Page 41 of Secrets Beneath the Waves (Beach Read Thrillers #2)

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

Ellie sat on the back deck of her villa, watching the moonlight shimmer over the water as the persistent Caribbean wind dried her damp hair after a long, much-needed, relaxing, hot shower. This was the first time she had taken it easy since arriving on the island.

She had the phone to her ear, her tone as breezy as the air around her.

“The mole’s been taken care of,” she said, almost gleefully. “He’s on an extended diving trip. Very exclusive. One-way ticket. I was his tour guide and personally took him to the perfect spot.”

On the other end of the secured line, her mom laughed. “The Cayman Trench? Solid choice. Honestly, I don’t know why we didn’t think of using it years ago. Prime real estate for . . . extended stays.”

Her dad chimed in. “I hope he enjoyed the premium package. That trip set him back more than five million dollars.”

“Oh, he got the VIP experience,” Ellie assured him. “Stunning views, total privacy, no little kids screaming, zero chance of being bothered by any other guests. He’ll be submerged in relaxation for the foreseeable future. Not to mention all the sharks and exotic fish he’ll get to see.”

Her dad chuckled. “That’s my girl. Always maintaining the family’s reputation for quality service.”

“He wasn’t entirely happy, but I told him there were no refunds.”

“We should put that in the brochure,” Mom said. “And also start providing group rates. Buy one get one free.”

“That’s a good idea, but let’s not get greedy,” Dad said. “Too many ‘clients’ and the place might start getting crowded.”

“True. Wouldn’t want to turn it into a tourist attraction.”

Ellie sighed dramatically. “Fine, fine. I’ll keep it exclusive. High-end clientele only.”

“Low-end clientele is what we’re after,” he said.

“Good point.”

The banter warmed her heart. For the first time in her life, she felt like part of the group. She’d heard this kind of kidding among the AJAX team for years and wondered if she’d ever be included in it.

“Good work, kid,” her dad’s voice carried a note of satisfaction.

“Thank you.”

“I turned over all the evidence to the CIA,” he continued. “They were shocked when they saw who it was but pleased that he’s out of the picture. No family, no ties. No one’s going to miss him.”

Her mom let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s a relief. Last thing we need is a wife and kid crawling out of the woodwork looking for him. Or someone from Congress questioning our actions.”

“Nope,” Dad said. “He was single and everything is buried. The scumbag got what he deserved. I also found a lot of actionable intelligence from the phones and IDs you sent me, Ellie.”

“Good to hear.”

“I have to say, dear, I agree with your father. Good job. You handled this like a pro. Clean, efficient, and with just the right amount of flair.”

Ellie leaned back, letting their praise sink in. It felt good. More than good.

“It’s almost like you were born for this,” she added.

“She was,” Dad said.

“I see what you did now!” Ellie said. “That’s the reason you had Joshua and me. You wanted us to follow in your footsteps, so you could retire and let your kids get shot at.”

Dad laughed. “Everybody should have a retirement plan,” he said. “That was ours.”

“Somebody has to carry on your death-dealing legacy,” Ellie said. “It’s certainly not going to be Joshua.”

“He’s brilliant in math,” he said. “He’s on his way to becoming a top-notch computer whiz.”

“Like father, like son. You know what they say. Apples don’t fall far from the tree.”

“I for one, wanted a doctor, maybe a lawyer,” Mom said, pensively. “But no, Ellie, you had to take after your father as well.”

“You’re the one who taught her how to shoot before she could walk!” he said.

“Don’t put it on me. I also taught her how to tie her shoes, but I don’t see her pursuing a career in footwear.”

Ellie needed to interrupt. Otherwise, her parents might get into one of their fake spats that could go on for several minutes.

“In a way, you got your wish,” Ellie said. “Doctors deal with blood. I see plenty. Lawyers lie for a living. I find myself doing a lot of that as well. I actually prefer this better than being a doctor or lawyer. Less paperwork.”

“Good point.”

“Really, I’m just a younger and better version of both of you.”

“Ouch. One mission in, and she’s already got a bigger ego than her father.”

“You’re the one who created this monster!”

“Me? She’s your clone!”

“She’s the apple—you're the tree.”

“If you’re not careful, I’ll throw you into the Cayman Trench,” Mom shot back.

“You and whose army?”

Ellie pulled the phone away from her ear. There was no stopping them now. Even though she tried, she couldn’t keep them from spiraling out of control. They’d been married too long. Played this dance too many times.

Hopefully, they’d only keep it up for another minute or two.

All part of the act. She could count on one hand how many times her parents were actually mad at each other.

This was their way of coping with the stress.

Missions were so hard, they used arguments, playful banter in their minds, to ease the tension.

She remembered it made her cry when she was younger. As she got older, she understood it better. Now it was merely an annoyance.

When she put the phone back to her ear, they were still going at it, so she hung up on them. She felt a wide grin on her face. She was definitely part of the group now and couldn’t be happier.

Ellie wasn’t surprised it had been half an hour, and her parents still hadn’t called back. Their fake fights almost always ended the same way, with a passionate truce. Another method of stress relief.

At least she didn’t have to witness it firsthand anymore. Growing up, she and Joshua had shared plenty of awkward moments when their parents vanished behind a locked door, leaving no doubt about what was happening.

The siblings had an unspoken rule between them. Ignore it, pretend it wasn’t happening, and definitely don’t make eye contact when they reappeared in much better moods.

Maybe someday, Ellie would find that kind of intense, all-consuming love. The kind that didn’t just burn bright for a few seconds and flamed out, but one that lasted. For some reason, a sadness came over her as she thought about the three men she had dated in Cayman.

Could she have that with someone like Mark, an outsider who would never fully understand the weight she carried? Or was it safer, easier, to be with someone like Matthew or Luke, men who lived in the same world, spoke the same unspoken language of danger and duty?

She hated that she didn’t know the answer. Hated even more that a part of her was afraid to find out.

This mission had been an emotional wake-up call. She’d told herself it was just a game. Pretend to date them, gather intelligence, keep it all under control. But feelings weren’t so easily manipulated. Emotions didn’t come with an on-off switch, no matter how much she wanted them to.

She’d have to be more careful in the future.

When the phone finally rang, Ellie answered with, “So, what’s next? Now that I’ve found the mole, I guess my time in Cayman is coming to an end.”

Her mom’s voice was noticeably subdued, confirming Ellie’s suspicions about what they had been doing. “I have a new mission for you. I’m going to pick you up tomorrow morning in our plane.”

Before Ellie could ask what the mission was, her dad cut in, his tone dripping with amusement. “Don’t you need a few days to break up with all your boyfriends, Ellie?”

Ellie let out a groan. She had hoped that subject wouldn’t come up.

“Please. I handled that a few days ago.”

“I hope you let them down easy.”

“Nope. I shattered their hearts.”

She left out the part where she had actually liked them, in her own way. It hadn’t been love—not even close—but there had been something real, something fleeting she’d allowed herself to enjoy. Not that her parents needed to know that.

And she hadn’t actually broken up with them.

Matthew had already made arrangements to leave the island since the mission was over.

Luke would know something was up when she didn’t show up for work tomorrow.

Mark would eventually move on when he realized her phone was disconnected and he never heard from her again.

She should probably tell him in person, but it seemed easier this way.

“Where am I going?” Ellie asked, steering the conversation back to business so she didn’t have to deal with the only regret she felt in this mission.

“We,” Mom said, “are going on a mission together.”

Ellie sat up straighter. “Wait, seriously?”

When Ellie was younger, her mother had talked a lot about them running missions together, painting it like some inevitable adventure waiting on the horizon.

But as the years passed, the subject quietly disappeared, leaving Ellie to wonder if the dream had died, or worse, if her mom had decided she wasn’t good enough.

“Hold on,” Dad cut in. “Jamie, I thought you swore you’d never do a mission with Ellie.”

What?

Ellie’s stomach twisted. The words stung her heart like a fiery dart. Swore? As in, absolutely never ? That wasn’t just hesitation or concern. That was a hard no.

She turned toward the phone, as if she could see her mother squirming through the receiver.

The words felt bitter, heavier than a dead weight. It was one thing to doubt herself in the dead of night, but to hear it confirmed, out loud, from her mother, cut deeper than she was prepared for.

A long pause. Silence stretched between them, thick and unmoving.

Her mom should have answered by now. Should have said something, anything, to take the sting out of it. But she didn’t.

“Thank you very much for bringing it up, Alex,” she finally said. “That was supposed to be between us.”

Ellie’s mind spun through the possibilities. Did her mother not trust her skills? Did she think she wasn’t ready? Or worse, was she afraid Ellie would put her life in jeopardy, and she wasn’t willing to risk it?

Tears welled up in her eyes. It didn’t seem fair. She had spent years pushing herself, training harder than any young girl should have to, determined to prove she could handle anything the job threw at her.

She was obsessively desperate for her mother’s approval. And now she learned that she was fine sending her on missions with other people but not with her.

She even made a vow!

Even though Ellie dreaded asking for answers, she needed them. She forced her voice to stay steady. “Mom, how come you didn’t want to do a mission with me?” she said, trying to keep the hurt from coming through the phone even though she could tell it did.

Another pause.

Then her dad, ever the one to deflect with humor, finally cut in. “Because your mother loves you more than she loves me.”

“That’s not what I said,” Mom shot back, exasperation in her tone.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. “Then what did you say? Is it because I’m not good enough?”

“No! That’s not it at all. You’re my daughter. It’s not you; it’s me. If we went on a mission together, I was worried that I’d be overprotective. That I’d overcompensate. I was afraid that I’d get us both killed.”

Was she making it up or sincere? Ellie couldn’t tell over the phone. She wished they were together so she could look into her eyes.

“What’s changed?” Ellie said, roughly.

“I saw how good you are. You killed four Iranian terrorists like they were nothing. They were trained soldiers who were sent to kill you. You didn’t know they were coming, and still you got the best of them. You proved you don’t need my protection.”

“And you found the mole in record time,” Dad said. “When no one else could. That was a huge intelligence failure in the CIA. Your good work saved lives, including your own.”

“Thanks.”

Warmth flickered in Ellie’s chest. Praise from her parents wasn’t handed out lightly. It seemed genuine. And even though her mother had said she didn’t want to work with Ellie before, she was saying she wanted to now.

“I still think your mom loves you more,” Dad said.

“Obviously.” Ellie smirked. “Now, where are we going, Mom?”

Her tone turned serious. “Your father tied the mole back to the Assistant Director of Intelligence in Iran.”

Ellie’s pulse kicked up a notch. She’d expected something big—but Iran ?

Her mom didn’t miss a beat. “You and I are going to pay him a visit. No one threatens our family and lives to tell about it.”

How many times had she heard her parents say that they didn’t go to Iran anymore because it was too dangerous? Now her mother was suggesting they go there together.

“That man tried to kill you. We have to make him pay.”

Ellie just sat there, staring into the dark horizon. This was it. The moment she’d waited for, the mission she’d dreamed about since she was a kid. A mission with her mother.

Was she ready for this?

“I’ll pick you up at nine in the morning,” she said.

Ready or not, it was happening.

She had dreamed of the day that she’d run a mission with her mother. The day when she would finally treat her as an equal.

Now she wasn’t so sure.