Trap, Secure: Navy SEAL Security

by Carol Ericson

His mouth formed a thin line as he fumbled with Carlos’s built-in GPS. Amy sighed. She’d never know anything more about him than his name—and how his body felt against hers, shielding her, protecting her.

  “There’s a police station pretty close. I’ll drop you off down the block, watch you go inside, and then I’ll be out of your life.”

  She swallowed. “What are you going to do with Carlos’s car?”

  “I’ll leave it someplace where it can be recovered and returned to his...wife.” He raised one eyebrow. “How’d that happen anyway?”

  Hunching her shoulders, Amy clasped her hands between her knees. “I met him at the beach while I was working. We went out a few times from there. He came to my place a few times...”

  She clenched her jaw. She didn’t want to waste her last few minutes with Riley talking about her train wreck of a love life. “You know, I never thanked you for saving me on the beach. And if you hadn’t come back with me to my house, that man outside with the gun could’ve killed me.”

  “It’s the least I could do.” He brushed his fingers along her arm. “I put you in danger by landing on your beach.”

  Every time Riley touched her, she felt a current of electricity run through her body. She’d better turn that off. This mysterious man would be disappearing from her life in a matter of minutes.

  She rubbed her eyes. “Didn’t look like you had much choice.”

  Drawing his brows together, he scratched his chin. “Yeah. I don’t know why they decided to anchor off the coast at that particular spot. But I plan to find out.”

  Amy’s heart galloped in her chest. Riley was a man who lived dangerously—and seemed to enjoy it. Just her type. She’d tried and tried to gravitate toward stable men with stable jobs, but it never seemed to work out. Carlos had his own import/export business, but he hadn’t turned out to be dependable, either. Maybe her excitement radar had somehow picked up on that, too.

  The car slowed and Riley pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall. “There’s the police station. I’ll watch from here until you’re safely inside.”

  Amy rubbed her tingling nose. Once she got rid of Riley she’d be safe. Wouldn’t she? She grabbed the door handle.

  His hand dropped to her shoulder, and she twisted around. He slid his fingers up to her throat, his eyes now a dark blue, clouding over like a stormy sea. Her pulse ticked wildly beneath his touch.

  “Be careful, beach girl.” Then he cupped the back of her head and drew her close, sealing his lips over hers.

  The quick kiss didn’t feel like goodbye. It felt like a protective stamp that she’d carry with her forever.

  She managed an inarticulate goodbye as she scrambled out of the car. Walking toward the police station, she didn’t dare turn around, even though she could feel Riley’s gaze searing her back.

  God, she hoped the police could help her, even though she didn’t trust them. She hoped for once they could reassure her and make her feel safe.

  As safe as she’d felt with Riley.

  * * *

  RILEY EXHALED HIS pent-up breath as Amy swung open the glass door of the San Diego Sheriff’s Station and disappeared inside.

  Velasquez’s people murdered Carlos because they expected Riley to show up there with Amy. Why didn’t they just wait there? Why did they leave then return? Carlos must’ve upset their plans even though it didn’t look like the guy put up much of a fight.

  He rolled his shoulders and put the car in gear. Once Amy returned with the sheriff’s deputies, Velasquez’s men would realize Riley had taken flight. Then they’d leave Amy alone.

  They’d better leave Amy alone.

  He swung the sleek car back onto Imperial Beach Boulevard and accelerated toward the highway. He had to get back to that beach to find out why it had been such a strategic location for the Velasquez Cartel. The boat hadn’t moored off that coast and sent a diver in by accident.

  If the guy hadn’t spotted him and attacked him underwater, Riley could have surprised a meeting or interrupted a drop. Maybe their fight had scared off the contact on the beach.

  He smacked the leather steering wheel with the heels of his hands. He’d have to wait until morning, anyway. The cops would most likely follow Amy back to the scene of the crime and light up that beach like a Christmas tree.

  Until they realized there was no evidence of a crime. No evidence. No crime.

  They’d find plenty of evidence at Amy’s house though. Really sucked for Carlos. Should be a warning to married men everywhere not to cheat.

  Although, after spending a few hours with Amy, he could understand the temptation Carlos had faced.

  A buzzing noise filled the car, and Riley almost swerved into the next lane. Tilting his head, he determined the sound was coming from the backseat. Cell phone?

  He took the next exit and swung into an empty parking lot next to some train tracks. He unsnapped his seat belt, twisting in his seat. A small light glowed from the pocket of a jacket on the backseat. Riley reached over, slid his hand in the pocket and pulled out the cell phone, which flashed Missed Call.

  The guy’s wife? He flipped open the phone and checked the display, which read Restricted. The caller hadn’t bothered to leave a voice mail or text message, either.

  Riley glanced at the clock on the dashboard. He had to check in with the colonel. Might as well use Carlos’s phone before dumping it. He wouldn’t need it, and his wife probably wouldn’t care to see all those calls to Amy.

  The colonel picked up on the first ring.

  “Colonel, it’s Riley.”

  “Did you get anything from the lead on that boat?”

  “A couple of dead bodies. The boat dropped anchor off the coast near Imperial Beach and sent in a diver. Let’s just say we mixed it up a little before we reached the shore. He could’ve been meeting someone or scouting the location. I didn’t stick around to find out because his buddies started shooting at us.”

  “Us?”

  “There was a lifeguard on the beach.”

  The colonel swore. “Is he okay?”

  “She’s okay.” And then Riley reported what had occurred, taking full responsibility for the screwup.

  The colonel swore again. “You’re going to have to go back to that beach and figure out why it’s important to the Velasquez crew.”

  “Any more news about Jack?” Riley held his breath.

  “The CIA is calling him a traitor. They’re convinced he’s working for the other side.”

  Riley choked on his bitter rage. “That’s not possible. You know it and I know it.”

  “I know Jack Coburn’s name came up in chatter between the Velasquez Drug Cartel and an arms dealer in Colorado. Find out the link between those two, Riley, and we might be on the first step to finding Jack and proving his innocence.”

  “I’m on it. I owe Jack.”

  “We all do. I have another name to give you—Castillo. My CIA contact slipped it to me. He’s connected to the Velasquez boys. And one more thing, I’m giving you a new number for me.”

  As the colonel rattled off the number, Riley lunged for the glove compartment. He groped in the dark recess, and his fingers tripped across a pen and a scrap of paper as other papers floated to the floor of the car. He jotted down the colonel’s new number and ended the call.

  Glancing at the cell phone in his hand, he realized he couldn’t leave the phone in Carlos’s car for the police to find. Not that the colonel had an even remotely traceable phone number, but just like the fingerprints in Amy’s house, he wanted to err on the side of caution. That included the fingerprints in this car. He’d wipe it clean before abandoning it.

  Then he’d get back to his safe house, claim his own car and skulk outside Amy’s house after the cops left just to make sure she got off to her friends’ house okay.

  He pressed his knuckle against the switch for the dome light and bent forward to retrieve the papers from the car mat. A few receipts. A scribbled address. Registration.
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br />   Pinching the corner of the registration between two fingers, Riley raised it to the light. He read the name aloud. “Carlos Castillo.”

  Castillo.

  The name slammed against his brain, and bright spots danced in front of his eyes. Amy’s ex hadn’t been the victim of bad luck. Carlos had chosen Amy for a reason. The Velasquez cartel had chosen that beach for a reason. Someone killed Carlos Castillo for a reason.

  And now they might have a reason to kill Amy.

  * * *

  AMY GULPED IN a lungful of the damp evening air as she squared off with the San Diego Sheriff’s deputy. She pointed a shaky finger toward her house. “His body was on my kitchen floor. He was dead.”

  “Ms. Prescott, can you explain to us how not one, but two dead bodies can disappear in one night?” Deputy Sampson crossed his arms over his chest.

  He and another sheriff’s deputy had accompanied her to the beach, and just as Riley had predicted, someone had collected the body of the diver and Riley’s diving gear. In the meantime, the sheriff’s department had sent another car to Amy’s house to check on the dead body of Carlos Castillo. Amy hadn’t expected that one to disappear, too.

  Why? Why would this drug cartel remove Carlos’s body?

  She closed her eyes. Maybe she had dreamed the entire episode. She licked her lips, still salty from Riley’s kiss, and knew she’d been wide awake.

  “Call Carlos’s wife. I’m sure she’ll verify that he’s missing.”

  Deputy Sampson slipped a phone out of his pocket. “What’s the number?”

  “I—I don’t know his home number, just his cell.”

  “What’s that, then?”

  “I don’t know that, either. I can’t remember it, and I deleted it from my contacts.”

  The deputy rolled his eyes, and Amy clenched her jaw to keep from screaming. She ground out between clenched teeth, “Why would I lie about a couple of dead bodies and a mysterious spy?”

  “Look, Ms. Prescott. I’m not saying you’re lying, but there’s not much we can do right now with no bodies to back up your story and your, uh, spy nowhere to be found.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Maybe Mr. Castillo wasn’t dead, and he got up and walked away.”

  “He was dead.” She clenched her hands in front of her, recalling that she wouldn’t let Riley touch Carlos’s body. “H-he looked dead.”

  “Maybe you did stumble on some kind of drug deal. God knows, this close to the Mexican border we’ve seen plenty of crap going down. We’ll send someone out to the beach again tomorrow. The body just might wash up on shore. And obviously if we get a call from Mrs. Castillo reporting a missing husband, we’ll be back.”

  Another deputy jogged down her front steps. “If someone did snatch the body, whoever it was did a great cleanup job.”

  “And what about the wet suit?” Amy shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Not that she wanted to put the cops on Riley’s trail, but a little bit of evidence might show she hadn’t been delusional.

  “Did you find the wet suit on the living room floor?” Deputy Sampson jerked his chin toward the other deputy.

  “No. There’s some sand around, but isn’t she a lifeguard who just got off work?”

  Amy stamped her foot, feeling about two years old. “I’m not making this up. A man saved my life on the beach and came home with me. He’s the one who dropped me off at the station.”

  “Did you have a bad breakup with this ex-boyfriend of yours, Ms. Prescott? You found out he was married, you went a little crazy?” He held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t blame you. Maybe you changed your mind and you wanted him back. He’d rush to your rescue or something, leave his wife.”

  Amy’s jaw dropped. “That is so not me, Deputy Sampson.”

  He lifted his shoulders as the other two deputies ambled toward their squad cars parked at the curb, their red lights still casting a glow over the few neighbors who’d remained outside during the excitement.

  Amy rubbed her arms. This was it. They were leaving. They didn’t believe her, or they strongly doubted her. Thought she was some love-obsessed loon.

  “I’ll tell you what.” Deputy Sampson shoved his useless little notebook in his pocket. “Like I said, we’ll send someone to check out the beach tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll look into the whereabouts of Carlos Castillo. If he’s missing, we’ll be back.”

  “I probably won’t be here.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m not going to stick around to see if they bring the body back. You don’t plan to stick around—do you?”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Prescott. We’re not in the bodyguard business, but I’ll make sure a patrol car takes a couple of turns around your neighborhood tonight.”

  Yeah, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Amy gripped her upper arms. It didn’t matter. These sheriff’s deputies with their rolling eyes and tight-lipped suspicions didn’t make her feel safe, anyway. Only one man could make her feel safe right now: Riley, her phantom spy.

  She pointed to Deputy Sampson’s notebook, now tucked away in his pocket. “You have my cell phone number. I’ll probably be spending a few days with some friends.”

  “Good idea.”

  With their so-called investigation wrapped up, the cops scrambled for their squad cars and started their engines. Amy turned her back on her neighbors’ curious stares and slammed the front door of her rental house. She couldn’t bring herself to go into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

  How could there be no evidence of a dead body? Professionals. Riley had warned her about these drug dealers. But Carlos’s wife would miss him and contact the police. Then they’d come running back here with the smirks wiped off their officious faces.

  Right now she planned to get out of there. Riley had tried to reassure her that the murderous thugs were after him, not her, but those same murderous thugs had slipped into her house while she was gone and stolen the dead body of her ex-boyfriend. Not a good sign.

  She’d spend a few days with Sarah and Cliff. She didn’t figure she’d have much luck rounding up her cat, Clarence, tonight. Maybe she’d leave a note for the girl down the street to put out food for him in her absence.

  Amy crept down the hallway toward her bedroom, flipping on all the lights. She perched at the end of her bed and reached for the phone. She called Sarah and Cliff and got the babysitter.

  “Could you ask them to call me as soon as they get home? It doesn’t matter how late.”

  Amy dragged a suitcase from her hall closet and heaved it on top of her bed. She scooped up an armful of shorts and jeans and shoved them into the bag. She threw open her closet door and swept T-shirts and sweaters from their hangers.

  After cramming everything in the suitcase, including her damp lifeguard swimsuit, she headed for the bathroom. She dumped some toiletries into a small bag and spun around.

  Right into the solid form of a naked man.

  A scream gathered in Amy’s lungs, but before she could let loose, she realized the naked man was only half-naked—and he was no stranger.

  “Riley! What are you doing here? The cops just left, and they didn’t believe more than half of my story, especially since Carlos’s body is gone.”

  He gripped her shoulders, his fingers pinching her flesh. “You need to get out, Amy.”

  She swung the toiletry bag from her arm. “That’s what I’m doing.”

  “I mean you need to leave now, with me.”

  “W-what are you talking about?”

  “Your ex-boyfriend, Carlos Castillo, wasn’t who he said he was.”

  “I know that. He was married.”

  “It’s worse than that, Amy. He was involved with the Velasquez Drug Cartel. And now so are you.”

  Chapter Four

  A jolt speared Amy’s chest and she sucked in a sharp breath. “I don’t believe you. Why are you saying this?”

  “My...associate gave me his name. Carlos Castillo, right?” Riley tightened his grip on her shoulders and gave her a shake
.

  Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded. She hadn’t told him Carlos’s last name. As her heartbeat raced, her mind slowed to a sluggish crawl. Her tongue felt thick and numb in her mouth. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to face any of it. Hadn’t she endured enough drama in her life already from her childhood?

  “I’m sorry.” Riley released his grip and rubbed her upper arms. “I’m worried about you. What was Carlos doing here? Why did he single you out?”

  “I don’t know.” Amy dragged her hands through her tangled hair and blew out a breath, expelling all her self-pity with it.

  She straightened her spine. “It must have something to do with the beach. That’s where we met. He must’ve sought me out there for a reason.”

  “Hold that thought.” Riley grabbed the toiletry bag from her hand and charged past her into the bedroom. He dropped the bag into the open suitcase and glanced over his shoulder. “You have everything you need? I’m getting you out of here.”

  It looked like she had everything she needed standing right beside the bed. Riley knew how to take control of a situation and obviously relished the challenge. “I was waiting for a call from my friends before heading over to their place.”

  “How about you head over to my place for now? With what you know and what I know, maybe we can figure out your level of involvement in this mess.” He zipped up her suitcase and hauled it off the bed.

  She tilted her head. “You’re going to tell me what you know?”

  Shrugging, he yanked up the handle on her bag and wheeled it out the door as she stepped aside. “You’re in it up to your pretty chin, so you deserve to know what’s going on. And I’m relieved to find out I’m not responsible for your involvement or Carlos’s death.”

  He thought she had a pretty chin? She rubbed it and then clenched her teeth. “I’m glad the fact that Carlos targeted me for some kind of criminal enterprise is making you feel warm and fuzzy inside.”

  Riley grinned, and then she felt warm and sticky inside. If she had to take off into the wild unknown with drug dealers pursuing her, at least she had a hot guy along for the ride.

  “You know what I mean.” He pointed to the front door. “I still have Carlos’s car. Let’s use that instead of yours.”