“Nick told me it was a pipe dream, something that I would never be able to pull off, but I thought I knew you better,” he continued. “To me, you were still an eighteen-year-old girl, one who had been too shy to date. It’s pretty obvious you’re not the same person.”
“No,” Rowan agreed. “I like to think I’m stronger than I was.”
“You’re definitely strong.” Paul flicked his eyes to Quinn. “You’re strong together. I didn’t want to admit it, not even to myself, but it’s obvious you two belong together.”
“I’m glad you’ve come to that realization without me having to shake you,” Quinn noted. “There were a couple of tense moments the other day where I thought I was going to have to beat you up. Since Rowan would’ve frowned upon that, I’m glad it didn’t come to it.”
“That makes two of us.” Paul licked his lips and shifted on his seat. “Nick is picking me up at the docks when we land and we’re heading straight to the condo. We’re going to stay there for two days and watch the area to make sure we’re not under surveillance. After that ... we’ll be able to start planning.”
“Fred has been busy pulling information,” Quinn supplied. “So far, we don’t have a smoking gun, but he’s only scratched the surface. The more information he gets, the more we’ll be able to form a plan of attack.”
“Will I be able to see you?” Rowan asked, worry flitting through her eyes. “I mean ... I know we have to be careful, but we’ll get to spend time together, right?”
Paul’s smile was kindly. “Yes, although not for the next two days. It’s important that you guys go back to your normal routine, as if nothing has happened.”
“We can do that.” Quinn bobbed his head. “We tend to stick close to the ship, shop and eat dinner in area locations. We spend a lot of time on the beach.”
“Then keep doing that. Once we’re reasonably assured it’s safe, we’ll get the address to you and set a meet. We need to go over the information together. Somehow, some way, we need to find a way to get them to back off.”
“For all we know, they might be following Rowan and waiting for signs that she’s going to manifest,” Quinn noted. “With the right equipment, we wouldn’t even know we were being watched when we spend time on the beach.”
“No, but Rowan’s gift is unique,” Paul said. “Whether she really needs the camera to direct her power or she simply thinks she does ultimately doesn’t matter. It’s turned into a great shield because she’s never out in the open displaying her ability.”
“I’m thankful for that, too.” Quinn moved his hand to the back of Rowan’s neck, to the spot where she carried most of her tension. “We’ll be prepared to meet up again. Once a few days have passed and these people see we’re acting normally, things will probably shift again. We’ll be ready.”
“Good.” Paul’s smile was heartfelt as he reached under the table and lifted a canvas bag. He’d brought it with him when he hit the deck, and Rowan was curious enough to widen her eyes.
“What’s this?” she asked, taking the bag.
“It’s a gift for you.”
She peered inside, tears instantly springing to her eyes when she caught sight of the familiar stuffed dog. “Rags.” She drew him out, ignoring the well-worn patches as she hugged him to her chest. “I can’t believe you kept him all this time.”
“I told you I did.”
“I know. It’s just ... .”
“I needed to feel close to you,” Paul explained. “The dog was your favorite, so even though I knew it was mean to take him, I couldn’t stop myself from doing it. I have you back, though, so Rags should be yours.”
“Thank you.”
Quinn pursed his lips, amused and touched. “That’s kind of nice, huh?”
“There’s one more thing in the bag,” Paul prodded, inclining his chin.
Rowan dug inside a second time, furrowing her brow when she returned with a P.J. Landis hardcover. “What’s this?”
“That’s the book that hits in two months. It’s not even available yet.”
“Oh. Not that I’m not eager to read your stuff now that I know who you are, but why are you giving this to me?”
“Look inside.” His voice was barely a whisper.
Dutifully, Rowan flipped open the cover. Her heart lodged in her throat when she read the dedication. Instinctively, Quinn read over her shoulder, saying the words out loud as he went.
“To my daughter,” Quinn intoned. “Wherever you are, whatever you do, I’ll always be proud of you. You’ll never know how much. You’re the one thing in this world that makes the sun seem brighter and magic not only possible, but probable. Carry me in your heart, because I will always carry you.”
Rowan sniffled as she swiped at the errant tears on her cheeks. “That was ... .”
“Beautiful,” Quinn finished for her, smiling. “Obviously you’ve had this dedication in the works for months.”
“More like a year,” Paul corrected. “I knew I couldn’t stay away forever. It was only a matter of time. We’re family, so we need to work together to get through this. You were right when you said it. I understand that.”
“We’re family,” Rowan agreed, exhaling heavily. “Things are about to get interesting, huh?”
“Yes.”
“I guess that’s for the best. The sooner we figure out answers, the sooner we can move forward with a new life.”
“That’s all I want,” Paul said.
“It’s all any of us want,” Quinn noted. “I have faith we can pull it off. We simply need to work together.”
Rowan clutched the dog tighter to her chest. “And so we will.”
“And so we will.”
Perilous Seas
A Rowan Gray Cozy Mystery Book Eight
1
One
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Quinn Davenport, his voice sleepy, snagged his girlfriend Rowan Gray around the waist as she rose. They were on the deck of The Bounding Storm, one of the finest cruise ships to dock in Florida, and the sound of the waves beyond had lulled him to the point where he was on the verge of falling asleep.
“I’m running to the bathroom.” Rowan patted his arm, amused by the confused look on his face. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” He ran his hand over his short-cropped hair. “Did I fall asleep?”
“I think you were drifting. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to wake you. I will honestly be right back.”
“Knock yourself out.” Quinn rolled to his back and stared at the stars. It was a quiet night, especially by cruise ship standards, and he was still flummoxed that he’d managed to conk out despite the fact that there were people flitting to and fro on the deck. It was their last night at sea. The following day they would return to port — and the real world in the process — and he was looking forward to having his feet on solid ground for a few days. As much as he loved the sea — and he did — he loved the mainland, too.
Besides, there were things to do on the mainland, and he was eager to get an update from the people he and Rowan had left behind when they set sail days before.
“Excuse me, sir.”
He turned his head at a trio of giggles and forced himself to a sitting position. He was comfortable — ridiculously so — on the lounger, but as head of security for The Bounding Storm, he had to look professional if the guests approached him.
“Is something wrong?”
The young women who stood in front of him barely looked old enough to drink. If Quinn had to guess, he figured they were visiting on break from college and they’d spent the last few days getting drunk and rowdy. If they were approaching him now — and they looked more tipsy than concerned — he figured it was because they had mischief on their minds.
“Nothing is wrong,” the first girl said hurriedly. She was blond and lithe, and her eyes seemed to gleam under the limited light as she regarded him. “We just thought we should join you.”
“Yo
u know, so you’re not alone,” another girl piped in. She was brunette and boasted one of the lowest-cut tops Quinn had ever seen. “We figure that the worst thing in the world is being lonely on a cruise ship and we want to save you from that fate.”
Quinn had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. It wasn’t that he was interested in their offer as much as amused by their boldness. “Well, I’m not lonely. In fact, my friend just ran to the bathroom. It’s fine.”
“Your friend?” The third woman, also a blonde, leaned forward. Intrigue lit her features and, for the first time since they approached, Quinn sensed trouble. “Is your friend as hot as you?”
“Definitely.” Quinn bobbed his head without hesitation. “She’s ridiculously hot.”
“She?” The third woman was taken aback. “I ... what do you mean she?”
“I think he’s talking about me,” Rowan announced, sliding in behind the women and giving them a sidelong look as she cut around the spot they occupied. “I could be wrong, though.”
“I’m definitely talking about you.” Quinn grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the lounger they’d been sharing only five minutes before. “It’s good you’re here. These young ladies are worried that I’m lonely. You should probably assuage them of that fear.”
Rowan’s eyes lit with mirth as she cast a look over her shoulder at the disappointed women. They’d obviously approached Quinn because his fiery good looks were a natural aphrodisiac to anyone who was attracted to men ... which they obviously were. The fact that Rowan had already staked her claim on him was a kink in their plan.
“Are you two together?” the brunette asked finally. There was a hint of resignation to her tone.
“We are,” Quinn confirmed, moving his hand over Rowan’s back as he regarded the women with kind eyes. “Is there anything else you guys need?”
“I guess not.” The blonde was sad as she scuffed her flip-flop against the deck. “We thought you were the strong and silent type.”
“He is,” Rowan confirmed. “He was so silent the only noise he was making a few minutes ago sounded like snores.”
Quinn playfully pinched her flank. “Keep it up.”
“We thought he might like company,” the girl stressed. “I guess we were wrong.”
“I have all the company I need,” Quinn commented, slinging an arm around Rowan’s shoulders. “Thank you for thinking of me, though. It’s appreciated.”
“I bet if you head to the tiki bar you’ll be able to find a few guys who really are lonely,” Rowan offered. “It’s the last night of your cruise, so now would be the time to track down those sorts of guys.”
The blonde nodded her agreement. “Right. Well ... we should probably be going.” She took an exaggerated step away and then slowed. “You’re sure you’re not lonely, right?”
Quinn managed to keep a straight face, but just barely. “I’m definitely not lonely.” He tightened his grip on Rowan. “In fact, I’m exactly where I want to be.”
“Ah, well, we had to try.” The brunette was rueful as she moved to join her friend. “I told you he was too hot to be lonely. We should head back and find those guys who were drinking the Jägermeister. They were definitely lonely ... and only one of them was ugly.”
“Yeah, but which one of us gets the ugly one?” the third blonde queried.
“We’ll draw straws when we get there.”
Quinn managed to keep his chuckle in until he was sure they were out of earshot, and then he belted out a gregarious laugh. “Oh, thank you for saving me, Ro.” He kissed her temple and rolled back to his previous position, the stars twinkling above. “I thought for sure I was a goner.”
Rowan was almost as amused as Quinn. “You must exude a special type of musk,” she noted, leaning closer so she could sniff him. “Seriously, how did they even find you? It’s dark over here.”
“I have no idea.” Quinn was insistent as he dragged her down to get comfortable. “Maybe they heard the snores.”
“That’s a possibility.”
“Were you snoring, too? Before you got up to go to the bathroom, I mean. Maybe it was your dulcet tones that drew them in.”
“Ha, ha, ha.” She poked his side and rested her chin on his chest as they resumed their previous positions. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?”
He kept his gaze directly on her. “You’re beautiful.”
She snickered at his serious expression. “I think we just proved that you’re the beautiful one. You attract women wherever you go.”
“I only care about one woman.” And, because it was true, he wrapped his arms around her back and kissed her forehead. “What are you going to do first when we land tomorrow?”
Rowan had been expecting the question so she wasn’t caught off guard. “I thought I would make sure the guests got off safely, like I normally do. Then I plan on filing the necessary paperwork with the home office to confirm the number of photographs I took during this cruise.”
He let loose a drawn-out sigh. “Oh, you’re being cute. I love it when you’re being cute.”
“And I recognize sarcasm when I hear it.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He shifted lower so he could stare into her mesmerizing eyes. “What about your father, Rowan?” He kept his voice low so it wouldn’t carry over the deck. Talk of Rowan’s father, Paul Gray, was still an iffy proposition ... especially since he’d faked his death when she was a teenager and only recently returned.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do about him,” she admitted, gnawing on her bottom lip. “I have a few options.”
“You must be leaning toward one.”
“I am. I thought I would let you decide.”
“No way.” He vehemently shook his head. “Don’t even think about putting this on me. You’re the one who has to deal with it.”
Rowan turned sheepish. “I know. It’s just ... it’s a lot.”
“It is a lot,” Quinn agreed, stroking the back of her head. “Fred is still tracking down information on the Phoenix Society for us. He should have more for us to look at when we land. I told him not to send any of the information via email in case ... well, in case they’re somehow monitoring us.”
“Do you think that’s possible?” Rowan’s heart flopped at the prospect. “I mean ... do you think it’s possible they’ve been watching me the whole time?”
That was the question, wasn’t it? Quinn found himself plagued by the idea when he gave himself a moment to think about their circumstances. He spent years with Special Forces in the military, years fighting gun battles and participating in covert operations. He was less fearful of those years than he was of what lay in front of them. He had a feeling that was because of Rowan, because he had something important he absolutely couldn’t lose this go-around.
“I think it’s probable,” Quinn said finally, hating the way she cringed. “I don’t think they’ve watched your every move or anything,” he added hurriedly in an effort to soothe her frayed nerves. “I think they’ve kept tabs on you, though. It would’ve been stupid for them to just walk away simply because your father disappeared.”
“Yeah, but he essentially faked his death. I mean ... he didn’t do a good job of it. He left a lot of open questions. The local police believed he drove into the lake during a storm, though. Oddly enough, that happened on a regular basis in Michigan. Why would the Phoenix Society have reason to doubt that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. They were clearly interested in your father and mother, though. I mean ... they kept tabs on them for years. I don’t think they simply washed their hands of the whole thing because your father was removed from the picture.”
“Yeah.” Rowan rubbed her cheek against his shirt. “Why do you think they never approached me?”
And there, Quinn thought, was the opening he’d been looking for over the past several weeks. “I think they probably did contact you. You just didn’t know it at the time.”
Rowan stiffene
d. “What? But ... how?”
“You probably didn’t realize it was happening. You might’ve recognized the operative as a casual friend or acquaintance and never thought anything about talking to them.”
“Like who?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t privy to your life before you joined the ship. I can’t answer that for you.”
Rowan was more bothered by that than she wanted to let on. “I don’t get it,” she said finally, her fingers restless as they walked up and down his chest. “What would be the point?”
She already knew the answer to that. Quinn was sure of it. Still, he answered because he believed she needed to hear the specifics from him. “The Phoenix Society was running experiments on individuals they believed to be psychic. That included your mother and father.”
“I’m well aware.” Rowan was terse. “I know what my father told me. I was there for the conversation.”
“Hey. Don’t bark at me.” Quinn was gentle as he grabbed her chin and admonished her. “I’m on your side. I didn’t create this situation. I’m trying to help. Don’t take out your frustration on me, no matter how tempting it may be.”
Shame flooded Rowan’s cheeks. “I’m sorry. You’re right. That wasn’t fair.” She wrapped her fingers around his wrist, earnest. “I’m just ... afraid.”
The admission tugged on Quinn’s heartstrings. “I’m going to be right here with you,” he promised, his voice low. “I hate that you’re fearful, but it’s actually a good thing in this particular case. It will keep you aware, alert. I don’t like that you’re scared, but I’m going to be with you no matter what.”
Rowan wasn’t certain about much in this world, but she believed that with her whole heart. “Yeah.” Briefly, she pressed her face in the hollow between his neck and shoulder and gave him a kiss. “I don’t mean to be cranky. I’m doing the best I can.”
Farewell Seas Page 20
