Page 100 of No Mistake

Tracer’s face softened. “Ryan’s a tough bastard, and he has a very big reason to pull through this.” He gave her a small smile of encouragement.

“I got him into this mess. I shouldn’t have got him involved when Chloe went missing. This is all my fault.”

Tracer shook his head. “You and your sister are innocent. You never asked to be targeted. The two of you got caught up in something bigger than you could know. This is what your boyfriend does all the time. You know that. He would have been a part of this no matter who the hostage was.”

Sophie wiped her eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I never thanked you for helping Chloe, and now you’re helping me.”

“You’re welcome. Now can you please follow me, so I can get you to safety? Because if I don’t, your boyfriend is going to seriously kick my ass.”

Sophie nodded and moved behind him, placing a hand on his back as he led the way through the shipping containers toward the stern. A few meters from the lifeboat they encountered three armed men, raising their rifles and aiming at them.

Sophie let out a small cry.

“Friendlies. Don’t shoot.” Tracer lowered his gun and motioned for Sophie to step up beside him. Seeing Sophie, one of the men stepped forward and lowered his weapon.

“Liam!” Sophie recognized him from Dex’s barbecue and flung herself at him. He hugged her.

“Good to see you. Are you alright?”

She let him go, nodding. “I didn’t know you guys were here.”

“Yeah. Lending Dex a hand.”

Liam held out his hand. “You must be Tracer. Thanks for your help.” Tracer shook his hand, but stayed quiet.

“Ryan’s hurt,” Sophie blurted.

“I know. We’re going back to help them. You are getting on this lifeboat with the crew. Coast Guard is on their way to pick you up.”

Sophie looked at the boat warily.

“It will be fine, Sophie. The crew know how to handle this thing. You’re in good hands.”

“Are any of you coming?” she asked. The thought of being on the lifeboat without anyone she knew made her nervous. What if the Coast Guard didn’t find them?

“I can go with her. Unless you want me to stay?” Tracer said.

Liam arched his eyebrow.

“We can handle securing the ship. You know what’s going to happen if you get on there,” Liam said.

Sophie looked between the two of them. “What do you mean? What’s going to happen?”

Tracer smiled “Nothing. I am going to ensure you and the crew make it to safety. After that—” He shrugged, looking at Liam. “I guess I'll have to face the music.”

“I don’t understand,” Sophie said, confused.

“Better you don’t. Let’s get you on board, so Liam and his team can go help Ryan.”

Sophie let him help her onto the lifeboat, then he climbed in after her.

“Liam?” she called out, waiting for him to turn. “Please bring him home.”

“Yes ma’am.”

FEELING NUMB, SOPHIE sat on the edge of a bed in the emergency room at Westside. Physically she was fine, but her head was reeling. She’d been checked over and now waited for the nurse to return with some painkillers for the headache threatening to turn into a migraine.

Slipping off the bed, she pulled back the curtain and scanned the room for Tracer. In the commotion of getting rescued by the Coast Guard, she’d been tending to some of the crew’ minor injuries and she’d lost sight of him. She spotted some of the crewmembers, but no sign of Tracer.

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