Page 15 of Avalon Tower
The cop opens his mouth to shout, but Raphael jabs him in the throat. It all happens so quickly, I can hardly register what he’s done.
The cop falls to the ground, choking and gurgling. My heart gallops in my chest, my eyes wide with horror. Raphael reaches down, grabs the cop’s head and jaw, and swiftly twists. There’s a sickening crunch, and the policeman’s body sags.
I stare, shocked. Just like before—one minute, someone was standing there alive, and the next moment, gone. I had no idea someone could kill a person that silently and efficiently with only his bare hands.
“Quick,” Raphael says. “Grab that net there.”
Out of reflex, I follow his instruction, grasping a tangled, weighted fishing net and numbly handing him the edge.
“Help me.” His voice is crisp, impossible to argue with.
He wraps the net around the body. I try to help him, my fingers trembling. What am I doing? When the cop is wrapped up, Raphael kicks him into the sea. With the weights tied to the net, the body instantly sinks.
My heart is still racing when Raphael grabs me by the bicep and drags me up the gangplank.
I stumble onto the deck. “What’s happening?” I ask, stunned by the sudden turn of events.
“He knew your name,” Raphael says tersely. “Which means the other cops might know your name. You can’t stay here to get interrogated.”
I have a million more questions but no time to ask them. I lick my lips, tasting salt. What am I going to do in this situation, fight off the lethal, armed spies with my purse?
Already, Viviane is sidling up to him. “How long until they find his body?”
“There’s a strong westerly undercurrent here. He’ll be dragged a mile away, but we need to go now.” His glance darts back to the beach. “The nearest police station is just two hundred thirty yards away. They might come looking for him. I reckon we have about seven minutes to get out of here.”
“I’m not going with you,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster. None of this is part of my plan. I have a ticket back home in a week; all my things are back in my hotel. I’m not someone who deals with stress well, and I’m barely functioning. At this point, I have no desire to throw myself into more danger.
Viviane raises her sword, and the blade nicks my throat. “The thing is, we’re not asking.”
My stomach drops. I stare at her, my thoughts racing. Wisps of her blonde hair lift in the wind, and she watches me with pale eyes.
Usually, I’m good at figuring out what people want and using that to get what I want, too. But right now, my mind is drawing a blank because this woman is not about to back down.
“Cast off!” Raphael calls out. “Everyone’s on board.”
The world seems to dim as people bustle around. The boat’s engine roars to life, spewing black smoke.
My stomach twists in knots. Where the hell are they taking me?
As we set off, the marine wind whips at my hair. Finally, Viviane lowers her sword. Her jaw is clenched, and she’s looking at me with disgust.
I look back at the dock. It grows smaller and smaller. This is a horrible mistake, something I never should have jumped into.
And yet, what else could I have done?
CHAPTER 5
The ship rocks with every wave, the horizon tilting left and right, up and down. Seawater mists my face, and the ship's timbers groan and creak.
I stand by the stern, clutching the railing, my stomach roiling with the movement. I’m not very good with boats. I can get seasick just looking at the water. And right now, I’m regretting the berry cake I ate earlier. In fact, I regret getting out of bed this morning. The bed didn’t go up and down. The bed was great. So steady and reliable.
“Hey!” someone calls from behind me. “You.”
Nauseated, I turn around to see Viviane glaring at me. The Mediterranean wind whips loose strands of her curls. “Raphael wants to see you.”
“Okay,” I say faintly.
“He’s waiting for you in the captain’s quarters.” She points emphatically.