Page 46 of No Time Off (Lexi Carmichael Mystery #15)

FORTY-SIX

Lexi

A fter we got dressed, we stepped out onto the bungalow’s veranda to enjoy the morning breeze and the spectacular view of the ocean. It seemed like weeks instead of days since we were last here. The water sparkled under the gentle rays of the sun, promising a beautiful day and giving me a sense of peace and gratitude. Slash stood behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. For a few glorious minutes, we said nothing, just took in the gorgeous scene in contented silence. Unfortunately, we couldn’t linger, as we’d been summoned to the prime minister’s house.

But first, we had friends to thank.

Slash and I settled into the living room with our laptops open and I connected the video call. It rang twice before Elvis’s face appeared on the screen, grinning from ear to ear.

“Well, look who finally found the time to check in,” Elvis said, and I saw everyone behind him jostling each other to see us. “What’s up, lovebirds? You guys just get up?”

“Hey, we had a tough day yesterday,” I said, twisting my hair up into a ponytail and then leaning back on the couch. “We almost died a couple of times, but we’re still alive, thanks to you guys.”

There were sounds of whooping and hollering, and I exchanged a smiling glance with Slash.

Xavier muscled in next to his twin on the screen, his face practically touching Elvis’s. “We got your message late last night with word the plan was successful. You also promised us a debrief, so, of course, we called the entire gang in to hear it.”

There were more shrieking and excited whooping. I saw glimpses of Angel, Frankie, Wally, Basia, Brandon, and others as they fist pumped and gave each other high fives.

“So, what happened?” Elvis asked, raising his voice to be heard over the others. “Did everything work as planned? Any glitches?”

“You’re not going to be disappointed,” Slash said, leaning back and stretching his legs out. “Everything went off without a hitch. Sheer perfection, down to the second.”

Angel stuck her head in between Xavier and Elvis. Her red hair fell like a curtain over Elvis’s shoulder. “The social media blast. Was it effective? Did the audio work properly?”

“It was perfect,” I said. “You and Wally did a fantastic job on that front. The blast did exactly what it needed to. Riled up the people and got them marching to the television station. And, Frankie, we would have been lost without you. The translations were critical, and your work was flawless. You guys were absolutely amazing.”

We filled them in on the details of the past days in greater detail. We didn’t speak much about Shi—we’d fill them in on that in more detail later. We did, however, answer as many questions as we could and clarify issues.

“I bet no one expected Maivia to fold that easily,” Elvis said at one point.

“I don’t think even Maivia expected Maivia to fold that easily,” I said. “He was so sure of himself. But once his email went out and the crowds and Parliament read his confession that the Chinese were backing him, he had no choice but to concede. I’ve never seen anyone so easily defeated, especially after that live television moment. Watching him surrender to the real prime minister made for riveting television.”

Xavier nodded. “Definitely a showstopper. You guys are lucky the police didn’t storm the station while all that was happening.”

“We barricaded the doors and held out long enough to make sure the prime minister’s message went through,” Slash explained. “Maivia is finished and so are the Chinese.”

Basia leaned in, a grin on her face. “Well, for a couple who is supposed to be on their honeymoon, it looks like you’ve had very little time off.”

“Well, we were just getting started when everything went south,” I said. “But now, we’re going to kick back and enjoy the last week of our honeymoon. I promise.”

“You’d better,” she said, shaking a finger at us.

Slash leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. “All kidding aside, we really appreciate you guys. We couldn’t have done it without you. Your hacking, the translations, the intel—none of it would’ve come together without your help. You kept it together when everything could’ve fallen apart. Lexi and I might have been hurt or worse, and the Cook Islands might have fallen to the Chinese. This operation succeeded because of you. So, you have our sincere thanks, gratitude, and love.”

“Hey, we’re always game to save the world,” Wally shouted from the back of the room. “But I wouldn’t turn down some tropical-flavored liquor as a thank-you.”

“Forget it, Wally,” I said. “You’re not twenty-one yet.”

“Darn,” he said, and everyone laughed.

“Now, stop saving the world and go enjoy what’s left of your time off while you can,” Elvis said. “We’re signing off.”

With one last round of good-natured banter, I ended the call and shut our laptops.

Slash ran his fingers through his hair, his relief visible. “You ready to go talk to the prime minister?”

“Not really,” I said. “But I am ready to restart our honeymoon. And, at the moment, talking to the prime minister is the only thing standing in my way.”