Page 19 of An Epic Voyage (The Epic Beauty Salon Files #1)

I ndigo had been to some impressive residences in her career.

Van Houten’s island resort was up there in terms of sheer extravagance and overall beauty.

It was a crime that it sat empty most of the year.

He should rent it out for corporate retreats or private parties. It deserved to be seen and used.

Of course, since he was likely conducting nefarious deals here, it might be better to keep the public away.

Jordy burst through her open door and fell back on her bed, arms and legs spread. “This place is totally bougie,” he enthused.

“Don’t you live in his LA home?”

“Yes, but it’s Hollywood glam. His penthouse in Manhattan is New York posh.

The estate in Hawaii is Polynesian plush.

The Miami condo is an Art Deco delight. Then there’s his flat in London, the one in Paris, the chateau in Switzerland, the vineyard in Tuscany, and the manor in Monte Carlo.

They each have their own flavor. This one is Caribbean chic. ”

Indy knew from the background packet Evangeline and Jackson had prepared for her that there were sixteen other properties Van Houten owned around the world.

He also managed businesses numbering in the hundreds, a fleet of jets, several helicopters, boats, and a substantial collection of luxury cars, which could have easily supported a dozen dealerships.

His wealth wasn’t just obnoxious, it was obscene.

How could he not want to help people less fortunate?

Whether or not Jinger realized it, Van Houten was rumored to have women stashed around the world waiting for him, according to the gossip sites—not that they were remotely reliable.

He had fathered six kids with six different women.

The child support alone had to be in the millions.

Indy idly wondered if he ever spent time with any of his offspring.

“Have you been to all of his homes?”

“Sadly, no. Besides Los Angeles and Miami, I’ve been to New York and Hawaii with them. Paris is on the itinerary later in the month, but I might not be around for that junket—at least, I hope I’m not. As much as I adore the fashion capital of the world, my sanity takes precedence.”

“Good for you for prioritizing your mental health.”

Jordy yawned dramatically. Everything he did was theatrical. “I think I’ll take a nap.”

“I’m going to do some exploring and walk around the grounds. Let’s meet back here for lunch.”

“It’s a date.”

Indy waited for him to leave before changing into her sneakers and grabbing her phone. She wasn’t sure about the security situation. She hoped to pry that info from Griffin. Until then, she’d play tourist.

As they were approaching the island, she noticed an interesting opening in the rocks on the north side.

It appeared to be an indentation of some sort, possibly a cave.

Whatever it was, it might be nothing, or it could be the perfect place to store a nuclear weapon.

It was located on the far side, away from any structures, and definitely worth checking out.

Activity was buzzing in the house as she bypassed the elevator to take the stairs. Fresh vases of flowers were scattered about, their scent perfuming the air. No one paid any attention to her as she slipped out the back to avoid anyone coming from the yacht.

As impressive as the entry was, the rear of the house was the showstopper.

It featured an Olympic-sized pool flanked by cabanas and lounge chairs, as well as a jumbo hot tub that could accommodate a football team.

At some point, she planned to walk along the paths of a professionally landscaped Zen garden loaded with flowers, ponds, statues, and benches.

A gust of wind almost knocked Indy off her feet as she headed to the north shore.

It was too soon to be the effects of the big storm, but the breeze had picked up significantly since their arrival.

An ear-splitting tone sounded, followed by an announcement for everyone to vacate the house and board the yacht immediately.

The hurricane must’ve turned. The safest course of action would be to heed the warning and return to the boat.

When had she ever played it safe?

Besides, this was more important. She might not have another chance to search the island. If Van Houten came back on his own, she knew the nuke would be gone.

The terrain was uneven, with small rocky hills and gently sloping valleys. Several varieties of palm were abundant, as were other trees, such as Caribbean pine and various fruit-bearing ones providing papayas and guavas.

Hindsight was twenty-twenty, but she wished she’d packed her hiking boots. It was slow going in her running shoes, especially with the wind hindering her progress.

Indigo glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her.

She couldn’t see any buildings or hear the warnings any longer.

She could plead ignorance with a semi-clear conscience.

Then she noticed the wickedly dark sky and the rough whitecaps on the water.

There was no doubt that the storm would arrive soon.

She didn’t know how much time she had to check out the cave, and it wasn’t smart to venture into an opening that could flood with water at any time.

But such was the nature of her job.

#

J ackson was prepared to commandeer a helicopter and fly into the eye of a storm himself to snatch Indigo out of the path of Mother Nature’s fury.

Though he was only a few years older than Indigo, Piper, and Chelsea, they felt like his daughters.

Jackson had never told Evangeline, but he’d been offered dozens of promotions over the years.

He’d turned them all down. There was no way he could leave those three women.

He felt responsible for them. His gaze drifted to Evangeline as she attempted to reach Indigo again.

And try as he might, he couldn’t quit Evie.

What was wrong with him? She’d left him, yet he would still give up his life to make her happy. He’d dated other women over the years after his wife died, had slept with more than his share, but they were substitutes for the one he wanted but couldn’t have: Evangeline Charvet.

His phone buzzed and he answered, listening to what the other person said before thanking them and hanging up. Evie shot him a questioning look.

“The Coast Guard contacted Van Houten’s yacht captain. They’re loading everyone on board and making a dash back to Miami.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “Will they be able to outrun the hurricane?”

“If they leave now, they should be okay. They’re going to stick close to Cuba.”

“Good. I’m going to text Indy to call me ASAP.”

#

T he wind picked up strength as Griffin herded people onto the yacht.

He wasn’t sure they could stay ahead of the storm, but they were going to try.

It was their only option. It’d taken a dramatic turn to the left and headed directly toward them, but it was still a day away.

That should give them enough time to get to Miami.

The boat crew hadn’t disembarked, so they were loading on the guests and the staff from the island. It would be crowded, but the boat was big enough to carry everyone.

Van Houten and his bodyguards pulled up in a golf cart. His assistant, Franklin, followed behind in another.

“Where’s Jinger?” he asked when Van Houten stepped aboard.

He waved a hand. “Probably in her room, throwing one of her famous tantrums.”

“Is she on her way?”

“I haven’t talked to her, Griffin.”

Griffin’s jaw clenched. For his plan to work, everyone had to be on board.

He put Packer in charge of standing guard to ensure no one left the boat, commandeered one of their carts, and slammed the pedal to the floor to return to the house and round up Jinger.

Indigo and Jordy hadn’t boarded yet either.

He needed to light a fire under all of them before they missed the darned boat.

One of the security agents was exiting the house when he pulled to a stop. “Hey, Griff.”

“Are all the island employees evacuated?” He had to yell to be heard over the warning, which played on a continuous loop.

“They are.”

“Good. Head to the dock. I’ll be there shortly.”

Bypassing the elevator, he took the steps three at a time and pounded on Jinger’s door. When she didn’t answer, he turned the handle.

“Jinger.”

“Go away.”

He found her lying in the fetal position on the bed, her eyes red and swollen from crying. He didn’t have time for her hysterics.

“Get up. We have to get to the yacht now.”

“Leave me here. Maybe I’ll die in the storm.”

Oh, good Lord. Griffin scooped her up. Her shriek almost punctured his eardrum.

“Hey, let go of me!”

“Hit me one more time and I will bind your hands,” he warned.

She stilled. “Fine. Put me down. I’ll walk.”

“If you try anything, there will be hell to pay.”

“Wait. Go back and get my luggage. I can’t leave without it.”

Seeing as how he’d never brought it to the house, no worries there.

“Let’s go.”

“But—”

He prodded her forward. They ran into Jordy, who was toting his bags down the steps.

“Where’s Indigo?”

Jordy’s eyes widened. “She’s not on the boat?”

“Not unless she’s there now. She wasn’t when I came to get you two.” A pang of unease washed over him. He hadn’t passed her on his way back to the house either.

“She left a little while ago to explore the island.”

What? Why would she go out when he’d cautioned her to listen for the warnings? She might not have heard them. Great.

He managed to get Jinger and Jordy in the cart and down to the boat. He charged Jordy with taking care of Jinger and making sure she didn’t jump overboard. Jordy didn’t look happy about his assignment, but he gave an abrupt nod.

Griffin addressed the man he’d put in charge while he was gone. “Packer, did Ms. Adair board yet?”

“Is she the hot blonde chick with a killer bod?”

Griffin gritted his teeth. “Yes.”

“No. I haven’t seen her.”

“Okay. I need you to make sure everyone finds a place to bunk. We’ll have to double up.”

“Got it.”

Griffin waited until he left and jumped back into the golf cart. He had no idea where Indigo would’ve gone. The southern part of the island had flatter, more navigable terrain with white, sandy beaches, whereas the northern half was more rugged, with jagged cliffs.

On a hunch, he headed north.