Page 79 of Forged in Secrets

Isla Hinton looked at it like it was a rotten fish before reluctantly balancing it on top of her head. “Yes, much more authentic,” her husband said, planting a kiss on her artificially smooth cheek. “We need to blend in.”

Gabe nodded. “It’s very possible that the kidnappers have people around. I don’t want you two doing anything that might make you stand out. Just follow the plan, and everything will be okay.”

He wished he felt as confident as he sounded. Truth was, he didn’t know what to expect, and the plan he’d put together was only as good as the limited information he had.

He had tried to get ahold of Ben and Asher again, hoping they’d dug up something new, but neither of them were answering their phones. He wasn’t worried about them–they’d probably just lost service–but he hated how blind and isolated he felt.

“Now we just go to the dock and wait?” Mrs. Hinton asked, breaking the tense silence.

Gabe nodded. “You remember where you’re going?”

Mr. Hinton placed a protective arm around his wife’s shoulders. “I studied the map about fifty times on the flight here. I’ll find the dock.”

“Good. Okay. Go to the dock and wait. When the kidnapper or kidnappers arrive, follow their instructions. Do not argue. Do not talk back to them. And do not give them a single dime until Grace is within your sight,” he said, pausing for emphasis. “You got that? You have to see Grace before you transfer the funds, no matter what.”

The couple bobbed their heads up and down in agreement.

“We can do this,” Mrs. Hinton said, sticking a few stray strands of blonde hair back under the baseball cap.

“I’ll be close by,” he assured them. “Everything is going to be fine.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

BEN

Ben stuck the gun into the waistband of his shorts as he climbed the last foot or so up the ladder, squinting in the sun. Just as they suspected, the deck of the yacht appeared to be empty.

Just in case they weren’t alone, however, he ducked behind a row of comfortable-looking lounge seats before beckoning for Asher to follow him the rest of the way.

“This feels a little too much like a ghost ship,” Asher said as he settled in beside Ben and did a visual sweep of the area. “But I have to admit, it’s nice. Maybe I should tell Gabe we should work toward buying a company yacht. Man, that would be awesome, right? Like a supervillain lair, but for the good guys.”

Ben stood to his full height, trying to get a better look at their surroundings. ‘Nice’ was an understatement. Everything on the yacht looked unbelievably expensive and well-maintained, which was strange, considering he could see no crew members anywhere.

There were couches, lounge chairs, and side tables dotting the space, all upholstered in blue fabric. A round bar sat in the center of the main deck, and toward the bow, he could see what appeared to be a dining area with several tables. It would be the perfect setting for an upscale company party.

“That’s what I don’t get. I looked into Lumen’s financials, and they’re just as solid as this yacht suggests. So why would the company be linked to two kidnappings?”

Asher shrugged and gestured toward the dining space. “Beats me. I think I see a door over there. Let’s move.”

Ben patted the gun at his waist, reassured by the firmness of the metal beneath his fingertips. If he was right, Grace was close. Maybe only a few feet away. But that didn’t mean actually finding her would be easy.

Asher took the lead as the two men made their way around a curving white wall. As they drew closer, Ben noticed that there was a staircase leading up toward a smaller deck above as well as the door that led to the main floor’s interior space.

“I wish we had a map,” Asher said, raising a hand to his forehead and trying to get a view of the upper deck after taking a couple steps up the stairs.

Once again, the pain of Grace’s absence seemed to leech the air from Ben’s lungs. She had told Ben the exact model of the yacht, which he’d long since forgotten. With her help, they would have been able to find a floor plan.

“If Grace is here, she’ll be inside,” Ben said firmly, moving toward the door. “Let’s go.”

The interior of the yacht was just as luxurious as the deck. The two men made their way through a second dining space and a small indoor bar until finally they reached a staff door.

The hall on the other side of it was empty, just like the rest of the ship, but Ben knew it wasn’t possible that they were truly alone. He could feel the soft hum of the engine below as they made their way along the carpeted passage.

“Look,” Asher whispered, their voices sounding suddenly loud in the tighter quarters. “Kitchen.”

Ben nodded, letting Asher take the lead once more as he pushed his way through the door. If there were any dishes or leftovers left laying around, they might be able to get an idea of how many people were on board.

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