Twenty-seven
They touched onto the water and Joey circled, parking at the dock. The plane bobbed as he cut the engine, the sudden silence filled with the creaking of the floating dock.
“Do you think people might find it weird?” Eliza asked. “That I just started living in this office?”
“Honestly, no. There are always people going in and out. Tell them you’re testing the water.”
“Testing the water,” she repeated. “Okay. Sure.”
Sunlight filtered through the window and streamed onto her face as heat built inside the cockpit. Her perfume smelled of orange and bergamot.
“Should we go in?” she asked, glancing at him before turning to the door.
He snapped his eyes away. “Yeah.”
It was hard to know what she was thinking. He didn’t appreciate her talking to the FBI without him, especially about him, but it was a moot point. Seeing her on the dock, her lips pale and her hands shaking as she handed over her phone – it didn’t matter what had been said between them. He had to help her.
Joey climbed out and stooped, tying the plane down. Eliza shut the door with a thwack that echoed in his ears.
He stood and pointed ahead. “That building there? They’re almost done working on it. We’ll have a meeting room and a group dining hall. There’s a research facility in the next building.”
She followed a few steps behind him, the metal dock bouncing with each step. “Oh.”
He kept going until they reached the shore. “This way.”
The path would eventually be gravel, but for now, it was mud, with cloudy puddles in the deep tire tracks.
Joey carefully stepped over them. Eliza stepped directly into one.
“You okay?” he asked, turning around.
She looked down. The mud splatters reached her knees. “Yeah.”
He reached out to offer a hand but stopped himself. It was enough he’d offered her a place to stay. Eliza didn’t trust him; she’d made that clear.
He kept walking. The door to the office was unlocked. Inside, directly across from the door, was a framed picture of a black wolf, a dusting of snow on its snout. A desk sat in the corner and a mini fridge hummed at its side.
In the back of the room was a pair of windows. A recliner sat facing the view of the sea, the brown leather worn light on the armrests where many had sat before.
“It’s a little barren, but it’ll do for now.”
She nodded and set her purse on the desk.
“Did you ever answer Mackenzie?”
She shook her head.
“I should probably tell Mackenzie where you are,” he said.
“Yeah.” She stood at the window, her back to him.
Joey sighed. Why had she come with him if she wasn’t going to talk to him?
“Do you want me to bring you some stuff? Clothes, food? A blanket?”
She cleared her throat. “That would be nice. Sure.”
He waited for her to say more, but when she didn’t, he shrugged. “All right then.”
Joey spun, shutting the door behind him.
Sure, she’d come along, but she wasn’t going to involve him. She’d cut him out of looking for the robber long ago, and now she was leaving him out even more.
He could take the hint. He wasn’t wanted here. Eliza didn’t trust him – not really – and she wanted nothing to do with him. As soon as his contract expired, he’d be gone. She’d never have to hear from him again.
His breath grew heavy and hot. This whole job was a mistake. He’d take whatever came up next and forget any of it had happened.
Joey ducked down to untie the plane and pulled out his phone. He could send Mackenzie a text, but would it be better for Eliza to call? They would think he’d kidnapped her.
He ran back to the office, slowing when he got to the door and heard something.
At first, he thought it was an animal – a bird, maybe. But he leaned closer, listening.
Crying. It was Eliza, sobbing and gasping and sniffing.
He knocked on the door, loudly announcing, “Hey, I forgot something.”
Silence, then, “Come in!”
The door creaked as he pushed it open. “I’ll leave you my phone in case you want to get in contact with anyone.”
Eliza spun around. Her nose was red and her cheeks were streaked with black. Apparently, she did wear makeup.
The burning fury in his chest disappeared, as though someone had thrown salted, stinging seawater on the flame, extinguishing it in a flash.
She waved a hand. “That’s really nice of you. I appreciate you doing this.”
She took the cell phone from his hand.
“My password is 1-2-3-5,” he said. “That’ll unlock it. The battery might be a little low, but I can find a charger.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
Not even a crack at how terrible of a passcode that was.
She fidgeted, her breath jagged. “You should probably go. In case anyone comes looking for me. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
He stared at her, acutely aware of how loud his breathing was. His mind tumbled and his heart accelerated in his chest.
She wasn’t afraid of him. She was afraid for him.
Joey sucked in a breath. He had to say something . “Right. I’ll be in touch.”
The door creaked on the way out.
He took off, the sea pen shrinking beneath him. He flew east, toward the tea shop, but he thought of the workers finishing their lunches and looking for him and turned around, pointing the plane toward Roche Harbor.
It wouldn’t help Eliza to have a bunch of guys making noise and stomping around, though. He could come up with an excuse as to why they needed to be done for the day. Russell wouldn’t mind, would he?
He turned east again, gripping the controls until his hands hurt.
How selfish could he be? He’d only thought of his side of things. It was reasonable for Eliza to wonder if he was the robber. Why hadn’t he listened to her? Why did he have to immediately attack, to treat her like the enemy?
She hadn’t even accused him of being the robber. She said she didn’t care. All she wanted was for him to stay, but she knew he wouldn’t.
That was what set him off. Not that she’d said it. That she was right.
He splashed to a landing, tied off the plane and ran. His feet pounded the dock, then the rocks, then the grassy hillside.
Leaving wasn’t an option. He wouldn’t even consider it. He had to help her.
He broke through the trees. The tea shop was straight ahead and a black SUV that had its reverse lights on.
Eliza’s Granny stood outside, waving a dish rag.
He picked up his pace as Granny yelled at the SUV. “Go on now! Go home! Get out of here!”
“Hey!” He reached her and stopped, sucking in gulps of air. “Mrs. Granny Patty.”
She turned her head, a smile flickering on her face. “Patty is fine.”
“I ran into Eliza—”
“Shush!” She snapped at him with the towel. “Come inside. Now.”
The tea shop smelled of cinnamon and the warm air soothed his lungs. Sheila was seated at a table, along with Mackenzie and Russell.
“Was that the ATF?” Joey asked.
Mackenzie narrowed her eyes. “How do you know about that?”
“I ran into Eliza. She showed me the warrant.”
“Where is she?” asked Mackenzie. “What did you do with her?”
He put his hands up. “Nothing. She’s safe. I flew her to the sea pen site. I thought she could hide in your office, Russell.”
He nodded. “Good idea. We’ll stop improvements for a bit. Tell the workers there’s a permit thing.”
“Is it warm enough over there?” asked Sheila. “Can you take me to her? I don’t want her to be alone.”
Joey nodded. “Of course. No problem.”
Mackenzie stepped forward, her finger pointed at his nose. “Hang on. I’ve been calling her phone nonstop, but she hasn’t answered. How do we know you didn’t kidnap her?”
“I didn’t kidnap her and I am not the robber!” Joey shouted. “The only thing that happened was I accidentally helped the robber fly away, but—”
Mackenzie poked him in the shoulder. Hard. “Go and tell those agents you know who did it and that it wasn’t my sister!”
“I don’t know who it was,” he said. “I swear. I didn’t pay attention to the guy. I thought Eliza could figure it out.”
She scoffed. “I don’t believe you.”
“Okay, enough,” Sheila said, standing up. “We need to stop arguing and find a way to help Eliza.”
Patty threw the dish towel over her shoulder. “I agree.”
“How do we know he’s not setting us all up?” Mackenzie said.
All four faces turned and looked at Joey.
“I don’t know what to tell you, but it wasn’t me.”
The room was quiet. Patty took a step toward him. “I believe you. I know you’ll find a way to prove me right.”
He forced a smile. “I will.”
Patty nodded. “Lock the door. It’s crunch time.”