Accidental Shield (Marriage Mistake #6)(21)

How the hell do I deal with that when the time comes?

Not to mention the happy realization I’ve been lying through my teeth to her. The woman would be insane to trust me after that.

“One step at a time, big guy,” Cash says. “I spoke to her mother today.”

I freeze.

Shit, I knew it was coming. Cash and I talked this morning, while Val was still asleep. I’d stretched my Google-fu skills to the max searching the web, set up multiple alerts, and yet no one’s put out a missing person’s report of any kind for any member of the Gerard family. Their yacht still doesn’t show anywhere in port since that night, either.

“Yeah? And what’d you tell her?” I ask.

“Nothing, just asked for Valerie.”

My breath goes tight. “What’d she say? Spit it the fuck out.”

“She didn’t seem concerned. If the mother’s in on it, she’s an incredible liar. She told me Valerie and her brother Ray took the yacht to the Big Island but haven’t arrived yet due to the weather.”

“There hasn’t been any bad weather. I call bull,” I snarl, watching Val through the window.

She’s back in the lounge chair with the cat, gently running long strokes down its back.

“Mrs. Gerard said she’s been trying to call Valerie with no answer. She mentioned Ray calling her up last night and telling her Valerie’s phone isn’t working.”

Ice glazes my spine. “So she’s in on it, too. Her entire family’s scum.”

“No, I don’t think so. She sounded sincerely concerned her daughter hasn’t called, and a strange man like me is asking around. I gave her my best boring clinical impression, a simple request for routine medical records. Apparently, she wasn’t even aware of their plans to take the yacht to the Big Island until talking to Ray yesterday.”

I don’t bother prodding more about how Cash got all that info out of Valerie’s mother. He’s a much better bullshitter than I am, always has been.

His bullshit is more believable, too. If only we could trade places. He’d have come up with something better than turtle tours and coffee farming.

“She says she expects another call tonight,” Cash says.

I stroke my chin, letting it all percolate in my head. I’ve researched the family as deeply as I can. There’s only the mother, Lorelei, Valerie, and Ray.

Some extended family on the mainland, but it appears they’ve been estranged for years. Probably since well before Mr. Gerard died.

“What about the missing ships?” I ask, remembering a few King Heron vessels have come up unaccounted for recently. “Did you hear anything about those?”

“No,” Cash answers. “Not yet. I’ll find a way to follow up if it seems prudent.”

I swallow a groan, hating this waiting game crap.

Not being able to get out in the field, digging deeper into this, kills me. There’s only so much I can learn online. But I can’t leave Val alone for long, this morning all but proved it.

The gate was locked behind me this morning, and getting the notification it’d popped open filled me with a new kind of fear. After jumping down Louie’s throat, I had recognized him.

He’d come over to play with Bryce several times while we were building this place. Bryce could’ve easily showed his little buddy where the hidden keypad is and told him the code. I’ll have to talk to him about that later.

“Flint?” Cash says my name.

“Just thinking. It doesn’t make much sense with the missing ships. Cornaro doesn’t have any good reason to steal ships and commandeer them permanently when Ray’s already working for them. King Heron ships have probably been hauling illicit cargo for years, judging by the rumors.”

“I know,” Cash answers. “There’s obviously more here. Has to be. That’s why you’ll play Watson to my Holmes.”

I snort. “It’s gotta be the company assets. Something more than fishing boats. Cornaro’s after something else,” I say.

“I think you’re onto something,” Cash says.

Outside, Valerie stands. My pulse jolts as she stumbles, grabbing the back of the chair.

“Shit, I gotta go!” I race through the dining room, the kitchen, then down the hall to the lanai. She’s still propped up holding the lounge chair when I arrive, but clearly tipsy.

I lunge and catch her around the waist just as her legs give out.

“No falling on my watch,” I say, tightening my grip. “What’s the matter?”

“My head. Everything’s just spinning.”

“Hold on.” I hoist her up, folding her hands around my neck. “Let’s get you out of the sun.”

She slumps her head against my shoulder as I carry her inside, straight to the bedroom. I lay her down on the bed.

“Val? You with me?”

“I’m a little better now,” she says, trying to sit up.

Sitting next to her, I apply a gentle pressure to her shoulder, to keep her lying down.

“Just hold still.” I pull the phone out of my pocket and hit the icon by Cash’s name. “I’m calling the doctor.”

“Cash? No, I don’t need a doctor. I need—”

“You need to get your ass over here, now!” I bark through the speaker. “She fainted.”