Chapter Twenty-Seven
Seated in the office area on the jet, Connor ended the call from Felicia, frowning down at his phone. Jake had been shot? Who could be trying to take out one of his best operatives from a sniper position? The situation reminded him too much of Sophie’s recent case when a contract killer had been after her.
The shooter had to be Akane Chang. Chang had no love for either Jake or Sophie.
Connor looked back down at his phone and scrolled to the text he had received from Sophie declining his help in getting to Kaua`i. Good. She’d be safe there, out of the way of this latest threat.
He should probably go check on Jake, but the man was likely out of commission for a while. The Ghost’s time would be best spent trying to track the shooter, and all he needed was a computer for that.
Connor sat down and fired up his laptop. He hacked into a grid of surveillance cameras around the office building for Security Solutions in downtown Hilo. None of the feeds covered the particular area in which Jake’s shooting had taken place, but by scrolling through one of the traffic camera backups, he was able to spot a man exiting the building across the street in the appropriate time frame.
The subject was close to six feet tall, wearing bulky, nondescript sweats, and carried a rifle-sized duffel bag over one shoulder. He wore a University of Hawaii Warriors ball cap, pulled low. His skin was medium dark in the black-and-white video.
The suspect got into a black Toyota 4Runner SUV parked on the corner. Connor paused the feed and magnified the license plate number.
Another quick hack, and he was into the Hawaii State vehicle registration site. He ran the number and came up with a car reported stolen of a completely different make. The plates had been changed.
This was Jake’s shooter, for sure, but Connor had no useful information to pass on to authorities except that the man was roughly the same dimensions and race as Akane Chang, and was smart enough to have swapped the plates on what was likely a stolen vehicle.
Connor paced around, frustrated and worried. He missed his home in Thailand: the long, empty beaches of his island, Phi Ni, on which to run. He missed the company of his dog, Anubis, and the help and presence of his houseman, Nam. His home truly was his castle, and this enclosed container, parked on the hot tarmac of the Hilo airport, was far from ideal. Connor got up and went to the gym area that was a part of his office on the jet. He went through a routine on the Bowflex machine for a vigorous twenty minutes, getting blood flowing to his brain and extremities.
He was stalled on dealing with the shooter, but was sure it was Akane beginning the revenge spree that the man had sworn to complete in the courtroom a few short weeks ago.
The Ghost did have one unconventional weapon in his battle against the serial killer.
Done with his brief workout, Connor thumbed through his phone contacts. He sent Pim Wat a text that Akane was in Hilo and looking to make another attempt on Sophie’s life via the Security Solutions office building.
It couldn’t hurt to give her mother intel that was in their mutual interest—keep his pet assassin on alert and ready to move. He was doing his best to engineer a showdown between Akane and Pim Wat; such killings were the Ghost’s trademark, and they took careful engineering.
Connor smiled at the likelihood that the two would cancel each other out when they finally met. He’d spent hours imagining and orchestrating variations on that scenario. And if only one of them was the victor? That too was acceptable. Only one of his and Sophie’s enemies would then remain alive to deal with, fifty percent less hassle.
Because whatever else she was, Pim Wat was also their enemy.
He slid his phone into his pocket and poured a glass of filtered water, drinking it at the sink, mentally probing for weaknesses in his plans.
As soon as Sophie heard that Jake was injured, she’d want to come back to Hilo to take care of him.
Connor had to keep Sophie out of danger until Akane, and hopefully Pim Wat, were dealt with.
He speed dialed another number. “Thom, can you return to the jet? I need to go to Kaua`i, ASAP.”
Connor stood at the foot of the stairs of the jet, the waning light of evening slanting across the tarmac of the Lihue Airport on Kaua`i, as Sophie strode toward him. He admired the feline power of her stride contrasting with the feminine, fluttery skirt of her Mary Watson dress.
Sophie was frowning when she reached him, all but vibrating with distress, but she allowed Connor to embrace her in a brief hug. “Thanks so much for coming to fetch me. I can’t believe someone shot Jake! I have to get back and see how he is doing.”
“About that.” Instead of ascending the jet’s stairs, Connor turned her back toward the terminal. “We aren’t going to the Big Island. I want you to stay here on Kaua`i for a few days. I’ve reserved a room for you at a very nice condo in Kalapaki Beach under your Mary Watson identity.”
Sophie dug in her heels. “What? No. Jake needs me!”
“He does not. He’s a big boy.” Connor gritted his teeth, but made an effort to speak persuasively. “Felicia’s looking after him, and it’s just a flesh wound to his calf. Way more worrisome is that we both think the shooter was Akane, and he wants to kill you even more than he wants Jake.”
“You don’t understand. I have to get back to him.” Sophie brushed past Connor and stomped up the stairs into the jet as if she could order Thom to take her back to the Big Island without him. Connor shook his head, following her up into the plane.
Sure enough, Sophie was arguing with his pilot, hands on her hips, voice raised. “We need to get back to the Big Island, Thom. It’s urgent.”
“I’m sorry, Sophie, that’s not the flight plan Mr. Hamilton has filed.” Thom Tang was a brave man, but today the Thai pilot looked a little terrified as he turned to Connor in blatant relief and appeal. “Here’s Mr. Hamilton now. He can tell you.” Thom scuttled into the cockpit and they both heard the distinct sound of the cockpit door locking.
“Sophie. Listen.” Connor reached for her arm.
She shook him off. “No. I’m not going to listen. My boyfriend has been shot. I’m going back to Hilo to see if he is all right.”
“Jake’s fine. He’s had stitches, and his leg is in a support boot. He’s at home resting. I just had a call from Felicia. She even got him settled in bed in his apartment and took the dogs out for a walk. He’s passed out from pain meds and will be feeling a lot better in the morning. You can talk to him then.”
Their gazes clashed.
Connor took off his Sheldon Hamilton glasses and set them aside. He grasped Sophie’s shoulders. “Jake would not want you running back into the line of fire. Let this situation play out. Let Akane show himself, so we can catch him and deal with him. Then you can play Florence Nightingale to Jake all you want.”
“Florence Nightingale?” A frown-wrinkle appeared between her elegant brows.
Connor wished he could smooth that line with his thumb, maybe put his lips right there. He squeezed her shoulders instead. “Famous war nurse. Braver and stronger than an army. Which both Jake and I know you are. But trust me on this—he wouldn’t want you anywhere that put you in danger. And don’t forget—you’ve got someone else to keep safe now, too.”
Sophie’s hand dropped to her slim waist. Her whole body sagged. “This doesn’t feel right. Jake will think I don’t care, that I’m staying with Alika.”
“You can call Jake tomorrow and set him straight. Tell him your boss is making an executive decision, and Hamilton’s a real bastard. Which we both know is true.”
Sophie looked up swiftly. Connor smiled.
She smiled back. “You are a bastard. But at least you’re…my bastard.” Sophie turned away as heat flushed Connor’s chest and neck at her words. “All right. We can stay here, just for tonight. I’ll leave Jake a message, though, and talk to him tomorrow. I need to make sure he knows I want to be with him.” She took out her phone and strode into Connor’s office, shutting the door.
Connor’s office was the one part of the plane where he didn’t run surveillance devices, and Sophie knew that.
“Damn it.” Connor shook his head ruefully. He’d give his left nut to know what Sophie was saying on that message to Jake.
But another part of him sure as hell didn’t want to hear her declarations of love for another man.
Connor still had no idea how the talk with Alika had gone, though from Sophie’s demeanor it didn’t seem like the possible pregnancy had thrown them into each other’s arms.
Sophie re-emerged from the office. Pink spots burned high on her cheekbones and her honey-brown eyes flashed. “Felicia answered Jake’s phone before I could leave a message. She assured me Jake is in good hands and being cared for.” She picked up the backpack she’d dropped near the door of the jet. “Where is this condo? Let’s go.”
Connor wasn’t about to argue with her change of heart. He followed Sophie down the steps. Clearly, something was amiss between Sophie and Jake, and the addition of Felicia was complicating things—but that wasn’t a situation he had any intention of helping resolve.