Page 8 of All He Sees
They sat back and thought silently for a few minutes. But the thoughts of what the boogeyman could be doing to those girls made it impossible for Nicky to relax. She couldn't stop thinking about Clara, Erica, and Mira--where they were, what they were going through, if they were still alive...
Nicky's head was spinning. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. She rested her head against the window. If the girls were trafficked, they might not even be in America anymore, and that scared her the most. Once a girl was taken out of the country, she could be nearly impossible to find. Nicky had seen it before.
I can't think about that now, Nicky said to herself. I'm already stressed out enough. We just have to find them and save them.
Nicky knew that this wasn't going to be easy. This was a new case, and it would take time to find the girls. They had to follow all the leads and do everything they could to work the case. There was no room for mistakes. Nicky couldn't afford to let her emotions get in the way. She couldn't afford to be distracted by her worries. She had to focus, or they could miss something important.
"Hey, Lyons," Ken said.
Nicky looked up. This time, his blue eyes were right on hers.
"We'll do our best," he said. "I'm in this to the end, Nicky. No matter what."
Nicky smiled. She appreciated Ken having her back. Their partnership was still new--only two cases deep--but she felt herself learning to trust him more each day they worked together.
"Me too," Nicky said. "No more girls are going to disappear."
She hoped.
She hoped like hell.
CHAPTER FOUR
As the plane descended, the coast of Southern Florida appeared over the horizon. Nicky could already smell the salty air. Sunshine glistened off the ocean's blue water and sparkled off the white sand. It was late afternoon now, and Nicky was grateful a rental car had been arranged for them to pick up right from the airport. She wanted to talk to this Beverly person and figure out if she really did hear Mira Phillips get kidnapped or not.
Once the plane landed, Nicky and Ken filed off with the other passengers.
Nicky couldn't help but wonder if the boogeyman was still here--she had to keep her guard up.
Nicky and Ken were two of the last to leave the plane. As they stepped off, Nicky noticed the tall, dark-skinned man waiting for them. He had a rugged, handsome face and cool blue eyes. He approached them and smiled a bit.
"Agent Lyons?" he asked.
"Yeah, that's me," Nicky said.
"I'm Cameron," he said, extending his hand. Cameron had a firm, strong grip. "I'm here to show you to your rental car."
"Nice to meet you," Nicky said, shaking his hand. She couldn't help but feel like they were getting extra special treatment. Last time they'd needed a rental, Nicky had to find it herself, but it seemed like Chief Franco had pulled some strings. Nicky appreciated it, nevertheless. Whatever got her solving this case faster.
"Likewise," Ken said, shaking Cameron's hand as well. "Thanks for your help."
"It's no problem at all," Cameron said. "Chief Franco sent me. The chief is a friend of mine, so I'm glad to help."
"I appreciate it," Nicky said. "I hope we can make it up to you."
"It's no trouble at all," Cameron said. He held out his arm, gesturing toward the door. "Ready? I have your rental car right over here."
"Okay," Nicky said. She and Ken followed Cameron out of the airport. As they walked, Cameron continued to make small talk.
"How long has the chief been your boss?" he asked.
"Oh, it's been years now," Nicky said, thinking back when she was first transferred to Jacksonville after completing the FBI Academy. Nicky was born in West Virginia, which was dark and dreary and rainy. Florida offered her a sunnier perspective on life, even if she didn't always feel it. But she loved it here. The only thing she would trade it for was having Rosie back in her life, safe and alive.
"It must be nice to work with the chief," Cameron said. "He's a good guy. I've known him for years."
"Yeah," Nicky said. "He's a great boss. I've been lucky."
"Well, he's lucky to have you," Cameron said. "I've heard a lot about you. He's always saying how awesome you are."
