Shelter in the Tropics

by Cara Lockwood

  “It doesn’t matter. I know you.” And he did. So much better than she thought. He didn’t want her to have to confess her sins to him, not when his sins were that much greater. Not when he’d put Avery in harm’s way.

  “Avery probably was kidnapped,” she said. “But not by a stranger.”

  Tack just wanted this conversation to end. “His father is still alive,” he said, not meeting her gaze as he kept his focus on the road and the approaching airport sign.

  “How did you know that?”

  “Let’s discuss that later.” Tack was already out of the car and happy to put off her question. He grabbed her by the hand and they trotted to the airport, sliding through the automatic doors and into the lobby that had only a handful of ticket counters. The sleepy tropical airport was open-aired at the side, the baggage claim having one entire wall open to the palm trees. A small baggage vehicle came and dumped a load of suitcases on the rotating carousel.

  A small metal detector was set up in the middle, and a few people lined up to go through for the next flight. The airport only had three gates, so it wouldn’t be hard to find Avery. Tack glanced at the security and noticed nobody was checking for tickets. St Anthony’s island wasn’t worked by the TSA, after all.

  “Come on,” Tack said, and they headed for the metal detectors, easily getting through because neither one carried a bag. Cate glanced anxiously back and forth, looking for her son.

  After a second, she froze, tugging on Tack’s arm. “There!” she murmured.

  Tack turned in time to see Avery sitting on a chair at Gate 2, swinging his small feet and looking anxious, but calm. The boy was clearly scared. With him was a man he’d never thought he’d see again.

  Derek Hollie. His former commanding officer. The one who’d made sure Adeeb’s name was not in the running for the last of the visas. The man responsible for his court-martial.

  Now, here he was, with Avery, working for Rick Allen.

  Cate was already moving toward them, and had already called Avery’s name. The boy jumped up when he saw his mom and started to run, but Derek grabbed his shirt, alarmed. He turned just in time to see them both.

  “Tack Reeves,” he said, a smug grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “DEREK HOLLIE,” TACK SAID, his muscles tensing for a fight as he took in his former commanding officer clutching Avery’s shirt. The boy wiggled and tried to reach his mom. Tack kept Cate behind him with one firm arm. He didn’t trust Derek. Not as far as he could throw him.

  “That’s Captain Hollie to you, First Lieutenant.”

  Rank didn’t have anything to do with where they were now, but there was no telling Derek that. He didn’t deserve his silver bars.

  “You know this man?” Cate’s fingers dug into Tack’s arm.

  “Oh, we go waaaaay back. Third Battalion, the Fighting Ghosts, right, First Lieutenant?” Tack frowned as Derek grinned. “But that was a long time ago. Before we both worked for your husband, Cate.”

  Tack glanced over and saw all the blood drain from Cate’s face. He himself felt like he’d been hit in the gut, all the air knocked out of him. This wasn’t the way he wanted her to find out. He desperately wanted to explain, but he also knew he couldn’t. Not now. Not with Derek here, holding on to Avery, not with the boy in the balance.

  “I don’t understand,” Cate murmured in shock as she pulled her hand away from Tack’s, moving away from him as if betrayal could be contagious. “What’s he talking about?”

  “Cate...” Tack wanted the one word to convey everything—how sorry he was, how wrong he was to ever doubt her, how he planned to return every dime he’d been paid. He reached for her arm, but she yanked it away.

  “Don’t touch me,” she growled.

  He knew words didn’t matter now. He could tell by the look in her eyes, the heartbreak, the hurt, that no amount of explaining would probably ever help. He’d lost her. Probably forever.

  “Oh, don’t tell me.” Derek shook his head. “Did you go falling for your mark? I see you still have trouble keeping your personal feelings out of the mission. You always did get too attached to the natives.”

  “No. I’m loyal to those who deserve it. Unlike you. You don’t know what loyalty even means.”

  When Adeeb had needed him most, Derek had turned his back. And it had all been because he didn’t like Tack. Never did like him the second he set eyes on him, probably because Tack questioned almost every decision Derek made. It went against the chain of command, but Tack wasn’t going to be silent when mistakes were being made. Derek made it personal. And because Tack supported Adeeb, Derek was going to make sure that the translator didn’t make it out of Afghanistan.

  Cate glanced at Derek, the wheels in her mind clearly turning, and jumping to all the wrong conclusions.

  “Give Avery to me,” Tack told Derek, suddenly wanting nothing more than his old commanding officer to give him a reason to punch him in the face. Avery struggled against Hollie’s grip, and he let out a whine. Soon, he’d be crying.

  “This boy and his mom are worth a cool ten million. No way I’m handing him over. Why don’t you give me her, and we’ll split the fee?” Derek wore his hair close-shaven like he was still in the military. He still acted like a commander, too, one who never got tired of ordering everyone else around. “I don’t know why you’re being such a fool. Unless you want the money for yourself.”

  “I don’t care about the money.”

  Derek laughed. “You always were a Boy Scout, but never did have any brains, Tack.”

  “Derek, give him back to his mother.”

  “Or what?” Derek wasn’t as tall as Tack, but he was just as meaty. Tack knew already that the man fought dirty. Not that Tack would mind another go-round.

  “Or I’ll make you.”

  “You remember what happened last time you tried that?”

  Tack remembered the day he’d found out Adeeb had been left off the visa list. Tack had marched into Derek’s command center and punched the man in the face.

  The court-martial came after that. And he’d do the exact same thing again if he could. Only this time, he’d hit him more than once. And harder. Much harder.

  “Here you don’t have any stripes on your chest,” Tack said. “No MP to protect you, either.” No MP to pull me off you once we start. I will demolish you.

  “Mom?” Avery whined, scared, the boy not even squirming in Derek’s grasp. He sensed something was wrong. The tension of the adults wasn’t lost on him. Tack glanced at the boy, the innocent boy, and wondered how long Derek was going to use him as a shield.

  “This boy is going back,” Derek said. “You should’ve done it, but since you wouldn’t, now it’s up to me.”

  “You’re not taking that boy back. He belongs with his mother.”

  “That’s not what the laws of the United States say, friend.” Derek smirked and gave Cate a slow once-over, in a way that Tack didn’t like. He seemed to enjoy watching her squirm. “That little island babe is wanted for felony kidnapping and attempted murder. Do you want me to go on?”

  Cate visibly flinched. Tack resisted the urge to comfort her, to reach out and touch her.

  “We’re not in the United States, so you’re going to let that boy go, or I’m going to call the police and you’ll be arrested for kidnapping.”

  Derek paused a second, considering. “You want to involve the police? You sure about that?”

  That would mean Cate’s true identity would come to light. It could mean bad things for her and Avery. Tack glanced at Cate. “I’m sure,” she said, through gritted teeth. “Give me back my son.”

  Derek glanced down at the boy and then at Cate. Tack wasn’t sure what he planned to do. Fight? Run? Either option would be stupid. The man had
to know he was painted into a corner. There wasn’t a way out, not now. Tack was not going to let him get on that plane, and there was no way the local police would buy his story, not without proper paperwork, or an order from a US judge.

  Tack glared at Derek, trying to read the man’s twisted mind but couldn’t. Eventually, however, he saw reason and let Avery go. The little boy ran into the waiting arms of his mother and squeezed her tightly. Tack heard a sigh of relief escape her lips, and she covered her boy’s face with kisses, murmuring how much she loved him. Tack stayed back, making sure Derek didn’t follow.

  “Now we’re going to leave,” Tack said. “And you’re going to stay away from us.”

  “Run, but you can’t hide. That’s ten million you’re sitting on, and I plan to cash that in. No way you can keep your lotto winnings to yourself, bro. I’ll be there. When you least expect it, I’ll come to take it from you.”

  Tack knew it wasn’t an idle threat. Derek didn’t make idle threats. He glanced beside him, but Cate was gone. He turned and saw her rushing toward the exit with Avery. He wouldn’t expect anything less. Fortunately, Tack had the keys to the van in his pocket.

  “You’re working for the wrong side.” Tack backed away slowly.

  Derek grinned, an evil confidence in his face. “I’m working for me like always, brother. That’s never the wrong side.”

  Tack moved to the exit, but never lost sight of Derek, who stood with his hands casually tucked in his pockets, making no move to pursue. Not that he’d need to. He knows where his target lives and works, Tack thought. He trotted through the automatic doors in time to see Cate slip into a waiting cab, Avery already inside. Their eyes met one last time. He wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Anger? Fear? But what he did know was the look on her face meant goodbye.

  * * *

  CATE HUGGED HER son to her chest, feeling a rush of emotions—shock, anger, betrayal. She couldn’t believe she’d been so blind. Of course Tack had been working for her ex-husband. Of course he’d been playing her from the start. Why else would a gorgeous ex-marine even be interested in her? How often had her ex told her that she wasn’t naturally pretty? That it was all about the makeup and clothes she wore? The clothes he bought her. That she was naturally a skinny, flat-chested thing, a woman no one would be interested in, not without his money.

  She’d actually allowed herself to think Tack had wanted her for her, and wanted to believe that he’d felt the same primal attraction she’d felt the moment she laid eyes on him in the airport. She thought their connection had been real.

  Sitting in the cab and holding her son close to her side as the ocean breeze ruffled her hair through the open window, she felt a pang of hurt that went deeper than she ever could’ve imagined. She’d only known Tack a short time, and yet now she felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest. Without even realizing it, he’d wiggled his way into her hopes and dreams, and while she’d never in a million years thought she’d imagine a future with anyone, she had let herself envision, just for an instant, a real connection with someone.

  Now that was all shattered.

  It was all a lie. A horrible lie. The worst kind of lie.

  She felt her face burn as she remembered how she’d let herself go, how she’d come for that man, all pent-up passion as she lay in his bed. Now she understood why he’d chosen not to sleep with her. He finds me repulsive, probably. He just flirted with me enough to get what he needed: information.

  The thoughts felt like ice picks through her brain.

  She felt hurt and so horribly embarrassed. Had he been laughing at her the whole time? Pitying her? Did he plan to take Avery for himself one night when she was passed out cold in his bed?

  He belongs with his mother.

  Tack had said those words just now in the airport, but how could he possibly mean them? If he had, then he never would’ve brought Rick Allen to her door.

  Cate ran a hand through her hair as she stared out to the palm trees whipping by the window of the cab. She’d been so stupid. She almost lost her son because she’d let herself flirt a little, let herself believe that a man could be interested in her for her. She’d let down her guard one time, and now everything might be lost forever.

  Rick knew where she was.

  The thought terrified her. To get her son back, he’d kill her if he had to. Or he’d see me rot in jail.

  Cate hugged Avery tighter. She couldn’t let that happen. Or let Rick raise Avery. Would he become another abuser? Would he be abused himself? Cate didn’t want to imagine those possibilities, didn’t even want to let them in. She was going to keep Avery away from all that. At all costs.

  But how?

  She knew now how hard it would be to escape. How nearly impossible it would be to hide again.

  I did it once, she thought. I could do it again.

  “Mommy?” Avery whined next to her, glancing up with his big, innocent eyes. “Where are we going?”

  She wanted to tell him home, but she knew now that the resort wasn’t going to be home to them anymore. They didn’t have a home. Not now. Maybe not ever.

  She grabbed her phone from her pocket and dialed Mark. She had no idea what to do next, but she knew she needed to find the fastest way off the island. It was then that she realized he’d been trying to call her. He’d left two voice mails already.

  He answered on the first ring.

  “Cate! God! Where are you? Don’t trust Tack. I just found out he’s...”

  “A private eye working for Rick,” Cate finished.

  “I was just going to say a private eye, that’s what my sources tell me, but you’re sure—he’s working for Rick?”

  “I found out the hard way.” Cate sighed, her head suddenly throbbing, and her eyes welling up with tears. Why had she been so trusting? Why hadn’t she asked more questions?

  “Cate. What happened? Are you okay? Is Avery with you?”

  “We’re fine. For now, but...”

  “Is Tack with you? Is he following you?” Mark sounded anxious, fearful even.

  Cate whipped around in the cab, glancing out the back window, but didn’t see the hotel van. No sign of Tack.

  “No. We gave him the slip at the airport, I think.”

  “Thank God. Cate, he’s dangerous.” She already knew that, as he was working for Rick and it didn’t get more dangerous than that, but she had a feeling Mark meant something else.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “The man has a dishonorable discharge. The man was kicked out of the marines.”

  Cate felt blindsided. Was everything she ever knew about Tack a lie?

  “What for?”

  “Assault. Nearly killed his commanding officer.”

  Cate felt her pulse speed up as sweat broke out on her lower back. Tack nearly killed his commander? In the military that was about the worst thing you could do. There wasn’t an excuse for it that Cate had ever heard of.

  “Doesn’t look like he’s Mr. Good Guy,” Mark said drily. “A man like that doesn’t have morals. Stay as far away as you can from him.”

  Cate felt sick suddenly. Yes, she’d been betrayed, but she’d thought it was all about money. She couldn’t imagine Tack...violent. He’d talked to her son. He’d been with her alone. What if he had a hair-trigger temper like Rick? What if he was just as bad as Rick? And he was probably looking for her right now.

  “We have to leave the island. We’ve got to go tonight. Rick knows we’re here. Tack is looking for us.” Cate felt the panic rising in her throat. Already she felt trapped, the small island shrinking every second. She felt so exposed, as if every car they passed on the small two-lane road might hold someone sent by Rick. She glanced behind them, out the rearview mirror of the cab, frantically searching for any sign of Tack. Was he following her? She didn�
�t see the old hotel van. She hoped they’d lost him.

  “He already sent another person after us, and you know he won’t stop there,” Cate said, thinking about Derek at the airport. Had that been the man Tack almost killed? That would explain the hostility between the two men.

  Mark let out a low groan. This was bad news for him as well as her, and they both knew it. Rick didn’t know Mark, but he would after this, and he’d dream up a way to make Mark’s life difficult, too, Cate had no doubt. And he had a family to think about.

  “Maybe you and Carol and Grace should go, too. Take what’s left of petty cash. I know it’s not much, but it might have to do.”

  “No, Cate. We’re not going to run. I’m staying. Let him do his worst. I’ll make sure the resort is kept running for you, or sell it if you need me to.”

  “Mark. No. You know this man. He’ll ruin you.” Cate couldn’t believe Mark was even considering staying. He must be out of his mind. Rick had trumped up false charges on enemies before, sent them to jail, or worse.

  “He’ll try,” Mark scoffed. “I’m not afraid of bullies.”

  “I know, but...” How to explain that Rick Allen wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill bully? He was something far, far worse.

  “Cate, what can the man do to me? I’m already running a failing resort, and I’ve got a teenage daughter. Believe me, she can do worse to her old man with one eye roll than Rick ever could.”

  Cate laughed a little, warmed by Mark’s levity, and hoped he was right. It was too scary to think about what might happen to the Gurdas if he was wrong.

  “Don’t worry about us, okay?” Mark’s voice sounded solid and reassuring. “We’re going to get you and Avery to a safe place right now. That’s mission critical.”

  Suddenly, Cate felt a rush of gratitude—for Mark and Carol, for her true friends. They gave her a little bit of hope.

  “What do I do?” Her mind whirled with fear and panic. She wasn’t even sure of the right course of action. Go back to the resort and get their things? Hide out somewhere else?