Page 18 of An Epic Voyage (The Epic Beauty Salon Files #1)

Indigo and Jordy appeared with their luggage. Griffin couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“Dean.”

Someone tapped him on the back. He turned to see one of the other security personnel.

“What is it, Packer?”

“I’ve been calling your name for like five minutes. Didn’t you hear me?”

Dean. That was him. “Sorry. What do you need?”

“Do you want me to grab a couple of the other guys and bring the golf carts here for people to get to the house?”

That was something Griffin should’ve been on top of instead of ogling the passengers. “Yes. The yacht crew will stay on board.”

“Got it.” Packer took off.

“Hey, Griffin,” Jordy said as they reached him.

“Jordy, Indigo.”

“Hey,” she said. A gust whipped her hair around her face, and she tried to hold it back, but the wind was winning.

“Can we go to the house now?” Jordy wanted to know.

“Yes. Transportation will be here shortly.”

“The sky looks bad,” Indigo pointed out.

Griffin looked up. “It does. There’s a good chance we may have to leave. Stay close to the house and listen for the alarms to go off. If they do, hightail it back to the yacht.”

“Where would we go?” Jordy wanted to know.

“It depends on the storm. Probably back to Miami.”

The golf carts arrived. Griffin helped load Indigo and Jordy’s bags on one, and Packer drove them to the house. Van Houten arrived with his assistant, Franklin, and two of his bodyguards, Gordon and Zisk. The other, Garcia, pushed a cart loaded with bags.

Griffin pulled Van Houten aside. “We need to be prepared to evacuate if the hurricane changes course.”

Van Houten gazed out over the water. “It does look awful, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I have important meetings this week. Keep me posted.”

Griffin nodded as Van Houten and two of his bodyguards got in one cart and drove away.

Franklin climbed into one by himself. Before he took off, Griffin called out, “Hey, Franklin, where’s Jinger?”

Franklin shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”

Great. Griffin was going to have to track her down. Before he could, she came running, waving a hand in the air.

“Benny, I’m here! Wait for me!”

“He left already,” Griffin told her.

She stumbled to a stop. “What? He left without me?” she screeched.

The answer was obvious, so he kept quiet.

“Why would he do that?” Her bottom lip trembled as tears spilled down her cheeks.

“I don’t know.”

“Did he say anything about me? Did he tell you to come and get me? It’s your fault, isn’t it!”

“No, he didn’t contact me at all.”

Her cries morphed into anger, and her face contorted into a mask of fury. Pointing behind her, she barked, “Get my bags and take them to my room right now.”

She stomped off and yelled at Packer to get off his fat ass and drive her to the house pronto.

Sorry to disappoint the spoiled brat, but he didn’t work for her, and he sure as hell didn’t take orders from her. If she wanted her bags, she could damn well get them herself.

The only people still on board were the other security personnel and the yacht staff, who would stay. Griffin grabbed his bag, commandeered one of the golf carts, and drove to the mansion.

It was even more impressive up close. A massive fountain in the front contained leaping dolphins and sprayed arcs of water everywhere.

A landscaped koi pond was off to one side, complete with a wooden bridge and waterfall.

Ornamental grasses and blooming foliage decorated the paved walkway to the house.

There were sea turtles and octopuses carved from wood, and ornate, illuminated jellyfish hanging from trees.

Griffin greeted the woman at the door and introduced himself by name. She ushered him into a grand foyer and directed a young boy to escort him to his room. Before he could protest, the boy grabbed his bag and took off down a hallway.

The blast of cold air was welcome from the unnaturally high humidity outside, probably a result of the impending storm. He knew from studying the blueprints that his room would be on the second floor, alongside the other security personnel. They stopped at an elevator and took it up one level.

The boy struggled with Griffin’s luggage.

He wanted to help him but didn’t want to embarrass him.

Griffin wasn’t an expert judge of age, but the kid couldn’t be over seven or eight years old.

The boy opened the door and gestured for Griffin to enter.

Griffin thanked him and handed him a twenty-dollar bill. Wide, round eyes met his.

“For me?”

“Yes, thank you for showing me to my room.”

The kid looked like he’d hit the lottery. With a broad smile and a nod of thanks, he dashed away. Griffin wouldn’t have tipped an adult since he was in a private home, but he knew the kid would appreciate the money.

The room was grand, with a four-poster king-size bed surrounded by mosquito netting, a sitting area, and a private bathroom. If his was this nice, he could only imagine what Van Houten’s suite looked like.

Griffin’s cell vibrated in his pocket. He looked at the screen and answered.

“Hey, Griff, bad news. The storm has officially changed course. It’s headed directly for Van Houten Island.”

#

E vangeline was working on her computer when a sharp rap sounded on her door.

It swung open.

“You could’ve waited until I invited you in,” she chastised.

Jackson didn’t take the bait. “It’s turned.”

Evangeline popped out of her seat, knowing instantly what he was talking about. “The hurricane is headed to the island?”

“It looks like it will take a direct hit.”

She grabbed her phone. “We have to get her out of there.” She dialed Indigo’s number, but the call kicked to voicemail. “Damn it, Indigo.” She disconnected and tried again. Same result.