Page 11 of Strangers She Knows

“It will cost a fortune to change the tickets.” The Di Luca family had money, but they had never forgotten their thrifty Italian peasant background.

“I’ve already done it,” Max said. “I’ve arranged for Irene and Annabella to meet you there. Go pack. You’re leaving tonight.”

My God. Max was really scared, and that made Kellen really scared.

Verona was a sensible woman. She understood fear. “Law enforcement?”

“I’ll clue them in…but not yet.” Max wasn’t happy about his decision, but he had no doubts. “I want to move swiftly and without notice, and while I have the greatest respect for law enforcement, they’re not known for quick, seamless action. For now, we’ll handle this ourselves.”

“I have a friend who served with me in the military,” Kellen said. “Diana. She’s a mercenary now. Do you want me to contact her?”

Max nodded slowly. “That’s a good idea. If we asked her to track Mara, we could cut this hunt short.”

Kellen smiled. She loved having thecoolfriends.

Verona was not comforted. In a trembling voice, she asked, “Max…what about Rae and Kellen?”

“I’ll keep them safe,” he said.

“We’ll keep you safe, too.” Kellen needed to make that promise to them as much as she did to herself.

He transferred his attention to her. “I’ll be with you, and we have each other’s backs.”

Kellen relaxed. He knew the right thing to say to give her back her warrior pride. “I would kill for you,” she promised.

“I know.”

Verona said tartly, “Make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

5

Max piloted the helicopter, a Robinson R44 Raven II, his hands sure on the controls. The morning sun shone behind them. The Pacific Ocean off the California coast stretched on and on, the swells glittering in the sunlight. As they left it behind and headed over the water, the blades chopped at the sky, tossing bits of blue like confetti…

Maybe that was Kellen’s brain having a fanciful moment.

“Where are we?” Rae’s cantankerous voice sounded in Kellen’s headphones. “This isn’t Italy.”

Kellen exchanged wide-eyed glances with Max.

He pointed at the controls as if to indicate he was busy and didn’t have the time to explain this to their daughter.

“Coward,” Kellen said, and turned to Rae huddled into the back seat, wrapped in her bedtime quilted blanket. “We’re going to Isla Paraíso off the California coast.”

“California? You said—”

“Actually, it was your father who said we were going to Italy.” Kellen cheerfully threw him under the bus. “We’re coming here for some private time together as a family.”

“We’ve been around the world to end up in California?” Rae used the wordCaliforniathe way the Old Testament used the phraseSodom and Gomorrah.

“We did take the long way around,” Kellen acknowledged. As they traveled away from Yearning Sands Resort, they left clues that would draw Mara after them. Then when they turned back to the States, they traveled with as much stealth as possible, using private transportation that whisked them from point to point quickly and quietly.

The Di Luca family’s money and connections had their advantages.

“Are we there yet?” Rae asked so sharply, Kellen heard the echo of Verona in her tone.

“Yes! There it is!” Max pointed.

A smudge on the ocean became a golden shadow that swiftly took shape.

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