Page 34 of Taken from Her (Phoenix Ridge Police Department #4)
The boat's engine cut to silence after what felt like twenty minutes of steady travel, though Lavender couldn't be certain of time or distance in the darkness.
They'd moved through Phoenix Ridge's harbor into open waters before turning toward what sounded like a more sheltered inlet, the echo of waves against rock walls suggesting they'd entered some kind of cove or protected waterway.
Hands helped her from the boat onto a wooden dock that creaked under multiple footsteps.
There were no lights except the flashlight beams that guided their movement, but Lavender caught glimpses of industrial structures: warehouses or storage buildings that suggested commercial rather than residential use.
The salt air carried chemical undertones that suggested fuel storage or maritime equipment, somewhere designed for function rather than comfort.
"Watch your step," the silver-haired man in charge said, his voice maintaining the same conversational tone he'd used in her bedroom. "The walkway can be uneven in places."
They guided her toward a building that loomed against the starless sky, its dark bulk suggesting substantial size and solid construction. No windows were visible from her angle, just concrete or metal walls that would muffle all sounds and prevent outside observation.
Inside, fluorescent lights revealed a space that had been converted from an industrial storage into something resembling an office.
Folding tables displayed communication equipment and laptops, extension cords snaked across concrete floors, and camping chairs formed a rough meeting area around what looked like surveillance monitors.
Temporary but organized, the kind of setup that could be dismantled quickly if necessary.
"Please sit." The silver-haired man gestured toward one of the camping chairs. "Would you like coffee? Water? We expect this conversation will take some time."
Lavender studied the space, already cataloging details that might prove useful.
She’d see three people so far, but there was far more equipment—multiple workstations, extra chairs stacked against the walls, and enough surveillance gear to monitor several locations simultaneously.
This wasn’t a hastily organized kidnapping but part of a larger operation with significant resources and planning.
"Water would be fine," she said, settling into the offered chair. Accepting hospitality might humanize her in their minds while buying time to understand their capabilities and intentions.
One of the other figures—a younger woman with short blonde hair—opened a cooler and handed Lavender a bottle of water.
The label showed it was a premium brand, not the cheapest option from a convenience store, a detail that suggested people with money and attention to comfort, even in temporary operational spaces.
"Now then," the silver-haired man said, pulling up a chair across from her. "Let's discuss your recent consulting work with the Phoenix Ridge Police Department."
Lavender opened the water bottle and took a small sip, using the moment to center herself. "I'm not sure what you mean by consulting."
"Community liaison, information sharing, and participation in investigative activities that have resulted in certain…
inconveniences for our ongoing business operations.
" His tone remained pleasant, but the words carried an unmistakable threat.
"Your cooperation with Chief Marten has disrupted our supply chains and partnership arrangements that took considerable time for us to establish. "
Understanding dawned on her. The missing women hadn't been targeted for hate crimes but because their leadership threatened illegal activities that required secrecy and intimidation to function.
"I don't know anything about business operations," Lavender said.
"Of course not. But you know about these communication networks, community gathering places, and informal information sharing that makes certain activities more difficult to conduct.
" He leaned forward slightly, his engaging tone of someone accustomed to negotiation.
"Your café serves as a central hub for a community that notices things, shares observations, and trusts local law enforcement more than they did six months ago. "
The accuracy of his assessment made Lavender's chest tighten.
He understood not just her role but how community dynamics had shifted since Diana had started working directly with informal networks.
The partnership that had felt like pure positive development had apparently interfered with criminal operations that depended on community members keeping quiet about unusual activities.
"What do you want from me?"
"Temporary suspension of community liaison activities, reduced cooperation with law enforcement information requests, and some discretion regarding tonight's conversation.
" His smile was thin but seemingly genuine.
"In exchange, your café continues operating without disruption, your community maintains its gathering spaces, and certain federal investigations lose momentum due to lack of local intelligence. "
They wanted her to sabotage the collaborative approach that had become the foundation of both her relationship with Diana and the investigation's success.
She was being coerced to destroy the partnership that had made both of them more effective while undermining the community trust that kept vulnerable people safe.
"And if I refuse?"
"Refusal would necessitate alternative approaches to achieving the same objectives," he replied.
"Closing the café through health department violations, immigration status reviews for several community members, and heightened scrutiny of certain business licenses that might not withstand detailed examination. "
Lavender felt the scope of the threat expanded beyond her personal safety into systematic destruction of the informal networks that protected people who couldn't rely on official systems for support.
Community members whose immigration status was complicated, whose small businesses operated in legal gray areas, and whose safety depended on spaces like her café remaining available and unmonitored.
"How long do you expect this temporary suspension to last?"
"Until certain federal investigations conclude without local cooperation and regular business activities can resume their normal operations." He gestured toward the surveillance equipment. "Our timeline estimates suggest that six to eight weeks should be sufficient."
Six weeks of sabotaging Diana's investigation methods, undermining community cooperation, and destroying the trust that had taken a month to build.
Long enough for whatever criminal operations they were protecting to relocate or adapt, leaving the federal task force with insufficient evidence and Phoenix Ridge with renewed fear and isolation.
"I need time to consider your proposal," Lavender said.
"Of course. Time for reflection often clarifies certain priorities." He stood, checking his watch. "We'll provide comfortable accommodations while you reach your decision."
The younger woman approached with zip ties, her expression apologetic but determined. "Just a precaution," she said, securing Lavender's wrists with practiced efficiency. "The facility isn't designed for unsecured guests."
They led her through a doorway into what had obviously been a storage room converted into a makeshift holding space.
There was a camping cot with clean bedding, a folding table with more water bottles and protein bars, and a bucket with a privacy screen for sanitary needs.
It was crude but functional, suggesting they'd done this before.
"Someone will check on you every few hours," the silver-haired man said from the doorway. "Please call out if you need anything urgent. Otherwise, we'll speak again in the morning about your decision."
The door closed with a solid thunk, followed by the click of a lock engaging. Lavender waited several minutes before exploring the space, testing the door's resistance and examining the walls for windows or alternative exits. Solid construction that would require tools she didn't have to breach.
She settled on the cot, pulling the thin blanket around her shoulders while her mind processed what she'd learned.
This wasn't about her personally or even her relationship with Diana specifically.
It was about dismantling the collaborative approach between official and unofficial channels that threatened criminal operations that required community silence to function successfully.
Diana would discover her absence soon. The federal operation would conclude, Diana would return to find the houseboat empty, and the search for her would begin.
But finding her would require understanding not just who had taken her but why, and that meant recognizing how their partnership had become dangerous to people with resources and connections extending far beyond Phoenix Ridge.
Lavender closed her eyes, focusing on the memory of Diana's voice promising to come back to her. The message she'd left would guide Diana to the sea cave first, but from there, the trail would depend on Diana's analytical skills and the federal resources investigating the broader criminal network.
Six hours at most before Diana discovered her missing. Another hour to find and interpret the clue. Then the race would begin between Diana's determination to find her and their captors' timeline for forcing cooperation.
Lavender pulled the blanket closer, drawing comfort from the certainty that Diana would never stop searching for her. The bond between them had been tested by professional complications, personal fears, and community pressures, but it had only grown stronger under stress.
This would be the ultimate test. Not just of Diana's investigative skills or federal resources, but of the love that had taught both women they were stronger together than apart.
Through the concrete walls, Lavender could hear the distant sound of water against stone, signaling to her that she was somewhere near the coast.
Lavender settled into the uncomfortable cot and began the mental work of staying strong until rescue arrived. Because it would arrive. Diana would decode the message, follow the trail, and bring her home.
She had never been more certain of anything in her life.