He couldn’t always be there to protect her.Mac also had an expressive face.If questioned, she would reveal what she was up to.Jacques and Burt already knew she was digging into Miles.It wouldn’t be hard for others to notice as well.
For her own safety and that of the mission, Barry needed to get Mac away.She wasn’t going to like it, but he wasn’t giving her a choice.
Barry pulled into a parking spot at his hotel and turned off the engine.
“I really am sorry, Barry,” Mac said, her voice still soft and hesitant as if she expected him to vent and rage at her.
“I know you are.”And he did, but it didn’t change his decision.
“Then why are you giving me the silent treatment?”
“There just wasn’t anything to say, at least nothing at the moment that I wouldn’t say in anger and couldn’t take back.”He turned to face her.“I’ve decided you should stay with me for a while and not go out on the water.”
That way he could keep an eye on her and ensure she stayed away from Miles.
Mac mirrored his actions, fire licking in her eyes and obviously not liking his decision.“You’ve decided?”She sneered.“That’s my job, Barry.I can’t just not do it.I can’t research sharks without being in the water.”
Barry strove for patience.He understood the importance of sharks to her, but this was her life they were talking about.“But you have a team that can.This person is going to great lengths to conceal themself.You also saw Miles’s men with guns.”He had to bite his tongue before he snapped at her about what if she’d gotten caught on that dock, but she hadn’t, so there wasn’t a point.
“None of them saw us.I’ll be perfectly fine,” Mac argued as if it were inconsequential.To him it was.“Miles isn’t going to do anything to my team.”Barry was determined; she may not like it, but she would abide by his decision.“You can’t ask me to stop doing my job any more than I could ask you to forget about me and leave the island.”
“I’m not.”
“You just said stay off the water,” Mac fired back.“When in fact, that’s the safest place I can be.”
“But you can still do your job on land, at my hotel.”
“And you don’t think these people could track me there?”Mac rose a challenging eyebrow.“Small island, remember?”
It was, but he could be careful.No one knew of his investigating.He could hide Mac.But she wasn’t making it easy on him.Investigating and concealing her were going to be full-time jobs.
“Look, I know you’re trying to protect me, and I messed up tonight.I can own up to that mistake, but hiding me isn’t going to fix anything.”
“How do you figure that?”
“No one saw us.If anything, it will raise more suspicion if I just suddenly disappear.My team runs off donations; if I’m not there to spearhead it, the funding can go away, and all of my team would be out of a job.If you want me to stay out of the investigating, then I will, but don’t expect me to hide in a hotel room until I get the all clear.Please,” she added the last word with pitiful eyes.
Normally Barry wasn’t influenced by such emotion and teary eyes, but he already felt himself being swayed by Mac.She was right in many ways.Hiding her would only make things worse instead of better.
“Fine, do your research and all that, but—” he added before her smile crossed her whole face.“You will take this with you at all times.”He pulled his pocket knife out of his back pocket and handed it to her.“It’s for your protection.If Miles’s men corner you, you stick the sharp end into them.”
“I know how a knife works,” Mac said with humor in her eyes that he felt the need to explain how to use a knife.
“Good, also, I don’t want you going anywhere alone.No more solo dives.”
“I can agree to that.”
“Good.”
“Can you really track who Miles was talking to by that audio?”
“Not track them, but I can pick up on their voice traits and see if anyone in town matches it.”
“How’s that?”
“Listening to people talk.”
Mac looked at him dubiously.“It’s a small island, but not that small.”
