The plane pulled forward and we taxied to the runway. Jared grabbed my hand and interlaced his fingers with mine. He leaned his head against the seat and watched me with his light blue-grey irises, a content grin spanning across his face. I smiled and closed my eyes as the plane suddenly gained momentum. The fuselage shuddered and then transformed into a weightless, graceful vessel the second we left the ground.

Jared informed me that from the big island, there would be a water taxi that transports guests to Little Corn, but the small boat wouldn’t be possible with the crates of expensive surveillance equipment. He’d contracted a larger water craft to take us over and arranged for a car to take us to Casa Iguana, where we would be staying.

“Just a head’s up, you won’t see me for several hours when we first get there. I’ll be setting up a perimeter and situating the equipment. Cynthia’s reserved three cabins. She has the grand casita…”

“Of course.”

“…and you and I have deluxe casitas. They’re not bad for little cabins nestled in the side of a cliff.”

“A cliff? Where’s the beach?”

Jared smiled his patient smile. “Close. Just a two minute walk. The cliff cabins are more private. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“My guardian angel is with me. What could I possibly be worried about?” I grinned, kissing the corner of his mouth.

He smiled at my words and continued. “It will take some time for me to get set up, so that should give you time to get unpacked and settled into your room.”

“Three cabins seem wasteful to me. Why don’t I get settled at your place while you set up?”

Jared shook his head, amused by my idea. “My place will be full of monitors and computer equipment. Not exactly a romantic setting.”

“Aw,” I lilted, my voice sickeningly sweet. “You’re going to be romantic?”

He wrinkled his nose. “Don’t say ‘aw’.”

I giggled and leaned my head on his shoulder, settling in for the rest of the flight.

We arrived on Corn Island in the early afternoon, and I began peeling layers. Two men, one shorter than I and the other as tall as Jared and twice as wide, met us just yards from the plane. Several other locals stood behind them, ready to work and a bit intimidated. I looked at Jared and couldn’t fathom why they would regard him in such a way. I had seen him look far more menacing than he did now.

I quickly discerned that the two men standing in the front of the others were our drivers, and beyond them and the small workforce were their two waiting vehicles. A car that might have doubled as a taxi cab sat with open doors and a rusty, white moving truck waited for the crates.