Page 80 of Be Courageous

Only half? “What about Ravenel?” The last Miles had heard, McKenzie’s kidnapper had never gone to trial, his charges having been dismissed by the local judge who, Dad found out later, was an old fraternity brother of Ravenel’s.

“His time is coming.” Dad seemed to have shaken off his disappointment. “Lucky for us, his original trial never aired. With Sauers’s cooperation, we’ve recovered the evidence he deleted in the first place, and a new trial’s set to take place just before Christmas.”

That was the good news? Defeat knuckled Miles, draining his energy. Abandoning his suitcase, he dropped into a chair at the kitchen table. Maybe Ravenel would go to jail by Christmas, but what about the other six Centurion elite? How long would it take to putthemaway?

To his surprise, his father stepped up to him. “I hate to see you like this, especially around Thanksgiving.” He dropped a heavy hand on his shoulder.

Miles didn’t know what to say to that.

His mother made an exasperated sound. “Oh, just tell him already!”

Miles looked up. “Tell me what?” Possibilities jumped into his mind. “Is McKenzie okay? Did something happen to her?”

Dad shook his head. “No, Son.” Then he raised his voice. “Karima, come on in here, dear.”

Who the heck?

Furtive footfalls approached the kitchen from the living room. Miles took in the petite woman wearing a hijab over her black hair and holding a measuring tape. His heart skipped a beat. The outfit, the black hair, and the heavy eye makeup couldn’t disguise the familiar contours of the woman’s pretty face. “McKenzie!” As she grinned at him, he shot out of his chair, crossed the room in two strides, and engulfed her in a hug.

“Miles.” She buried her face against his neck, unable to say more.

Glancing back at his father, Miles was surprised to see a sentimental smile on his face.

“It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow.” Dad shrugged. “I wanted to give you something to be thankful for.”

“Oh, so…” The hope that McKenzie had left WITSEC for good shriveled and died. “This is temporary.”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

As his hope winged upward, McKenzie released him to wipe the tears from her face. “Just listen, Miles.”

“Listen to what?” He eyed his father in earnest.

“A case crossed my desk a week ago that didn’t exactly fit our criteria for investigation. An American national is smuggling exotic pets out of Africa, using a port in Morocco and his own boats.”

“Morocco?” That was where Maggie worked.

“I decided CID would take the case, and I talked Higgins into going with my plan.”

Miles held his breath. “And your plan is?”

“You’re going to Morocco to investigate this smuggler, and McKenzie’s going with you. That way you can be together while we tie up loose ends. What do you think?”

“Hah!” With an incredulous laugh, Miles met McKenzie’s shining eyes before sweeping her off her feet and turning full circle with her. How ironic that he’d considered hiding with her in Morocco in the first place. And building a case against some scumbag trafficking in exotic pets was right up his alley, but…He stopped and met his mother’s damp gaze. “But I’d have to leave Mom all alone here.”

“Pfft.” Karen Ellis gestured grandly. “Are you kidding? I’ll be just fine. I couldn’t be happier for you both.”

Her overly bright response didn’t fool him. She would be lost without him.

His father spoke up. “I’ll look in on your mother, Son. You don’t need to worry about her.”

As Mom shot Dad a startled look, Miles scoffed at the offer. “Um…you’ve ignored her for two years.”

His mother turned a warning glance in his direction. “Don’t go there, Miles. I donotneed looking after by either of you. But there is something you should do before taking off to Morocco, honey.” She eyed McKenzie fondly. “You should marry McKenzie first, this weekend while Maggie’s here.”

Miles’s head spun. Marry? This weekend?

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