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Chapter 3
Trent blasted classic rock in his ears and let himself get lost in the feel of cold, wet sand on his feet and the ocean breeze on his face. There was nothing better than running on the beach. Nothing. Even though the sky was darkening, signaling a storm, he continued to run, uncaring if it did start raining on him.
When he and Hunter had their BUD/S training in San Diego, they’d done a lot of running on the beach and Trent had relished it. Now, since they lived in Virginia Beach full time, it was one of the things that he and Hunter did every day together when they were both home. He liked running with his brother—not because they would talk, since twins didn’t need to talk to communicate. When he was with his twin, he was competing, so he ran faster.
Hunter. Blech. He was annoyed that his brother had left. Sure, he got it: there was no choice in the matter. It was their job, as SEALS, to get spun up and go on the next op. He loved being a SEAL, and he knew Hunter did too. So they put up with the job. It did suck that he would be by himself for Christmas. He did have Lucy’s party to go to, but it wasn’t that fun going stag. He texted Lucy and told her about Liberty being in town.
Immediately he got a response back from Lucy, Invite her to my party.
His thoughts turned to the woman who’d been circling his thoughts the entire day. Liberty Grey … Hamilton. He wanted to know the story with this woman.
Trent got to Kensi’s house and paused for a breather, putting his hands on his head. He pressed in the code at the back door and walked inside, doing a quick security sweep. Kensi and her husband, Tim, were on a tropical cruise for Christmas, joined by Trent’s brother Trey; his wife, Ava; and their family. Trent’s other brother Marshall and his wife, Kat, were gone with them, too.
His phone buzzed and he pulled it out. It was a security update that his brother, Brooks, had automatically delivered to their phones every two hours. Trent scrolled through a security log of different times and different places that were being watched. All of the Stone’s homes, in various parts of the countries, some places around South Port, There was basically no change.
Trent locked up Kensi’s house and started back into a jog. At least Brooks took the hunt for Banks seriously along with the search for the conquistador’s gold. He and his wife, Serenity, were spending Christmas in Washington, D.C., partly because Brooks couldn’t tear himself away from this case.
With Hunter busy, it was just Trent. By himself. Like in Home Alone. He grinned as he thought of the kid running around in his underwear.
He suddenly realized he was nearing Liberty’s grandmother’s house. Well, it was her house now.
He thought of seeing her earlier and how lean she’d been. How long and curly her hair was. How there’d been a hollow look in her eyes when she’d told him that she’d been through far worse things than a guy who hadn’t gotten her note.
He checked his watch and noted it was seven forty-five. Past dinnertime, he assumed, but he doubted she’d eaten. Should he stop?
No. He needed to get back to the inn and continue poring over his father’s journals. He was grateful that Trey and Ava were not hosting guests the next two weeks. All he had to do was be there. He could do that. Plus, it gave him the perfect opportunity to research. He didn’t just want to pour over his father’s journals. He also wanted to go over his mother’s as well.
He strolled to a stop and gazed at the back of the home. Droplets of rain started to fall, softly at first, but then—providing a prime example of Southern weather—it started pouring. But he didn’t move. He remembered all the times when the beach crew had gone to her grandmother’s place to swim and chat with her grandparents. They’d been cool people. He remembered her mother too. Had he ever met her father? He wasn’t sure.
“What are you doing here, Trent?”
He nearly jumped out of his skin. “Liberty?” He already had his hand on his Glock 25 at the base of his inner thigh.
Liberty was dressed in running clothes, with her hair drawn back in a ponytail and her T-shirt tight against her body.
She popped out an earbud. “You just stalking my place?”
“I was running and stopped because …” Dang it, he was caught being a stalker. “I wasn’t just watching the place,” he sputtered out, feeling foolish. “I was wondering if I should stop and see if you would take up my offer for dinner.”
She trudged past him, breathing hard. “You really don’t give up?” She swung open the gate to the property and turned back, shooting a smirk at him. “I guess babe slayers don’t.”
He rushed after her, stopping the gate from falling into place. “Hey, I’m not just your average babe slayer.”
