Page 53 of Secrets Along the Shore (Beach Read Thrillers #1)

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Seven Months Later

The low rumble of an engine and the crunch of loose rocks on the gravel driveway pulled Tyler’s attention from the Harley Davidson motorcycle he’d been trying to fix for the last ten months.

It was probably a lost cause after not running for twenty years, and he wasn’t a mechanic.

He pushed to his feet, snagged a rag off the plastic chair that had come with the rundown farm, and wiped the grease and sweat from his hands.

On the ground beside the chair, white and gray ears twitched while the shepherd’s expressive eyes stared at the gray SUV driving toward the small house several meters from Tyler.

The dog’s body tensed, ready to meet whoever had shown up.

She sprang to her feet as the vehicle came to a stop in front of the house.

“Tundra, sit.” Tyler tossed the rag aside. He rarely got visitors. But only two people knew where he lived. Koen. And his handler. As the driver’s door opened, he crossed the space between him and the vehicle, stopping at the step of his porch.

Von stepped out of the SUV and shut the door, her gaze drifting around the property behind her dark glasses. She gave him a slight smile as she walked up to him. “Your last paycheck wasn’t enough?”

He rested his hands on his belt. Of course, she lived in a big, nice house. She expected him to live somewhere nicer. But his deserted farm served him fine. “The money was put to good use.” It’d been a decent amount of money so he’d donated it. He didn’t need anything.

She nodded and didn’t say any more about it. “You should have Gage take a look at that.” She gestured to the motorcycle.

“I’ve got it.” He got along fine with Gage, but he didn’t want anyone else to know where he lived.

The only reason he told Von was because it was part of the contract.

He gestured for her to follow him inside.

Stepping into the house gave them instant relief from the summer heat.

He leaned against the kitchen counter near the door.

“What brings you to Western Australia?” She didn’t make social calls. Not her style.

She slid her hands into the pockets of her slacks. “We have a new job.”

“Yeah?” In the last few months, she’d handed him several jobs. All of which he completed. Now when there was a complicated job, she brought it to him first. She knew he got things done. He also hadn’t refused a task once.

“Russian girl.”

Interesting. He waited for his handler to give him the details.

“Another rescue,” Von explained. “The client says she’s been missing for five years. The Bratva—Russian mafia—grabbed her when she was thirteen.”

He nodded once. Not a good place for her to be.

She’d lost part of her childhood being in the hands of the Bratva.

He had yet to meet them, but he’d heard from other mercenaries he’d met over the last several months that they weren’t people to mess around with.

“Proof of life?” If they had to break her away from the Russians, he’d rather they were positive the girl was alive.

“Yes. As of three days ago.”

He folded his arms. “Alright.” Three days was a little longer than he’d have preferred, but if the mafia had kept her alive this long, why kill her now ?

“There’s a catch though.”

Of course. He considered her. “What is it?”

“Our client got the information from a drunk Bratva member, and he’s not sure about her exact location.”

So what, they had to hunt down clues as to her location? “Wait.” Tyler stretched his jaw. “If the guy was drunk, how’d he give proof of life?” That didn’t add up.

“The client was a little more brief than I would have liked. Which is why I want your thoughts on this.” She glanced down as Tundra strode over to her and dropped a long rope on Von’s shoe. Von rubbed her knuckles over the mutt’s head.

“Did you see the proof of life?” If she saw it, then there wouldn’t be much problem. That still didn’t make sense how the client got the info though. Did he share a picture? Make a phone call?

Von nodded. “A picture. The girl’s in rough shape.”

Not unexpected. Five years was a long time with the mafia. She’d gone through some rough stuff in that time. She should get the chance to go home. Just like everyone else Tyler had rescued so far.

He had no reason not to do it. All he’d been doing was trying and failing to fix that motorcycle. A little action would be good.

Von brushed Tundra’s fur off her hands and met his gaze. “So?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ll take it.”