Dark Abyss by Kaitlyn O'Connor (top fiction books of all time txt) 📗

to arrange another meeting with her, though,” Caleb countered, frowning. “You think she lied to protect him?”

Simon shrugged. “I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. I’ve been going over everything we found. I don’t think the bomb was supposed to go off—not when it did. I think that was a fuck up on the part of the man that planted it. It’s possible he didn’t even manage to plant it where they’d intended to or it would’ve done more damage than it did.

“From what I can see, Cavendish had spent over a year carefully placing his agents where they could do the most harm. That was the confusing part. It didn’t make sense just to blow up the desalinization plant when he already had men in place in other critical sites—the power station, communications. When it finally occurred to me that the blast might have been an accidental detonation, that it was intended to coincide with others, then it all made sense.”

“You’ve got confirmation they were his men, then?”

“No, unfortunately. If I had proof, they’d be in jail now. We found the missing man, though. Well, his hand. Looks like the sharks got to him first. It’s hard to determine the cause of death when that’s all we have, but I think he panicked when the plans went south and tried to run and the other two, or one of them, killed him. I think Cavendish knew his plan had fallen apart when he heard about the explosion and removed himself to a safer location, probably to establish an alibi. It fits.”

“Neatly,” Caleb said, “But it’s still just a theory until and unless we get proof.”

“We’re working on it. In the meantime, I have Spencer and Roach under close watch and we’re tracking a couple of others that look suspicious.”

“What about Anna?”

“Take Joshua and head back to her place. Scan it for electronic surveillance and plant a few transmitters of our own. That way we can keep an eye on her without being underfoot.”

Caleb studied Simon assessingly. “You know damned good and well we’d never reach her in time from here if we heard anything, Simon,” he growled. “About all that kind of stakeout is going to get us is evidence … maybe.”

Simon’s face darkened. “I also know you aren’t going to do her any good dead, and you’ve got a hell of a lot more on your mind that just watching her.”

Caleb flushed. “I know what I’m doing, Simon.”

“Do you?” Simon asked tightly. “I don’t think so. If you did you wouldn’t be thinking what I know you’re thinking.”

“How do you know what the fuck I’m thinking?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

“And you assume I’m thinking the same thing you are?” Caleb growled.

“She’s a land dweller, Caleb, an air-breather, and nothing you, I, Ian, or Joshua have to say or to offer is going to change that fact. And that’s assuming she isn’t just plain repulsed at the idea of fucking mermen!”

“I didn’t get that impression when I kissed her,” Caleb drawled coolly, though he couldn’t subdue the anger glittering in his eyes. “In fact, just the opposite.”

The stylus Simon had been holding in his hand snapped. Dark color flooded his face as he looked down at it. “Gratitude isn’t desire,” he managed after a moment, “but since you brought it up, that makes my point. You were supposed to escort her home, not try to seduce her.”

Doubt surged through Caleb and anger sprang from it. “If I’d been trying to seduce her I could’ve had her then. It’s been a while since I was with a woman, granted, but it sure as fuck didn’t feel like gratitude to me.”

Simon stared at him furiously for several moments, wrestling with the impulse to dive across the desk and choke the life out of him and wipe the smug look off of his face.

When he had his anger under control, he spoke again. “She has a deep-seated revulsion of mutants even if she doesn’t want to admit it,” he said tightly. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you and do take this to heart, Caleb, because I mean it. You can take the sub and setup an observation post within five minutes of her place, but if I find out you’ve been ‘watching’ from her bed, you’ll be on suspension.”

Caleb stood. “I think you’ve got it backwards. I think you have a deep-seated distrust of humans in general and Anna in particular. I’m just not sure if it’s because of her father or because of that bitch, Roxanne, that cleaned you out and headed back landside. I will tell you this, though, Joshua’s in and Ian’s in. I think we have enough credits without your input.”

“You’ve forgotten one critical detail, Caleb,” Simon growled when he opened the door to leave.

He turned back to glare at him. “I don’t think so.”

“I know so. She isn’t on the market.”

He could’ve lived without that fucking reminder, Caleb thought furiously as he stalked out of the station!

Joshua met him in the atrium where they’d docked the sub upon their return from Anna’s house. “Shit! He said no?”

Caleb stared at him without comprehension for several moments. “No,” he said finally, striding to the hatch and climbing down into the sub. “He gave us a green light.

He also said he’d hand our asses to us on a platter if we camped on her doorstep.”

Joshua, who’d followed him down, stared at him in disgust as he settled into the pilot’s seat. “Well how the hell is that going to help us if we can’t get within a mile of her?”

Caleb shook his head.