“You’re a guest.Theguest.” The elite security agency often booked the Hargrave Hideaway. Sometimes as part of a protection detail, sometimes just for employees or clients meeting with their regional coordinator’s office in town. Why hadn’t he mentioned the connection at their first meeting?
“I’m early,” he said, “but when I saw you were my contact, I thought I’d take the chance. The front door was locked, so I came around back and…” His voice trailed off. “I can come back at check-in time.”
He was definitely early. And if he was with the Guardian Agency, he might understand her sudden predicament. Best not to test that until the authorities arrived. Whatever purpose brought him here, it couldn’t be related to the body on the beach behind her.
“Well welcome!” She smiled, but it must have looked a little crazed because he didn’t come closer.
Of course he didn’t. Though being close to Trent had become a frequent fantasy. For her. “Let’s just go on in here and get you registered,” she managed.
“Do you need an ID?” He reached for a pocket on his shorts as he approached.
“Yes.” She waved him closer. “In the house. I’ll show you around. As soon as I send a text message.”
She grabbed her phone and texted Celeste to call the police. Now she just had to figure out how to keep Trent distracted.
Dead bodies didnotfit the Hideaway B&B brand.
CHAPTER 3
Trent recognized the shock stamped on Natalie’s face, despite her efforts to hide it. What the hell was going on? Was she seriously that unhappy to see him? Maybe he’d overestimated her interest in him. It had been coffee between strangers. Hardly a relationship.
Except he’d immediately wanted more time with her. Couldn’t go a day without thinking about her. About how to see her again.
Yeah. Not a great restart so far.
“The agency didn’t tell you to expect me?”
“No.” Another distracted smile. “They just booked two weeks.”
“And you don’t ask questions?”
Her laugh sounded more like panic around the edges. “They only give us vague answers anyway.”
She was surely right about that.
His self-confidence was in good shape, but he didn’t normally send women into fits of fidgeting or cause them to go white as a sheet. So what was up with Natalie hustling him inside? He’d caught the tremor in her hands as she sent the mysterious text message.
“Cookie?” she offered.
“Were you expecting someone else? Before my check-in?”
“Hmm? N-no. Not at all.” She inched closer to the cookies on the rack, drawing his attention. “Fresh baked. Obviously.”
“Great.”
Today, Natalie wasn’t anything like the chill, self-composed woman he’d met previously as she’d gleaned the docks for items to incorporate into her artwork. He had another grim flash that maybe she was connected to his assignment.
After months of gathering evidence on the boat thieves, a Coast Guard intercept had gone wrong a few days ago. Trent had been called in to track down two missing suspects who were not the legal owners of the boat they’d been on.
Two suspects had gone overboard after a brief gunfight, including the ringleader of the operation. Another member of the team—deceased—had been found on board. A fourth man had been taken into custody, but he wasn’t giving up much intel.
Which left Trent traveling up and down the East Coast, searching the most likely hiding spots for the escaped suspects. Brookwell Island currently topped the list.
He’d seen a great deal of unpleasantness during his military service and as a private investigator. He knew better than to assume any pretty face was innocent, but man, he didnotwant to discover Natalie was involved.
Smiling through his doubts, he said, “I didn’t mean to catch you at a bad time or wreck the check-in routine. I’m just so excited to be back on the island. It’s easy to see why everyone raves.”
“Sure. I, um, get that. Brookwell’s the best.” She pressed her lips together as if she wanted to stop talking. It didn’t work. “And here at the Hideaway, of course. We have a great reputation. Private beach and everything.” She rubbed her hands together. “Normally, Celeste is the greeter. She’s better at it.” Her gazedarted around. “I, um, just need to find the tablet to get you checked in.”
