Page 7 of Covert Past

“And I’m waiting for you.” Something in Eli’s tone grabbed Boone’s attention immediately.

“Anything wrong?” Boone’s frown deepened. Since he’d moved to the island, he’d been staying with Eli and his wife, Sashi.

In the past, Sashi had almost died because of her assistance to the US military efforts in Afghanistan. There had been several attempts on her life in recent times. Eli had reason to be concerned.

“I’m not sure.” Eli mentioned seeing an alarming number of men that appeared to be of Arab descent on the island. “It could be nothing, but I wanted to run some of the images by you to see if you recognize any of them.”

Boone had worked with the CIA during his career as a Navy SEAL and had been part of the team to assess threatsto the US from foreign terrorist groups. He had friends in the Agency.

“Send them to me, and I’ll reach out to my CIA contacts.”

“You got it.” Eli confirmed before working his phone. A heartbeat later, Boone’s dinged with the incoming images.

“Any updates on the storms predicted?” Boone asked.

Eli shook his head. “On track for later today at some point.”

Not the news anyone wanted.

Boone and the two men started for the conference room, where JT and his wife, Rachel, waited along with Declan Thomas, another core member of the team.

“What’s the news from the client?” Boone asked before pulling out a chair.

Both Bryce and Eli flanked him.

“She’s almost to the bridge. She’ll be here soon.” JT looked to Bryce. “Do you have the enhancement photos of Lizzette?”

Bryce held up his phone. “They just came through.” He connected the phone to the digital projector. Soon, the photos of Lizzette at two when she disappeared appeared on the screen up front followed by what the child would look like now at twelve. This cutting-edge technology was amazing, in Boone’s mind.

“There’s been no further sightings of the father or child since he picked Lizzette up from daycare all those years ago?” Boone couldn’t believe the man had simply disappeared into thin air with his child. Marvin Horton’s parents and siblings had been interviewed extensively and cleared of any connection to the kidnapping. Horton’s entire life had been torn apart for any connection that might shed some light on the situation. There was none.

“Nothing,” JT confirmed. “Wherever he went, he had it planned out in advance. It’s as if he simply stopped existing. When someone wants to disappear that bad, they’re dangerous.”

JT’s warning settled around him ominously. Just how dangerous was Marvin Horton? Enough to take out himself and his daughter to keep her from her mother?

Chapter Four

He couldn’t sleep. The case was part of it. But mostly Ellie’s reaction to him—to Fred’s truck—kept him awake.

Boone tossed back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He’d finally gotten comfortable enough to sleep through most nights and not have the things he’d witnessed while working with the CIA come back to haunt him.

For a long time after he’d returned stateside, he couldn’t let them go. He’d gone to visit his sister in Connecticut and spent some time with her husband, who was a minister. Tim had helped him see that holding onto the pain and ugliness he’d been running from for three years wasn’t what God wanted for his life. He’d given them to the God of his childhood, and it had changed everything. Sometimes at night the faces of the victims crept into his head. On those days, he hit his knees and prayed.

Tonight, it was a different face that kept sleep away. Another troubled soul like he’d been, who was on the before side of what Boone had gone through himself.

With sleep no longer an option, Boone dressed in jeans and a black sweatshirt before leaving his garage apartment on Eli and Sashi’s property.

Boone thought about the woman he’d run into outside Hopeful. His gut screamed she was a spy and running from something. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be good if that problem found its way here to their island.

A drive along the beach always helped clear his head.Tonight, though, the beauty of the ocean waves against the shoreline and the three-quarter moon hanging low over the water didn’t have the quieting effect he’d hoped for. When he reached the turnoff leading into town, Boone kept going.

He found a place to park the pickup and opted to walk. Despite summer winding down, several restaurants remained on vacation-time hours still.

Almost ten, according to the time on his phone. Boone stopped in front of the Hopeful Coffeehouse. It stayed open until eleven during the summer months. He looked inside the window. Hank was leaning against the counter talking to Ellie. So that was why Ellie had wanted to speak to Hank. He’d forgotten about the help wanted sign that was no longer there.

Boone stepped inside, the bell above the door alerting the women to his presence. Hank beamed. Ellie’s reaction was quite different and a reminder of how she’d reacted earlier when she’d heard Fred’s truck backfire.

“What brings you out so late?” Hank asked as he approached.

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