“Fine. She’s here then, and she’s spotted you, most likely.” Raul slipped his hand behind her back and began to guide her inside the building. “Let’s get some of the soft serve and find a nice, open place to sit.”
“Seriously?” Mali paused for a moment, but his hand at her back urged her forward.
“As a heart attack.” He opened the door and accompanied her into the cold rush of air-conditioning, Taz close at their heels. “When you’re going to meet your contacts in the future, consider controlling the meeting. You’ve been researching and trying to encourage these women to come to you, so you’ve been letting them choose the time and place of their approach. The situation has changed. Now we pick our position.”
He followed words with actions, taking them through the massive gift store. In fact, he really did buy her a cone of pineapple soft serve. Then he led her out the back doors to a wide-open seating area and picked a table in the center of the space. Taz settled on the ground under the table, taking advantage of the shade with a grunt.
Mali sat in the chair he pulled out for her and licked the cool, tart, frozen treat, bemused. “If you’d asked me to guess where you would sit, this would’ve been the last place I’d choose.”
Raul huffed out a laugh. “Situational variability.”
“Please don’t tell me that’s a real phrase.” She scowled at him. He had to be joking with her.
He shrugged, enigmatic. “This spot gives me a clear line of sight in all directions. No one is going to sneak up on us. There’s also no way your contact can miss seeing you and she has got to be panicking since we walked inside the building. If this is a trap, I’ll see it coming and have a chance to get you out of harm’s way. If she really cares about you and your research team, she’ll pull her courage together and walk over to us. Either way, I figure you have time to enjoy your cone.”
Mali licked her soft serve and considered his words. He made a lot of sense again. She wasn’t sure if she believed everything he had to say, but at least when it came to their safety, she was going to put her faith in him.
“This is delicious, by the way.” She had to hurry to lick around the base of the cone before the frozen pineapple melted in the heat of the outdoors. “You should try some.”
“Hmm.” His response was noncommittal.
She leaned forward so he wouldn’t have to stop keeping watch. “Here.”
His gaze flicked to the cone, then her chest beyond the cone, and then rose immediately to lock on her eyes. “You are tempting me way too much.”
If he’d been teasing, she would’ve laughed it off. Instead, his gaze had burned into her. And his voice—wow, his voice—had taken on a rough warning tone. She froze in her pose, forward and holding out the cone, very aware her nipples were tightening in response. His voice unraveled her in the best way.
He stared at her for another heartbeat—or forever—and then looked away and around her. “You finish your cone. It’s good to see you enjoy it.”
She swallowed and sat back in her chair. He hadn’t missed her reaction, couldn’t have. Maybe she would’ve been embarrassed but she was too focused on him. Suddenly, he was more than safe and comforting. He was magnetic and mutually attracted to her.
This was getting complicated.
* * *
No. Nope. Not a good idea. Raul mentally threw his attention back into the tasks of scanning the area around them and keeping watch for this alleged contact. He couldn’t put one hundred percent of his focus into those things, though, because a part of being good at what he did was always being aware of his charge as well. To be honest, there was no way he could ignore her.
Everything about Mali Siri drew him to her. From her deep brown eyes and sweet, kissable mouth to her sharp intelligence and sparks of energy even when she should be exhausted. She didn’t need to drop twenty-dollar words in every other sentence to prove how smart she was, either. It was in the way she heard and absorbed everything said to her, remembered details, and processed the information she’d gathered.
A few college-age kids walked past—both guys and at least one of the girls obviously checking Mali out. She remained happily oblivious to their attention, her back straight and one foot tucked under her as she finished up her pineapple soft serve.
Every lick caused his shorts to get tighter, and he regretted buying her the cone. Seriously regretted it. Next meal, he was going to be sure she had a knife and a fork, or a spoon—or hell, even chopsticks. Anything but watching her lap up tasty goodness from the corner of his eye. He wanted to pounce on her and do all sorts of things with that tongue of hers. Problem was, his best friend was going to kill him if he didn’t keep his distance. Even if Arin didn’t kill him, Mali was a good woman. And he was not a good man. He’d watch out for her until her big sister got back from her mission, but then it’d be better for him to just concentrate on his new duties with Search and Protect.
“Don’t turn around.” He smiled slightly when she froze mid-lick, her tongue touching her frozen dessert, mouth open, eyes wide. There was an image to tuck away for later. “Keep eating. Talk to me. If your contact can pull it together and come to us, we greet her like she was with us all along. Okay? Stay loose.”
The woman in question was dressed in a long-sleeved blouse of airy material and slashed shorts. She had shapely legs and tanned brown skin without the gold undertone Mali had. The woman wore a practical straw hat, ostensibly to protect her head from the sun, and big sunglasses. She looked stylish. She was also ready to bolt, her face turned toward them and probably staring at Raul.
Well, he was an unexpected extra in this scenario. But it was a good thing as far as he was concerned.
Her stiff pose had caught his attention, plus her hesitant step away before waffling in place. No one else seemed to be watching her, no shady characters in the background. Her grip on her shoulder bag was so tight that her knuckles were turning white.
There was no point in pretending he hadn’t seen her. He gave her a friendly smile, letting his own posture remain relaxed and laid back. He didn’t call attention to either of them by waving her over. He let her make the choice.
After a long moment, the woman approached with hesitant steps. Once she approached their table, Mali gave her a bright smile. “Hi.”
“You aren’t where I told you to meet.” The other woman’s voice was husky.
Maybe some clients thought it was sexy, but he wondered if it was an affectation. Or maybe her husky voice was from rough use of her throat. Many night clubs and bars played loud music. Talking over all the noise, maintaining conversation, and entertaining guests every evening probably wrecked her vocal cords.
“It wasn’t a good place for any of us.” He kept his tone pleasant. “I’m only here to make sure this conversation is safe for everyone involved and we all get to go our separate ways. Okay?”
The woman’s face turned toward him as she studied him. “You don’t look like police. Military?”
He shook his head, allowing his mouth to widen in a rueful smile. “Not police. Former military. I’m a friend of her family.”
He didn’t bother mentioning his recent move to the island. Let the woman think he was a short-term visitor, like Mali was supposed to be.
The woman sat in the third chair at their table, staying perched on the edge of her seat. In response, Mali shifted in her seat so both feet were on the ground. Good thing, too: he didn’t want her slowed by a leg fallen asleep due to cut-off circulation.
“You should not go back to your hotel again.” The woman turned to Mali.
Okay, so they were going with the no-name route. He was fine with it for now, but Mali probably knew the name the woman went by.
“Why?” Mali kept her voice low to match the other woman’s volume. “Where is everyone else? Did they leave earlier? The front desk said they’d checked out.”
The other woman’s perfect, bow-shaped mouth curved downward in a frown. “No. They never got back to
the hotel. They were taken.”
Mali’s delicate brows drew together. “But the front desk—”
“The message left for you wasn’t from them.” The woman paused and then continued in a rush. “Those people, they’re not small time. They aren’t locals like my…boss. They get their girls from overseas, bring them through Waikiki, and then the girls could be sent to the mainland to work more, but they’ll never be free. I’m from this island, and my boss keeps me and his other women close, but these people, they are taking over, and my boss is starting to cut business deals with them. I don’t want to disappear too, so I talked to you and your people. I want a chance to get out.”
Raul maintained his posture, keeping his mouth and facial muscles relaxed. The woman’s eyes were darting from Mali to him to gauge their reactions. Any woman who’d survived in the business of prostitution would’ve had to learn to read body language. Mali was an open book, her attention completely on the woman. Mali was anxious, concerned, and completely hooked. It didn’t take much to lean forward and give the woman the same impression about him.
He also kept an eye on the people around them, watching for the handler who was most certainly with the woman to ensure her message was passed on to Mali. Whoever it was had decided to blend in. There were no conspicuous black suits to be seen this time.
“What do they want?” Mali had placed one hand flat on the tabletop. The cone in her other hand seemed forgotten, dripping sticky pineapple down over her knuckles. “The university might be able to pay a ransom.”
“This business takes money in exchange for people. Let’s hope your university will have enough.” The woman patted Mali’s hand, and it took everything he had to remain relaxed, and let the woman touch Mali. “You have two days to get it and deliver it.”
Raul stopped listening. There: something out of place. A man stood yards away, near a family but not taking pictures of the people posing. The camera lens was pointed toward the women, at Mali. And the camera was a high-end digital SLR, too expensive for someone in ripped up, dirty clothes like this guy’s.
Raul surged to his feet. “Hey!”
His shout made the man jump. Even better, the man backpedaled a few steps and started to run away.
“Taz.” Raul pointed. “Fass.”
His partner shot out from under the table, a black and tan streak. It didn’t matter how quick the target was; Taz was faster. The GSD got within jumping distance and launched himself at the man. Taz’s jaws closed on the man’s shoulder, and the big dog’s momentum took them both to the ground.
The woman bolted, heading into the crowd in the opposite direction from the man. Raul wasn’t chasing either of them. He was not going to be lured away from the person he was protecting. The entire area was in chaos now, and people were shouting in alarm. It’d be too easy for someone to make a grab for Mali if there were more than just the two people here for her.
“The police are on their way,” Raul called out, holding up his smartphone. Not exactly the truth yet, but he’d call after he had Mali safely away from here. In a lower voice, he spoke to her. “Come with me.”
He kept her close as he made his way to Taz and the downed man. People were keeping their distance. Taz’s service dog vest was the same the K9s wore when they were working with law enforcement on search missions. It gave Taz a measure of protection from the random Good Samaritan who might want to help the attacked person.
“Aus.” At Raul’s command, Taz immediately let go of his hold on the target’s shoulder and stepped back. To the man, Raul said, “Don’t move or the dog will attack again.”
Onlookers settled into an uneasy silence as they watched Taz stand by, ready to leap back into action.
Raul stepped forward and grabbed the man’s arms, securing them behind his back with zip ties. Some people carried duct tape everywhere they went for the odd situation. He carried zip ties. The man cried out in pain but didn’t say anything.
He patted the man down, pulling a handgun from the man’s waistband and a nasty looking butterfly knife from his front pocket. He left them on the ground near the man but out of reach. There were no doubts now. Raul was relieved the man hadn’t tried to use his gun in the crowded area, but there was no telling whether it’d been because of panic or because it’d been his job to lure Raul away from Mali. It was too bad there wasn’t time to ask him questions. Raul’s priority was to get her away from here.
He took a picture of the man’s face with his smartphone—maybe the Search and Protect team could run facial recognition on him and figure out who he was working for—and then he snagged the man’s camera from the ground nearby. It took a precious second for him to figure out where the memory card was, but he retrieved it and stuffed it into his back pocket. He leaned down and put the camera back where it had fallen, and then rose, taking Mali’s hand. “We’re leaving.”
She came with him without question, and Taz fell in at his side. He maintained an authoritative expression with his head held high as staff rushed out of the nearby building. He didn’t break stride or even slow down. He raised his voice to be heard. “When officers arrive, tell them to have Officer Kokua contact Todd Miller.”
Miller’s police friend was aware of Mali’s situation and would be able to connect the dots between what had happened to her yesterday and this mess today. Hopefully, it’d help mitigate the consequences once they all had time to come back together and address this bigger situation. For now, they were leaving the scene.
No one moved to stop them. He took advantage of the confusion and headed straight back to the car, scanning the crowd for more potential danger. Even once he had Mali in the passenger seat he didn’t relax. The windows to the car weren’t tinted, and she was too visible.
As he got into the car and started the engine, Mali finally asked a question. “Who was that?”
“Miller’s friend will find out. Can you call the police now?” He put the car in drive and headed out of the parking lot as fast as possible, watching the rearview and side-view mirrors for other vehicles pulling out to follow them. “My priority is getting you away from here.”
“He had a gun.” Mali’s voice was beginning to crack.
“He didn’t use it.” He didn’t want to scare her more, but there could’ve been more people there. Someone else could’ve had a weapon, too, and they might’ve been ready to use theirs.
Chapter Eight
Mali jabbed her smartphone with her thumb, hanging up the call after yet another fruitless voicemail.
“You know, the touch screen isn’t going to make a louder noise if you mash that thing harder.” He wasn’t laughing but Raul was definitely not her favorite person at the moment.
They’d called the police. They’d called Todd. The kennel master hadn’t sounded happy at all but he seemed to agree with Raul’s plan to continue driving until he was sure they weren’t being followed. Mali was freaked out but she tried to get control of herself by doing things, like contacting her university with the information she had so far.
“The mainland is hours ahead of us, and it’s too late in the day for most people to be at their offices anymore.” She finally looked out the car window at their surroundings. “Where are we going?”
He tilted his head to one side and then the other, stretching his neck. “We’ve been driving around long enough to be sure we aren’t being tailed anymore. I didn’t see any vehicles leave the plantation to follow us, but I made it very hard for anyone to tail us at any kind of close distance without being obvious. Once we had enough of a lead, I took a few random turns to lose anyone even if I didn’t have eyes on them.”
She blinked and swallowed hard, looking into the side-view mirror at the cars behind them. “There’s people on the road with us now.”
It’d been a while since they’d left the plantation. She’d been so focused on making the calls that she’d lost track of where they were. She hadn’t even noticed him making turns. Any acceleration or decelerat
ion she’d assumed to be because of stoplights.
In the silence, he cleared his throat. “Yeah. I came back onto the main highway. The GPS on my phone says there’s a popular spot for shaved ice nearby. I figured it’d be good to head over there and find a replacement snack for you before we head back toward the team house. We’re being unpredictable, and we don’t want to head in the direction anyone would expect us to right away.”
“You think it’s safe to just stop?” She wasn’t sure she had it in her to get out of the car at the moment.
Raul glanced at her. “They have no idea where we went. We’re not going where someone might assume we’re headed. There’s no reason for anyone to be waiting for us there.”
Even as he spoke, they’d driven into a small town. Seeing children laughing on the sides of the streets in front of small shops and adults sitting out on lanais, her anxiety eased back a notch. The feel of the town was laid back, with surf shops here and there as they continued to drive along the waterfront.
“This is North Shore.” She struggled to recognize a few of the spots but maybe she remembered another town. “The research team drove up here to check out the beaches when we first arrived, before we got started with our research.”
“You’ve been here, then?” Raul pulled into a parking spot along the roadside. There were shops and even small art galleries on either side of the street.
“Not here exactly.” She shook her head. “Our research activity was focused around downtown Honolulu and the Chinatown area. If we came up here, it was for the beach on our time off. I wasn’t ever the driver, so I didn’t pay much attention to how we got from Point A to Point B.”
She waited in the car while he got out, a repeat of the process he’d asked her to follow at the plantation. He came around and opened the door for her first this time.
Total Bravery Page 7
