Page 34 of Secrets Beneath the Waves (Beach Read Thrillers #2)

CHAPTER

TWELVE

Saturday Morning

It felt like déjà vu.

Ellie parked the speedboat in the same spot where she had taken Matthew the day before. The engine sputtered to a halt, leaving them with only the sound of gentle waves lapping against the hull. She dropped the anchor, raised the dive flag, then turned to Luke, her tone purposefully aloof.

“This is it.”

Luke grinned, his usual charm on full display as he reached for the gear bag. “Perfect spot. Let’s get started.”

“Not so fast,” Ellie said, her hand darting to his arm. Her tone was sharp to the point that he stopped what he was doing. “We need to talk.”

His grin faltered, replaced by a cautious look. “Talk about what?”

She squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes, so he’d know how serious she was. “I know you’ve been talking to Mark about me.”

Luke’s expression shifted, and his forehead creased. “Okay . . . I figured he’d tell you. I can explain.”

“Why would you talk to him?” Ellie pressed. “What exactly are you trying to find out?”

Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “Ellie, it’s not what you think.”

“Then explain it to me.” Her voice rose, the tension crackling between them. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” he repeated, incredulously. “That’s what you think this is?”

She folded her arms, the intensity in her gaze unrelenting. “Well, aren’t you?”

Luke laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Jealousy isn’t the problem, Ellie. I was concerned that you might be compromised.”

Her breath caught. “Compromised?” That’s not what she expected to come out of his mouth.

“Yeah,” he said, stepping closer. She put her hand out, so he’d keep his distance. His voice softened, but his frustration was clear. “How well do you know this guy?”

“I don’t know him that well. We’ve only been out a few times.”

“Exactly. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t a threat to you,” he said.

“So you followed me?”

“I didn’t follow you. I saw the two of you together. I didn’t like it. So, yeah, I followed him. I asked him some questions. Can you blame me?”

“Yes. I can blame you. If you have a concern, then you come and talk to me.”

“I could throw that back at you. Why didn’t you tell me about him?”

“Why should I?”

“I thought we were building something real. And now I find out you’re . . . what, dating him too?”

“You and I aren’t exclusive,” Ellie shot back, feeling a twinge of guilt she refused to show. “We never talked about not dating other people.”

Luke bit his lip, then paused like he wanted to be careful what he said. “That’s the problem. I didn’t think we needed to talk about it. I would never date anyone else.”

“Just because we’ve had a couple dates doesn’t mean you own me. I can date whoever I want.”

Ellie could see the hurt on his face as his shoulders slumped, the fight briefly leaving him. “So that’s where we are? I guess it’s good to know where I stand. Got it. We’re keeping our options open.”

“I’m not keeping my options open,” she said, her voice lowering. “I’m figuring out who to trust. And right now, you’re not making it easy.”

Luke’s eyes darkened with anger. “I’m not making it easy! You’re the one splitting your time between me and him. Maybe I’m the one who shouldn’t trust you.”

Ellie stood up straight, her chest heaving. She matched his intensity.

“You’re worried about trusting me? What about you? I saw you pass an envelope to a crew member of a cruise ship a couple of days ago. Who was he, Luke?”

He blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “You saw that?”

“Yes,” she said, her tone razor-sharp. “You accuse me of being compromised, and I’d like to know why you’re handing off packages of money to strangers.”

Luke’s expression hardened. “It’s not what you think.”

She noted that he didn’t deny the envelope was full of money.“Tell me what I should think. From where I’m sitting, it looks suspicious. It’s treason to sell secrets to the enemy.”

He laughed. She couldn’t tell if the laugh was a deflection, or if he really thought what she said was ludicrous. It sounded over the top when the words left her mouth.

“He’s an asset. I’ve been working with him to gather intel on drug smuggling through the Caymans.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief.“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?”

“Believe me or don’t,” he said. His voice dropped a mix of frustration and vulnerability. “Either way, it’s none of your concern.”

Ellie frowned, unsure whether to believe him. “And what do you do with that information?”

“We use it to track the shipments,” Luke explained. “Once the drugs are offloaded, they’re taken by boat to Mexico, then moved across the U.S. border. My job is to gather intel. That’s why I was stationed here. I pay him for information. It took me a long time to develop that asset.”

She felt small for doubting him. While he could be lying, it wouldn’t be hard to confirm the information. If true, she’d made a mistake by confronting him.

“Ellie, don't repeat this information. His life could be in danger if he’s outed.”

“I’m not going to tell anyone.”

“I believe you. Unlike you, I do trust you even if you don’t trust me.” His words dripped with bitterness and sarcasm.

Ellie gave a curt nod, then turned away to go through her gear bag.

She zipped it open roughly, their argument lingered in the air, heavy and unresolved.

She let out a slow breath as anger still bubbled beneath the surface.

Her equipment banged against the boat several times, making a loud sound that pierced the awkward silence.

“Ellie,” Luke said more softly. She turned in time to catch his expression. Regret shadowed his usual confidence. He took her hand. “Why are you angry with me? What did I do wrong?”

“I’m not angry,” she said, although her voice betrayed her, and her actions did as well when she pulled her hand away. It was the only response she could muster without risking more of the truth.

Her mission was more important than his feelings. She confronted him because she had to know if he was the mole. Even though it didn’t go as planned, she couldn’t reveal her real mission, even if she had eliminated him as a suspect.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and for a moment, she stilled. “I shouldn’t have gone behind your back and talked to that guy. I thought I was protecting you.”

The apology caught her off guard, and for a split second, her resolve wavered. He sounded genuine—more so than she’d expected. But did it matter?

Even if he weren’t the mole, he had talked to Mark. Despite his denials, she couldn’t help but think that jealousy was the motive. The last thing she wanted was a possessive boyfriend. Someone clingy.

In reality, she didn’t want a boyfriend at all.

“Don’t do it again.”

“I won’t.”

She focused on the strap of her bag, tightening it with more force than necessary.

“Can we put this aside for now?” he said gently. “It’d be a shame to waste this beautiful dive spot.”

A crack formed in the armor of her anger. Her emotions still churned, a mix of frustration but mixed with a glimmer of hope that he wasn’t entirely what she feared.

She should be relieved that she didn’t have to kill him and dump his body in the Cayman Trench.

“It’s forgotten,” she said, looking up long enough to lock eyes.

For now.

At some point, she’d have to break up with him. She only got close enough to determine if he was the mole. Maybe she got her answer to that question today.

She did get clarity about something else. She liked Mark better.

With that, they began prepping their gear in tense silence, and the sharp edge of their argument had dulled. At least for now.

They descended into the tranquil, turquoise depths of the Caribbean. Ellie’s fins propelled her smoothly through the water. The day before had brushed off any rustiness from not having dived in a while, and she was looking forward to it now that she was in the water.

Above her, the morning sun sliced through the surface, creating a shifting mosaic of light on the sandy seafloor. Beside her, Luke glided effortlessly, his movements natural and unhurried.

She bit down on her regulator. The air hissed through it steadily and rhythmically, even as her thoughts whirred.

The whole confrontation had left a bitter taste of regret in her mouth.

It hadn’t gone as planned with either Matthew or Luke.

She had expected to confront them like a prosecutor and break the case.

Instead, they both had a plausible defense.

It left her confused. Both about the mission and her romantic feelings, which she was having a hard time separating. Luke apologized, and Matthew tried to repair the damage to their relationship. But trust didn’t come easily to her, especially when her life might depend on it.

Wasn’t that what made what she did so dangerous? A good lie always sounded like the truth. Could she trust either of them?

The nagging doubts remained, and Ellie resigned herself to the fact that until solved, the mission would always be hanging over her. The truth felt like a slippery fish just out of reach, darting away every time she thought she’d caught it.

The wreck loomed ahead, a shadowy silhouette wrapped in coral and seaweed demanding her attention. Luke signaled for her to follow him toward a cluster of fish darting around the hull, his expression a mix of awe and focus.

For a moment, she allowed herself to believe that this was a man she could at least have a good time with today, someone who shared her wonder at the world beneath the waves. Luke pointed excitedly toward a moray eel that peeked out from a crevice in the wreck’s hull.

Ellie nodded, her lips curved into a small smile behind her regulator. His enthusiasm seemed genuine, and for a brief moment, she wondered why she ever doubted him.

She gestured toward a narrow opening in the side of the wreck, inviting him to follow her inside. She must trust him somewhat since she gave him her back, and he could easily attack her from behind if that’s what he intended to do.

Together, they swam through the silent corridors of the sunken vessel, careful to avoid disturbing the silt that had settled over the years. Rays of sunlight streamed through cracks and broken windows, casting eerie, dreamlike patterns on the walls.

Ellie kept one eye out for that eel. Another potential predator she had to deal with.

Luke pointed out a small group of lionfish hovering near a broken beam, their spiny fins flaring like delicate fans. Ellie nodded, impressed by his sharp eye.

He went up and touched them. She kept her distance.

After a while, they began to run low on oxygen, so they made their way back toward the open water. Ellie’s gaze was drawn upward.

A flicker of movement above caught her attention.

A shadow passed over the sunlit surface.

Her stomach knotted as the shape solidified. It wasn’t a passing cloud or a school of fish; it was a boat. And it was right next to theirs.

Ellie froze, her breath quickened behind her regulator.

She reached out and grabbed Luke’s arm. Her fingers dug into his suit. He turned sharply. His brow furrowed as she pointed toward the surface. His eyes followed her signal and narrowed as he caught sight of the vessel.

Without hesitation, Ellie gestured toward the wreck, her movements sharp and decisive. She pointed to an overhang near the broken hull and signaled for them to take cover.

He grabbed her wrist and tugged her back toward the boat, but her doubts deepened. She yanked her arm free. Her glare pierced through the water between them. His brows knit together in confusion, but he didn’t stop prodding, gesturing urgently for her to follow him.

Ellie refused, so he stayed with her. Above, the muted hum of boat engines faded as the vessel came to a stop. Two dark figures leaned over the side, their movements deliberate, scanning the water.

She let out a muted scream when one of them slipped into the sea a couple minutes later with a shiny object gleaming in his hand.

A spear gun.

Her heart plummeted, every instinct screamed for her to move, to swim, to hide—but where? If she came out of her hiding place, they’d spot her immediately.

The second figure slipped into the water with the smooth precision of someone who had done this a thousand times. They weren’t searching randomly; their eyes scanned with purpose, their spear guns at the ready.

Ellie felt the walls of the wreck close in around her as if it were a tomb.

She glanced at Luke, who already sensed the danger with sharp, assessing eyes. His hand had a knife in it now. She hadn’t known he was carrying one.

But as she crouched down there with him in their inadequate hiding place, her instincts screamed, her thoughts were tangled in suspicion. She replayed the argument they’d had earlier, his evasive explanations, the ease with which he described working with informants.

Her thoughts returned to the undeniable truth. They had to know where to find me. And the only person who could have told them was him.

The truth hit her like a cold current. He’s the mole. Every word he’d said, every move he’d made—it had all been a lie. Her chest tightened as a dark certainty took hold. He hadn’t just led them to her; he’d betrayed her in the most calculated way possible.

She thought she was leading him into a trap. And now, she was the one trapped. Alone, underwater, and at his mercy.