Page 88 of Poison Evidence

“No fucking way,” both men said in unison.

She crossed her good arm over her bad and tried to hide her wince at the motion. “Way. Bring me and CAM, and I’ll use RON to find him. I’ll recreate the poison tree map.”

“You’re injured,” Ian argued. “And it’s dangerous. Zack and his men are still out there. They still want CAM—and you.”

“I thought you were in the personal protection business,” she said to Ian. “And my cousin is paying you to protect me.” She glanced down at her sling. “And I’m right-handed. I can still work the computer.”

And fire a gun. Maybe.

“Fine,” Luke said. She turned to face him, and from the set of his jaw and light in his eyes, she suspected she’d walked right into his plan. Ian was here to protect Ivy, but Luke… He was here for Dimitri, and the jury was out on whether or not he considered Dimitri a friend or foe.

Ivy was to be his bait.

She turned and marched into her private room in the large hotel suite. Her cousin was sparing no expense for her lodging. Alec had been so mad when Ivy explained to him why she refused to leave Palau. But he was family, and he trusted her. So he grudgingly agreed.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the orchid on the pillow. Her gaze flew around the room. She lifted the bedcovers, but no one hid beneath. The closet and attached bath were also empty. She checked the lanai, surprised to find the French doors were unlocked. The lanai was empty too. Search complete, she finally collected the flower and note from the pillow.

The orchid was the same peach color as the one he’d given her that first morning, and the note was in the same crisp handwriting.

Ivy —

My handlers know about us. About you. About how I feel. You are in danger. Luke Sevick too, because anyone I have affection for will always be used against me. You and Luke must leave Palau, now. Also, the security on your lanai sucks. Surely the CIA trains their agents better than this?

— DV

She gripped the flower in her fist. How did his Russian handlers find out about their relationship so quickly? Zack Barrow knew, but he’d wanted to steal the AUUV for himself, so he wasn’t on Team Russia.

She had no doubt the FBI agent had shared the information up the hierarchy. Likewise, Luke and Ian had likely made it known to Alec and Curt in their debriefings. Thanks to the FBI agent’s questioning, and Ivy’s lack of acting ability, she had few secrets.

But everyone who knew about Ivy’s relationship with Dimitri was on Team USA.

Unless there was a mole hidden in the system.

“We should have told her what the Hammer is,” Ian said after Ivy returned to her room in the suite.

“And risk alienating her from Veselov when she’s our best chance for bringing him in?” Luke said in a quiet voice. “No way.”

“She might be even more anxious to bring him in if she knew the truth. She regrets not warning anyone about Hill. This could be her chance to make up for that.”

“Maybe, but we can’t take the risk. Dimitri will come to her if he believes she cares. But if he caught wind of the fact that she hates him? He’d know it was a trap and stay far away. She’s not good at hiding her feelings. You saw her in there. She all but broadcast she knows exactly where Dimitri is searching.”

“I hope you’re right, Sevick, because taking Ivy and CAM out to play bait when she’s injured is damned dangerous.” Ian ran his hands through his hair. “You’re sure the Hammer isn’t a threat?”

“I’m not sure of anything when it comes to Parker Reeves or Dimitri Veselov anymore. But I think Ivy is in love with him. If any of that emotion goes both ways, we have an opportunity to take him in, get the AUUV, and save Ivy. Isn’t that what we came here to do?”

Chapter Thirty-One

Dimitri stared at the tree. The trunk was coated in sap, and according to CAM, there might be a void under the roots. He’d have come here first, but two other islands had been closer. Better to check them on the way and be methodical.

But standing here, facing the tree, his gut said this was it.

Thunder boomed in the distance. The evening rain was coming soon. Great timing. Poison tree and rain was a bad combination, according to Ivy.

He scanned the roots of the tree and the surrounding area. If the AUUV had been hidden here, it was five months ago, and nature had long since covered up the intrusion.

No help for it except to dig—which he’d done at the base of four other poison trees on two islands already, yielding nothing but sore muscles and the potential to break out in a blistering rash sometime soon.

Good times.

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