Navy SEAL Security

She snorted. “They thought I’d watched too many James Bond movies.”

He smiled, but she heard him release a long breath. “I wonder why they took Carlos, and how. You’d think your neighbors would’ve noticed people dragging a dead body from your house.”

“Lots of older folks in that neighborhood, not much activity at night. So how’d you find out about Carlos’s connection to the drug dealers?”

“I saw his registration minutes after my contact gave me his name. It makes sense, but it doesn’t explain what he was doing at your house at the time of the drop, or why his associates killed him. What can you tell me about Carlos?”

Amy curled a leg beneath her and gazed out the window. “I met him before summer started. He was charming and interesting and he kept coming back to my beach. We started dating and then I discovered he had a wife.”

“How’d that happen?”

It sounded so petty now, but any information she could give Riley might help. Amy cleared her throat. “I—I didn’t trust Carlos. Some of his actions seemed suspicious—the parking around the corner, the excuses for never meeting at his place, the endless cell phone calls. So one day I answered his cell phone.”

Riley reached over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Don’t look so sheepish. You had good reason to suspect him and you followed your instincts. Who’d you find on the other end, the wife?”

“Yep.” She clasped her hands between her knees. “Of course, now I’m not so sure. For a wife, she didn’t seem very upset that another woman had just answered her husband’s cell phone.”

“Did you confront Carlos?”

“I did and he admitted it. I immediately ended the relationship.”

Riley drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel and narrowed his eyes. “She could’ve been the real deal. Drug dealers get married, too.”

“I guess.” She lifted a shoulder. “So why do you think he hooked up with me in the first place?”

“He wanted access to that beach.” His lips quirked in a quick grin. “Not that you aren’t without your charms.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry. No offense taken.”

“He probably wanted to find out about lifeguard schedules and procedures and pass the information on to the guys in the boat.”

“He did ask a lot of questions, which seemed natural at the time. But what was he doing back at my place tonight, why’d his associates kill him and why’d they come back for me…or you?”

“And now you’re asking a lot of questions, none of which I can answer.”

“How about I start asking some you can answer?” Amy shifted in her seat and studied Riley’s profile. This man with his ready grin and sarcastic quips could turn lethal in a matter of seconds. His dark blue eyes could shine with humor and cloud over with secrets just as fast. She wanted to dig deeper to solve the enigma of Riley…. Riley. She didn’t even know his last name.

“I’ll answer anything you like once I’ve had a shower and something to eat.” He jerked his thumb toward the window. “We’re here.”

Riley wheeled the car into the parking lot of a nondescript apartment complex. Amy didn’t know what she expected for a safe house, but a sprawling apartment building in the middle of San Diego didn’t exactly fit the bill for a secret agent.

Riley pulled into a numbered parking slot. “Good thing I stole Carlos’s car since I left mine down by the harbor.”

“It won’t be such a good thing if Carlos’s wife reported the car stolen.”

Riley grabbed the door handle and raised his brows. “If Carlos had a wife.”

Amy scrambled from the car while Riley unlocked the trunk. She joined him at the rear of the car as he yanked her suitcase from the back and set it on its wheels. Then he ducked back inside the trunk, sweeping his hands across its surface.

“Doesn’t look like Carlos kept anything in here, but he left his jacket in the backseat along with his cell phone. We can take a closer look at the phone once we’re inside.” He slammed the trunk closed and locked up again.

Amy liked the sound of that. Riley really did plan to include her. Must be because the drug cartel had put her directly in their line of fire.

Every crisis had a silver lining.

She followed Riley to the elevator as he dragged her bag behind him. He had a small place tucked away in the corner on the third floor of the building.