Page 86 of Forged in Secrets

She knew he’d lost his job with the San Antonio Police, but she didn’t know exactly what had happened. She resolved to work up the nerve to ask him about it again. Just as soon as their lives were no longer in danger.

“Keep quiet,” Ben said, his voice rising just above a whisper as he ducked his head back into the hall and ushered them forward. “I hear voices. Katie, I need you to head left and make for the bridge. Radio for help. Tell them we’re near La Pesca, Mexico, and that we’re close to shore. It’s not like they can miss a yacht of this size.”

Grace turned to meet Ben’s eyes, giving him a questioning look. He nodded once.

Clearly, he had good reason to believe they were alone on the ship aside from Jade and Craig. They’d just have to trust that Katie wouldn’t run into any more accomplices, and hope that she could figure out how to work a marine radio.

“You can do this,” Grace said to her friend, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

“You got it,” Katie said firmly. She moved past Ben and started walking along the wall slowly, following the signs overhead that indicated the direction of the bridge. She stood tall, and she didn’t look back.

“You’re not going to tell me to go with her?” Grace asked, turning back toward Ben.

“Would you listen?”

“Not a chance.”

Their eyes met, and unspoken words filled the space between them. Grace’s heart began to beat a little faster as his intense gaze held her own. She could hear thewhispering of the gleaming blue ocean as it touched the side of the yacht. The sunshine warmed her skin.

Despite her fear, she felt peace.

Ben had walked away. He’d hurt her. But when it counted, he showed up, just as he always did.

“Let’s finish this,” he said.

He started off toward the right, and Grace followed a couple steps behind.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw when they rounded the corner.

Craig Gorsky was lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

It was so much more blood than she would have expected a gunshot wound to produce. In the movies, it looked so sterile, all tidy pools of red, stretching slowly over the ground.

The reality was so much worse.

It was smeared against the lacquered wood of the deck, decorating it with streaks and unintelligible patterns. It stank of metal, so strong that Grace could taste it on her tongue. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes for a long second, determined not to throw up.

Asher was on his knees in the red liquid, using his balled-up t-shirt to apply pressure to the wound in the center of Craig’s chest.

Jade stood a few feet away, her smooth, pedicured feet speckled with tiny dots of red.

She was holding a gun, and it was pointed straight at Asher’s back.

BEN

Ben stood perfectly still against the wall.

His mind was reeling. Whatever had happened prior to their arrival, Jade now held Asher’s black Glock. Her hands were perfectly still, and her face revealed no emotion. Her coldness terrified him even more than her rage. He had no doubt in his mind that she’d shoot his brother without a second thought if it would benefit her.

He could feel Grace pressed in behind him, and could hear a slight whisper as she sucked air in and out of her lungs, trying to quiet her breathing. He wanted time to think, but there was none.

The element of surprise was their biggest advantage. It would put Grace in danger, but so would anything else he did.

Lord, please keep her safe.

He jumped forward, his own gun raised.

“Jade, drop your weapon!” he shouted in his best police officer voice, hoping to startle her into compliance.

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