Page 35 of All He Sees
Nicky frowned at that. "A bit out of place for this type of crime."
"Hmm," Ken said, rubbing his chin.
Nicky leaned back in the chair. She had to admit, she had a bad feeling about all of this. With the way Mira was taken off the dock by the man in a mask, plus the boat--it all felt like trafficking, which only reaffirmed their earlier hunch.
"What if it really is trafficking?" Nicky asked, her voice low.
Ken was quiet for a moment. "If it is, then..."
"They could already be long gone from the country."
"We're only a boat ride away from the Caribbean here," Ken said. "It's a worst-case scenario. If the girls are in international waters, then..."
"Our chances of finding them decrease," Nicky said. "Significantly."
They were both quiet, ruminating over this possibility.
Nicky couldn't believe it to be true.
She thought back to all the girls she'd met in the past. All the girls who'd been taken from their homes, from their futures. Girls who'd been abused and thrown around and passed around, like objects.
Nicky couldn't even imagine what Mira might be going through right now. The situation seemed so bleak.
"I suppose we'll just have to try our best to find these bastards, and make sure the girls get home safely," Ken said, breaking the silence.
"We need more information than that," Nicky replied. "We need more to go on. And we need more information on Fischer."
"Hey, Lyons."
Nicky met his eyes. In the darkness, they were blue-black, rimmed by thick eyelashes. Sometimes, Nicky had to admit it--Ken could be brash, but he was a good-looking guy. They'd had a few... intimate moments, and this felt like one of them. Ken in his pajamas, them alone on a balcony, about to sleep in the same room...
She shook the thought away. "What is it?" she asked.
"I know you're worried," he said. "I am too. But let's not think like that. We're gonna catch Fischer in the morning, the moment he docks his boat. We'll get answers. Just one more sleep."
Nicky gave him a weak half-smile. She appreciated that he was trying to make her feel better.
"Thanks, Walker," she said.
She could only hope he was right.
Otherwise, those girls may never be found.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Morning light seeped through the curtains of the hotel. Nicky had a single, fleeting moment of peace before reality hit her like a tidal wave: they needed to get to that dock before George Fischer's boat did.
Nicky ripped out of bed to see Ken was also rising, stretching as he pulled himself away from the white sheets.
"We have to get to the docks," Nicky said.
"Right," Ken said, hopping out of bed. He slipped into his pants, and Nicky hurried to find her clothes. They got dressed as quickly as possible, then raced out the door, down the hallway and to the stairs. Nicky jogged down them, her long hair flying around her face, and she burst out the front doors. Ken was right behind her. She hurried through the parking lot, shoes slapping against the pavement underneath her feet. The morning was cool, and the sky was the color of washed denim, the sun not quite up yet.
Nicky heard the footsteps behind her, saw Ken right beside her.
"Hang on! I'll drive!" he called.
"No time!" Nicky replied. She ran to the car and popped the trunk, getting her gear out. When she turned around, Ken was right beside her.
