Page 11 of A Fierce Princess

“Well, then you’d better go get the car,” I tell him.

After an exchange of words with Lucas, Pete goes and pulls the car around for me. I climb in the back seat before we pull out of the private drive. The drive to Cable Beach is lovely. I roll down my window a little so I can smell the salty sea breeze.

“What do you have in mind?” Pete asks. I’m wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat that I found in the closet, and sunglasses, and a sundress with flip-flops. I look like every other tourist on the beach. My hair is pulled back into a ponytail. Pete is more dressed down. He has on shorts and a polo shirt, while Lucas still looks the part of a security guard.

“Pete, you can walk with me along the beach while Lucas stays back,” I say. Lucas glares at me. “What? You look like security. You’ll draw attention.”

Pete nods. “She’s right,” he says. I can tell he says it begrudgingly. I know they would figure this out without my input, but the one thing I do like about these two, they always ask for my input.

Pete was Special Ops and has a keen eye for detail. I will use that to help me.

From my phone, I can tell we are across the street from the apartment complex where Logan’s address was last reported.

“Let’s get out here,” I suggest. They nod, park, and look around before letting me get out. I take my time as we walk toward the public beach access next to the apartment complex. It appears that there is a front lobby with a guard desk. I see someone swipe a card to get into the lobby. As we walk around the back of the property, I can see a gated area with a pool and some tables and chairs. It’s at the far end of Cable Beach, so it’s a bit quieter here than at the busy end.

Pete leads me to the beach, and we walk for a while. There are some other apartment buildings, and farther down I can see hotels and restaurants. We stop before we get to those. It’s actually nice just walking around without anywhere to be or anything to do.

We head back toward the car after walking for a bit, and when we get to the apartment complex I pretend to need a bathroom.

“Can’t you just wait till we get back?” Lucas asks.

“Look, can I just go ask that guard if I can use the bathroom here. I’m sure they have one for public use. I mean, they have a pool out back, odds are there’s one out by it,” I point out. Lucas and Pete exchange glances.

“Fine, I’ll go with you,” Pete says.

We head up to the door, and Pete presses the buzzer. A man who doesn’t look like he could fend off a stick of gum, let alone an armed criminal, buzzes us inside.

“Just sign in here,” he says, pointing to a guest log that requires us to write which apartment we are here to visit.

“Uh, listen, my girlfriend was just hoping to use your bathroom,” Pete says. Pete and Lucas are only about ten years older than me. So, at times, we use the whole “girlfriend” thing to be more undercover.

“Listen, man. I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in to use the bathroom,” the guy says.

I take off my sunglasses and give him my dazzling one-thousand-watt smile. “I know it’s a big inconvenience and all. But I’d really appreciate it if I could use your restroom. I’ll just be a minute, I promise,” I say in a sweet voice.

It works, and a minute later I’m on my way to the ladies’ room, which Pete clears first. Now, to figure out how to find Logan’s apartment and ditch Pete for five minutes. I pretend to use the bathroom, and then it hits me. I’ll just bring Pete with me. He’s never going to let me out of his sight.

“Hey, Pete,” I say sweetly. He gives me the look that tells me that he knows I’m up to no good.

“What?” he says gruffly.

“Could we…maybe…pretty please check out the building? I just want to see…something normal,” I say.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t know who is in here. It’s bad protocol just coming in here without checking things first,” he says as he looks around. Pete is always looking around. I wonder how someone can be on high alert twenty-four seven.

“Please, Pete. I’ll keep my hat and glasses on. It’s the middle of the day on a weekday, I can’t imagine there’s anyone dangerous here,” I say, and then my stomach clenches as I ponder if M has arrived on the island yet.

He cracks his neck and looks around. “Fine, but let’s make it fast,” he says as he talks into his earpiece to Lucas.

I clap and give him a hug. He rolls his eyes. “What exactly do you want to see? The pool?” he asks. I shrug.

“Let’s go to the top floor, maybe there are windows up there,” I say as I walk toward the elevator. One minute later, we walk out into a hallway. There is indeed a window at the end of it. I walk past 601, 602, 603, and then get to 604, Logan’s last known address. There’s nothing to indicate he lives there. It’s just a plain door with a peephole. I walk toward the window and look down.

“It’s a pretty view from up here,” I say to Pete.

“Are we done here, Anna?” he asks. I turn and see a door at the far end with a window.

“Not yet,” I say as I walk toward it. Pete opens it for me, and we find ourselves on a rooftop deck. It’s beautiful. I can see the private balconies of the four units on this floor. I look at what I think is Logan’s and see he has a small table and two chairs. He faces the ocean. I ponder if his lifestyle is paid for by the king. His penthouse apartment, his yacht, and from the looks of his social media he has two nice cars.

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