Page 128 of Nowhere to Hide

Her attention was on the other kid zipping away.

“Cil?”

She turned wide, terrified eyes on me. “I saw...” She shook her head. “No, I’m just freaked out. I didn’t.”

“What did you see?”

She shook her head. “I had to be seeing things.” She touched her mouth. “But that mask.”

The kid looked over his shoulder, and he was wearing the same mask as the other thief. The wide smile, in cartoonishly evil teeth was just like the one the killer wore.

Unwilling to believe it was a coincidence, I dragged her through the crowd back to my slip.

“Get on the boat and lock yourself in the cabin.”

She didn’t argue—thank fuck—just scrambled onto the bridge deck and into the boat. I heard the slicking door slam shut. I scanned the crowd of tourists and boaters. No one looked out of the ordinary, but I didn’t trust it.

I tapped a guy who was filling up on his shoulder. “Hey man, I have to jet. Can I cover your gas and butt in?”

The older man in full boating gear down to his deck shoes frowned at me. “You can wait your turn, son.”

I flipped out the cash I just got—it was worth it to see his eyes bulge. No one turned down cash, least of all rich people. He shrugged and took the wad then stepped back.

I filled up, all the while scanning the people that came close to my boat.

It felt like it took forever to top off, but finally the diesel gauge clicked off. I pulled off and handed it back to the guy. Luckily the fuel was automated for pay here. I kept my eye on my boat as the payment went through.

I uncoiled the tether line and jumped onto my boat. I automatically flipped open all the portals and skylights so I could take off immediately.

“Cilla?” I called for her as I slipped through the sliding door.

She didn’t call back, making my heart stall out in my chest. “Cilla?” I called louder. I hurried down the stairs to the bedroom and found the door closed. I pounded on it.

She opened it, her face ashen.

I hauled her in. “We’re good. We’re fine.”

She jerkily nodded against my chest, her arms tight between us.

“I’m going to get us out of the port. You okay for a few minutes?”

She nodded and sat down on the bed.

I framed her face with my hands. “You’re safe.”

Her dark lashes were starred with tears that didn’t quite fall. “Safe.”

I kissed her hard, then left her to close the door after me. I heard the snick of the lock. It wasn’t going to keep anyone out—not really, but I appreciated it all the same.

I rushed topside and grabbed the SAT phone on my way up to steering. I dialed Bastian while I was backing the boat out of the slip.

“What happened?”

“It might be nothing.”

“You and I both know it probably wasn’t.”

I huffed out an annoyed breath. “A couple of kids were fleecing the tourists on e-scooters. They came right for us and tried to take Priscilla’s purse.”