Page 64 of Trust and Obey

Thunder rolled again, sounding closer this time.

Kendall wasted no time and led us all to a side maintenance path used by staff. Unlike the artificial trailhead, this one was meant for speed and efficiency, and not the pretty sights. It ended in a flight of concrete staircases that went down a steep slope.

At the bottom stood the main employee complex and lodging.

We were there in less than ten minutes. Kendall badged us in, and moments later helpful resort staff were offering us warm towels, hot chocolate, and a place to sit out the storm within the employee lounge. In all the fuss, we got separated.

My gaze swept the room until I found Kendall. He was standing next to another man, and both looked grim and concerned.

My anxiety went up another tick as Kendall turned and nodded in my direction. “That’s Mr. Helman.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, walking up to them.

My question was directed to Kendall, who was looking at me with sorrow in his green eyes. However, it was the other man who answered. Stepping forward, he held out his hand.

“Mr. Helman. My name is Andy Rodriguez.”

I shook briefly and steeled myself. Crap, what had I been thinking by holding hands with Kendall earlier? Had one of the guests seen and complained? Was there any way I could spin this so Kendall didn’t get into trouble?

But Andy’s next words took my breath away.

“There is a woman lodged under your name. Lauren Helman?”

Oh no. What had she done now? “She was supposed to leave this morning. Did she… cause any problems?”

“She didn’t check out.” Kendall said grimly, but his gaze was full of compassion.

Andy scowled. “She apparently took out a sailboat with another guest without permission or one of the staff attending—the porters made a count of our vessels as the storm rolled in and came up one missing. They went through the security cameras and saw the whole thing.”

I glanced out the window. The rain was sheeting down so hard that the glass itself looked distorted. “You’re telling me she’s on a sailboat out in this storm?”

“Yes. We haven’t identified the other guest,” Andy the manager said. “There is every possibility he might be a capable sailor.”

“Deacon,” Kendall said urgently and reached out to steady me. I didn’t realize I had been wavering. “As soon as the boat was reported missing, the resort put in a call to the equivalent of the Coast Guard around here. They’ll handle it. We just… thought you should know. I’m sorry.”

Again, I looked out at the raging storm.

I didn’t love Lauren any longer as a wife, but I most certainly didn’t want to see her harmed.

“Why didn’t she just go home?” I asked brokenly.

Kendall pursed his lips and shook his head. Only then did I remember he had warned me that Lauren probably wouldn’t leave the resort that easily. Strange how he knew my ex-wife better than I did.

Andy looked between the two of us, and I wasn’t sure I liked the knowing glint in his eye. “Mr. Helman, perhaps it would be best if you went back to your villa. I’m sure Kendall can escort—”

“Andy!” A young porter with the name tag of Tommy rushed up to him, looking winded. “We just received a signal from the sailboat’s EPIRP beacon.”

Kendall and Andy stilled.

“What’s that?” I demanded. “What does it mean?”

Kendall’s grip tightened on my arm. “It’s an emergency SOS beacon. It automatically activates if the boat has capsized—”

I felt like my heart stopped in my chest.

“Or it could have very easily been tossed overboard in the swells. They might have been able to activate it on board, too. It doesn’t necessarily mean…,” he paused and swallowed. “They’re in trouble, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re sinking.”

I turned back to Andy. “How far out is your island’s Coast Guard?”

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