Page 33 of Isla by Any Other Name

“So all this was for nothing?” she asked on the verge of tears.

“It’s not for nothing. The list of charges just got longer. Hernandez’s personal hit man will be charged with attempted murder, as will the other five men we took down last night. Hernandez will be in prison for life if he doesn’t get the death penalty.”

“So, he can still send someone to kill me?”

“He can. But Molly, he won’t succeed. Didn’t last night show you that we have your back? We’re here to keep you safe.”

“Will we have to leave the compound?” she asked.

“Yes, for now. Maybe just for a few days. Consider it a vacation. We just want to make sure that the compound hasn’t been compromised. We don’t believe it has, but we want to be sure. So we’ll go to one of the Bureau’s safe houses for a little while.”

“When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow morning. We’ll leave here at seven and we’ll be at our destination by three.”

“Will the whole team be coming with us?” Isla asked.

“Just the original five. Leaves have been suspended. Lara and Colt will be joining us this evening. Sal and Todd are staying here to keep an eye on things.”

“I like it here, Mitch. I hope we can come back. I feel safe here.”

“I know you do, sweetheart. We’ll be back.” He snuck a kiss onto her lips.

Molly wiped the tears off her cheeks with a dishtowel. “Thank you for keeping me safe. Now go wash up. Breakfast in ten.”

Mitch smiled. “I can’t believe you cooked.”

“What else was I going to do all night, waiting for you all to come back home?” She turned and opened the oven and started pulling dishes out and onto the island.

Biscuits, jam, eggs, sausages. And just like she’d promised, a popover just for Mitch.

Chapter nineteen

Isla poured cereal into a bowl and grabbed a banana off the counter. They’d be leaving soon for the new safehouse. She would miss it here, and she wanted to pretend for a moment that everything was normal—as normal as things could be. She sat next to Lara and asked, “How was your Thanksgiving?”

“It was really nice,” Lara said, her bright green eyes lighting up. “I got to see my baby nephew Nathan. He just turned six months—what a sweetie. And his sister Mackenzie has gotten so big, she’ll be three in May. It’s been a while since I’ve been home. I enjoyed every minute I was there. Sorry to miss all the action though!”

“How’s your girlfriend, Colt?” Isla asked him.

“She’s good, adjusting to her new environment. We cooked a nice dinner together and just enjoyed each other’s company. I haven’t seen her in three months, so it was great just being together, just the two of us.”

Isla shook her head. “I don’t know how you guys do it. You give so much of yourself. I never thought about what kind of sacrifices you people make day in and day out. I mean, I always knew that you put your life on the line every time you walked out the door, but I never realized how much you actually give up to keep people like me safe. I thank you all.”

“You’re welcome, Molly,” said Colt. “Though none of us think about it as a sacrifice.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. Isla knew just how lucky she was to have met these people in this place, even under the circumstances.

Mitch stood next to the SUV with the passenger door open. He took Isla’s arm and helped her in. “Ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. “Vacation, right?”

“Vacation,” he smiled. The caravan of SUV’s left the compound.

Isla turned to look at Mitch. “So, where to?”

“South Carolina, Hilton Head Island. The Bureau has a house there. I’ve been there before. It’s really nice. Right on the beach.”

“Sounds fancy. Will we be safe there?”

Mitch nodded. “We will be. Ten-acre lot, private beach, gated community…the Bureau in Charleston has two agents waiting for us. They’ll be with us while we’re there.”