Page 113 of Secrets Beneath the Waves

His stomach clenched and did what felt like a somersault in his chest.

“My dad planted that on Luke’s calendar,” she continued. “That’s how you knew I was scuba diving with Luke. So, I leftanother breadcrumb. To see if you’d take the bait.” She tilted her head slightly. “And you did.”

Good thing he didn’t follow through with trying to kill her at the Bay. He didn’t stand a chance.

His hands trembled. He felt lightheaded.If he could make himself die of a heart attack at that moment, he would.

“Thank you for the money, by the way,” Ellie said, almost mockingly. “We will put it to good use. Kind of funny, don’t you think? My dad leaving one dollar in the account?”

Paul pressed his palm against his forehead, his world crumbling around him. He had planned everything. Every detail. Every escape route. But without the money, he had nothing. No leverage. No power.

No way out.

Paul knew how they found the money. He didn’t even have to ask. Alex Halee was a magician on the computer. As soon as Paul logged on to Luke’s computer and looked at his calendar, Alex was able to track him. Once Alex had his identity, the rest was easy for him.

The car rolled to a stop.

Paul looked out the window. The marina.

“Move,” Ellie ordered.

“Don’t I get a tip?” Matthew asked.

Ellie reached into Paul’s pockets and pulled out his wallet, cell phone, and all his documents. She gave them to Matthew, who opened the wallet.

“There’s more than three thousand dollars in here,” Matthew said. “That’s a very generous tip. Thank you.”

The gun dug into Paul’s ribs as Ellie shoved him out the door and toward the waiting boat. His legs felt like lead as he stepped on board.

His gaze flicked through the marina, but there was no escape. Not now. Not ever.

Ellie climbed on behind him. Paul sank onto a bench, his hands clenched into fists.

He knew what this meant.

She was taking him to international waters.

To disappear.

He forced himself to breathe. Slow. Steady.

The only consolation was that Jamie Austen wasn’t about vengeance. She didn’t believe in torture unless it served a purpose. If Ellie were anything like her mother, his death would be quick. Clean.

As long as he didn’t resist.

No one would question his disappearance. Nobody. No investigation. The CIA wouldn’t even know what happened to him.

He lifted his head and met Ellie’s gaze.

Her eyes burned. Not with anger, not with hatred. Something worse. Something cold. Inevitable.

Determination.

She started the boat.

They headed out to sea.

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