Stranger's Game

by Colleen Coble

  Ajax Smith was a bulldog of a man with a thick neck and massive shoulders. In spite of his appearance, he was mild-mannered and thoughtful, never rushing to judgment and carefully considering every response. He’d come as soon as Joe had called, and the heavy scent of his Brut cologne filled Joe’s office.

  Ajax prodded the propeller with a sausage-like finger. “Any sign of a swimmer or just this broken drone?”

  “No. Simon brought me the propeller, and I went down to take a look, but there was no one around it. It was untethered so no way to trace it back to a boat. Maybe we need extra patrols? The new sub will be coming this way next week.”

  Ajax’s massive forehead wrinkled, and he leaned his bulk back in the office chair across from the desk. “Patrols are already beefed up. There’s a group of senators and the Federal Reserve Board meeting on Jekyll Island next week to discuss changes to the Fed. And we have war games running for the next two weeks as well. Lots of activity going for fifteen miles.”

  That news ramped up Joe’s concern. “You think the Russians have gotten wind of the war games?”

  “They get wind of everything. You’ve got three lions. They’re all trained and ready to go?”

  “Simon is making strides but isn’t fully trained yet. The other two are experienced. When do the war games start?”

  “Next weekend. The subs arrive on Wednesday the fifteenth, and the members of the meeting on Jekyll Island arrive on Thursday.”

  Today was Monday so Joe had ten days. “So the Federal Reserve VIPs are staying at Jekyll Island Club Resort, just like they did back then. We’ll close the club to any other visitors during the meeting.”

  Ajax nodded. “And we’ll treat it with the highest security. We’ve got several extra patrol boats heading our way.”

  The whole thing had Joe’s spidey senses tingling. He turned toward the door. “We’ll be vigilant with the sea lions. Thanks for coming so quickly, Ajax. I’ll see you out.”

  They exited into the bright Georgia sunshine and Smith lumbered to his black Cadillac while Joe strode toward his pickup. It was past time to get Hailey from Camp Jekyll. He drove out Beachview Drive and pulled in at the camp.

  Hailey waved from the front lawn and ran toward him as soon as he parked and got out of his truck. “Hey, Peanut.” He hugged her, inhaling the aroma of little girl mingled with sea salt and sunscreen.

  These moments with his daughter were ones he treasured. Since his wife died, he didn’t take even a moment for granted. Happiness had a funny way of twisting into something unrecognizable, and he had a hard time even letting Hailey out of his sight. His work helped him focus, but worry about her was never far from his mind.

  She went around to the passenger side of the truck. “We got to swim with some dolphins today, Daddy.”

  His gut clenched. “Was that planned?”

  “Oh no. We were swimming and they joined us. I touched one. It felt like a warm inner tube.”

  She’d heard his warnings a thousand times, so he didn’t voice them again. “Everything was okay?”

  “The teacher made us get out of the water, but I know they’d never hurt me. The little one looked me right in the face and did a flip. It liked me.”

  He buckled his seat belt. “Of course it did. It could tell you were kind and loving.” He gave up the bridle on his tongue. “But remember, you can’t get too close. A dolphin could hurt you without meaning to.”

  She rolled her eyes and fastened her seat belt. “I know, Daddy.”

  He forced back a grin. “When did you get so old?” He started his truck. “What sounds good for dinner?”

  “Can we go to Tortuga Jack’s?”

  “Will you ever have another favorite? Pizza? Or what about Driftwood Bistro? You like their Og’s fried okra. Or what about their cheese grits? We ate at Tortuga Jack’s twice last week, and it’s the height of the tourist season. We’ll have to wait an hour for a table.”

  “Maybe we’ll find someone we know to sit with. All I thought about all day was fish tacos.”

  “You got those last time. And the time before.”

  A dimple flashed in her cheek. “And tonight.”

  “All right, tonight too.” He shook his head and drove back toward the village.

  Just as he’d predicted, the lot was full. He parked, and they went to the outdoor check-in by the thatched patio seating to put their name in. An hour wait. At least they’d have the sea and surf to watch as they waited for the pager to go off. The restaurant was right on the Atlantic with a killer view that drew tourists and locals alike.

  Hailey tugged on his hand. “Look, there’s Miss Torie sitting all by herself. We can eat with her.” She waved. “Miss Torie!”

  Torie sat under the outside thatched hut. She had a chip loaded with guacamole halfway to her mouth that she lowered to wave back, then she pointed to the seats beside her.

  The warmth spreading through Joe’s midsection surprised him. He hadn’t wanted to face how much he liked Torie. He liked the way she carried her height like a badge of honor. The crown of loose braids reminded him of a Victorian lady, but the spark in her brown eyes warned everyone she was no shrinking violet. The quiet competence in her manner drew him too. She was confident in who she was.

  Heaven help him, he wasn’t sure he was ready to feel any kind of attraction again. But he stuffed his misgivings and followed his daughter under the thatched hut.

  Chapter 9

  Torie couldn’t sort out her feelings at the sight of Joe and Hailey. She’d wrestled with her suspicion of the way he’d shown up right after the break-in, and she hadn’t come to any firm conclusion on how much she could trust him. Torie’s suspicion wasn’t his daughter’s fault, so she directed a welcoming smile at the little girl. “You look like you’ve been swimming.”

  Hailey touched her tousled red hair. “Yeah, I should have rinsed out the salt. It’s a little sticky.”

  Torie waited until the server took their orders before she started to probe. “And you look like you just got off work, Joe. You’re a little windburned. Or sunburned. I can’t tell which.”

  “Yep. Out on the boat all day so it’s a little of both.”

  “So what exactly do you do for the Navy?” Everything was too new, and she didn’t know who to trust. For all she knew, this handsome guy could have been involved in Lisbeth’s death. He’d been quick to dismiss her doubt about how she’d died.

  But he didn’t answer her question and reached for a chip to scoop up guacamole. The sea wind lifted his light-brown hair and turned up the collar on his shirt. “That breeze feels good. It’s a hot one.”

  And humid. Torie tucked a loose strand of hair back into her coronet. She could feel his gaze on her as she adjusted the wind damage to her braid, and it wasn’t exactly an unpleasant sensation. If only she was sure she could find an ally in him.

  Why didn’t he want to talk about his job? She knew it had to do with training sea mammals, but that was it. Had Lisbeth ever met him?

  “I’m glad you saw me,” she said after an awkward pause. “I hate eating alone, and I don’t really know anyone yet.”

  “How’d your first day at work go?”

  “Good. I figured out where all the cameras are and found out my duties. I’m just on a dinner break and have to go back. You know Kyle Ballard?” She forced a casual tone she didn’t feel. Her boss had unnerved her most of the day.

  “Everyone knows him. He hired on about the same time we moved here.”

  Torie tipped her head to the side. “You don’t like him.”

  He glanced her way. “You do?”

  She shook her head. “He never looks me in the face.”

  Realization of what she meant dawned in his green eyes. “I’ve heard other women complain about that too.”

  “Lisbeth, the woman who drowned?”

  His nod was reluctant. “Among others, but it’s impossible to complain to HR when he doesn’t say anything out of line.”

&nb
sp; She wondered if anyone had filed a complaint. With small ears listening, she had to be careful what she said about Kyle. And about Lisbeth’s death.

  She decided to try to probe again. “You said you were on the boat all day.”

  “Out at the artificial reef. I was working with Simon, my newest sea lion.”

  He tossed the information out like it was no big deal, but Torie straightened. “Hailey mentioned the sea lions, and I wondered if you were part of the Navy’s Marine Mammal Project.”

  “You’ve heard of it.”

  “I saw a documentary not too long ago. It looked fascinating. I thought it was based in San Diego.”

  “It is. I was there for years, but when Julie—” He broke off and glanced at Hailey, who was playing a game on his phone. “I decided a change was in order so we came here. I leased a building and went freelance with the training. The Navy still wanted the sea lions I trained. Some activists worried the sea lions wouldn’t adapt to the Georgia coast, but the winter water temps are nearly the same as San Diego. When training is done, they relax in their enclosures.”

  “What do you have the sea lions watch for?”

  “Hostile divers mostly. They’re trained to snap a cuff on the diver’s leg so we can haul them up and interrogate them.”

  “How does that work?”

  “The sea lion comes to the boat and signals there’s a diver by clapping his flippers. I give him a cuff in his mouth, and it’s made to snap as soon as the animal bumps the diver’s leg. The metal reinforced tether is attached to the boat, and when the sea lion returns without the cuff, we haul in the diver.”

  “Have you ever apprehended one?”

  He shrugged. “A couple, just harmless divers trying to see how close they could get to the naval base without being detected. The locals know about our work, and you know how brainless teenagers and twentysomethings can be. We give them a stiff warning and turn them loose.”

  Hailey took a sip of her sweet tea. “Are you going to game night? It starts at seven.”

  Torie shook her head. “I’ll be at the hotel working behind the scenes.”

  “We always go,” Hailey said. “I like charades, but Daddy hates it. I wish you could play with us.”

  “It sounds like fun. What kinds of games do you play? Anything besides charades?”

  “My favorite is the scavenger hunt. I’m really good at finding things. Daddy is the best at it though.”

  Torie leaned forward and laced her fingers together before her on the tabletop. “I love scavenger hunts. Maybe I can join in sometime.”

  Talking about the games made Torie pause for a moment. The person who had broken into her cottage had put on the song “Games People Play.” Did it mean anything? Was it some kind of clue about what was going to happen tonight?

  It seemed too far-fetched to think they could be connected, but she had to consider it. Her gaze met Joe’s, and a frown extended from his eyes to his forehead.

  “Be careful tonight,” he said. “That intruder . . .”

  “I was just remembering the song,” she said.

  “I won’t be far away if you need me.”

  Torie nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

  And the realization she had backup was a comfort. She hadn’t thought she’d be in danger by coming here, but she was beginning to think nothing was as it seemed. Her dad was here, too, but she couldn’t be seen with him without blowing her cover. This secrecy was already wearing on her, and she’d only been here a few days.

  Maybe this was more than she could handle.

  * * *

  Guests filled the lobby, and a cacophony of excited chatter rose around Torie as she managed to get through the throng and down the hall to her office. Thankfully, it was empty. Kyle had said he might work tonight, but she’d hoped he didn’t see the need. She’d had enough of his gaze crawling all over her.

  She just might have to say something if he didn’t stop.

  She jiggled her mouse and her monitor sprang to life. The sight of her dad brought a lump to her throat. Dressed in his usual gray Armani suit, he mingled with the guests as he made his way around the perimeter of the lobby. His way of putting people at ease was one of the many reasons his resorts were so successful. He’d required that quality in thousands of employees across the globe.

  It didn’t come so easily for her.

  She worked hard at presenting the proper image of a hotel executive with her power suits and heels. Her perfectly coiffed hair and expert makeup. But inside she always felt she was supposed to be doing something else. What that something else could possibly be never came to her. At least not yet.

  Her mother’s death had taught her to be wary of assuming the best. It caused her to be on the lookout for the dark side of events, and she never completely let her guard down.

  Few people tried to get past that reserve, and that was the way she wanted it.

  Or so she told herself.

  She let her gaze wander until she found Joe’s broad shoulders and thick thatch of light-brown hair. He was smiling down at Hailey in a way that brought a lump to Torie’s throat. He was a good dad, but even that didn’t make him trustworthy in everything.

  The door opening behind her jerked her attention away. Her mood plummeted when she saw Kyle’s messy mop of red hair. She pressed her lips together and turned back to the screen.

  “Just checking to make sure you got here on time.” Kyle sidled close enough to envelope her in a cloud of overpowering cologne.

  She choked back a cough. “No worries. I’ll handle it tonight if you want to go home.”

  If she didn’t look at him, she wouldn’t have to see his avid gaze roaming over her. But she could still feel it like a dark slug crawling over her skin. She suppressed a shudder.

  How long could she take this before she blew?

  A screen flickered and went out. She rose. “We lost a camera. I’m going to go look at it.”

  “Check your settings first. It’s probably not a problem with the camera.”

  She ignored Kyle and went out the door without slamming it. Following orders had never been her strong suit. Especially when it was someone she regarded with so little respect.

  Focus on Lisbeth. It was the only way Torie would be able to get through this.

  She had barely exited the office when she bumped into her dad.

  He held out his hand to steady her. “There you are. I wondered if you were working.”

  She wanted to tell him about Kyle, but it wasn’t the wise thing to do yet. He’d fire the guy on the spot, and she still hadn’t ruled the man out as being behind Lisbeth’s death. He seemed to target every attractive woman, and her friend had been a stunner. There was no way Kyle hadn’t been attracted to her. HR would hear about Kyle’s inappropriate behavior the minute she’d achieved her goals here. The other employees needed to be protected.

  She forced a smile. “I’m supposed to be watching the monitors to make sure the guests are safe in all the dark nooks and crannies. I had one go out so I was checking on the camera.”

  His fingers touched her chin and tipped her head up. “I recognize the fire in your eyes. Someone made you mad.”

  Her chuckle wouldn’t fool her dad, but she tried anyway. “I don’t take orders well.”

  He grinned. “Tell me something I don’t know.” His hand dropped away, and he leaned forward to brush her cheek with a light kiss. “Hang in there, Torie. Any evidence on Lisbeth yet?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Well, I’d better get back to the scavenger hunt, or my partners will roast me.”

  “Who are your partners?”

  “Joe and Hailey Abbott.”

  “You know Joe?”

  He shook his head. “You sound like you do.”

  “I’ve met them.”

  “Hmm, that’s a conversation I’d like to have later.” Her dad smiled and went past her to another hallway.

  She heard a latch click and turned to see
Joe and Hailey standing in an open doorway. He was scowling, and she gulped. How much had he overheard?

  His lips were tight. “Hailey, grab us some waters, would you?”

  Hailey gave him an uneasy glance. “Sure, Daddy. Stay right here so I don’t lose you.”

  “I’ll be right here.” He folded his arms over his chest and waited until she disappeared around the corner. “Did Anton Bergstrom ask you to look into Lisbeth Nelson’s death?”

  She squared her shoulders. “I don’t think you have the right to question me.”

  His gaze hardened. “You knew Lisbeth, didn’t you?”

  Busted.

  She fiddled with a hoop earring and nodded. “She was my best friend. Water terrified her after a near drowning when we were kids. There’s no way she would have gone swimming. Zero chance. That means her death was no accident, and I have to find out who killed her. Anton arranged the job here so I could investigate.”

  “All you’d have to do is tell the state police it couldn’t have been an accidental drowning.”

  “I tried that. The detective practically patted me on the head and said, ‘There, there, little lady.’ He thought I was refusing to consider any other way she could have drowned. He said she might have been walking in knee-deep water and been swamped by an unexpected wave.”

  “Possible.”

  “Not possible. You don’t understand how deep her fear was. She never so much as dipped a toe in the ocean. Someone killed her, Joe.”

  He grasped her forearm when she turned to go. “I believe you. How can I help?”

  His quiet acceptance brought tears to her eyes. “Thank you. I need someone to believe me.”

  “Anton didn’t? He could have made a call to the state police too.”

  “He did and got the same reaction.”

  Joe frowned and his eyes clouded. “That seems odd. They must have a legitimate reason.”

  “Yeah, the reason is that the state police are hiding something.”

  Joe sighed. “Let’s talk more tomorrow. Come to the house for dinner. I cook a mean stroganoff.”