The Seacrest Inn was a small, family owned establishment. I guessed that was why Ava had chosen it for the rendezvous point. The thatched roofed building had rooms that opened to the parking lot allowing us to park directly in front of our room.

"Room 24," I said, gesturing with one hand toward the room and fishing the key out of my pocket with the other.

We sat for a moment, letting the adrenaline calm, and surveyed the area. I studied each window for any inquisitive eyes that might see us.

Once we were all satisfied that it was safe to leave the car, we quickly moved to the room. The quarters were small, but adequate. A change of clothes was stacked on one of the two double beds. Kael pulled the teal and gold curtains closed the moment we entered. Higgins stood in the center of the room quietly while I went to the bed to separate the stack into two piles.

"I hope these fit," I said as I threw each stack toward the corresponding man.

Higgins didn't move from his position in the center of the room. He stared at me and when I ignored him he called out, "Harper."

I looked up, trying to mask my distaste for the man. Our encounter on the ship had sealed my opinion of him. I hated him.

"Yes?"

I could sense Kael's apprehension as he came over to where I stood.

Higgins voice was cool. "Do you really expect me to believe that you orchestrated that whole thing by yourself?"

Higgins moved toward me, but Kael stepped between us, keeping him at bay and growled, "She just helped break you out of prison, idiot!"

"Yeah, and she's also a book publisher or something from New York City! I'm just asking her how she did it," Higgins shouted.

"You're right. I did have help," I said with defiance. Mentally, I thanked Ava for her foresight in this matter. So far, she had thought of everything. "Madeline helped me."

I had everyone's attention now. I prayed my story made sense, that I didn't miss something important. Kael would be able to read between my lies, I knew, but I hoped Higgins would prove less insightful. "She didn't do it out of any love for either of you. There are strings attached, trust me." I sat down on the bed and tried to look defeated.

Higgins took the bait I offered and asked, "What sort of strings?"

"Gideon has been getting too close to finding her. She has the diamond." I looked at Kael, then continued, "She wants to keep it. When we meet up with Gideon, we have to kill him. That's the deal."

"What's her ultimatum?" Higgins asked, still looking doubtful.

"She'll take care of him herself. And us," I sighed, "I'm sorry, but I didn't have a choice. I couldn't risk losing you," here I paused to look at Kael, "her proposition couldn't have come at a better time honestly."

Higgins turned to look out the small peephole in the door. Kael gave me a small nod of approval when he turned. I released the breath I had been holding, pleased that I hadn't ruined Ava's plan yet.

"Is she meeting us here?" Higgins asked, turning back to us.

"She doesn't want to meet us unless she has to." I winced, "Unless we fail. You guys can do this, right?"

"We can do it," Higgins hesitated, "but will we? That's the question." He looked to Kael.

Kael walked over to the wall opposite me, resting his hand against it. "Honestly, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think we should, Higg. He's been completely erratic these last few months. Look how he's managed to divide all of us. He is risking losing everything."

"You're ready to take on the business then?" Higgins questioned.

"I'll do what I have to," Kael replied, his mood pensive. "I think we all have a reason to have a soft spot for the man," he glanced at me before adding, "but at this point, he has caused too much damage to draw a clean slate."

Higgins nodded. He appeared to agree with the plan. I prayed he wasn't just playing us, just waiting for the opportunity to strike.

"We can always change our mind," Kael added.

I was glad he did. We didn't want Higgins to feel trapped. The decision must appear to be a joint one.

Kael seemed to have the same thought and elaborated, "Let's just see what Gideon has to say tonight."

Higgins nodded, walking over to grab the stack of clothes on the bed beside me. "I'll get changed," he said over his shoulder as he headed to the bathroom and closed the door. The faucet turned on.

Kael slid over onto the bed beside me. I couldn't help but worry that Higgins guessed our duplicity and was waiting for the opportune moment to turn on us. I hated the man, and he had proven to be a worthy opponent on multiple occasions. Fearing he could be listening, I reached over to Kael's neck and pulled his face toward mine. Genuine surprise flooded his face. I realized my mistake too late. Hoping I had misread him, I spoke with my lips against his ear, "Do you think he suspects?" I noted his breathing had quickened as he pulled away and shook his head. He stood up and reached for the clothes on the bed.

I stood awkwardly to leave and blurted, "I'll be just outside while you get changed." I didn't look at him as I closed the door softly behind me and leaned against it. Even if he hadn't moved to change, I couldn't have stayed.

Although the meeting tonight would change our lives forever, this prospect was repressed considering what I had just stumbled upon. The look on his face when I'd pulled him toward me - he'd thought I was going to kiss him. If his quickened breathing was any indication, he hadn't minded the idea either. After all this time, his motives in helping me had been far less complicated than I'd given him credit for.

I took a few steps and leaned against the railing, twisting my fingers absently through my hair. I must think rationally. These notions were absurd. The entire response could easily have been imagined. Someone like Kael would never have feelings for someone as incompatible as me. The stress of the past few weeks were playing games with my mind. Surely they were causing me to see something in him that wasn't there.

The door opened and Kael stepped out in the new clothes. He shut the door softly behind him and came to stand beside me by the railing. I slid off my heels and pulled myself up to sit on the thin railing. Waiting for him to speak, I hated that he could often read my thoughts, although I doubted he could ever guess the absurdness of them in these last few minutes.

"You stay here when we go meet Gideon tonight," Kael said. The limp black collar of his shirt moved slightly in the wind. He cleared his throat and said gruffly, "Not negotiable."

I swung my legs a little and looked at the ground. "Where is the meeting?" I asked. As I spoke, I tried to think of an argument that would convince him. Higgins would never agree to this. He had failed in bringing Gideon the diamond. If he failed in bringing me, Gideon would be furious.

"He won't say," Kael said in a whisper. He turned to go back into the room but reiterated, "So when we go back in there, you insist you're not coming. Understood?"

"I'm coming, actually," I said just as we reached the door.

Kael pounded a fist on the door frame and I jerked in surprise. Angry, he said, "You do not want to meet this man, Harper!"

The door opened and Higgins poked his head out.

"What's going on? Get in here!" Higgins said frantically. "We only have a couple of hours and we need a plan."

"Harper's not coming," Kael commented.

I pushed past him. "Yes I am!" I insisted, despite his flaring temper. "He won't see us any other way."

"She's right," Higgins spoke apologetically to Kael, "He told me as much."

Kael shook his head and turned as he ran a hand through his hair, more frustrated than thoughtful. In truth, I didn't like the idea any more than he did. Just like the prison escape however, we would have to carry this out as planned.

"Just because she comes doesn't mean we can't set up a perimeter while she goes to the meeting, make sure he can't get out," Higgins said to Kael who looked less than pleased.

"No way. He's going to take her." Kael pointed toward me, stepping forward to form the final leg of a triangle with Higgins and me.

"If I don't do it, Garrett dies," I reminded him, "I don't have a choice."

"Which, if my memory serves me, means you are about to make the wrong one," Kael referred pointedly to my own words. "I'll go in to meet with Gideon. You stay out at the perimeter to discourage a hasty exit."

"You're going to need a gun. He will be heavily armed, I'm sure," Higgins pointed out.

Kael glared at me and grunted, "I'll be fine."

"She has to go too," Higgins, growing frustrated with Kael's stubbornness, pressed, "If he sees she's not there, he'll leave, you know that. She's the only reason he's risking this."

"Higgins is right," I said softly, "I have to go, Kael. I'm making this decision." I could tell by his face he hated me at that moment, but I didn't care. I offered, "There is the one gun Madeline gave me. It's in the car." I looked between the two men, hoping we would decide Kael should have it.

"Give it to Higgins," Kael kept his eyes on the man as he spoke, "We'll need a strong perimeter if we're going to have any chance of preventing an escape."

I frowned, wishing Kael would look up and catch my eye. Were we really trusting this man so implicitly?

When he didn't look up, Isimply nodded and muttered, "Sounds perfect."

*****

Can we trust Higgins? Only time will tell, my friends. And what did you think of Harper's theory re Kael's feelings for her? Real or imagined??

*****