Page 38 of Island Holiday

“Can’t we find a reason to get over there? Food delivery, mistaken address... There has to be something.”

“We shouldn’t get closer without backup,” he reminded her. And himself. “We need to trust Jess will put the right people in place.”

“Please, Connor. Let’s make up some excuse to be over there.”

Personally, he didn’t need any excuse other than it was what she wanted. He already knew he would forever be inclined to do what made her happy. But he couldn’t put her at risk. “Jess knows her job. She knows the two of us wouldn’t be here if we weren’t invested. Let’s sit tight a little longer.”

“Connor.”

“It’s fifteen minutes—max—to get over there.”

“No.” She pointed vigorously at the window. “Come look. There’s a water taxi down near the boardwalk.”

He walked over. “The hotel isn’t on any water taxi routes. Someone has pull.”

“Someone we know?”

“I doubt it.” He shrugged. They weren’t qualified for the field work.

A moment later the room phone rang and Sonya rushed to answer. “Hello?” She held the phone away from her ear so Connor could listen in.

“Miss Sonya Inman?”

“Speaking.”

“Great. This is the front desk. Jess Billings has chartered a river tour for you and Mr. Connor Brady. She requests that you come down and join her as soon as possible. I am also to tell you that the popcorn is ready and waiting.”

Connor assumed that was a reference to the upcoming entertainment of capturing Zimmer.

“Seriously?” Her eyes were bright when she met his gaze. “Thank you, we’ll be right down.”

She hung up the phone. “You look worried.”

“I wasn’t expecting this,” he admitted.

“You’re worried it’s another trap.”

“Aren’t you? After everything you’ve told me about Mertens’s connections?”

She nipped her full lower lip. “Fair enough. But it sounds like Jess is waiting in the lobby. I’m confident that even with our average field skills, we can avoid being kidnapped from the hotel.”

He couldn’t argue with that. “Lead the way.”

If Jess was inviting them to a ringside seat, he’d take it. He couldn’t wait to put this situation behind them. Not just reuniting the young women with their families for the holidays. He wanted—needed—some time to sort out what might come next for him and Sonya.

Chapter 14

It wasn’t a trapwaiting for them in the lobby, only Jess. The regional coordinator for the agency beamed at them as they approached. “The takedown is coming together,” she said. “I know how much you’ve both invested.”

Sonya was relieved there wouldn’t be more trouble. She’d led Connor into enough of that in recent days. And although this wasn’t an Ellington property, the hotel was lovely and she was determined to start making more friends than enemies.

Besides, after the recent near misses, she looked at her environment differently. The glossy marble floors, aquarium tank, and grand vases full of flowers were gorgeous. And potential head wounds waiting to happen.

“Follow me.” Jess moved toward the glass doors that opened to a garden framed by low hedges. On the far side of the garden, a boardwalk stretched across the reedy marsh to the river.

“Everything’s all set,” Jess began once they were alone. Their footsteps creaked on the weathered wood. “The chartered boat will show up at the community condo dock as scheduled. I’vedone everything I can to mitigate civilian involvement. We cleared it with the owner of the boat so that Guardian Agency protectors replaced the regular crew.”

“Who did you get on such short notice?” Connor asked.

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