“Still, that’s something.” Nick leaned back in his chair. “Do you want me to encourage him on the dive aspect? If he really thinks he can get in the water with us, he’s more likely to let things slip.”
“I was thinking the same thing. He has the most respect for you because of what you do. I definitely want you to press that issue without tipping our hand.”
“No problem. I ... .” Nick broke off, furrowing his brow. “Do you hear that?”
“What?” Quinn glanced around, unsure. “What is it you’re hearing?”
“A scratching noise, by the door.”
Quinn frowned and climbed to his feet. Fred and Dave automatically followed, serving as backup. Quinn glanced at each of them in turn before shoving open the door. He wasn’t sure he expected to discover anyone outside. The face he found, though, flabbergasted him.
“Michael? What are you doing?”
The captain, who had been trying the door handle, flushed at being caught and let loose a nervous laugh. “Oh, you are in there. I wasn’t sure. I was hoping to talk to you before we hit port.”
Quinn shifted from one foot to the other, suspicion and unhappiness rolling through him. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”
“Oh, well, it can wait until after this meeting.” Michael’s gaze was curious as it hopped from face to face. “What is this meeting about, by the way?”
“We’re talking about the dive,” Quinn lied smoothly. “I will be participating again.”
“And Rowan needs to be here for that?”
Quinn didn’t like his tone. “Rowan wants to be on one of the submersibles so she can take photos. It’s something that will be completed on her downtime. I’m not sure what the problem is.”
“Oh, there’s no problem,” Michael said hurriedly. “I was just curious. Um ... if you can spare ten minutes, I just want to touch base with you on a few things in my office when you’re done.”
Quinn was distinctly uncomfortable. “Sure. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to it.”
14
Fourteen
Michael’s reasoning for calling the meeting only served to make Quinn more suspicious.
“I thought we could talk about safety procedures around the docks,” he started.
Quinn frowned. “Which docks? The one our passengers disembark at?”
“No, I’m talking about the one the dive teams leave from to go to the wreck.”
Quinn’s stomach did an uneasy somersault. “Why would you want to talk about the safety at those docks?”
“Because I figure a lot of our guests will want to get up close and personal with history.”
“Yeah, but ... we have no control over those docks. They’re not our territory. Nick Green handles that security, and I can guarantee he’s not going to encourage any of our guests to descend on that location. He doesn’t want the area being overrun.”
“Curiosity is a human thing, though,” Michael pointed out. “Are you sure he’ll be able to maintain proper security?”
“I am. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Oh, well, if you’re sure, that’s good enough for me.”
Quinn managed to keep his expression flat, but it took a lot of effort. He’d been certain Michael was simply an unknowing dupe in all this. Now, things were different. Michael had to know about Spencer changing his name. He wouldn’t simply forget the man used to be known as Alexander Fletcher. Did he know why? Was he aware of Spencer’s ridiculous theories and ideas? Had he been part of this since the beginning? It seemed like a ridiculous notion and yet he couldn’t shake the nagging doubt weighing him down.
“It’s not our concern,” Quinn reiterated, slowly getting to his feet. “If that’s all, I have preparations to make for the dive this afternoon.”
“Of course.” Michael offered up a half-hearted wave. “I didn’t mean to distract you. I hope you and Rowan have fun on your dive.”
“I’m sure it will be great.” Quinn strode toward the door, forcing himself to remain facing forward rather than back. If he looked over his shoulder, he was afraid of what he would find staring back from the face of a man he thought of as a friend. “Have fun at port.”
“Oh, you know me. I always have fun.”
“Yeah, well, that’s why I said it. Never change, Michael.”
“I don’t intend to. This is who I am. There’s no sense in changing.”
“Right. Well, I’ll see you later.”
“Yup. Have a nice day.”
“That’s the plan.”
ROWAN TOOK UP RESIDENCE ON THE deck as she waited for Quinn. She felt uneasy after Michael’s abrupt interruption. She was plagued with questions.
What was he doing? She couldn’t ever remember him being in that part of the ship. When he wanted to talk to Quinn, he merely summoned him via text to come to his office. That part of the ship basically belonged to Quinn and Rowan, who had offices in the corridor.
The obvious assumption was that Spencer sent Michael to gather information. Rowan and Quinn were spending a lot of time in parts of the ship that the Phoenix Society group couldn’t access. That had to be frustrating, especially since they appeared to be on an observational mission. They were basically experimenting, although they were using subterfuge to do it. Rowan would’ve much preferred a straightforward assault.
She snapped a few photos of departing guests. They were clearly having a good time as they made their way to the island. Rowan recognized the glee and excitement in their voices as they studied the pretty port from afar. This was a new adventure for them. They had no idea she was grappling with old fears in their wake.
“Hey.”
Rowan almost jumped out of her skin when she turned and found Darcy standing behind her. The blonde had her own camera gripped in her hands and a sunny smile on her face. The smile seemed out of place given the edge Rowan saw in the woman’s eyes.
“Hey,” she replied neutrally, forcing herself to remain calm even though her heartbeat had picked up a notch. “I didn’t realize you were out here. I thought perhaps you’d already left for port.”
“Not yet. I was actually hoping to talk to you before I leave.”
“Me? Why?”
“Because I find you interesting.”
Rowan didn’t believe that for a second. “I don’t think many people can say that with a straight face.”
“Oh, I disagree.” Darcy’s smile never wavered. “You’re surrounded by people who just can’t get enough of you. They watch your every move, as if you’re about to do something amazing at every turn. It’s ... fascinating.”
Talking to Darcy was always an excursion into uncomfortable territory. Rowan had no idea how she was supposed to react, but she was fed up with the woman’s mind games. “I think Quinn is the only one who finds me fascinating, and he’s a little biased.”
“I think he sees you clearly enough. He’s definitely biased, though.”
“Yeah, well, speaking of Quinn ... um ... I’m supposed to find him so we can hit port together. It was nice to see you. I should probably get going, though.”
“Wait, don’t leave.” For the first time, Darcy’s cool facade slipped and she looked a little desperate. She cast her eyes around the deck, as if making sure she was alone with Rowan, and then lowered her voice. “I was sort of hoping we could have lunch together on the island. Just the two of us, I mean.”
“Oh, well, that’s a lovely offer.” Rowan’s stomach constricted as she attempted to maintain her cool. “I appreciate it, but I have other plans.”
Darcy didn’t give up simply because Rowan shot her down the first time. “For the entire day? You can’t really have the entire day scheduled.”
“You would be surprised.”
“Yeah, but ... it’s just lunch.” Darcy pasted a pleading smile on her face. “I mean ... it’s only an hour. You can spare an hour.”
“I’ll have to talk to Quinn.�
� Rowan didn’t miss a beat. “I believe he has the entire day planned. If we can fit you in, though, I’m sure we’ll make a legitimate effort.”
“No. He can’t go.” Darcy fervently shook her head. “It has to be just the two of us.”
There was no way that was going to happen. Rowan wasn’t a complete and total idiot. “I’m spending the day with Quinn.”
“What? Are you saying you can’t even spend an hour away from him? That seems a little codependent.”
“Perhaps,” Rowan conceded. “You probably don’t want to attack my relationship constructs when you’re trying to get me to rearrange my schedule to appease you. That seems like a weird way to get your way. That’s just my opinion, though.”
Darcy looked almost desperate as she moved closer to Rowan, to the point where she was officially invading her space. “I’m sorry for insulting your boyfriend. That wasn’t my intent.”
“You insulted me, too.”
“Yeah, well, you can take it.” Darcy furtively glanced over her shoulder again. “We really do need to talk.”
Rowan took the bait, even though she was convinced it was a bad idea. “And why is that?”
“You know why.”
“I don’t know anything.” The ship photographer adopted an air of innocence she thought Quinn would’ve been proud of. “I might need further explanation if you expect me to understand.”
Darcy made a face. “Oh, well, very cute.”
“Thank you.”
“That was an insult, not a compliment.”
“Funny, it sounded the exact opposite to me.”
Exasperation practically rolled off Darcy in waves. “Listen, I’m not trying to be difficult, but there are some things we need to discuss and I’m working on a timetable here. It would be great if you didn’t give me grief.”
“I’m not leaving this ship with you at any time, including right now,” Rowan countered. “It’s not going to happen. I might be persuaded to have lunch with you, but only if Quinn can come, too. Otherwise, you’re fresh out. I won’t compromise on either of those issues.”
“But ... you have to.”
“Why?”
“Because you just do.”
“That’s not an acceptable answer.” Rowan took a step back from Darcy, increasing the distance between them. “I’m not leaving. If you continue down this avenue, I’ll be forced to call over security. I’m guessing that’s not what you want.”
Fury lit Darcy’s features. “Why do you have to be such an idiot?” she gritted out. “I mean ... seriously. I’m trying to help you.”
“I’m sure you can understand why I’m dubious about that. It doesn’t matter, though. I’m not going anywhere with you. If you want to talk to me, Quinn has to be part of it. That’s my line in the sand.”
Darcy gripped her hands together, squeezing until her knuckles turned white. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth. I mean ... I’m obviously wasting my time here.”
“Probably so,” Rowan agreed. “No one is making you stay, though.”
“I guess not.”
Rowan licked her lips, momentarily thought about changing her mind and acquiescing because it appeared Darcy was finally ready to share information, and then stiffened her resolve. Her life was on the line, her very future. She wouldn’t risk everything she’d worked so hard for on a whim. She wouldn’t be the stupid heroine in the movie who ran upstairs to check out the strange noise in Jason Voorhees territory. That’s not how she was built.
“I’m sorry I can’t help you,” Rowan offered. “I have to be smart, though. This isn’t smart.”
“If you say so.” Darcy’s glare was dark as she peeled away. “You’re going to regret this.”
Rowan sincerely hoped that wasn’t true.
SHE THOUGHT THE WEIRD CONVERSATION with Darcy would leave her edgy. It didn’t. It left her more perplexed than anything else.
Dave sat with her, his eyes tracking the people who passed, and waited for Quinn’s arrival. The security guru looked a lot more worked up than his girlfriend when he joined the party.
“Everything okay?” he asked, dropping a kiss on Rowan’s forehead before she could get up from the lounger she was reclining in.
Dave nodded. “Nothing to report ... other than the blond Phoenix Society chick approached her about thirty minutes ago. I think some rather heated words were exchanged.”
Rowan shot him a withering look. She felt as if she was being tattled on for stealing the last chocolate milk. “I was going to tell him.”
Dave slid her a sidelong look. “I didn’t say you weren’t. I was just making sure he was aware of the details.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You’re kind of a big squealer.”
Instead of being offended, he chuckled. “If you were going to tell him, you have nothing to complain about.”
“Yes, I do. That was my story. You totally took the wind out of my sails.”
Quinn was amused by the interaction despite the agitation threatening to dampen his spirits only moments before. “What if I promise to put the wind back in your sails with a nice lunch, huh?”
Dave snorted. “I think that’s my cue to leave. I’m heading down to the docks. We’re supposed to make it look like we’re diving no matter what. Nick didn’t plan this far ahead because he didn’t know about Spencer’s diving fetish. We might actually have to go into the water.”
Quinn nodded, thoughtful. “I was wondering. Are you guys all certified divers?”
“We’re former Navy SEALS.”
When Quinn didn’t respond, Rowan did it for him. “Does that mean you’re certified?”
Dave’s laugh was loud and from the belly. “Oh, I’m starting to really like you. It’s probably good that you found her first, Davenport. If you two weren’t so enamored with one another, I might try to steal her.”
“I would squash you like a bug,” Quinn countered, his hand busy as it ordered Rowan’s flyaway hair. The wind had really done a number on it. “I think you’ve got plenty of wind left in you, Ro. How about you tell me about your run-in with Darcy, huh? Then I’ll take you to a romantic lunch before we meet up with the others on the docks and figure out what’s what.”
She sighed, the sound long and drawn out. “You had me at romantic lunch. Can we go to that place that has the awesome crab bisque?”
“Absolutely.” He linked his fingers with hers and focused on Dave. “Thank you for keeping her safe ... and tattling. I believe she was going to tell me, but I’m glad you got it out of the way so there wasn’t a delay.”
Dave saluted and then turned on his heel. “You’re really lucky you met her first,” he called out. “I didn’t think I would like someone so adorable, but she’s got a certain … something.”
Because he agreed, Quinn let the comment go and focused on her. “What did Darcy want?”
“Well, it was interesting.” Rowan told him the story, leaving nothing out. A few times she had to backtrack, and when she was done, Quinn was as baffled as she was.
“I don’t understand what she was after,” he said, shaking his head. “Did she really think you would just skip off with her onto a strange island and participate in some ritual bonding exercise?”
“I don’t know. I’m starting to wonder if she wanted to confide something in me.”
“Like what?”
“Like ... what’s really going on.”
It took everything Quinn had to hold back the snarky response on the tip of his tongue. Rowan tended to be more trusting than he was often comfortable with. She believed most people were good to their core. He was more cynical. And, because he loved her more than anything, he was resolved to nip this potential situation in the bud.
“Baby, have you considered that she wants you to think she’s on your side but her real job is to entice you away from the rest of us to make it easier to grab you?” He hoped the question didn’t come off too condescending.
“I have considered i
t,” she replied, opting for honesty. “I know that’s what you want me to believe, so I’ll do it if it’s really that important to you.”
He made a protesting sound halfway between a growl and a sigh of exasperation. “Ro, I don’t want you to believe as I do simply so we won’t have an argument. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“I know. That’s why I’ll do it. You’re the best man I know.”
The simple declaration touched him to the depths of his soul. “God, I love you.” He pulled her to him and buried his face in her hair. “You have no idea how much I love you. The thing I want most in this world is to take care of you, be with you. I don’t want you to put yourself in a box for me and think like I do simply because you believe it’s what I want, though.”
She patted his back. “I’ve given it a lot of thought,” she started.
“Ugh. I just know I’m going to hate this.” He squeezed his eyes shut and kept himself wrapped around her. “Tell me.”
“My gut tells me she’s trying to help. I know you don’t believe that — and I don’t expect you to — but my instincts are telling me to give her a chance. Now, before you start ranting and raving, you should know that I’m not an idiot. I have no intention of wandering off with her. I told her I could only talk if you were with me. I’m going to stand by that. You don’t have to worry.”
He exhaled heavily, swayed back and forth, and then pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Fair enough. I need a little time to think about this before we act on it.” He pulled back and stared into her remarkable eyes. “Can you deal with that?”
“We’re having crab bisque for lunch. I’ll be fine.”
He grinned. “Good. Do you want to lock your camera in the room so we don’t have to worry about it while we’re out? It will probably be easier.”
“Good idea.” She linked her fingers with his as he dragged her back toward the employee access door that led to her room. They were almost through it when her camera strap snagged and she stopped, her eyes going toward movement on the deck.
There, two familiar faces strolled past as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Michael and Spencer. They seemed to be having a good time, laughing as if they’d been best friends for thirty years, instead of minor acquaintances. They didn’t as much as look in Rowan and Quinn’s direction.
Farewell Seas Page 52
