Quinn’s Battle (Team KOA Bravo #4)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

“I’m driving,” Quinn declared as they walked out of the resort. “You can enjoy the scenery.” It was a blatant dare for her to argue, and thankfully she didn’t. At least not directly.

“I’m not skipping shifts.” She hopped into the passenger seat and buckled up. “If anything, me working the bar might bring Steen to us.”

The hair at the back of his neck lifted. He didn’t want these guys anywhere near Dahlia, whatever they were up to. “You understand what you’re saying?” He couldn’t bring himself to use the word “bait” in reference to her.

“Yes. I want this over.” She reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Besides, at the bar I’m surrounded by big tough military heroes.”

“I’m blushing.”

She laughed. “Like hell you are.”

All he knew about Kona was that it was south of the resort, south of the airport he and his friends had flown into, and coffee was the big thing. He got Dahlia chatting about the area and its history as he left the resort and got on the highway.

He appreciated her knowledge and enjoyed listening to her talk. For as much as she was the listening bartender, she was equally good with telling a story. She was a wonderful ambassador for her home state and the rich history and culture, but he was far more concerned about her. And her future. One that Steen seemed determined to trash.

It was time to figure out why she was a target. “You worked at the resort the day Steen showed up at Ohana for the first time, right?”

She clammed up and turned away from him.

“Hey.” He reached over and caught her hand. “This was your idea. We need to make the most of it.”

“I don’t know anything.” She chewed on her lip. “I was antsy back there with Cassie. I’m hoping we’ll see something helpful out here today.”

He called bullshit on that. Reconnaissance wasn’t a bad idea in general. But Steen wasn’t setting her up and harassing her for no reason. He tried another tactic. “Just talk me through that day,” he pressed as gently as he could.

She gave a heavy sigh. “Why that day?”

“We have to narrow the window somehow.” He would give her as much assurance as possible. “There has to be some reason Steen tracked you to the bar.”

“You don’t think he found Ohana’s by word of mouth?”

“A neighborhood bar?” Quinn scoffed. “Doesn’t feel like the right vibe for a guy with his record.”

Again, no argument from Dahlia.

“What time was your resort shift?”

“I clocked out at three, grabbed lunch out back, and then drove over to the bar.”

“Straight to the bar?”

“I didn’t drive to Kona,” she said, clearly moody. “Sorry.”

“You went by a renovation property didn’t you?”

She swiveled to face him. “How did you know?”

He understood her frustration. “Couldn’t think of any other stops that would irritate you so much in hindsight.”

“No one should be afraid of living their life,” she groused. “Or putting their family in danger. I carried this problem straight to my brothers.”

“You didn’t,” he argued. “You didn’t do any of this. Criminals did.” When she was clearly unconvinced, he reminded her of his experience. “On the teams we take orders,” he said. “We have an objective and no matter how much we train, shit happens.” He braced himself. It was always hard to talk about the men who’d twisted the oath and integrity of the teams. “Sometimes it’s just the x-factor. Sometimes it’s bad intel. And sometimes the criminals aren’t where you expect them to be, which gives them an advantage.”

“You’re talking about what happened to you.”

He nodded. “I am. We saw something the criminals were trying to hide and we would’ve been killed for it without an ally keeping us out of their reach.”

She was quiet for a long time. “You’re my ally?”

“One of many,” he reminded her. “Though I hope I’m the only one who gets to kiss you.” It worked. Her laughter floated through the car and she relaxed into her seat.

“That’s an affirmative,” she replied.

“Awesome.”

Though his focus should’ve been one hundred percent on the situation, he couldn’t help wondering when they might get past the foreplay. He refused to rush her, as much as she tempted him. He’d happily address whatever was holding her back, but she didn’t share.

Maybe he should push, ask direct questions. If he had a better relationship track record, that would probably come easier. Maybe he had wasted too much time brooding and now, with just over a week of leave left, the window for something fun and exciting with Dahlia had passed.

He wasn’t convinced that pushing for answers was the solution. She’d been clear about what she wanted from him beyond the protection he offered. This was hardly the time to renegotiate.

“I hear you,” she said. “But I don’t have any idea why Steen suddenly felt the need to follow me that day.”

“Don’t give up,” he encouraged. The why didn’t matter much to him. They were in the situation now and he was a down-range, tip-of-the-spear type. Analysts and commanders worried about why. Quinn and his brothers were all about working the job in front of them.

She remained quiet as they reached the area where the import-export company had properties. Once he was sure they weren’t being followed, he cautiously navigated toward the warehouse. The address was several blocks away from the docks where the trawler was reportedly moored. Knowing her schedule, that she wanted to be back for her shift, he didn’t think they should spend too much time looking for the trawler.

“Don’t most import-export operations have dockside warehouses?” she wondered aloud.

“Must depend on the size of the operation.”

“Or the amount of activity at the docks,” she mused. “Depending on what they’re trying to get away with. Fake money can’t be too hard to move in small batches,” she added.

“Good point. See any familiar cars? They might use midsize cargo vans to move between the dock and warehouse.” He kept his eyes peeled as he cruised through the area. “Rentals might be a good way to cover their tracks too.”

“Maybe we should walk,” she suggested, twisting around to take it all in.

The idea sent a chill down his spine. “We could. But I like our getaway chances better if we’re in the Jeep.”

“Getaway?” She shot him a look. “You’re serious.”

“Because your safety is my first priority.” Why couldn’t she remember that?

“We didn’t come all this way just to drive around town,” she protested. “We need to figure out what’s going on.”

“We can identify the players if we see them and let the authorities figure it out, Dahlia.”

“Quinn,” she mimicked his tone, “the bastard came after me. He sent a message, to use your words. I want to find him and find a way to feel safe again.”

Swearing, Quinn shifted tactics to swing by the motel. He was supposed to make her feel safe. And hopefully he managed that. But he understood what she meant. Hell, he was here because they’d blown the whistle on criminals, because he couldn’t sit back and let them get away with dishonoring the teams for profit. He understood her need for justice. That determination to not walk around on edge, looking over his shoulder all the damn time.

The motel wasn’t luxurious, but it was clean. Across the street were several businesses tucked in a line, with a narrow parking lot in front. He saw a coffee shop at one end and a deli on the other. “Do we have time for a bite to eat before your shift?”

Her eyes lit with excitement. “Definitely.”

Inside the deli, they ordered sandwiches and drinks. The crowd was thin and they sat well away from the other customers at the long counter that ran the length of the front windows, giving them a perfect view of the motel.

“Do you think that’s where Steen is staying?”

“Don’t care. We’re not getting that close,” Quinn warned her. “And from the descriptions I’ve heard, the lawyer wouldn’t be caught dead in a place so far beneath his pay grade.”

“Want to bet?” Her attention was on him, but somehow she’d noticed what he’d missed. “Morton just walked out of the motel office.”

“Not a room.”

“And not his usual attire,” she noted.

Morton wore a plain polo shirt and khaki shorts with tennis shoes. He carried only a slim briefcase and walked straight toward a standard, mid-size sedan. “Rental car. A meeting,” Quinn said. He pulled out his phone and sent a text message.

“This can’t be a coincidence,” she agreed. “What now?”

He gathered up the remainder of his sandwich and chips. “Car picnic. Come on.” She grabbed the drinks and her own food and followed him.

His cell phone rang before they’d pulled out of the parking lot. “I sent the make and model and plate number to Cassie,” Quinn explained before answering the call. “You’re on speaker. Get anything on the plates?”

“It’s a rental,” Cassie replied. “GPS puts the vehicle northbound, a few blocks from your location. Be careful,” she warned. “The research team will do what they can to predict his destination.”

The call ended and suddenly Dahlia swore, sliding low in her seat. “Steen,” she whispered, as if the man driving toward them in a white panel van would overhear her.

Quinn couldn’t follow both of them. Trusting his gut, he took the next right and drove inland, away from any and all properties they’d connected to the situation. For a moment, he fumbled, looking for the hands-free option on the steering wheel, then reaching for a radio.

“Call Cassie,” he snapped, frustrated.

Why didn’t the old ranch Jeep have Bluetooth? If he stayed in Hawaii, Quinn would personally see to it that all of Hawk’s vehicles were dragged into the twenty-first century.

When the other woman was on the line again, he relayed the few details he had on Steen’s vehicle.

“You’re on the way back?” Cassie asked.

“We will be shortly.”

“I’m going to ask Hawk about sending Drayton and Boo out there to the warehouse.”

“Sounds good,” Quinn replied. “Keep us in the loop.”

“Be smart,” she said.

“You told us to be careful,” he reminded her.

“Do both.”

The call ended again. He and Dahlia were two of the best multi-taskers around, in his opinion. Signs along the road advertised tours of nearby coffee plantations. “Assuming we don’t have time for a full-coffee tour experience, I plan to head back.”

“Smart and careful,” Dahlia agreed.

They’d come out here, spotted Morton and Steen, but gained zero intel. “We aren’t being followed,” Quinn said. He didn’t know where the men had gone, but they’d both been heading away from the warehouse. It seemed like an opportunity they shouldn’t miss.

Dahlia sat up properly in her seat. “Good.”

He couldn’t really gauge her mood. “Still want to take a walk?”

“Where?”

“Around a certain warehouse,” he said.

She practically bounced in her seat, clearly eager. “Why the change of heart?”

“Because we know Steen and Morton aren’t nearby. No one else should recognize the two of us.”

“You don’t want to go back empty handed,” she said, smiling.

“That too,” he admitted easily. “If we can find something incriminating, that helps everyone, right?”

“Sounds logical to me.” She drummed her hands on her thighs. “That’s what I was trying to do that night you caught up to me in the parking lot. Someone has to stop whatever is going on.”

“Great minds think alike.”

She chuckled, but didn’t say anything else. He appreciated the quiet anticipation as well. He cruised by the warehouse, alert for any sign of Morton or Steen.

“Text from Cassie,” Dahlia said. “Morton’s rental car is at the airport.”

That helped. Quinn didn’t think the lawyer was as much of a physical threat, but his known connections meant he could likely call in whatever thugs he needed. Steen was the question mark. Quinn did another circuit, Dahlia tense in her seat. He let the cool, battle-ready calm wash over him. He was eager as well, but he would do everything possible to mitigate the risks for her.

He found a parking spot a few blocks away and turned to her. “When?—”

“I’ll follow orders, I promise.” She swiveled away from him and hopped out of the Jeep.

“Good to know.” He caught up with her at the tailgate. “One more thing.”

She paused, questions in her gaze. He bent his head and kissed her. Her hands pressed against his waist as she kissed him back. The soft heat swept through him in ways he’d never known before her. Excitement and contentment in equal measure. His heart hammered in his chest, insisting he believe. Urging him to take one more chance. On her.

He pushed it all back as he broke the kiss and something in her eyes stole his breath. Then it was gone in a blink.

“Is that an official tactic?”

He wanted to laugh, needed to focus. “Can’t say it is.” He took her hand and started walking.

“So I’m special.”

Not a question. This woman was remarkable. No wonder she’d captured his attention so effectively from day one. “That you are. Let’s see what we see.”

They weren’t exactly in a neighborhood where couples took casual or romantic strolls, but he couldn’t make himself let go of her hand. The closer they got to the warehouse, the tighter her grip. Fine by him.

There were a few cars in the lot out front and he took pictures as they walked by. He spotted two cameras, one on the gate and another at the corner of the building.

“We aren’t going in?”

“Cameras,” he explained. “Might as well invite Steen back for a chat.”

Her hand squeezed his. “No, thanks. But what do we do?”

He weighed the options. Maybe it would be smart to know how fast they’d react to inquiries. A big risk without any idea of the payoff. He considered their options as they walked around back and checked the layout. “It’s fenced all around, but we might bluster our way in as a delivery.” With a clear view of the loading area, he saw only one obvious camera on the gate. There was a security panel, but no guard.

“I’m game.”

Of course she was. They quickly went back to the Jeep and then drove up to the back gate. He punched in a code, got the red light, and then tried again. After his third attempt, the guard’s voice came through the speaker.

“Delivery for unit two,” Quinn bluffed.

“I don’t have that on the schedule.”

“Dude. I’ve got three pizzas for this address. Want me to leave them on the curb?”

After a few more seconds, the gate rolled back. He drove in and parked up close to the building, backing in so it would be easy to leave again.

They hopped out and started nosing around. “Do you smell the bleach?” Dahlia asked.

He sniffed, catching the harsh scent and let her take the lead, following her nose. A door was propped open, the harsh smell drifting out.

He caught her before she could waltz inside. “Careful.” A beat later, he heard the gate rolling back again. “Over here.” He urged her around the corner and out of sight, praying there wasn’t a camera on them right now. Just in case, he wrapped her close, hoping any observers would see a couple who couldn’t wait for more privacy.

She leaned around his shoulder. “It’s Steen,” she murmured.

He resisted the urge to look for himself. Instead, he put his phone into her hand and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Pretend to kiss me while you’re taking pictures.”

She did as he asked, smiling against his lips. “Great idea,” she whispered.

They wouldn’t know if she’d caught anything helpful until they were back in the Jeep, but it was better than nothing. Now he just had to get her out of here before Steen noticed they were here.

“What’s with the gnarly old Jeep?”

Whoever replied was too muffled for Quinn to make out the words. He swore. “Time to go.”

“How?”

Good question. Steen was between them and the Jeep. He needed a diversion and options were slim. Stress swamped him. What had he been thinking, trying to recon without any kind of backup? He fought it off, focused on getting out of here.

“Come on.” He dragged her toward a forklift and they climbed inside. Thankfully, whoever had used it last had left the key behind. He maneuvered the equipment around, rumbling along slowly while his heart raced. “Keep the phone low,” he instructed Dahlia. “And keep taking pictures.”

“You got it.”

It was a bumpy ride, but they made it all the way to the van Steen must’ve brought in. It was in front of the warehouse that smelled of bleach and the back door was open. He didn’t bother trying to see inside. He stopped the forklift where it nearly touched the van, partially blocking the vehicle. Taking the key, he and Dahlia moved toward the Jeep as casually as possible.

They were in the car before Steen realized the forklift had been abandoned. Though Steen shouted, and gave chase on foot, the gate was rolling back to allow them out before he could notify the guard to override the code. Not that a flimsy gate would’ve stopped Quinn’s escape.

“Is there another way back to the ranch?” He didn’t want anyone catching up with him on the main route. Dahlia came through with quick directions, getting them out and away from the area.

He wasn’t sure if Steen would give chase. Part of him was hoping he would so they’d have reason to involve the police immediately. No way Steen would call the cops on Quinn and Dahlia and expose the operation.

She studied his phone. “I’m sending these pictures to Cassie.”

“Good. She’ll coordinate with Hawk.” His hands gripped the steering wheel and he kept an eye on his mirrors. “Did any of the pictures come out?”

“A few. Remarkable, really.”

She sounded more curious than upset. “Which part?” In his opinion, it was remarkable they’d been so close without getting caught. Remarkable they weren’t being followed. Though he wasn’t ruling that out.

“When I kiss you, I tend to forget everything else,” she admitted breezily. “I’m all impressed with myself for remembering to press the button.”

She was focused on the phone, he was focused on the road, and they were quiet for several minutes.

He breathed easier with every mile they gained. “Call the bar,” he said as he made the decision. “You’re not going in tonight.”

“Quinn.”

“No. That was too close. I’m not going to make it easy for them to find you.”

“But—”

“No.” He was wound tightly from head to toe. Not normal. Typical combat missions didn’t do this to him. Only Dahlia. He struggled for the calm detachment he’d used to get them out of there. “Call Cassie if you want a second opinion.”

She stroked a hand over his shoulder. “I don’t need her opinion.”

He was aware enough to realize her touch eased his stress as much as her acceptance of his decision. “You don’t want to let anyone down, but they’ll understand.”

“You got there fast.” She sounded surprised.

He checked his mirrors and then glanced at her. “We’ve been acquainted for a while,” he reminded her. “Responsible might as well be your middle name.” He caught the flash of her smile in his peripheral vision and more of the tension dogging him fled.

“We’re a pair,” she said. “Understanding and responsible.”

He’d like to be a pair. He’d like to be more… Intimate. Official. United. Those were new thoughts, but he didn’t shy away from them. “You okay with staying at the cabin?”

“It’s easier on you, isn’t it? You’d feel more secure?”

“Yes, but?—”

“Then the cabin is perfect. On one condition.”

“Which is?”

“We share the bed. I’m done sleeping alone.”

He would’ve said something, but his mouth went dry. He didn’t dare take his eyes off the road. Instead, he just held out a hand. And when she took it, everything swirling inside his head quieted.