Page 7 of Island Holiday

“No. The case is ongoing,” Jess assured her kindly. “To that end, you’ve been assigned a partner to help you sort out all the data you’ve gathered so far,” she explained. She held up a finger, signaling someone behind Sonya.

A partner? Muscles tensed along her shoulders. No, that would be the worst. “That’s not necessary,” Sonya said.

She didn’t do well on group projects. And it was the holidays. She had no problem working straight through. Her friends and the Ellington family would understand if she popped in on Christmas Day for dinner. She, Harper, and Hannah would take their Girl Christmas holiday near the first of the year. It wasn’t fair to drag anyone else down into her workaholic habits.

“I promise to stick to my desk,” she added. “There’s no need to involve anyone else.”

Zimmer was on the boardwalk, roughly a block away, and hovering awfully close to one of the charter boat offices, based on her research of the area.

Jess smiled warmly. If the expression was a ploy, she was good at it. “I used to be a cop,” she said. “One of the things you learn quickly is to count on your partners. I get being a lone wolf. I definitely understand the need to prove yourself, especially when that involves overcoming something from your past.”

Sonya’s breath went shallow as she waited for the hammer to fall. Braced for the worst, certain she was about to be reassigned, she mentally began the task list. Email her current findings and reasoning, write up the report and send it along as well. Then it would be all about finding an effective distraction and the self-control to walk away from a case she desperately wanted to see through to the end.

“Sonya?” The new voice—deep, mellow, and vaguely familiar—jerked her out of her thoughts. “Pleasure to meet you. In person, that is. Connor Brady.”

She stared at the extended hand, then up to his face. Her hand met his warm palm of its own accord. She was too mesmerized by the rest of him. Hazel eyes under darker eyebrows radiated kindness. His short brown hair was pushed back from his face, streaked with gold by the sun. A close-cropped beard framed his square jaw. The lightweight pullover only highlighted brawny arms and a sturdy build.

She recognized his face from agency video calls, but she’d neverseenhim.

Now, she’d never forget him.

Chapter 3

“May I join you?”

“Of course,” Jess said. “Pull up a chair.”

Connor had been watching the last few minutes of the chat, waiting for Jess to wave him over. He didn’t want to intrude too soon, and yet it felt weird hanging back like this. Watching Sonya’s movements from miles away had been a different kind of privacy breach. One he wasn’t keen to confess. Sitting here, just out of earshot, felt more like a sneaky intervention.

Sonya continued to stare at him in silence. Hannah had warned him she was reserved, if not exactly shy, and Connor searched for a way to put her at ease. “Yes, join us,” she managed as he sat down.

“Are you okay?” Jess asked.

“Sure.” Her smile wobbled, refusing to hold, though she made a valiant effort. “Forgive me, Connor. I wasn’t expecting… Well.” She tried again. “I mean, we’ve met online. Just not in person…”

Her voice trailed off and Connor felt obligated to finish the thought. “Face to face is different,” he agreed. He glancedat Jess, got a brief nod to continue. “You should know I’ve been working in the background on this consumer testing case. Tracking participants and that kind of thing.” Tracking her, though this wasn’t the best time to say so.

“Not Hannah?”

He shook his head. “No.” Relief flitted through her gaze, there and gone in a blink before her attention returned to Jess. “Connor is my partner?”

“That’s right,” she confirmed. “You’re teamed up for this endeavor. Unless you’d rather not see this through.”

“No. I want to stay involved,” she said in a rush. “I thought you were kicking me off the case.” Her dark eyes darted his way and then back to Jess. “To prevent problems.”

“Just the opposite. The two of you are expected in Charlotte as soon as possible,” Jess continued. “Connor tracked one of the three women to that area.”

Sonya’s skin paled under the cloud of her dark, curly hair. “Charlotte,” she echoed. “All right.”

Connor recognized the lie immediately. It was not remotely all right. He wouldn’t say anything in front of Jess. Sonya was an extremely private person. As soon as they were alone, he’d reassure her they weren’t going anywhere near her old neighborhood. With luck, that would be helpful information rather than cringe-worthy.

“I thought we weren’t field agents,” Sonya pointed out.

“You’re still not.” Jess tapped her empty coffee mug on the table top. “However, the two of youarethe best researchers we have. Together, I think you can gather what we need to get the authorities involved.” She gave Connor a nod.

“Charlotte is the biggest international airport used to date,” Connor explained. “Gamble has asked us to see what we can find in and around the property where the young woman stayed.”

“All right.”

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