Page 81 of Wicked Suspicion

“You mean his nickname?” Frankie asked. “His friends call him BD.”

Now Nyx laughed. “That explains how growly he was. I bet he wanted to reprimand you so badly, Case, and he couldn’t because he’d just gotten done protecting Frankie.”

“And romancing me,” Frankie chipped in. “Don’t forget that part because Deck didn’t.”

“I’m pretty sure Case had that fact in reserve on the chance he needed it.”

“Is that your real name? Case?” Frankie asked, looking up at him.

He nodded once, sharply. “Keep calling me Lurch.”

Frankie’s lips curved again. “Got it. Only Nyx is allowed to use your first name.”

His sigh was long, and it was loud. “We’re supposed to be quick, remember?”

Nyx sobered. “Archer said you had something for me to bring home?”

“Two things, actually.” Frankie turned and picked up a messenger bag. “The diary with the code is in here. I know I decoded it incorrectly. I want you to bring it to Archer and have him get someone who knows what they’re doing to look at it. There’s also another document. It records the final words of the ship’s captain before he was executed. He had a lot to say, none of which seems very important.”

“Maybe he was stalling, hoping for a last second reprieve?”

“You’re probably right, but I want Archer to have someone parse through it in case the man was trying to pass along a message to whoever was smart enough to decipher it.”

“Archer will have to call in more of his angels,” Nyx said. She smiled as she slung the strap of the bag across her body.

“I’m sorry? Angels?”

“Personal joke,” Nyx said, not wanting to take the time to explain how Archer made her think of Charlie’s Angels. “I see my duffle bag. You grabbed my passport and ID, too, right?”

Frankie nodded and reached into her purse. “Here’s everything you had in the hotel safe. Your clothes and toiletries are in the bag.”

She started to pass the duffle to Nyx, but Case intercepted it. “I got it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Because—”

“Fireball,” Case said and his tone warned her that she wasn’t going to win the argument. With a shrug, she conceded.

Nyx turned back to her teammate. Frankie’s brows were raised, and she had a shit-eating grin on her face, but she didn’t comment on the exchange. She hesitated, not wanting to crater Frankie’s mood, but she couldn’t protect herself if she didn’t know what was happening.

“Frankie,” Nyx said, voice low, intense, “there are multiple groups interested in the treasure. The arms dealer is the tip of the iceberg. There’s a drug lord named Julián Vargas who had me do research for him. He’s decided he wants the treasure for himself. There was also the leader of the raiders. He’s dead now, so he’s not a threat, but I don’t know who he told about this, and more of his men are out there. Watch your back and warn Ellis not to be so trusting. She…” Nyx hesitated, then said it. “She scares me because of how naïve she is.”

“I know. She spent too much time being book-smart and didn’t pick up many street smarts. I talked to Archer about replacing her, but he’s reluctant.”

“Because she’s good. She’s also in over her head down here, and we both know it. I’ll talk to him when I get back to LA and report in.”

Frankie nodded, but said, “You know Archer.”

Yeah, Nyx knew Archer. He’d only listen if it suited his agenda. “Be careful going back to the hotel. Take a roundabout route, watch who’s around you, make sure?—”

“Nyx, I know. Deck drilled it into my head. You be careful. You’re not out of Puerto Jardin yet.” Her gaze went to Case. “And you, Lurch, you take care of my teammate, and not just her physical wellbeing. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am. Understood.”

With a nod, Frankie left, her back ramrod straight as she walked away. Nyx looked up at Case. “We better go, too.”

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