Surrender at Dawn Read Free Page B

him.
    “I want to come with you.”
    He’d expected this. “Not happening.”
    “I only just met you. It’s not fair for you to risk your life all by yourself for someone you don’t even know.”
    He stepped closer and gazed down into those big brown eyes that had been even bigger this morning when he’d snuck into her hotel room.
    “Who ever told you life was fair?” he asked. “And anyway, you’re paying me. Believe me, the risk is built into my fee.”
    She looked uncomfortable at this, which was just what he’d intended. Maybe she’d think twice about being alone with him. She should. She should stay far away. If she had any sense, she’d lock herself in that bungalow she’d rented and not come out until he returned with her brother.
    If her brother was even alive, which was a huge if . A reporter dumb enough to go to Chanarong’s private island to chase down a story probably didn’t have much in the way of survival instincts. Charlotte seemed to know this, which accounted for the desperation he’d seen on her face for the last twenty-four hours. It also probably accounted for her willingness to sleep with a man who clearly scared the hell out of her.
    Jack checked his watch and muttered a curse. Where was Sajja? They had approximately three hours to get this job done before the cloud cover was scheduled to dissipate. Tonight was a full moon, and Jack much preferred to work under cover of darkness. He glanced up and down the beach.
    “Who’s meeting you here?” she asked.
    “No one.” He stepped into the boat and checked the plastic gas jug sitting beside the motor. It was full, as was the backup jug. His friend had done everything Jack had asked him to, except stick around to drive the boat.
    “They stood you up, didn’t they?”
    He glanced at Charlotte now and caught the excitement in her tone. Beneath those powder-puff looks was an opportunist.
    Jack rummaged through his rucksack and checked his phone. No messages.
    “Let me go instead,” she said eagerly. “I can do whatever you need help with.”
    “Oh, yeah? What if I need you to slit someone’s throat? You any good with a knife?”
    She stepped back. “You really think you’ll have to--”
    “I don’t know what I’ll have to do. But whatever it is, I’d sure as hell rather do it before the moon comes out.” Jack searched up and down the beach again, but still no Sajja. Shit. He didn’t mind working alone. And he didn’t mind being outnumbered, because he relied on stealth, not firepower, to get himself in and out of tight situations. But he was going to have his hands full retrieving the hostage tonight. And given the sheer number of unknowns, this op would be much, much easier if he could get the lay of the land before committing to an extraction point.
    He checked his watch again. Almost 2330. Jack rested his hands on his hips and looked at Charlotte. “You ever driven a dinghy?”
    She smiled up at him and stepped into the boat.

    Jack checked the GPS on his watch. He was just where he wanted to be, and only a few minutes behind schedule. He took another look through the night-vision binoculars before turning and handing them to Charlotte, who was seated beside him on the narrow wooden seat.
    “Here, have a look.”
    She lifted the binos to her face as he glanced around for landmarks. They’d motored their way to within two miles of the island, and then Jack had cut the engine and rowed, to minimize sound. They’d been going against the current, and now he was covered with sweat and had a good dose of adrenaline pumping through his veins.
    “You see the guards?” he asked her.
    “Where?”
    “There’s one on the beach, leaning up against a palm tree. Another pair is positioned near the Quonset hut at the top of the hill.”
    “Okay, I see them,” she said. “What does it mean for your plan?”
    “The man on the beach looks asleep. The two men on the hill are conducting a patrol. Which tells me there’s