The Borrowed Ring

If she had been told the truth, Drake would then arrange for Daniel to “quietly disappear.” To be killed, in other words.

Her steps slowed and then stopped.

She didn't know what Daniel was doing. Which side of the law he was on. Whether anything he had told her was true. Whether she was endangering herself by staying with him. She didn't even know that he was really in danger himself.

She tried to tell herself it wasn't her problem. He was a grown man. He could take care of himself. For all she knew, it would be a relief to him if she removed herself from his life.

But what if he really was killed if she took off? Even though she would probably never know if her actions could cause such a thing, the uncertainty and guilt would haunt her forever.

She looked down at her left hand. At his mother's ring.

“Damn it.” With a huge sigh, she turned on one heel to return to the resort.

Trudging doggedly back the way she had come, she called herself a fool. An idiot. A gullible, reckless moron. A—

“Mrs. An

dreas.”

Bernard had seemingly appeared from nowhere, materializing in front of her with a suddenness that made her gasp and fall back a step. “Where did you—”

“I'm sorry if I startled you,” he said smoothly, his eyes gleaming with an amusement that belied the apology. “I thought you saw me approaching.”

Which was a lie. He had known exactly what he was doing. Keeping that awareness to herself, she allowed her hand to flutter around her throat and said with a little laugh, “No, it's my fault. I was daydreaming and I completely lost track of my surroundings.”

“You've wandered quite a way from the resort.”

“Have I?” Absently fingering the diamond bracelet, she wrinkled her nose. “My husband says I live in my own world half the time. I have a terrible habit of getting lost in thought—and then getting physically lost as a result.”

His gaze dropped to the bracelet and his thin lips curled in a cynical smile. “I'm sure you had quite a lot to think about. Are you on your way back to the resort now?”

“Yes. I believe I'll read by the pool this afternoon. The main pool is so lovely, with the waterfalls and tropical flowers. It's almost like being in the islands, don't you think?”

“Er, yeah, I think that's what the boss had in mind when he designed it.”

“How clever of him. I must be sure and compliment him when I see him again.” She moved past him, then looked inquiringly back over her shoulder. “I'm sorry, I forgot to ask. Were you looking for me for a reason?”

“Oh, uh, no, I—actually I wasn't looking for you at all. Just taking a walk on the beach.”

The smile she gave him then was deliberately vague. “It's a lovely day for it. Have a nice stroll.”

“Yeah. Thanks. See you around, Mrs. Andreas.”

She walked much more quickly than she had earlier, the attractions of the beach no longer claiming her attention.

Bernard had been following her. Had she not decided to return to the resort, would he have allowed her to follow through with her urge to run?

Something told her the answer was no.

Chapter Five

Daniel found B.J. in the suite much later that afternoon, almost dinnertime. She was curled in a chair with a book, which she must have picked up in the gift shop downstairs, but she didn't seem to have read much of it.

He did his habitual electronics sweep and then asked her, “Have you been out?”

“I went for a walk earlier,” she answered, tossing the paperback aside. “I couldn't enjoy it for the annoying shadows.”

“Shadows?” he repeated, momentarily confused.