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 wouldn’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.