she was looking. But no one had ever touched her before this. She ran her hand over her arm. Already bruises were forming.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She looked out the window. All she wanted was to live long enough to be in Jack Ryder’s embrace again. To see him one more time.

Then she remembered something. She’d been told by her case agent that if ever her life had been in danger, if she was afraid and not sure she could do another mission as an HLCI, she could break her cover and make a single phone call. At that time the agent with her would allow a one-time use of a bureau phone. Something that couldn’t be traced back to Eliza.

She felt the tears on her cheeks. Her breathing was still not back to normal.

This was that time.

“Please, Camille.” Her teeth chattered. “Please… can I make a call?”

“Of course.” Camille looked concerned. “I’m sorry. About what happened.” She checked her phone. “They did the raid. If that helps you feel better. They’re still making arrests and rescuing children.”

Eliza nodded. She was glad.

“Who would you like to call, Eliza?”

This was what she had signed up to do and she would do it again. But right now there was only one person she wanted to talk to. She stilled her trembling long enough to answer the question.

“Jack Ryder.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

—John 3:16

There were days when Eliza seemed more like a dream to Jack, like a figment of his imagination, or a vision he couldn’t quite figure out. Not like someone real at all. But today, after twenty months, Jack was in the back of a black SUV two hours from finally seeing her.

And that felt better than real.

Eliza lived in Houston now, where she’d just finished an assignment in the city’s most crime-ridden neighborhood. Jack leaned back and closed his eyes. The FBI loved Eliza Lawrence. She was becoming a legend, not just in Texas but all the way up to headquarters in Washington, D.C.

As informants went, Eliza had it all. She was nearly twenty-two now, but she looked young enough to pass for a junior in high school. And she was incredibly intelligent. She had an uncanny sense about traffickers and danger. So far she had helped take down eight trafficking rings and one drug cartel, all while looking like the picture of innocence. But her work had come at a cost.

She’d been nearly killed three times, and once she had been bound and gagged, stuffed in the trunk of a trafficker’s car. Each time God had saved her. Jack was sure now. He hadn’t doubted that since his time at Lake Grapevine.

And his missions had been just as dangerous.

They were meeting up today for one reason only. For the next four days they were set to do another mission as a married couple—this time in Cancún.

At first, Eliza hadn’t wanted to do this operation. She wanted to see him, she had written in her email. She looked forward to finding someplace in the world where they could spend a few days catching up. Something to fill in the miles and months of distance between the letters they had exchanged.

But she wasn’t sure she could pretend to be his wife.

It was only after their last email exchange that Jack had felt her attitude toward the mission change. She mentioned that maybe it had been long enough to not let feelings get in the way . I really only see you as a friend, Jack. Those were her words.

Like always, Oliver had been in on that communication. So had Eliza’s case agent.

Oliver had talked with Jack just a few days ago, making sure there was no reason to call off the trip. “I want her to have time with you. I think she needs it.” He leveled his gaze. “She’s a machine. Just like you, Jack.”

“I know.” Jack was proud of her. But he worried about her, too. “So the mission… it’s also time for her to have a break. Is that it?”

“It’s soft surveillance. No contact needed. We want information about buildings and points of entry.” Oliver hesitated. “But to answer your question, no.”

“No?” Jack was confused.

“She has one more year on her contract. You need her on this one.” Oliver stood and walked around his desk. “Also… we have possible information on her family.”

Jack hesitated. “Eliza’s mother and brother?”

Oliver took a folder from his desk and handed it to Jack. “Here. You can read about it. There’s a slight chance they could be in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.” Oliver went on to explain that a Belizean police officer had gotten a tip from someone in Little Belize. A woman and her young son had come to the village around the time of the disappearance. But not long after, the two had left with a few other families and started a new outpost deeper into the mountains.

“What makes them think the mother and son might be in Pennsylvania?”

“That’s where the other two families wound up.” Oliver hesitated. “The thing is, Susan James and her son should’ve gone back to Lower Barton Creek. Back to Ike Armstrong. Which is why I’m doubtful about the tip.”

Jack wasn’t going to tell Eliza. He wouldn’t dare get her hopes up. Not unless her family was actually found. Until then, every sign pointed to Eliza’s mother and brother being dead.

At least the trip to Cancún was on. Jack remembered Eliza’s email again. I really only see you as a friend, Jack. The words still made him sad. If she had been honest in her email, then whatever feelings she’d had for him were gone.

Jack would have to be okay with that. She was his friend—his only friend—and he was hers. From the moment he’d heard about the chance to work with her again, he had been counting down the days.

Two hours later the SUV pulled up in front of her hotel, where Eliza was waiting in the lobby.

Jack stepped out to help with her bag, but instead he couldn’t do anything but look at her. It took about two seconds to wonder if maybe everything she’d written in her email had only been a cover.

So that the next four days would be theirs alone.

She looked younger, if that were possible. Maybe after pretending for so long to be a seventeen-year-old. Or maybe it was God’s Spirit inside her. Either way, she left him unable to move or breathe. “Eliza.” That’s all he could say. Just her name.

And without another word between them, she was in his arms. “You’re really here.” She clung to him, pressing her cheek to his chest. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

Jack wished he could freeze time. With her, he didn’t want the sun to set, didn’t want four days to come and go with cavalier indifference.

They were still undercover, still working a honeymoon mission, so this was appropriate behavior. But he wasn’t acting. She stepped back and kissed his cheek. Slowly. “I missed you every day, Jack.”

“Me, too.” And once more he had doubts about the operation. How was he supposed to say goodbye to her again? After spending time with her at a beach resort, talking with her and holding her hand? Pretending she was his wife?

Jack tried not to think about that. He would figure it out. They had work to do, and since this was a job, he couldn’t allow himself to feel more than friendship for her. You’re a machine, Ryder. Be a machine. That was his order from Oliver. Even if it took every bit of concentration and willpower he had.