Page 49 of Hidden Depths

“A family friend. My wife and I helped with Sara’s relocation. If you can get her back on dry land, she can stay with us until we can find somewhere safe for her to go. But we’ll need to find out how they discovered her whereabouts.”

“I don’t believe they have.”

“Sara?”

“He’s right,” she said. “The man with the snakeskin boots who was at my house that night? Do you remember?”

“I do.”

“He’s here. And so is Dutch, the guy who was with Lansky at the trial.”

“Wait,” Tom said. “That guy with the boots was at your house that night?”

“I never saw his face. Only his watch and his boots. But neither one of them recognized me. Unless they were pretending, which doesn’t make sense.”

“Peter, I was suspicious of them before I knew who they were. I believe they’re here for another reason, not Sara. It’s just a terrible coincidence.”

“Do you know their plans?” Peter asked.

“It’s only a few hours’ boat ride to Cuba. I believe they’re smuggling.”

“What?”

“Drugs maybe? That’s my best guess. They bring a load of money to Cuba and bring back a stash. I don’t have anything concrete, but it means we can get Sara out of here without them knowing. Then I can get a team in to investigate further.”

“All right. I agree. That sounds like our best plan. Get Sara to the mainland however you can and let me know where you end up. Sara, I’ll meet you.”

“Thanks, Peter. I owe you so much.”

“If you want to pay me back, all you have to do is survive. I’ll see you soon.”

After they hung up, Tom handed the phone back. “You get a bag packed, and I’ll book you a plane ticket. Only take what you need. You’ll have to leave most of it behind for now.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. I’ve been here for years, and I still don’t have much worth taking with me.”

Chapter13

Sara had never beena sentimental person. Even when she was young, she didn’t cling to tradition or keep all her teddy bears on her bed. But that didn’t mean that leaving the place that had been her safe haven for the last five years would be easy. Especially when she’d finally begun to make it her home.

She took several deep breaths, looking around to try to create a snapshot in her mind. A dent in the wall caught her attention where she’d brought a chair into the room when she’d first moved in. She’d been trying to change the light in the ceiling but had heard a sound that startled her, and she’d swung around, the chair leg connecting.

She didn’t know what would happen to the boat, whether Peter would sell it or let it sit here in case someone else needed it. But it wasn’t for her to dwell on. She’d borrowed it for a time, and the pang she felt about leaving would fade.

Gathering several changes of clothes, she stuffed them into a bag before going to the bathroom to collect what she needed there. She stopped when she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

Her eyes were a little bloodshot, but her face was set hard and strong. It was not usually what she gazed upon when staring at her reflection. The encounter she’d had with God had changed her.

She pressed a hand to her chest. The thump of her heart was barely perceptible without the pounding rush of anxiety.

She’d faced both Balthazar and Dutch and had been so sure the encounter had set her back to the beginning. But although she had been terrified at the time, that fear had passed, and a shallow current of confidence remained.

“Thank you,” she whispered. She knew now that it didn’t matter what happened from here. She would never have to relive her past.

She hummed as she joined Tom in the kitchen, looking around the room to make sure she’d collected everything she needed.

“I think I’ve got every—Is something wrong?”

Tom was frowning at his phone. “There aren’t any flights over the next few days. Everything’s booked.”

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