Christmas Captive. Liz Johnson

he tried to say anything else, it was lost as the DJ turned the bass up.

      Grabbing Elaina’s hand, she spun the girl toward the edge of the dance floor and the nearest exit. “It’s off to bed for us,” she singsonged despite Elaina’s frown. But the yawn that cracked her jaw once again proved that the girl was ready for some peace and a full night of sleep, whether she’d admit it or not.

      As they climbed the steps to the next level, Elaina asked, “Do you think my dad’ll be there?”

      “We danced for almost an hour, so I’m sure he’s back from his phone call by now. And he’s probably worried about you.”

      Elaina shook her head. “He’ll know I’m with you.” Suddenly the smooth skin of her face wrinkled with concern. “Will you stay with me if he’s not there?”

      Amy’s heart tripped at the fear that laced the girl’s words. Something was clearly off. Something that she couldn’t quite pinpoint. But after five years with the DEA and three with the Marines before that, Amy had learned to listen to fear. She refused to let it control her, but a little healthy fear had kept her alive more than once.

      “Of course. You know I’ll always stay with you.”

      With a squeeze of her hand, Elaina rested her head against Amy’s arm. “Promise?”

      The plea was familiar. Probably because Amy had asked it herself a hundred times when she was about her niece’s age.

      But before she could respond, a wave of goose bumps rushed down her arms. Along the interior hallway there wasn’t a breeze off the ocean to chill her. But something had set off her internal alarms.

      “You okay, Aunt Amy?”

      She whipped her head around to look behind them. The hallway was empty. “Sure.” She tried to sound more certain than she felt.

      There was a weight on her skin, like someone was watching them. Except they were all alone...weren’t they?

      And yet the sensation of being watched was as tangible as Elaina’s hand in hers.

      Maybe it was habit or so many years of training, but Amy grabbed the girl and pushed her into a shallow doorway, using her own body as cover. Amy measured her breaths to keep them silent, but Elaina knew no such trick. Her gasps were ragged, and they echoed in the corridor.

      She couldn’t identify the source of her concern, and this was the first time she’d felt this way on this cruise. But there was no doubt. Something was going on.

      It had scared Elaina.

      And now it was turning up every single one of Amy’s protective instincts.

      She peeked out from the little notch, looking both ways, but saw no one. Not even a shadow. The hallway lights had been dimmed, but there was still plenty to illuminate a moving figure.

      And there was no one there.

      She backed up, pulling Elaina with her and pressing the girl against her side. “Stay close.”

      Elaina nodded against her.

      Heart thumping faster than usual, Amy took another look behind them. Maybe it would be better to backtrack. To find someone else from the wedding party.

      Or she could keep going to the nearest protected place. Elaina’s suite.

      With slow, methodical steps she worked her way to the end of the hall, where it intersected with another. There she peeked around the corner. Two large forms were approaching and Amy jerked back, pressing Elaina against the wall behind them. Stretching a finger across her lips, she made the universal sign for quiet as heavy footsteps drew nearer.

      “Where’s the girl? She was supposed to be back by now.”

      “I don’t know. I was with you. Remember?”

      It sounded like the sarcastic guy got punched, and his groan echoed.

      “Shut up. Don’t try to be funny. I’ll call the boss. He’ll know where the ambassador’s daughter is.”

      Elaina flinched, a gasp escaping. She flung a hand over her mouth and stared at Amy with wild eyes that asked the only important question. Are they talking about me?

      Of course they were. What were the odds there was another ambassador’s daughter aboard this ship?

      Amy felt suddenly sick, bile rising in the back of her throat. This had gone from an instinctual concern to a serious threat in seconds. They had to get out of there, away from these men, who had clearly been watching Elaina.

      “We don’t know where she is. She’s not back at her room yet,” said the guy who’d announced he was going to call the boss.

      The undeniable crackle of a walkie-talkie bounced down the hallway, but Amy couldn’t understand what had been said.

      “Sure. We’ll get her before they arrive.” Shoving his friend, he said, “Start looking.”

      Who was they? And what exactly did they want with Elaina Torres?

      Whatever it was wasn’t good. And Amy couldn’t wait around to find out.

      The deep voices dropped low, and then their footsteps stopped for a long moment before one took off in the other direction. Her heart kicked into overdrive. This was their chance to make a break for it.

      Leaning down, she whispered to Elaina, “Hold my hand and don’t let go.”

      “Are we going to find my dad?”

      They were going to find safety and get help. No matter what.

       TWO

      Amy held Elaina’s hand so tightly that their fingers shook. Or maybe that was the rest of them. Still, she pulled the girl in her wake, keeping her steps as silent and swift as possible. The halls were nearly deserted, most guests enjoying the entertainment on deck.

      Her rough breathing echoed so loudly in her own head that she couldn’t hear if either of the men had spotted them. And if they did, would they recognize Elaina as their mark?

      “Hey!” The booming voice behind them seemed to rattle the cabin doors. “Stop!”

      They’d been spotted. And apparently recognized.

      Elaina slowed down, trying to look over her shoulder, pulling on Amy’s arm.

      “Keep running,” Amy ordered. “Stay with me. Don’t look back.”

      The little girl nodded, but her shorter legs stumbled as she tried to keep up.

      There wasn’t time to stop and boost Elaina onto her back, but neither could the girl’s smaller feet keep up on her own. Amy pulled her close and swung her into her arms, the additional weight making every step twice as hard.

      Another hallway crossed in front of them. One that would lead to the stairwell that would take them back to the deck. Then they’d be in the open. And maybe near security.

      Please, God, let there be a security guard on the deck.

      Feet slapping the carpet, she held every muscle in check as they approached the turn, leaning to counterbalance the weight in her arms.

      “Stop right there!”

      She hunched her shoulders against the anticipated gunshot, then remembered she was on a cruise ship, not in the field. She expected the possibility of being shot at on a DEA assignment. She wanted to believe that she wouldn’t have to deal with that here, on the ship where no one was legally permitted to carry weapons, but she couldn’t be sure.

      The problem was that she didn’t know what to expect here. She hadn’t gotten a good look at the men talking about Elaina. There was no intel to identify their motive, their usual methods of attack or a list of their weapons.