Raging Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 9) Read online

  “Yeah, well, we don’t know what it’s time for,” Paul pointed out. “We have no idea what these people want.”

  Quinn shot him a quelling look. “The argument is over and the decision has been made. That’s all there is to it.”

  “I’m not arguing.” He held up his hands in capitulation. “I’m in this, too.”

  “Both of us,” Nick added. “Get us on the ship. We’ll be ready in the morning for whatever you send our way.”

  “I’ll be sending Fred so he can give you temporary identities and fix how you look. When you get on the ship, pretend you don’t know us ... at least for the start. I want to get a feel for these people before I do anything.”

  “That sounds like a plan.”

  Instinctively, Rowan wrapped her arms around Quinn’s waist and rested her head on his chest as he held her and stroked her back.

  “I’m ready,” she whispered.

  “I’m ready, too. We’re going to do this, and we’re going to do it right. We’re all in this together now. There’s no turning back.”

  2

  Two

  Rowan was a nervous wreck the next day. She tried to pretend otherwise, but Quinn knew her better than anyone. He watched her get ready with a studied eye, frowned when she fussed with her makeup, and finally stepped in when she decided to change her outfit a fourth time.

  “You’re good.” He grabbed her hand before she could reach for a flowery dress. “You never wear dresses when taking opening day shots,” he reminded her. “You need to be comfortable because you still have a job to do.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “I’ve worn dresses on the first day before.”

  “When?”

  “Lots of times.”

  He folded his arms over his chest and regarded her with a stern gaze. “Ro, I’ve been watching you since you arrived on this ship. I was watching you long before I thought it was a good idea to watch you.”

  “You sound like a stalker.”

  His lips twitched. “Only for you, sweetie.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “You’ve never worn a dress on the first day and you know it. The breeze is usually stiff when we’re leaving port and you don’t want to worry about your dress flying up when you’re busy working.”

  She knew he had a point. Still, she was annoyed. “You would think, as an adult, I would be old enough to pick out my own clothes.”

  He refused to let her draw him into an argument. “Perhaps you’re just having an off day.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” Her eyes traveled, unbidden, to the mirror. “What do you think they want with me?”

  That question had been haunting Quinn for weeks. “I don’t know. My guess is they want to see what you can do. It doesn’t matter. I won’t let them near you.”

  “We both know you can’t protect me every second of every day.”

  “Watch me.”

  She couldn’t hide her amusement. “I love you.” She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest, enjoying the moment of pure intimacy for as long as she could. Soon, their lives would be in upheaval — again — and they wouldn’t have a lot of quiet moments to enjoy.

  “I love you, too.” His arms were strong as he held her tight. “I won’t lose you. Whatever you believe, that’s the truth. It’s you and me forever.”

  “Yeah.” She let loose a sigh. “Have you talked to Dad and Nick? Do you know if Fred got their new identities taken care of?”

  And they were back to reality.

  “Yup.” Quinn gave her a quick kiss and then released her. “Nick is actually keeping his current fake identity, which is his legal identity. There’s no way to tie him to your father, so it’s safe.”

  Rowan was puzzled. “I thought you said they both needed new identities.”

  “Fred tore Nick’s apart and says it’s solid. Also, because of who he is, we already have a story in place for Nick. We’ll be swinging by El Demonio again. It’s the first port stop. He’s taking a team back for another dive.”

  “A team?” Rowan shook her head. “Won’t that distract him?”

  “Not really. Besides, his team is technically divers but there are five former Navy SEALS on it. They’re also security for you.”

  “Oh.” Rowan brightened considerably. “You’re saying you’ll essentially have a small army at your disposal.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Nick and Fred did a good job covering us. These men are highly trained and know their first priority is you. They’re also adept at blending in. As far as the Phoenix Society folks are concerned, they’re just divers entertaining themselves until they get to their destination.

  “Also, with Fred on the ship, I’ll know you’re always covered,” he continued. “When he first insisted on coming, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. Technically he’ll be on Nick’s payroll, though. This is going to work.”

  He sounded so sure of himself that Rowan couldn’t help but brighten. “What can you tell me about the Phoenix Society people coming on board?”

  “I was hoping to wait until we’re all together to share that information so I only have to go over it once. Everyone should be here in about thirty minutes. That gives us an hour to break things down and get them settled before the regular guests start arriving. It’s important to remember that most of the passengers are only here for a good time.”

  “You want to make sure I don’t shirk my duties. I’ve got it.”

  “You would never shirk your duties.” He tweaked the end of her nose, earning a smile. “You can spend time with your father and Nick. Your father is being listed as an underwater engineer with Nick’s firm. You’re allowed to spend time with them, but I want you to be careful not to spend too much time with them alone. It’s better if you’re with the group.”

  Rowan understood what he was saying. “They’re going to be watching me. You want to make sure they have no reason to question my father’s identity.”

  “Pretty much. From what I understand from Fred, he came up with a great disguise. They won’t be able to recognize him.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Definitely.”

  “What about the others?”

  Now it was Quinn’s turn to be confused. “What others?”

  “Well, Michael for starters.”

  Michael Griffin was the captain of The Bounding Storm. He was closer with Quinn than Rowan, but he’d been helpful a time or two since Rowan had joined the staff. He was unaware of her gift, and that’s exactly how Quinn wanted to keep things.

  “Michael is aware that Nick is returning. He thinks we bonded over that first trip. If I have to hazard a guess, he believes I’m sticking close to Nick so I can get a good job when I’m finished on the ship. I have not dissuaded him from that assumption.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “He believes Nick’s only goal is to get back to El Demonio with his team.”

  “And we had enough room for all these people at the last minute? That doesn’t sound right. We’re usually booked solid.”

  “Well, that was an issue,” he hedged, shifting from one foot to the other. “The only rooms we had open were the high-roller suites. Nick didn’t bat an eyelash when I told him about the cost. They have that entire wing.”

  Rowan’s eyebrows migrated north. “Seriously? That’s a lot of money.”

  “Your uncle is loaded.” Quinn’s grin was cheeky. “Why else do you think he offered us a beach house for a song once this is all over with?”

  Rowan chuckled. “True. Still ... I’ll have to thank him.”

  “He wants to be here. They both want to be here. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to have them with us. At least now I’ll know you’re always covered.”

  “Yeah, but ... what about Demarcus and Sally?”

  Quinn had been expecting the question. Demarcus Johnson, the head bartender, was his best friend on the ship. They were exceedingly close. Demarcus wasn’t aware of Rowan’s gift — really, how do you ex
plain that your girlfriend sees death omens in the lens of a camera? — but he was the sort who picked up on the emotions of others. That’s what made him such a good bartender. There was no way he would be able to ignore the heightened emotions once the ship left port.

  As for Sally Jenkins, she was the head chef on the ship. She was aware of Rowan’s ability and was her fiercest soldier in the war to keep Rowan safe. There was no sense of hiding things from her because it was likely Rowan would need the woman for support.

  “I figured we would play Demarcus by ear,” Quinn replied. “Eventually, I feel we’ll have to tell him. Now might not be the right time, though. As for Sally, you can tell her whatever you want. She’ll make a good ally.” What he didn’t add was that Sally would be another set of eyes watching Rowan, and the friendly chef could go places all the men surrounding Rowan couldn’t ... like the gym locker room and bathrooms.

  “I’ll talk to her once there’s an opening in my schedule.”

  “That sounds like a plan.”

  NICK’S TEAM ARRIVED EXACTLY as scheduled and Quinn ushered them to the conference room adjacent to his office. He waited until everyone was settled to begin.

  “I’m sure you all know why you’re here,” he started.

  Rowan couldn’t take her eyes off her father. His disguise was something out of a movie. He wore a brightly-colored Hawaiian shirt that went against his personal style and someone had put a villain mustache on him. The corners actually curled.

  “I thought the whole point was for Dad to fly under the radar,” Rowan interrupted, gesturing toward her father. “He looks like Captain Hook without the plume-y hat.”

  Fred chuckled as Paul rolled his eyes.

  “The best disguises are the ones that make people stare and then have to look away,” Fred explained. “Your father looks like an eccentric who is trapped in the eighties. People will stare, and then disregard him because he looks so ridiculous. The general thinking is that no one trying to fly under the radar would draw attention to themselves with a shirt this loud.”

  “And the mustache?” Rowan leaned closer and pinched her fingers against the fake hair. “It’s kind of gross.”

  “It’s totally gross,” Paul agreed. “I fought the mustache hard. I was outvoted.”

  “The mustache is part of the mystique,” Fred supplied. “Trust me. I’ve been doing this a long time. These Phoenix Society people will look at him ... and then totally disregard him.”

  Since she wasn’t an expert on the subject, Rowan decided to let it go. “Okay, tell me about the people we’re dealing with.” She focused on Quinn. “What should we expect?”

  “Alright, we’ll start with Leon Spencer.” He’d hooked his computer up to a projector and navigated the open panes until a photograph popped up. The man had dark hair tinged with silver at the temples, spectacles, and an air of authority. “He’s listed as the president of the Phoenix Society. Whether that’s a true title or something he hides behind, I can’t say.”

  “He looks like somebody’s creepy uncle,” one of the men Nick had brought with him interjected. All five of the men were wearing shirts proclaiming them members of Green Deep Sea Diving and they had first names embroidered on their shirts. This man’s name was Dave and he made Rowan nervous because he was as big as a house. He had arms the size of torpedoes, and they made her feel small.

  “It’s important that we don’t underestimate these people,” Quinn stressed. “I very much doubt they’ll overtly go after Rowan — at least on this cruise — but they might have men in place when we dock at various ports who are instructed to grab her. If that happens, I won’t be happy.”

  Dave fixed his unreadable eyes on Quinn. “It hasn’t been explained to us exactly why these people might want your girlfriend. I don’t suppose you would explain that to us, would you?”

  “That’s not important,” Nick interjected, his tone firm. “What’s important is that no one takes her. She’s to be protected at every turn. That’s your primary job.”

  “I understand that. It’s just ... she’s only a girl. Why would they want her?”

  Quinn glared at Dave. They weren’t exactly getting off on the right foot. “She’s much more than a girl.”

  Dave held up his hands. “I wasn’t casting aspersions. She seems lovely, if a little fixated on mustaches.”

  “It’s a villain mustache,” Rowan countered, annoyed. “You can’t just walk around in a villain mustache. It’s weird.”

  Quinn snorted and then extended a finger. “Watch yourself,” he warned. “You’re only allowed to be cute for me.”

  “Oh, geez.” Fred rolled his eyes. “This is never going to work if you two insist on constantly verbally copulating in front of us.”

  “No, it’s never going to work if you keep saying stuff like that,” Paul shot back. “She’s my daughter. I can’t listen to things like that.”

  “Duly noted,” Fred said with a straight face. “Let’s go back to talking about the people coming on this ship. As annoying as I find Quinn and Rowan’s perpetual lovefest, I’m genuinely fond of her. I would prefer to keep her safe.”

  “Yes, let’s go back to the Phoenix Society,” Quinn agreed. “Not a lot is known about Spencer. He’s unmarried but dates an endless series of model-type women.”

  “They must be attracted to the money,” Rowan noted. “It can’t possibly be his personality.”

  “You haven’t even met him yet,” Quinn pointed out.

  “No, but you can tell he walks around like he’s got a stick up his butt. He just seems like the type.”

  Quinn had to press his lips together to keep from laughing. She was adorable, and now that she’d settled a bit, her dander was up. She was feeling feisty. That was exactly what he wanted to see.

  “Well, we’ll know more when we meet him,” Quinn offered. “I expect him to try to make contact early. That means he’ll probably approach you in the lobby to take his photograph.”

  Despite her bravado, Rowan swallowed hard. “What should I do?”

  “Act normal. Polite disinterest. Do your job but don’t ask him any questions. He’ll be suspicious if you do. Take the photos, give him the spiel about the online portal where he can purchase the photos, and then move on. If you show him too much interest he’ll realize we know about him and the last thing we want to do is tip him off.”

  Rowan understood. “Okay. I can do that.”

  “What about the other two Phoenix Society employees?” Paul asked, his eyes never leaving Spencer’s face on the screen.

  “Do you recognize him?” Quinn asked, legitimately curious. “Have you crossed paths with him?”

  “I don’t think so.” Paul said the words but he looked uncertain. “We’re talking almost thirty-five years ago,” he reminded the security guru. “A lot can change about a person in thirty-five years. I think I would remember this guy, but it was a long time ago. If I met him, it was during the initial experiments. It wasn’t in the years after.”

  “That’s probably good for us,” Fred noted. “If you don’t recognize him, that means you probably never met. He’ll be less likely to identify you in that case.”

  “You said he couldn’t be identified with the disguise,” Rowan argued. “If there’s a chance he can be identified ... .” She left it hanging. She didn’t exactly want to kick her father off the ship, but she would do it for his safety if it became necessary.

  “He won’t recognize him,” Fred promised. “You have my word. I’ve done this before, Rowan. Have a little faith.”

  She remained unconvinced but turned to Quinn. “Give us the rundown on the others.”

  “There’s not much to tell,” Quinn replied. “We have Darcy Walker and Julia Benson. Darcy is in her twenties. Julia in her thirties. I have no physical descriptions of them, but Fred managed to pull their driver’s license photos.” He clicked on a new file and brought up the unflattering photographs.

  “Darcy is blond. Julia is brunette.
Both are single and live in Tampa. They work out of the Florida office. I don’t even know their job descriptions because the Phoenix Society doesn’t have a directory listed on their website.”

  Rowan pursed her lips as she regarded the photos. “They look like clerical workers. Maybe they’re just assistants or something. Maybe Spencer is here to watch me and they’re just along for the ride.”

  “That’s entirely possible,” Quinn conceded. “I don’t want you letting your guard down, though. They’re as much the enemy as Spencer. They might be assistants. They might be something more. I want you to be careful ... and keep your distance.”

  Rowan balked. “Wait ... are you saying I can’t talk to these people at all while they’re on the ship? That’s not fair.”

  Quinn remained calm. “Life isn’t fair. As for talking to them, I don’t want you to squeal and run the other way when you see them. That’s not a natural reaction. I don’t want you seeking them out either, at least not today.

  “We need to observe them the first day,” he continued. “We have the upper hand here. They’re assuming they flew in under the radar and we’re not expecting them. We have to take advantage of this opportunity. That means we watch them, at least for the first few hours. There are plenty of us to do it without garnering suspicion.”

  “What about after that?” Nick queried.

  “The plan is to have another meeting before dinner. I’ve spread word that I’ve loaned this conference room to Nick’s group and gave them special passes so they can enter freely. No one will suspect anything. Random guests cannot get down here, so this will be our safe haven.”

  “I’ll get to confront them eventually, right?” Rowan pressed. “You’re not just going to let them leave after they spend days studying me like a lab rat, are you?”

  “We’ll play it by ear.” Quinn hated the disappointed look on her face. “Sweetie, I’m sorry, but I can’t give you firm answers here until we know exactly what we’re dealing with. It’s all up in the air right now.”