Chapter 17 #2
"I know enough." Daniel's voice stayed steady, controlled, utterly professional in a way that made my skin crawl. "The patterns are obvious. Gulf Coast to Eastern Seaboard. Using major weather events as cover for movement. Switching up routes and timing to avoid detection patterns."
The pieces were clicking together in my head with horrible clarity. The convenient transfer to Nag's Head. The pointed questions about previous break-in attempts at the clinic. His presence on Hatterwick during what should have been a routine hurricane response.
"This isn't just about hurricane response, is it?" The words tumbled out, my voice a whisper.
Daniel's shoulders tensed, but he didn't turn around to face me. "Not now, Gabi."
"You're here on an investigation." The medical kit slipped from my fingers, clattering to the floor and spilling supplies across the linoleum. "That's why you're here. Not for hurricane relief. Not for me. For work."
His silence stretched between us like a chasm, and it was answer enough.
How could I have been so fucking stupid?
He'd made a name for himself in his Gulf Coast posting specifically for drug interdiction work.
What were the actual odds that some appropriate posting at Nag's Head just happened to show up right when he claimed he wanted to get out of Seattle and closer to me?
"Gabi, whatever's going through your head right now, it's not the whole truth."
"And what is the truth? Hm?" My voice went sharper, more brittle. "What's the part you conveniently left out?"
"It's complicated."
God, after everything having been so beautifully simple between us during those perfect days in New Orleans, would we ever have anything in our lives come easily again? Was I destined to always be the complication he had to work around?
"Uncomplicate it," I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest. "Right now."
Daniel glanced meaningfully at Mickey, and I saw the internal struggle playing out across his features. He was reluctant to leave our captive alone and unguarded, but just as reluctant to have this conversation in front of someone who was connected to whatever case had brought him here.
"Hall." I didn't wait to see if he'd follow my lead. There was no other exit from the break room. Even if Mickey somehow managed to get loose from his restraints, he couldn't get past us if we positioned ourselves just outside the door.
I turned my back and walked out into the hallway, my bare feet silent on the cold floor. Behind me, Daniel explained to Mickey in no uncertain terms what would happen if he so much as thought about trying to escape.
A few moments later, Daniel joined me in the corridor, pulling the door not quite closed behind him but leaving it open enough that we could hear any movement from inside.
He positioned himself strategically between me and the door, still on guard even as he prepared to have what was no doubt going to be a hard conversation.
"My position here is part of a joint task force between the Coast Guard and local law enforcement," he began, his voice measured.
"We're attempting to identify and dismantle a drug trafficking organization that's been operating in this area.
My experience and skills in that particular arena are what got me the transfer to Nag's Head.
So yes, I am here on Hatterwick at this specific time in part because of an ongoing investigation, in addition to legitimate hurricane prep and relief operations. "
I dragged a hand through my damp hair, pushing the tangled strands away from my face. Work. It always came down to fucking work with him. His career aspirations, his professional goals, his duty and obligations to everyone except me.
"So this is just a convenient bonus, then?" The words tasted bitter and sharp on my tongue. "Getting to see me while you're here doing your real job? Killing two birds with one stone?"
"That's not fair." Daniel reached for me, but I shifted away before he made contact. "Yes, the task force assignment got me the transfer. But I requested this posting because of you, Gabi. I've been trying to find a way back to you since the day I got on that plane to Seattle."
"And you didn't think to mention this little detail earlier? When you first showed up here? When we—" I cut myself off, not wanting to think about what had happened between us barely an hour ago. How real it had felt in the moment. How much I'd let myself believe that this time might be different.
"You were barely speaking to me when I got here," he said, running a hand through his own disheveled hair.
"I had to start somewhere, and beginning with the personal stuff and a genuine apology seemed like the most important thing.
The most honest thing." His jaw tightened with frustration.
"Look, I know I keep fuckin' things up with you, and I know my timing is shit.
But I meant everything I said to you. I am here on the Outer Banks for you.
The case just happens to be the vehicle that made it possible.
I can't apologize for that, and I can't promise that sometimes the job won't have to come first. But Gabi, I'm doing everything I know how to try to fix this mess between us. "
A tremendous crash of thunder rattled the windows hard enough to make the glass flex in the frames, causing us both to jump. The storm continued to rage outside with undiminished fury, but it felt like nothing compared to the tempest raging in my chest.
I crossed my arms tighter, hugging myself against the chill and the hurt. "So what happens when this case is over? When you've caught your bad guys and earned your commendations? When the next big career opportunity comes along?"
"I'll figure something out." His voice carried a note of desperation.
"It's a big case with a lot of moving pieces and connected criminal organizations.
We're not gonna topple the whole thing in a matter of weeks or even months.
And by the time we do make significant progress, my current contract will be up for renewal.
I can choose not to re-up. I can get out entirely. "
I stared at him in shock. "You'd… leave the Coast Guard? For me?"
"If it comes down to that choice, yes. Because I love you, Gabriella, and I'm tired of pretending that anything else matters more than that."
The words hit me like a physical blow. I wanted him to prove himself with actions rather than just words, and walking away from the career that meant the world to him would certainly qualify as a significant gesture.
Of course, it was all hypothetical at this point, easy to promise when the moment of truth was months or years away.
But the fact that he'd even consider it, that he'd voice it out loud, spoke volumes about how much this—how much I—meant to him.
Feeling a little more reassured but still wary, I blew out a long breath. "And those questions you were asking in there? All that stuff about the Lowe brothers and the other names? That was all connected to this task force investigation?"
"Unfortunately, yes. It turns out our uninvited guest in there has come up in several of my briefings.
" Daniel's expression darkened. "I don't like the fact that he's connected to a much bigger drug trafficking ring and that he targeted the clinic tonight.
That's not a coincidence I'm comfortable with. "
A chill that had nothing to do with the storm ran down my spine. "What does that mean?"
"I honestly have no idea. We'll hopefully know more after we have a chance to interrogate him and run his information through our databases.
But that'll all have to wait until we can turn him over to local law enforcement after the hurricane passes.
" He glanced back toward the break room door.
"For now, let's just focus on getting through the rest of the storm safely, okay? "
Nothing was truly settled between us, and we had much bigger conversations ahead.
But we couldn't make any life-changing decisions while trapped in a clinic during a hurricane with a potentially dangerous criminal tied up in the next room.
This fragile understanding would have to be good enough for now.