Chapter 27

Seb's soft voice roused her. Still groggy, Alexis couldn't make out his words or form the words to beg for a few more minutes of sleep. Her cheeks burned as she remembered how deftly Seb had used the recliner. He'd been right—it hadn't made a sound.

"Well, that clears up one thing, but it changes others."

Clears up what?

Confused and struggling to wake up, Alexis realized Seb's quiet whispers weren't directed at her. He was no longer in bed, but sitting on the recliner, talking to… Javier. Or maybe Drake. She lay still, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

"Alexis will be safe here. I'll take Westberg with me, and we'll meet Drake as planned. Once we've sorted out the mess, I'll come back for her and Emery."

There was a pause in the conversation as Seb listened. Alexis was sure he was talking to Javier. He planned to leave her in the Everglades and confront Dr. Butler without her.

"The men Antoine works for have too many connections. She needs to disappear, and we need to figure out how to make that happen."

Seb had lied to her. He'd made her believe he understood why she needed to confront Dr. Butler. He'd even come up with the plan to make it happen. A plan he'd never intended to include her in. And now, he planned to keep her hidden until the danger passed. Anger singed the corners of her self-control, and she fought to remain still.

Alexis would be the first to admit the situation was out of her comfort zone, but she couldn't let fear hold her back. There was too much at stake. She could take care of herself. She'd already proven that.

If Seb found a connection between Dr. Butler and the algae, he wouldn't give him time to explain. He'd assume the worst. Alexis couldn't let that happen. She should have never told him she recognized the professor's research methodology. No matter how damning their evidence, Alexis couldn't believe the man she admired and respected would go against his own moral beliefs to destroy what he loved most for money. She would not allow Seb to destroy his career.

"Alexis will be mad when she finds me gone, but she'll get over it."

She'll get over it.

No. She would never get over his betrayal. Her heart froze and then shattered into a thousand fragments. If he'd been listening, he'd have heard them scatter across the bedroom floor. She'd been stupid to trust him, thinking he might have the same feelings for her as she had for him.

She could have screamed in frustration as she thought of the recently hired CEO for the oceanographic institute. He'd been quick to tell everyone that they'd been classmates growing up. Yeah, they were real pals. He'd left out how he joined in with the other boys taunting her.

Alexis was tired of being used. She had always been a loner, and she'd do this alone. She didn't need Sebastien Tremblay's help.

"I should catch an hour of sleep before I leave."

She peeked through her lashes and watched him as he hung up, then set his cell phone alarm before crawling into bed.

When Seb reached for her, Alexis pretended to be asleep and rolled to the edge of the mattress. She controlled her breathing. Soft, measured breaths to hide she was awake. He placed a hand on her hip, and she remained still as she waited for him to fall asleep.

Sneaking out of the house wouldn't be easy, especially with Vance resting on the couch. Orlan had mentioned he'd move the SUV to the front of the house. It would be easier to drive than Ruby Anne's clunker. If she couldn't spot the keys to the SUV on the key rack beside the back door, she'd be forced to take the old car. Vance had thrown the keys on the dash when they got out.

It would be slow going at night, but she'd have no problem retracing their trip back to the T-intersection on the main road. There would be signs along the road that would direct her to the highway.

Seb's hand relaxed and fell away from her hip. She listened to his rhythmic breathing, assuring herself he was asleep, before getting off the bed.

Careful not to make a sound, she picked up her shoes with one hand before slipping out of the bedroom. She shoved her feet into the runners and tied them, straining to hear if Vance was up. The end of the hallway was dark. If Vance was awake, he'd have left a couple of lights on in the living room. One less problem. Her body released some of its tension.

As she passed the bathroom, Alexis reached a hand inside, flipped on the light, and closed the door. Light shone through the gap between the floor and bottom of the door. If Seb got up, he'd think she'd gone to the bathroom. It would buy her more time, provided Vance didn't get up to look outside when she started the SUV.

Alexis crept into the kitchen. Orlan had left the curtains open, and moonlight streamed into the room. Another break. She wouldn't have to turn on the light to sort through the keys hanging on the pegs beside the back door.

Only one key chain had a remote fob. Alexis bet it belonged to the SUV. Most of the other cars she noticed parked by the garage were the same era as Ruby Anne's.

Alexis raised her hand to turn the back door's deadbolt.

"Going somewhere?"

She spun.

Vance looked at her, frowning, his hands on his hips. "I thought tonight was supposed to be a group event."

"I… I needed some fresh air," she stammered, keeping her voice as low as his to not wake the others.

"You don't need the keys to the SUV to get a breath of fresh air." He plucked them out of her hand and placed them back on the key rack. "You want to tell me what's going on?"

It seemed like she didn't have much choice. Seb had told her the Marshal had checked out. Maybe she could talk him into letting her take the SUV to Miami.

"We should step outside, so we don't wake the others." Alexis waited for his nod before she quietly opened the back door.

"Well?" Vance crossed his arms and stared at her once he'd closed the door.

"Seb thinks I'll be safer here than breaking into the lab. He's going to sneak out without me." Alexis threw her hands in the air and hissed in frustration. "He wouldn't even have known about the threat if I hadn't asked my friend Finlay for help. I'm the only one who can test the algae samples, interpret the formulas, and read the research reports."

A grin slowly worked its way across Vance's face. "So, you're going to beat Seb to the punch and leave before he does."

Alexis shrugged, looked down at her feet, and inhaled a deep breath. That was exactly what she'd been attempting to do.

"He'll hear the SUV and go after you."

"Not if I'm fast." She locked eyes with him, determined to leave.

The grin grew wider. "Fast is not a word anyone uses to describe the roads out here. I can run as fast as you'll be going to avoid the dips, holes, and animals on the road at night."

"Vance, I'm going to Miami, so you either help me or go tell Seb while I take off in the SUV." Alexis was not letting Seb dump her on Orlan and go to Miami on his own.

Vance puffed out his cheeks and then gave her a long stare. Alexis waited for his answer, the soft click of the second hand on the wall clock reminding her she had little time.

If he refused, she'd bash him over the head with the ceramic pot of flowers next to the door when he turned to get Seb. She hadn't been bluffing.

"We'll take the Jon boat. They won't hear us leave." Vance reached to the side, plucked a jacket off the coat rack, and tossed it to her. "It'll be cool out on the water. Orlan and Seb won't hear us leave. My friend lives close, beside the water. We'll leave the boat with him and borrow one of his vehicles."

A wave of relief washed over Alexis. They'd be far away before Seb realized she was missing. "Thank you."

He grabbed the SUV keys and another set of keys from the rack. Alexis lifted an eyebrow. "We'll slow them down a bit," he said and strode across the kitchen floor to the fridge. He placed them in the freezer. "I can't leave them without transportation. They can take Ruby Anne's car if they can't find them. We'll be too far away for them to catch up with the clunker."

Alexis followed him out the back door and across the lawn to the dock beside the narrow channel of water running behind the house.

He untied the mooring line as she got into the small boat, and gestured to the bench at the stern. He sat on the middle bench between the oarlocks and inserted the oars, facing Alexis.

Neither of them spoke as they glided through the water. The swish of the oars rising and falling in the calm, dark water marked their progress. Damp earth and decaying vegetation scented the night air. Unseen animals rustled the thick vegetation along the shores, warning Alexis they weren't alone.

The branches of immense cypress trees, black against the moonlit sky, reached over the water and hung over the boat as the channel of water narrowed. If she leaned over the side of the boat, Alexis could almost touch the shore.

Vance stopped rowing and pulled out his cell phone. "I put it on vibrate so it wouldn't ring and wake the others. It's my boss." He tapped at the keys.

The eerie hush surrounding them was one of the first things Alexis had noticed. She should have been able to hear the cell phone's faint buzz. A wave of anxiety washed over Alexis. Why was Vance lying to her?

They hadn't gone far when Vance's cell phone rang. He let the boat drift as he dug out his cell phone again.

"Do you have…" The woman's voice cut off as Vance placed the phone to his ear.

Her.

A six-year-old could have worked out the end of the sentence. Alexis expected Vance's help would end once she stepped out of the Jon boat.

The conversation was brief and cryptic, but Alexis was sure he'd agreed to deliver her to someone.

"No more lies, Vance. What's going on?" Alexis needed to be prepared for whoever would greet her when they docked the boat.

"I don't believe you're involved with terrorists, but I can't ignore a direct order. If you're innocent, the FBI will release you." Torn between loyalty and suspicion, uncertainty colored his voice.

Alexis wouldn't waste her breath telling him he was being set up. When Vance delivered her to Antoine's people, they'd kill him. She had to find a way to save them both.

The boat drifted toward the murky riverbank as Vance tapped on the cell phone, probably sending his boss a text. A ripple in the water caught Alexis's attention. A massive log shifted.

The alligator was fast and leaped into the Jon boat behind Vance. Its jaws clamped down on Vance's arm before Alexis could shout a warning. The boat pitched violently. Vance's scream tore through the silence surrounding them. The creature thrashed, intent on dragging its prey into the dark water.

Alexis grabbed the pushing pole lying along the boat's bottom and swung. The first blow stunned the reptile, but it didn't let go. The second strike hit its snout and the third its eye. In pain, it released its hold and scrambled out of the boat in a flurry of splashing as quickly as it had entered.

Vance shook violently and slumped onto the bench, covered in his blood. His breathing was shallow and eyes wide discs as he stared into the calm water. He was in shock, and his mangled arm hung in an awkward position. The pain would come in a few minutes once his brain processed the attack.

Alexis leaned forward and grabbed Vance's gun from his ankle holster. He didn't move, his eyes still focused on the water. She stuck it between her jeans and the small of her back. One less thing to worry about.

She jabbed the pushing pole into the channel's muddy bottom to move them deeper into the Everglades, away from the alligator.

Satisfied they'd traveled far enough, she set the pole on the boat's floor and touched Vance's knee. "You need medical attention. How far is it to your friend's place?"

His eyes had lost their glassy look, and he looked down at his arm. Sucking air between clenched teeth, he looked around. "The bend ahead. You'll see the dock."

Alexis pulled an oar out of the oarlock and paddled down the channel. She watched for ripples in the smooth water and movement on the banks beside them. Other creatures would smell Vance's blood.

"What was the plan?" she asked, her muscles straining as she lifted the heavy oar over the boat and to the other side.

"I'd borrow a vehicle from my friend," Vance said, his voice rough and face twisted in pain. "An FBI agent is waiting for me at a marker on the highway. That's who I texted."

"Your friend live alone?"

Vance shook his head and sucked in a sharp breath. "He has a ten-year-old daughter. His wife left him a while back. Everglades life was too slow for her liking."

The little girl changed everything. Alexis considered turning back, but Vance needed help. It was late. The girl would be in bed.

And if she woke up when they arrived? Holding a ten-year-old at gun point wasn't an option. She'd have to wing it. Alexis shuddered. It was not one of her superpowers.