Page 12 of Pirates in Calusa Cove (Everglades Overwatch #2)

CHAPTER 9

Trinity sat on the back patio with Baily, Audra, and Chloe, the FBI agent, of all people.

She’d seen Chloe around town several times over the last year, but lately, she seemed to be coming around more often—and hanging out with Hayes. Trinity had seen them once at the coffee shop together and a second time milling about the marina.

She hadn’t thought too much about it, but now she wondered if there wasn’t something to it. Not that it was any of her business.

“Thanks for letting me join you tonight,” Chloe said. “While I’m used to eating alone in hotels, it gets old after a while.”

“How long are you staying in Calusa Cove?” Trinity asked, staring out at the canal, unable to make eye contact. While she was glad Chloe had stayed, she knew one of the reasons Chloe stuck around was because she was a federal agent, and Keaton didn’t want Trinity and the rest of the ladies to be without the protection of someone who held a badge or who had served.

“Just tonight,” Chloe said. “I met with Dawson about a case I’ve been working on this past year. Tomorrow, I need to head over to Tampa.”

“Did your meeting with Dawson have anything to do with my friend Mallary?” Trinity held up her hand. “I understand if you can’t get into the details. It’s just that I feel responsible for what happened out there, and not knowing anything makes me crazy.”

Chloe set her wineglass on the table and leaned forward. “I’ve spoken with Dawson and Keaton about what happened out there, and you are not responsible. You did what any normal person would have done in that situation.”

Trinity let out a long breath. Tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t know about that. I keep replaying my actions, and I can’t help but wonder if I shouldn’t have given them the jewels. Maybe they would’ve let us both go.”

“No.” Chloe shook her head. “While I don’t work cases like that, I’ve been at this job too long and seen too much. Criminals like that don’t leave witnesses behind.”

A guttural sob caught in Trinity’s throat.

“I’m sorry.” Chloe reached across the table. “I didn’t mean to imply your friend was dead.”

“But that’s most likely what happened.” Trinity swiped at her cheeks.

“I won’t lie to you,” Chloe said. “It’s possible. However, because they don’t have the jewels from the Flying Victoria , it’s quite probable they’re keeping her alive to use her as leverage to get them.”

“Then why haven’t we or her family heard from them yet?” Trinity asked. “Why haven’t they reached out asking for the jewels in exchange for her?”

“I don’t know.” Chloe leaned back. “There could be a dozen reasons why. One reason could be that they’re watching you, checking out where and who you’re with while assessing the situation and waiting for the right time. They could even be using her to deep dive in the area.”

“But I have the jewels and Mallary knows that,” Trinity said.

“That’s true. However, we haven’t released to the news that we found the jewels. For all the pirates know, you dropped them when you dove off your boat during the fight, and they sank to the ocean floor. That’s why Agent Ballard has requested the Coast Guard keep an eye on the area. He’s the agent in charge of Mallary’s case. I’m just helping out where I can.”

“Thank you,” Trinity whispered. “I appreciate all your efforts.”

“I’m happy to help.” Chloe nodded. “Ballard and I do a lot of work together since we’re both part of the violent crimes unit.”

“Are you working on that woman who went missing twenty miles from Calusa Cove?” Baily asked.

“I can’t get into that.” Chloe reached for her long ponytail and twisted it.

“I understand. However, we all know you’ve been asking questions about missing people for a while now,” Baily said. “Should we be concerned?”

“It never hurts to be vigilant about your surroundings,” Chloe said.

“As if I don’t have enough to worry about with someone trying to kill me.” Trinity raised her glass. “I don’t know what I’d do if it weren’t for Keaton and the rest of the gang.”

“You and Keaton have certainly turned the corner.” Baily lifted her wine and clanked it against Trinity’s. “It’s nice to see the two of you get along because, you know, all that sexual tension was starting to grate on the rest of us.”

Trinity rolled her eyes. “Right, because you and Fletcher don’t have any of that.”

“What Fletcher and I had was a long time ago, and the tension between us now isn’t sexual in nature,” Baily said with a defensive tone and a wave of her hand. “At least not on my part.”

“And I’ve got a bridge for sale.” Audra shook her head.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Baily turned and stared at the water.

“How are things going with you and Keaton?” Audra asked, bringing her wineglass to her lips and changing the subject before an argument ensued, because that’s what always happened when anyone brought up Baily’s feelings for Fletcher.

“I’m not even sure how to answer that question amid everything that has happened to me in the last couple of days,” Trinity said .

“I get that.” Audra nodded. “Things with me and Dawson went from zero to sixty in seconds.” She laughed, shaking her head. “He thinks I’m clueless about what he has planned, but he forgets who I am.”

“What are you talking about?” Chloe asked. She smoothed her hands over her slacks. She always wore a dark suit with a white button-down shirt, and her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail at the nape of her neck. It wasn’t just her FBI persona that made it hard for Trinity to figure her out, but it was the fact that the few times they had spoken, outside of official federal business, Chloe pretty much kept to herself.

Trinity was happy to have the chance to get to know Chloe. Partly because of her involvement in Mallary’s case, and partly because of her interest in Hayes. Trinity enjoyed Hayes’s company. Heck, she liked all the guys. They were fun and energetic. They all made her laugh, making her feel like she was part of this special group, as if she’d finally found a place inside Calusa Cove where she belonged.

It hadn’t happened overnight, and for a long time, she hadn’t believed it would ever happen. It wasn’t until she’d been in the hospital that she realized just how much she mattered to them. It warmed her heart to know they cared as much as she did. And that it was genuine. She felt that to her core.

“My darling boyfriend has been ring shopping, and he thinks I don’t have any idea.” Audra smacked her forehead. “The worst part is the other day he asked me weird questions and then showed me a couple of pictures of engagement rings, wondering which ones I liked. He got all tongue-tied and tried to act as if he were just flipping through some magazine and making small talk. We don’t do small talk. Not like that.”

“Aw, that’s sweet,” Trinity said. “When do you think he’s going to propose, and are you going to say yes?”

“Of course, I’ll say yes.” Audra giggled. It was a strange noise coming from her, but it was nice, and Trinity loved that Audra and Dawson had found each other. “But that man should know me well enough by now to know I don’t want flashy. He could just blurt it out without a ring and march me down to the judge so we can get on with it. He’s not the most romantic human in the world, and we know I suck at it. So, if he drops to a knee and opens some box with some big diamond, I’ll probably laugh at him, and then it’ll cause a fight.”

“I doubt that,” Chloe said. “He just wants to do it right.”

“The right way with Audra would be to have a gator or python present it.” Trinity laughed

“I could be down with that.” Audra raised her glass. “I just wish he wouldn’t get his underwear in a twist over it, like he did when it took him a week to figure out how to tell me he loved me. All he had to do was say it. I have half a mind to ask him to marry me to get it over with.”

“Oh no.” Chloe shook her head. “I might not know any of you very well, and I can’t say I’ve had good luck with relationships, but I don’t think any man would like that.”

“I doubt Dawson would care,” Trinity said. “Keaton, on the other hand, would take offense. He might not be that word he hates, but he does like to be a man .” Trinity lifted her fingers and made air quotes. “He’s a walking contradiction about it.”

“What do you mean by that?” Baily asked.

“He’s all about equity and equality.” Trinity laughed. “He truly does believe that a woman should and can do pretty much anything a man can. He doesn’t believe that her sex should hold her back or that a man should be the thing that stops her. But in that same breath, he’s all about opening doors, chivalry, and, in a weird way, gender roles. And I don’t say that in a bad way. Nor am I saying he thinks a woman’s place is in the home once a relationship changes. It’s just that he’s one hell of a protective, chest-pounding man when he gets the chance.” She pointed her index finger over her head. “And all I’ve done since we got together is give him reasons to flex his muscles and grunt out commands.”

“Dawson once told me that he was always the kind of team member who took charge in the field. That, as team leader, he loved and hated that about Keaton. He loved it because he knew that no matter what, Keaton would always be the first to think on his feet and make decisions. He hated it because sometimes he didn’t consider the chain of command.”

“I can say I’ve honestly seen that firsthand,” Chloe said. “The boys helped me and Ballard with a case six months ago, and while Keaton’s take-charge attitude didn’t bother me, it grated on my boss’s nerves, especially since he was a civilian who technically had no business doing what I had asked. ”

“He does come on strong at times,” Audra agreed. “But only when he’s passionate about something or feels like there has been a major wrong in the world or he cares deeply.” She held Trinity’s gaze. “Dawson will be pissed at me for saying this, but it’s not like we all don’t know that Keaton fought his feelings for you for an entire year. He stumbled around, acting like an idiot because, for whatever reason, he wouldn’t act on the fact that he wanted to be with you.”

“If you had said that to me even a couple of weeks ago, I would have laughed in your face,” Trinity said. “The way he treated me—the things he said to me—didn’t seem like a man who was remotely interested in me. And I was totally into him, so it was a bit of a shock. But once we talked, I understood where he was coming from. Understanding his history put it in perspective.”

“He doesn’t talk much about his past.” Baily lifted the wine bottle and filled her glass. “I was still on and off with Fletcher when Keaton got engaged to Petra, so I know some of it, and she did shape a lot of who Keaton is today.”

“I know almost nothing about Petra,” Audra said. “Dawson always tells me it’s not his story to tell.”

“It’s not,” Trinity interjected, feeling as though she needed to stop the conversation. As if she were breaking Keaton’s trust somehow.

“I have no idea what or who you ladies are talking about.” Chloe sipped her wine.

“I’d rather we not continue discussing it,” Trinity added. “And for the record, it’s not because the topic upsets me, it doesn’t. The only reason I want to end this right here is because Dawson is right, and no offense, Chloe, but for me to go into detail about who and what Petra meant to Keaton would be me breaking a confidence.”

Chloe nodded. “I’m totally fine with that.”

A quiet silence filled the evening air. The only noise was an owl in the background and an engine humming down the canal. A few minutes ticked by with no words.

“I want to ask you girls something, and it’s okay if you don’t want to answer, but I’m going to ask it anyway,” Chloe said, shifting in her seat. “I’m very much out of my element. I’m married to my career, and for now, I like my life that way. Settling down, getting married, or having children is not on my radar anytime soon. I became an FBI agent because I’ve always wanted to work in law enforcement, and there are things in my career I want to do. Before I achieve them, a husband or long-term relationship is out of the question. When I date, it’s with the understanding that I’m not sticking around. That makes me a bitch. I get that.”

“Stop right there,” Audra said. “I hate that. A career woman who knows what she wants and where she’s going isn’t a bitch because she doesn’t want what the world thinks she should want. So please don’t say that.”

“I appreciate you, but it doesn’t change my world.” Chloe laughed. “I grew up in a conservative family. While my parents are proud of me and what I do, they want me to get married and have kids, and they don’t believe I’ll find a husband in the FBI.”

“My late brother Ken didn’t want me to snag a husband here in Calusa Cove.” Baily laughed. “Of course, he thought the only person out there for me was Fletcher.” She raised her hand. “And if any of you try to tell me he was right, I’ll put a python in your bed.”

Audra laughed. “Right, because that’s going to scare us.”

“It would freak me out.” Chloe sat up taller, squaring her shoulders.

“What was your question?” Trinity asked, bringing them back on task.

Chloe fingered her ponytail. “I’m sure you all know that Hayes and I have been…talking.”

“Is that all you’re doing?” Audra asked with a wide smile. “We’re not blind, and I’m not judging.”

“Nothing is going on. He’s asked me out a million times, and I’ve always said no. But we’ve had coffee. We shared lunch a couple of times. The flirting is a bit intense. There’s definitely an attraction there. It’s just that I’m not in a place where a solid relationship can form. Hayes is a good man, one of the truly nice guys out there. I’ve always said no because I wouldn’t want to hurt him when I do what I always do and say thanks for the good time, but we’re done because I’m too involved with my current caseload.”

“I don’t know how to say this without it coming across the wrong way,” Audra started. “And also, without sounding like a gossip.”

“Well, then I’ll say it.” Baily sighed. “I’ve known all the guys longer. I met them all before my brother died. I know them, but Hayes, well, he’s just different.”

“What does that even mean?” Trinity asked.

“Hayes doesn’t do relationships. He never has. At least not that I’ve ever known.” Baily shrugged. “I can’t tell you the why because that I don’t know. But I can tell you that he’s never had a long-time girlfriend. Ken, Julie, Fletcher, Keaton, Petra, Dawson, and some chick he was dating came for the holidays one year. Hayes came, too. But he came solo. Hayes always came solo. I once asked him, and he flat-out told me that unless he lasted more than a couple of months, he didn’t see the point. I pressed Fletcher on it, and he told me that Hayes never went that long. And he didn’t bring the girls he dated around them all that often. He’s just not interested in marriage or kids.”

“And now we are gossiping.” Audra laughed. “But Hayes is a good man. The best.”

Chloe leaned back. “I like Hayes. He’s funny, smart, and sexy. I just don’t want to lead him on, and whatever this is, it can’t go anywhere.”

“Looks like you both share the same dating philosophy. All you have to do is be honest,” Trinity said.

Chloe stared out at the water with a furrowed brow as if their words hadn’t registered.

“Is something else bothering you about getting involved with Hayes?” Trinity asked.

“It’s me,” Chloe said. “I don’t usually allow myself something like this when I’m knee-deep in such a big case. I’m conflicted, and I don’t like being conflicted. While I’m good at compartmentalizing, I’m finding myself in a place I’ve never been before.”

“Wait a second.” Baily leaned forward. “Are you saying it’s your feelings you’re worried about and not Hayes’s? ”

“No,” Chloe said quickly. Too quickly. She lifted her glass. “I might have had too much booze.” She chuckled. “That’s another thing I don’t do when working a case, but it’s been a long day.”

The sound of big tires over the pavement caught Trinity’s attention. She glanced over her shoulder. Keaton and the guys were back with pizza.

“Finally, the food’s here.” Audra jumped to her feet. “I’m starving.”

“Me, too.” Baily pushed her chair back. “And we need another bottle of wine.”

Trinity adjusted her sling. The throbbing in her shoulder had become part of her new normal. A reminder of what had happened. She shivered.

“Hey, babe.” Keaton appeared at her side. He leaned over and kissed her temple. “Did you ladies have a nice chat?”

“We did.” She nodded.

“I noticed there were flowers in the trash.” He arched a brow.

“Fenton,” she whispered. “They came shortly after you left to pick up food. Remy signed for them and tossed them out for me.”

“I seriously don’t like that man.” Keaton eased into the chair beside her while Baily and Audra helped Dawson and Fletcher with the pizza and paper plates.

Chloe and Hayes had taken a stroll down toward the docks and stood there, staring at the water…talking.

“Fenton’s a harmless asshole.” She pointed toward the canal. “What do you make of those two?”

“I’m not sure,” Keaton said. “Hayes is acting all weird about it. I’ve never seen him pursue a woman like he is with Chloe. I get it. I mean, she’s an attractive woman. She’s smart. But she’s unlike any girl I’ve ever seen him date.”

“And how many women has that been?” She cocked a brow.

He laughed. “Very few. But none of them were badass Feds. They were all quiet, which I guess Chloe is, but they were more…” He glanced toward the sky. “…how do I put this? They weren’t career-minded women.”

“That doesn’t sound like a man looking to avoid relationships.”

“Oh, Hayes has always been a bit of a player.” Keaton raised his index finger. “I don’t mean that in the sense that he was a dick about it. More like he dated one girl, then it ended, he took a break, and then he dated someone else. Anyone we ever saw him with, he treated them like a princess.” Keaton sighed. “I get the impression he really likes Chloe, but I worry it’s the hunt that has him going full throttle, and that wouldn’t be fair to her.”

Trinity bit down on her lower lip and groaned.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she mumbled.

“No. It’s something.” He leaned over and kissed her. “What do you know that I don’t?”

“I can’t say. It would be breaking girl code.”

“Ahhh. I see.” He chuckled. “Well, as long as it isn’t bad or something Hayes needs to know about, you and your girlfriends can have your private talk. ”

She smiled. Never in her life had she been with a man like Keaton. His sweetness often outweighed his chest-pounding. “And what did you and the guys talk about while you were out getting us dinner?”

“Now that would be breaking bro code.” He tapped her nose, then shifted his gaze back to the canal. “They are an interesting pair, though.”

“I bet that’s what your friends say about us.”

He burst out laughing.

“I don’t see what’s so funny.”

“We are an odd couple, but that makes it fun.” He patted her thigh. “We spent all of last year fighting this, arguing over…I have no idea… and now, well, look at us. We get along just fine.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. I’ve had to talk you off the ledge a few times and remind you that I can speak for myself.” She arched a brow.

He sighed. “I won’t let you pick a fight with me tonight. I’m in too good of a mood.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. She could honestly get used to this banter.