Churning Seas

by Lily Harper Hart

  “I thought we could dote on each other.”

  “Good plan.”

  “I’m full of them.”

  “I have no doubt about that.”

  4

  Four

  Quinn woke to find Rowan wrapped tightly in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. The rooms on The Bounding Storm weren’t overly spacious, but for some reason, Rowan got one of the larger employee offerings to call home during her stay. Quinn could also claim that, but he was paid a great deal more due to his level of expertise and he often wondered how Rowan rated such coveted lodging.

  “Hey,” Rowan murmured as she stretched.

  “Good morning.” Quinn watched her, amused. He found her morning routine delightful. She wasn’t exactly a quick starter and she often made a series of small grunts, sighs, and groans that made him smile. She usually didn’t completely wake up until after breakfast. “How are you feeling?”

  Rowan knit her eyebrows, confused. “As compared to what?”

  Quinn shrugged, noncommittal. “I don’t know. You admitted to being a little keyed up yesterday before we got distracted with a rescue mission. I was hoping to be able to work on that together, but it didn’t exactly come to fruition. The keyed-up part, I mean. I wanted you inside for the rescue for a reason.”

  “No.” Rowan rubbed her cheek but otherwise showed no signs of stirring. “I’m okay. We dock today.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m going to Nick’s hotel to talk to him.”

  The admission caught Quinn by surprise. “You are?”

  “I am.”

  “But ... why?”

  “You know why.”

  Quinn licked his lips, unsure how to proceed. In general, Rowan was easygoing and lovely to be around. She caused very little emotional upheaval in his life and was relatively low maintenance compared to the other women on the ship. That didn’t mean she was devoid of odd behavioral quirks, however, and it was clear she was going to put one on display today.

  “Sweetheart, I don’t know that I think that’s a good mood,” Quinn said finally, choosing his words carefully. “You heard Nick. He’s doing his best to get your father here. I know it’s not happening in the timeframe you would prefer, but I’m sure you’d rather it take an extra week or ten days if it means your father will be safe.”

  Instead of reacting with a nod and a “you’re right,” Rowan made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat. “It’s been two weeks.”

  “I know but ... that’s honestly not very long.”

  Rowan was incredulous. “I’ve been waiting ten years for this. How can you say it’s not that long?” Tears sparked in her eyes, causing her voice to crack as she struggled to hold them off.

  “Okay. I’m sorry.” Quinn was instantly contrite as he tugged her back against his chest and kissed her forehead. He couldn’t imagine what it was like for her. Technically she’d still been a child when her father disappeared. Sure, she was on the cusp of adulthood, but that didn’t mean she was ready to be cast into the world to fend for herself.

  Ever since hearing the story, Quinn tried to imagine what it would be like. Rowan woke up, had breakfast with and then said goodbye to her father, went to school, and then came home to find the house empty. She didn’t immediately panic, figuring he was simply running late and forgot to call. Then a storm hit, though, and he didn’t come home. Not ever.

  The cops searched high and low for him and ... nothing. She had no answers. She had no other family (Nick wasn’t around before the disappearance and that didn’t change after the fact). She was seventeen and on her own.

  The thought of her fear was enough to upset Quinn’s stomach as he stroked the back of her hair to soothe her.

  “I didn’t mean that like it sounded,” Quinn said after a beat, his voice soft. “I just meant, from a tactical standpoint, I understand what they might be dealing with logistically.”

  Rowan hadn’t yet embraced the tears, although her eyes were glassy when she raised them to meet Quinn’s steady gaze. “What do you mean?”

  “I’m going to guess he’s out of the country,” Quinn explained, calm and rational. “That means he needs documents that don’t ding in case someone is watching. Nick hasn’t come out and told us why your father left, but I think it’s very clear that he was fearful for your safety. He might think someone is watching you.”

  Rowan was taken aback. “How? We’re on a cruise ship.”

  “I understand that. Still, though, we dock in the same spot whenever we come back. Because we’re on a ship, it’s actually easier to keep tabs on you. We’re in port a couple of days in a row and then out for five to seven days. Given how big the crew is, if anyone is watching, it wouldn’t be hard to secure a schedule.”

  “I never thought about that.” Rowan stroked her chin. “Still, why watch me?”

  “Why did your father have to run?”

  “That’s what I want to know.”

  Quinn chuckled at the frustration in her voice. “No, sweetie, that was more of a rhetorical question. We obviously don’t know why your father ran. I’m guessing, whatever it was, it was bad enough that people might have been watching you after the fact. If they were looking for him, then he would have no choice but to keep you in the dark if he wanted you to be safe.”

  “He could’ve taken me with him.”

  “Maybe,” Quinn conceded. “Since we don’t know who or what we’re dealing with, I don’t know how realistic that is. Still, though, maybe he didn’t want you living a life on the run. I, for one, am happy that he didn’t take you.”

  “You’re glad he abandoned me?”

  “No. I’m glad that I got a chance to know you. I’m glad that we’re here together. If he took you with him, you would be living an underground existence. We most certainly wouldn’t be here together.”

  Rowan opened her mouth and then shut it, her mind busy as she considered the statement. “Huh.”

  “Is that a good ‘huh’ or a bad one?”

  She shrugged. “I never really thought about it. You’re right, though. I wouldn’t have this life if he took me with him. I was always bitter about what happened. Honestly, I figured he had to be dead and they simply didn’t find his body ... maybe it was in the lake or something. I couldn’t imagine him abandoning me.

  “Still, in the back of my mind, there was always this little seed of niggling doubt,” she continued. “It’s not like the sixties or seventies. People can’t really disappear in this world. Even that pop star ... um, Olivia Newton-John ... her boyfriend tried to fake his death and disappear and they tracked him down in Mexico fairly easily.

  “I thought maybe he was out there and one day I would get a call that he hit his head and had amnesia or something else happened that he couldn’t explain,” she said. “When Nick showed up and I got confirmation he was alive, all I could think about was that he voluntarily abandoned me. He could’ve taken me and didn’t want to. I didn’t think about the rest of it. I didn’t think about what that would mean for us ... or my life.”

  “I never want you to hurt,” Quinn supplied. “Not one second of any day. I also don’t like the idea of knowing that if your father had taken you with him, I never would’ve met you. I want to believe you belong here. Right here.” He tapped the spot above his heart. “So, yeah, I don’t want you to hurt. I’m glad your father left you behind, though. That might make me an awful person but ... there it is.”

  “You’re not awful.” Rowan snuggled closer, burying her head in the hollow of his neck as he kissed her forehead. “I know what you’re saying is reasonable and rational. It’s just ... so much. That’s why I have to drop in on Nick. I know you think I’m pushing him but if I don’t see him, I’m going to fall apart.”

  “I get it.” Quinn honestly understood her dilemma. “My problem is, I’m going to be dealing with the evacuees from Andromeda. I can’t go with you for at least a few hours and I know you well enough to grasp that you’re head
ing straight to Nick as soon as we dock.”

  Rowan was sheepish. “I can’t wait. You said it yourself. I’m edgy and a bundle of nerves. I at least need an update.”

  “I know.” Quinn exhaled heavily. “At least he’s staying at a nice hotel. You should be fine visiting without an escort. Don’t draw attention to yourself, though. If he’s not there, don’t pitch a fit and insist on waiting in the lobby until he returns. Simply thank the clerk and come back to the ship. We’ll return later tonight if we have to.”

  “Do you think someone is watching his hotel?”

  “I think your uncle changed his name,” Quinn replied, matter of fact. “Now, he could’ve done that for simplistic reasons, but I think the odds of that are long. I think it’s far more likely he’s tied up in whatever your father has going on and he simply doesn’t feel comfortable sharing his brother’s story.”

  “Wow.” Rowan was taken aback. “I didn’t even think about that. I feel like a dolt.”

  “You’re not a dolt. You’re a daughter who went from being completely alone except for your studly and romantic boyfriend to suddenly having an uncle in your life and a father you thought might be dead on the cusp of returning. I think you have enough to think about without that weighing you down.”

  “But ... it makes sense.”

  “It does. I’m not going to ask you to hold off seeing Nick because I know it’s important to you. I am, however, going to ask you to be careful.”

  “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

  “Good. As for me, I’m conducting a search of this ship before we hit port. You have fifty-two people in photos. I counted fifty-two people escaping. Only fifty-one people checked in with Danielle and that nighttime drilling foreman swore up and down that the number was fifty-one. There’s something off here.”

  “Like what?”

  “I honestly have no idea. I have to look, though.”

  “We both have to look,” Rowan mused. “We’re adventurers of sorts.”

  Quinn snickered as he made chomping noises and kissed her neck. “I can think of one adventure we can do together before starting our day. Are you game?”

  “Absolutely ... but I want to be team captain.”

  “That sounds like a fabulous idea to me.”

  TRUE TO HER WORD, Rowan disembarked The Bounding Storm five minutes after the final guest checked out. The Andromeda’s crew remained onboard because a government official was en route to question them before they would be cleared for departure, but Rowan couldn’t muster the energy to give the rig crew much thought when she had family on the brain.

  Quinn waved from the deck as she hurried to the taxi stand in the parking lot. She waved back, smiled, but it was obvious her mind was elsewhere. Quinn did his best to hide the fact that he was agitated about being separated from her when Agent Michael Coulson met him on the deck, but it wasn’t an easy task.

  “Thank you for your rescue efforts last night.” Coulson’s voice was low and gravely as Quinn led the man to the dining room, where the Andromeda’s crew had gathered to wait. “You saved lives, from what I understand. You’re a hero.”

  Having met real heroes while serving in the military overseas, Quinn was uncomfortable with the distinction. “I didn’t do anything other than help them on the ship. It was our tactical crew who did the heavy lifting. The water was rocky and yet we didn’t have any issues. They’re the heroes.”

  “I think everyone can be a hero,” Coulson said. “How many evacuees do you have?”

  “Fifty-one.” Quinn wasn’t happy about reporting that number. He spent the bulk of the morning searching for another survivor and came up empty. Everyone he talked to insisted fifty-one was the correct number ... and yet the two people he trusted most in this world – yes, he included himself in that number – came up with something different. He was bothered enough that he simply couldn’t let it go. “I thought I counted fifty-two last night, but I haven’t been able to confirm that.”

  “Our records state fifty-one is correct,” Coulson said. “I wouldn’t worry about the initial count. My understanding is that it was a fluid situation. You might have accidentally counted the same man twice.”

  “I’m usually more diligent than that.”

  “Yes, but it was a nighttime rescue in the middle of a storm,” Coulson pointed out. “One of the men could’ve come back to check on a friend and fouled up your count. You might’ve lost track for just a second and counted someone twice. It happens.”

  “I guess.”

  “Why would there be an extra person?”

  “I don’t know. That’s why I thought it was weird.”

  “If the Andromeda crew says it’s fifty-one bodies, though, I would think they’re in the position to know best.”

  “I don’t disagree with you. The ship photographer came up with fifty-two faces as well, though.” The moment he said the words, Quinn regretted them. He didn’t want Rowan dragged into this mess when she had so much else on her mind. He could hardly take back the statement, though, and Coulson looked immediately intrigued.

  “You have photos of the crew? Why would you take photos?”

  “We wanted documentation for insurance purposes,” Quinn replied. “If something would’ve happened to the ship during the rescue attempt, we would’ve needed proof that it wasn’t human error that caused it. If the Andromeda’s crew damaged something, we would’ve needed photos to prove their identities. It was strictly for our internal records.”

  “Well, still, now you have me curious.” Coulson beamed. “Could I see these photos?”

  “They’ve been loaded into a private portal on the web. I’m sure we can get you access.”

  That wasn’t good enough for Coulson. “Can I talk to the photographer?”

  “She has left the ship for the afternoon on personal business.”

  “You had that answer ready pretty quick. Do you know the entire crew’s schedule like that?”

  “No.” Quinn was unruffled. “The ship photographer is my girlfriend. She told me this morning she had an errand to run. I wanted to go with her, but I had to deal with this so ... it is what it is.”

  “Ah. Well, that makes sense.” Coulson and Quinn were mostly quiet as they moved toward the ship. Coulson was the one who ultimately felt the need to break the silence. “I’m sure it’s a counting error. I’ll happily look at the photos to be sure, though.”

  “That’s up to you. Once the Andromeda crew leaves, I have other business to attend to. This really is your show.”

  “Great. Let’s get this over with. I’m sure we can clear everything up quickly and then you can return to your regularly scheduled programming.”

  “I’m looking forward to that.”

  ROWAN WAS NERVOUS AS she approached the clerk’s station at The Dolphin, a five-star hotel located directly on the beach. Nick provided her with his hotel information so she would have a way to contact him in an emergency, but Rowan was doubtful he had an impromptu visit in mind when doling out contact information.

  “Can I help you?” The blonde behind the desk was bubbly.

  “I’m here to see Nick Green. Can you call up to his room and let him know he has a guest in the lobby.”

  “Mr. Green is no longer with us.”

  Rowan’s heart skipped a beat. “Excuse me?”

  “He’s no longer with us,” the clerk repeated. “He checked out several days ago.”

  “But ... no.” Rowan’s stomach clenched as she tried to heed Quinn’s words and not melt down to the point where she would draw attention to herself. If he was right and someone was watching her uncle, she could very well be under surveillance. It was a thought that didn’t sit well. “He was supposed to be staying here indefinitely.”

  Clearly misunderstanding the source of Rowan’s angst, the clerk clucked her tongue and offered a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry. We can’t control the whims of our guests. If you want to leave a message for him, we can see that he gets it shoul
d he ever return.”

  What were the odds of him returning? Rowan doubted they were good. “That won’t be necessary.” She moved to leave and then stilled. She couldn’t believe Nick would leave the hotel without leaving some sort of message behind. “Are you sure Mr. Green didn’t leave anything for me? Not a note or anything.”

  “I ... .” The clerk looked uncomfortable.

  “He did leave something.” Rowan brightened considerably. “You’re not supposed to acknowledge that without a specific name, though, are you? I know how this works.” Rowan dug in her purse until she came up with her identification. “My name is Rowan Gray. Did Nick Green leave something for me?”

  The clerk looked relieved. “Yes, Ms. Gray. We do indeed have something for you. It’s in the safe. Can you wait here while I get it?”

  “Definitely. Thank you so much.”

  “No, thank you.” The clerk beamed. “Most people wouldn’t understand that I was under strict orders to make sure you came to us with the right question. I wasn’t to volunteer to anyone that a letter had been left behind. Mr. Green stressed that part very specifically. So specifically, in fact, that it was like a spy movie or something. He was deathly serious.”

  “He has a way about him,” Rowan agreed, her heart thumping as she took another look around The Dolphin’s lobby. It was empty, other than a man sitting by the window reading a newspaper. He didn’t look in Rowan’s direction, but she was suspicious all the same. “If you could get my letter, I would appreciate it. I’m expected to be somewhere in a few minutes and I don’t want to be late.”

  “Certainly. I’ll get right on that.”

  5

  Five

  Quinn was in the tiki bar when Rowan returned. The Andromeda crew was interviewed privately over what occurred on the rig — something that agitated Quinn even though it was completely understandable — and they departed with heartfelt thanks about an hour later. Now, for the next few days, The Bounding Storm would be at port for cleaning and re-stocking. They had time to relax and unwind before they would set sail again.