Page 69 of Island Protector

“Tell us what you need,” Knox said, resigned.

“Speak for yourself,” Caldwell barked. “I’m not authorizing a vigilante operation.”

Miles felt his molars grinding. “Seriously? That’s why I invited you.” He relaxed his shoulders, his hands, though he wanted to shake the man. “Nothing I’m suggesting is illegal. Just an illusion.” He eyed Caldwell. “I can lure this guy in. I’ll tell you exactly where to stand so you can make the arrest.”

Caldwell exchanged a long look with Jess, then came to a decision. “I’m listening.”

Miles went over his plan step by step. “I’ll message Clinton a picture of the truck he thinks is hidden.” Before Caldwellcould protest, he added, “I’ll give you the location too, so you can have someone watching it. The message should up Clinton’s timeline. He’ll demand money and prep his exit. Molly will be upset, I’ll invite her and Bryce here and we’ll make a stink about leaving town and Clinton will be forced to act. He’s greedy. Needs the payday.” Miles pointed to the docks. “He’ll make a move right there when it looks like his target is escaping and you can drop a net over him.”

“Just like that?” Caldwell clearly wasn’t convinced.

“Could work,” Jess said. “You’ll need to make one adjustment.”

He went over it again in his head. Couldn’t see the error. “What’s that?”

“No way this goes down successfully without Molly knowing your intention,” she said.

Miles resisted. “No. I don’t want her in harm’s way. He’ll come at me while I’m prepping the boat. Molly and Bryce will be up here.”

“That’s not how it’s going to go.” There was sympathy in Jess’s gaze.

“She’s right,” Knox said. “Molly won’t let you do this alone. You should know better.”

“I won’t be alone. She doesn’t need to worry.”

Jess suddenly grinned. “You love her. Amazing!”

Miles’s jaw locked. He couldn’t argue the truth, but he damn well wasn’t going to tell Jess before he gave those precious words to Molly.

“As a woman who’s been in a crisis or two,” Jess said, “my advice is if you want to build something with her, something that lasts, loop her in. And fast.”

“Otherwise you could lose her for good,” Knox muttered. The shadows in his eyes gave Miles pause. What had the bigger man been through? Who had he lost?

More to the point, did Miles want to have that look on hisface next week? Next month? “All right, one more alteration. When I head for that boat, Molly will be with me.

“Who’s in?”

Jess, Knox, and the chief looked at him for what felt like an eternity. One by one, they nodded in agreement.

He grabbed his phone, only to have it ring in his hand. “Molly,” he said, answering the call.

“Hey—”

“Bryce is gone,” she wailed.

Miles put the call on speaker. “When?” He checked the clock. The boy should be in school.

“He went missing during recess. All I have is a picture?—”

“Send it to me,” he demanded.

“O-okay. I have to bring twenty-thousand dollars in unmarked bills to the marina. Tonight. Seven o’clock.” She choked back a sob. “Miles. I-I don’t have that kind of money. Sharon said she can get it.”

If Sharon couldn’t, Miles would front the cash. The money was the definitive proof that Clinton didn’t know who Miles was or what he’d done during his undercover op. Otherwise the ransom demand would’ve been much higher.

“Take a breath.” He kept his voice calm and warm, though he’d gone ice cold inside. He’d kill Clinton for terrifying her. Miles showed the picture to the others. He’d bet anything the vehicle Bryce was sitting in was the truck the cops hadn’t yet located. “I know who it is.”

“What? How?”

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