8

 

A shrill ringing slowly permeated the thick darkness where he lay. Jason opened his eyes and immediately closed them again, his head splitting. He reached out blindly and silenced the alarm, then lay still; afraid moving would aggravate the pain. This had to be the worst hangover since his nineteenth birthday party at uni. Only it wasn’t a hangover. He hadn’t touched alcohol since becoming a Christian in his early twenties.

Headache or no, there was only one way to start the day. The same way each one ended—in prayer.

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for Your amazing grace and love in looking beyond my faults and seeing my need of You. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for me, that I may enter into a relationship with You. Thank You for preserving me through the night and bringing me safe to another day in this beautiful world that You created. For today, Lord, I ask that all I do would please You and cause You to smile upon it. Help me to fix my eyes firmly on You and never lose sight of You no matter how busy the day becomes. Bless Freddie. Be with us as we work together. Give us both the patience and skills we need for today.

He shivered and reached for the duvet. Where was it? His hand moved further. Had he tossed it to the floor overnight? Taking a deep breath, he rolled over and slowly sat up, his head spinning. Stop the world, I want to get off.

Opening his eyes, he blinked hard. Clothes lay strewn over the floor, the duvet was in a heap on the other side of the room. No way could he have tossed it that far. His Bible wasn’t where he left it, and the stench of cologne filled the air from the broken bottle by the sink. What’s going on? This is my room, but this isn’t how I left it last night. It looks like a bomb hit it.

Alarm filled him and adrenaline flooded his body. Pushing up, he moved across the room, his head swimming and his balance off kilter. Lord, help me here, please. What happened?

At first glance nothing seemed to be missing. The whole place was a total mess. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, trying to clear his vision. How could someone do this while he was in the room? He was a light sleeper, always had been. He felt sick at the thought of someone going through his things.

Freddie! His stomach dropped. Pulling on a sweater, he ran across the room, crying out in pain as something sharp dug into his foot. Standing on one leg, he pulled out a piece of broken glass and limped to the door. He flung it open, barely pausing to realize it was unlocked. Heading across the hall, he pounded on the door.

“Freddie.”

No response. He knocked again.

“Freddie, it’s Jason. Open the door.” Please, let her be all right, just in the shower or something. “Freddie, open the door or I’m coming in.”

Jason tried the door. It was unlocked and swung open. Freddie lay face down on the bed, still dressed in her clothes from the day before. “Freddie.”

The room was a bigger disaster than his own. Jason hurtled to Freddie’s side, his heart pounding. Placing a hand on her neck, he was relieved to find a pulse. Thank you, Lord. He sat on the bed and shook her gently. “Come on, sleepy. Time to wake.”

Still not getting a response, he shook harder, rolling her over. Did she always sleep with her glasses on? “Please, wake up now.” Maybe he should call an ambulance. He couldn’t see any marks, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t hurt. What if she’d had an asthma attack? Where was her phone? He glanced around for it. He turned back to Freddie. “Come on, Freddie, you’re scaring me, now. Please, wake up and answer me, hon.” He stroked her face.

Freddie groaned and her eyes flickered. “Jason?”

Relief flooded him. “Yes, I’m here. Take it easy. Are you all right?”

“Other than feeling like I got hit by a truck?” She rubbed her head and rolled onto her side, squinting up at him. “My head’s killing me. And don’t call me hon.”

“My head hurts, too.”

She glanced around and gasped. “What happened here?”

“We had visitors during the night. My room’s the same, although it isn’t as completely trashed as yours is. I don’t think I’m missing anything. I didn’t stop to check. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“Fine...just a headache.” Freddie wheezed as she spoke.

“Are you sure? You need your inhaler?”

“In...my...bag...”

Jason tossed things about in desperation as her wheezing increased. Finding it, he brought it to the bed, tipping the contents out and handing it to her. “Here.”

“Thank...you...” She took three quick puffs.

He sat beside her, longing to take her hand, but settling for being there. “You’re welcome. Are you going to be all right?”

She didn’t answer as she tried to regulate her breathing. “Yeah, I’m all right. I just need a few. Could you get me something to drink, please?”

“Sure.” Jason got up to make some tea.

Freddie leaned back on the pillows, the wheezing finally stopping. She glanced around the room. “Whoever it was sure did make a mess in here.”

“They did. A seven point three on the Richter scale, at least.”

“We should check to see if anything’s missing.”

He came over with the cups. “We will in a bit. Drink this first.” He handed her the tea and sat down.

“Thank you.”

“Welcome.” He blew on his tea, smiling as she drained hers. “How can you drink it that hot?”

“How can you drink it lukewarm?” She glanced at his foot. “You’re bleeding, Jace.” She put the cup down. “You’ve cut your foot.”

“I got glass in it crossing my room.”

She reached down and picked up his foot, looking at it. “You should let me cover it.” Freddie got up, rummaged in the pile by the bathroom door and came up with a box of bandages. She was gentle, but he was a baby when it came to pain. And he hated having his feet touched—something she knew all too well from past experience.

“There, good as new. Well, almost.”

“Thank you.”

“Welcome.”

He took another mouthful of tea. “I figured that as we’re here we’ll start by checking your room. Then my room, then...” He broke off and looked at her.

“The study.” Both of them spoke at once.

 

****

 

Fifteen minutes later, they sat in the study. Freddie looked at Jason, her head still throbbing. “So it doesn’t look like anything’s missing. That’s even more worrying. Bad enough someone turned over the rooms while we were in them, but what were they looking for? Will they come back?”

“I don’t know. Either way, we need to call Edwin and the police.” He massaged his temples.

“Why?” The nagging thought ran through her mind. Had Jason done it at the boss’s request? She still wasn’t sure which side he was on and didn’t trust him as far as she could throw him. Yes, his room was trashed too, but then it’d have to be to make the attack look genuine. Yet I can’t tell him—not yet. Not until I’m sure one way or the other.

His eyes widened in disbelief. “What do you mean, “why”? It’s protocol. You know that as well as I do. If your cover is compromised, you call it in and change locations.”

“Only if someone else is affected, not just us, otherwise we tip our hand and let them win. We should go to breakfast and—”

“Am I hearing you right? You want to act like nothing happened and shove protocol?”

“If that’s what it takes to find out who did this—yes.”

“Freddie, the doors to both rooms were unlocked. That means whoever did this had a key and now knows who we are, if they didn’t already. Our cover is blown. They went through all our stuff, broke a few things—”

“And I can’t believe you’re that easily spooked. You’re the vice president, Jace, with seven years field experience.” She shook him off. “Act like it and not like a cadet.”

“Don’t you dare lecture me.” Jason shook his head at her, straightening up. “That is exactly what I am doing. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t. Protocol is there for a reason and has to be followed.”

“If we call the boss and/or the police, you know what will happen. The police will take over the case and the boss will send us home. Plus, when he finds out I’m here when I’m not meant to be, he’ll sack me. You promised me a week.”

“That week was under advisement. This changes everything. And that’s assuming I don’t sack you myself. I’ve already warned you once about your flippancy and your attitude.”

Freddie reigned in her annoyance. Sniping at Jason wasn’t going to help. “I’m sorry, Jason. I want to find Rafferty—or at least be able to tell his wife what happened to him. It’s personal, now.”

Jason stood and paced to the window, his hands clasped behind his back.

Freddie smiled faintly. She could almost see the cogs whirring in his brain as he paced.

He always did think best on his feet. After a minute, he gave voice to his thoughts. “Fine. Work with me here. Someone broke into our rooms last night. Trashed them, went through everything, yet nothing of value is missing. The camera, laptop, case notes, contents of the box—all still here. It must have made a lot of noise so why didn’t we hear them? My theory is they drugged us.”

“Drugged us?” Freddie pushed her hands through her hair. “Where’d you get that idea from?”

“I’m a light sleeper. I didn’t hear a thing. They even pulled the covers off of me. You crashed out dressed, not even taking your glasses off...assuming you don’t sleep in them.”

“I get red marks on my nose if I do that.” She pulled off her glasses and rubbed her nose. “See?”

“We also both woke with terrific headaches, which can be the aftereffects of a massive sedative, as well as sleeping too heavily. And I don’t mean terrific in a good way, before you say anything.”

“How would they have drugged us?”

“Wish I knew. Sleeping draughts in the cocoa? Perhaps we know too much or got too close?”

“Too much?” Freddie got to her feet and crossed over to the small sink. She filled it with water and splashed some on her face. “We know nothing, apart from the fact that Rafferty owned the mine. How can that be too much? Unless someone already knew who we are.”

“Who? The only person we’ve really had contact with is the old man in the shop. You suspect him?”

“Hardly. Though he does hate outlanders.”

“Oh, it’s definitely him, then.” Jason started pacing again. “How did you pay for the shopping?”

“I used my debit card, same as always.”

“Which one?”

“What do you mean which one? The same one I always use.” Her eyes darted to his reflection.

“Show me.” The eyes in the mirror narrowed, sending chills through her.

Drying her hands, Freddie crossed the room and picked up her purse. She pulled her card out and showed him. “This one.”

Jason rolled his eyes as he read the card. “Great…that’s just great. Nice job, Ms. Flynn,” he said sharply.

“I’m sorry?” She looked at him in surprise. “What did I do?”

“Read out the name on the card to me.” He thrust it into her hand.

“Ms. FJL Flynn…Oh…” Her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes, her face flaming. She felt sick. How could she have been so stupid? This was her fault. She may as well have written ‘Freddie was here’ on the harbor wall with the tin of black paint from the bag.

“‘Oh’ is an understatement. I ought to send you home, myself. How could you have made such a fundamental error? I’d expect that from a cadet, not from you.”

“I’m sorry.” She looked down at the floor as he tossed her words back at her.

“But if you promise you’ll not make the same stupid mistake again, I won’t send you home. This time.”

“I promise.” Freddie crossed back over to the sink, gripping the edge of it firmly. “I really am sorry. I meant to leave that one at home, just left in such a rush…”

She studied her reflection. Something wasn’t right. She dipped her hands in the water and rubbed the back of her neck and throat. Her hands froze.

“It’s gone.”

“What’s gone?” Jason was at her side in an instant.

“My new pendant. It’s not there.” Her hands patted her throat in a pointless exercise, needing to confirm what her eyes were telling her.

“Did you take it off last night?”

“No. Didn’t even take off my glasses or watch, remember? Never mind anything else.”

“Are you sure the chain didn’t just break?”

Freddie rolled her eyes. “Jason...We’d’ve found it. It would have been on the bed and it wasn’t.” She shuddered, bile rising in her throat. “It means he touched me.” Her eyes met Jason’s in horror. “What else did he do to me? You’re right, we should leave here, find someplace else to stay.”

Jason wrapped his arms around her, his physical presence radiating calmness and safety.

Freddie stiffened for a moment, and then let herself lean against him, trying to rein in the panic threatening to spill inside her. Come on, you’re stronger than this.

“He didn’t do anything, all right. When I found you, you were fully dressed. You’re fine.” His calm voice spoke softly, as his hands moved over her back, comforting her. “Just take a couple of deep breaths. You’re all right.”

Freddie closed her eyes, doing what Jason said. After a minute, she looked up at him, reluctant to move, but not wanting to give him the wrong idea. “Sorry.”

“It’s all right. And we need to compromise on this. I’ll hold off on calling this in on the condition we stay here. They know who we are, or at least who you are, but it’s going to look very suspicious if we just high-tail it out of here. We’ll stay for now, but if anything else happens we move and regroup. Right?”

“Right.” She paused. “I’m, uh, gonna go take a shower.”

“Sounds like a good idea. It’ll make you feel better.” He let go of her and smiled, the smile sending her weaker at the knees than she already was. “I’ll go change and come back in a few.”