Page 37

CHAPTER 37

W hen Raven finished her phone call, she headed to the lobby to wait for Jake.

However, she couldn’t get the conversation with her father out of her head.

What did he know? Who were they up against right now?

Sigma . . . should that name be familiar to her?

Maybe. But she didn’t know how or why.

All the questions only served to frustrate her.

As she stood near a massive fireplace in the main room, she heard people talking. She looked up in time to see a couple of Jake’s teammates coming down the stairs. Atlas and Maverick if she remembered correctly.

They nodded hello before pausing near her.

She remembered how Jake said he wasn’t sure if he could trust them. The tidbit put her on edge. She needed to play it cool right now and not let on to that fact.

“You okay after yesterday’s fiasco?” Atlas asked. “That was a pretty rough situation.”

“You can say that again. I’m still a little shaky but incredibly grateful to be alive.” She smiled slightly.

“That’s a good way to look at it.” Atlas cast her a compassionate look. “To be grateful for life is to recognize that even in struggle we can find gifts and blessings.”

“Ignore him.” Maverick rolled his eyes. “He should have been a poet or the leading man in Hollywood.”

Raven couldn’t help but smile.

Maverick quickly sobered as he turned back to her. “We’ve been trying to get to the bottom of what happened.”

Raven had to wonder just how much he knew. Did Maverick have any idea that information had been stolen? That someone here could be a traitor?

“The timing couldn’t be worse,” Maverick continued. “Did you see those waves today?”

“That’s because there’s a storm brewing offshore,” Atlas reminded him with the shake of his head. He turned back to Raven. “This guy loves surfing more than breathing.”

“Technically, I really love breathing also.” Maverick shrugged. “What can I say? My lungs like air.”

Despite herself, she found herself smiling. These guys were likable.

But were they trustworthy?

Before they could talk anymore, Jake stepped back inside.

Raven’s heart gave an involuntary squeeze when she spotted him.

That reaction is not a good idea , she silently scolded herself. In fact, it’s a bad, bad idea.

She tried to read his expression. “Everything good?”

He nodded. “All things considered.” He glanced at his colleagues. “Any updates with you guys today?”

They both shook their heads.

“We’ve been busy,” Atlas said. “But no answers yet.”

“That’s what I thought,” Jake said.

Raven turned back to him. “So what’s next?”

“We’re free to leave.” He nodded to Atlas and Maverick. “We’ll be in touch.”

With a wave, they started toward the door.

But Raven knew the last thing she wanted was to go back to her house and twiddle her thumbs. There had to be more they could do to find answers.

Just as they climbed inside Jake’s Tahoe, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen. “It’s Cassidy. I’ll put her on speaker.”

A moment later, Cassidy’s voice came through—although she sounded staticky, like they had a bad connection. “Raven, is Jake there with you?”

“He is.”

“Perfect. I want to talk to you both. I just got a lead. I’m headed out now to check things out, but I thought you might want to join me.”

“Name the place,” Jake said.

“It’s an old seafood-processing plant here on the island. Someone called and said they saw a car there that fit the description of the one the man drove who opened fire on you. I’m on my way now. If you get there first, don’t go inside until I arrive.”

“Understood,” Raven said.

They headed down the road.

Raven couldn’t wait to see what they found there.

Jake pulled to a stop in front of an old, rusty warehouse located waterside on the sound and surrounded by nothing but marsh grass. Several broken windows lined one side, jagged pieces of glass promising trouble.

At one time, this had probably been a thriving business.

No more.

It looked like no one had used this place in at least a decade.

Yet the smell of fish still permeated the air.

“We beat Cassidy here.” Raven scanned the area. “I don’t see her car—any cars, for that matter.”

He frowned. He’d fully expected her to be here.

“Should we call her?” Raven asked.

“Let’s give her a few minutes,” Jake said. “I’m sure she’ll be here soon.”

Raven sucked in a breath, grabbed his arm, and pointed. “Do you see that?”

He leaned closer.

Movement caught his eyes. A man headed toward the water.

He was going to get away—before Cassidy arrived. Jake couldn’t let that happen.

“Wait here.” Before Raven could argue, he grabbed his gun and took off after the man.

But as soon as he stepped out of the Tahoe, the man spotted him. He took off in a run.

In thirty seconds flat, the man made it through the marsh, jumped on a small fishing boat, and cranked the motor.

Jake fired a warning shot in the air.

The man glanced back as the boat began to glide through the water.

Jake was almost there—yet so far away at the same time.

Just as he reached the water, the boat cranked into a higher gear and began moving more swiftly.

Jake considered lunging into the water and trying to swim toward the man. But Jake knew it would be no use. The guy was too far away.

Instead, he stared after the man, trying to memorize his details. Tall with dark hair and a square face. He wore a trucker hat and jean jacket. Unfortunately, the hat blocked most of his features.

But Jake was nearly certain he’d never seen the man before. He headed back to the warehouse.

What had that guy been doing inside the building?

Even though Cassidy wasn’t here yet, he decided to step inside.

They needed answers—and they needed them now.