She patted his shoulder. "Now you're getting it."
"Reese," Tyke said, touching his earpiece. "How we lookin'?"
Kenna leaned in and said, "Hi, Jason!"
"Whoa. What are you doing?" Tyke pushed her back. "No. Just no."
"Hello, Kenna," Reese said, even though she couldn't hear him.
Tyke rolled his eyes. "Am I good to go or what, Reese?"
"Kenna said hello. I didn't want to be rude by not responding."
Tyke waited.
Nothing.
"Are you gonna tell me if we're clear to enter the premises?"
"As soon as you tell Kenna I said hello," Reese said.
Tyke mumbled the words.
"Aww, that's so sweet," she said. "Thank you, Jason. You're thoughtful. Unlike some people." And she glared at Tyke.
Yeah, whatever. "Reese, anytime now. I'd like to check this place out sometime before this guy gets home."
"All clear," Reese said.
"So how are we going to play this?" she asked. "Break in through the window? The back door?" Her gaze bounced to everything around them.
"You're asking me?" he said. "You were the one coming down here on a mission. What was your plan?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "I didn't really have one. Just figured I'd wing it once I got here."
"Wing it? Woman, you don't just wing it when you're breaking and entering into someone's house."
"Then what are we going to do, supersecret spy man?" Her tone was sarcastic. He didn't appreciate it one bit.
"First off, let's get one thing straight-I'm a DEA agent. I chase dangerous drug dealers for a living. Completely different and way cooler than CIA spy shit. Keep talking that garbage, and I'll ship you back to the resort right now. Got it?"
She twisted her fingers over her closed lips like she was locking them and then throwing away the key.
Tyke rolled his eyes. "Second, this is a beach house on a remote island that overlooks the ocean. I'm sure there's a window or door unlocked somewhere."
They spent a few minutes checking all the first floor windows and doors without any luck.
"Second story," Reese said. " Front right side. A window is open."
Tyke made his way to the front of the house and positioned himself under the window Reese referred to. He assessed the situation. And then, in realizing what he'd have to do, he pressed his fingers into his eye sockets. "I'm going to regret this."
"What?" Kenna asked. "What are you going to do?"
"Not me. You."
"Me?"
"I'm going to hoist you up onto the roof, and you're going to climb into that window. Then you're going to come down and unlock the front door for me."
Her expression was a little too excited.
He latched onto her arm. "But you're not going to search any part of the house without me, understood?"
She was bouncing on her toes. "Sure. Yeah. Let's do this."
Making a basket with his fingers, he said a few choice words under his breath before bending and letting her step in. He counted to three and then propelled her upward to where she could reach the edge of the first floor roofline.
"Pull yourself up," he said as he hoisted her higher.
"All good!" Her head came into view over the edge of the first floor roof.
"Get to the window." He stepped back to watch her climb inside.
Then he went to the front door and waited for it to open.
And he waited.
And waited some more.
"Goddamn it, Kenna," he said. "Reese, where is she? You see her?"
"Movement in the dining room."
Tyke gently tapped on the front door.
"Coming your way," Reese said.
When the door swung open, he stepped in. "What the hell took you so long?"
"Oh, shut it. I was finding my way around."
As she closed the door behind him, he scanned the area. Stairs to his right. Living area to the left. Dining area beyond that, and a presumed kitchen farther in the back next to the dining room. Minimal furniture and decor. Nothing to imply the guy had been here long or that he planned to stay very long, either.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Don't touch anything."
"How are we supposed to find the ring if we can't touch anything?"
"I don't want you rooting through this guy's stuff and then tipping him off that someone's been here."
She huffed and walked away.
"Get back here," Tyke said, but she kept going. "Fine. Search this room. I'll start upstairs. Just be gentle with everything."
"Yeah, yeah."
Tyke went up the steps and turned into the first room to his right. It was empty with white walls, a closet, and the open window Kenna had crawled in through. He opened the closet finding that empty as well. Moving into the hall, he stepped into the next room to the right.
Same song and dance. Empty. Empty. Empty.
He peeked into the bathroom, finding a few toiletries under the sink, but nothing interesting or what they were looking for. He pulled the shower curtain back, finding soap scum and a bottle of Old Spice on the edge of the tub.
Come on. There's gotta be something here. Anything. If not, I'm out of ideas, and I'm out of suspects.
He didn't want to think about that conversation later.
Sorry, Kenna. I know I promised I'd get your ring back, that I'd leave you with a good lasting impression, but sorry. Much like everything else lately, I failed in this, too.
Gritting his teeth, he made his way with purpose toward the last bedroom. This room had furniture. Bed, one dresser, curtains, and roller blinds. He went to the bed first.
Flipping the mattress up, he looked underneath. Nothing.
Moved the curtains and blinds away from the window. Nothing.
Started opening drawers in the dresser and digging around. Clothes. He pushed aside a few shirts and saw a shoebox. Popping it open, he found about thirty small, individually wrapped clear baggies with what looked like drugs inside. Damn. Not the items they were looking for but still something. Either Clint was using or selling-if it was the former, then he'd need money to do that. Which could be enough cause to make Clint steal things from guests.
Tyke stored that bit of information away as he tucked the box back in the drawer and closed it.
"Anything?"
He spun, snatching Reese's knife out of his belt. The blade landed within millimeters of her throat.
"Jesus, woman," he said. "You can't sneak up on me like that. I could've killed you."
"With that little thing?" She placed her finger between the knife and her neck and gently guided it away. "Please. That looks duller than the plastic one I was using."
Tyke grazed the blade over his forearm, watching the hairs float away onto to the oak floor. Dull, my ass.
"You find anything up here?" she asked, gazing around the room. She lifted the cover of a sports magazine on the dresser, then let it fall and turned to Tyke. "I didn't have any luck downstairs."
"Nothing," he said, figuring the drugs weren't worth mentioning yet. He should probably pass Clint's name to the local police, though, just in case. "Did you do a thorough sweep of your area?"
She placed her hand on her hip and cocked her head. "Of course."
"Did you check inside the fridge?"
"No."
"What about under the dining table?"
"No, but-"
"Lift any of the picture frames off the walls?"
"Seriously?"
"Remember, we're looking for small items. They can fit anywhere."
"People are that creative?"
"You have no idea," he said, thinking about the craziest places he and the team had found stashes of drugs. "Come on. I'll show you."
They took one step when Reese's voice came into his earpiece. "Be advised, you have a car approaching. I repeat. Suspect is approaching."
He braced a straight arm across Kenna stomach, making her stop. "How long?"
Her body locked up as sharp fingernails latched into the bare skin of his forearm. "What?" she whispered. "What is it?"
"Pulling down the street now. ETA to the driveway will be two minutes."
Tyke slid a glance at the doorway. "We have to go. Reese, what's the best exit?"
"Go?" she asked, her nerves blowing off her like a tsunami.
"Relax. We have time. Let's just get a move on."
"You're not going to make it out the front door," Reese said. "You have to exit the window in the back."
"Which room?"
"The one you're in."
Kenna's eyes were wide and her skin white, even in the shadowed room.
Shit. He was gonna have to tell her to jump out of a window. A window, for Christ's sake. Real good plan, Tyke. Real fucking smooth letting her tag along.
"Kenna, listen to me." He kept his attention on her eyes, making sure she heard him. "We have to leave right now."
She was nodding. "Okay."
"That way." He gestured at the window with his chin.
He didn't think it was possible, but her eyes went even wider. "But we're on the second floor!"