Free Vacation to Die For by Josie Brown Page B

soon as possible. But sometimes it’s hard to get away from my assigned group. I’m in charge of four high-school bound girls who are so boy crazy! All they want to do is hang around the pool and stare at the jocks. I mean, come on already! If they cared half as much about math and science as they do their tans, their nails, and their hair, they wouldn’t need to worry about whether or not they impress a bunch of deadbeat testosterone-crazy dudes.”
    Arnie slumps down to the floor. “You think you’ve got it bad? Every time I think I’ve got a bead on Mandrake’s GPS signal, I’ve got to break up a fight between a bunch of antsy ten-year-old boys who don’t want to do anything other than stay inside all day and play video games.”
    What the heck? This isn’t supposed to turn into a gripe session. Time to pull the mommy card. No, make that the mission leader card. 
    I point to Emma. “Look, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate. But don’t forget that your prime objective is monitoring your iPhone for our reconnaissance. As for your camp duties, let the girls flirt, for goodness sake! What harm can it do? If one of them allows a boy to go beyond a lip lock, shove them into the pool. Granted, she’ll be mortified that her hair got wet, but it’ll show her that you mean business.”
    She gulps and nods.
    “As for you, Arnie,” I flip around to face him, “boys love competition. Your Acme duties come first. Confiscate all the game gear, pick two leaders, and schedule a prize for the team that builds the best fort.”
    He salutes me. 
    That’s more like it. “Now, in which camp have you found Mandrake’s GPS signal?”
    “I swear, every hour the dude is somewhere different. This morning, it was the Hunt Club. After lunch, it was Kamp KidStuff. And an hour ago, he was close enough to this tiki that I thought you’d caught the wily bastard.”
    “He was  here ?”
    “Cross my heart.” 
    “That’s crazy. I’ve been here— alone —for the past two hours, writing up my reconnaissance report!” Something is definitely not right.
    “Ah yes, the mundane duties of a mission leader.” The voice, coming from behind me, has caught everyone’s attention. “The only one that counts right now is reconnaissance.”
    It belongs to Jack.
    He looks as if he’s spent the day working on his tan. Considering his company as of late, maybe that’s a good thing.
    Unless it’s been on Eden Key’s nude beach. Son of a bitch better have a tan line. 
    He’s in a tux, so I can’t check for one. Ha. I guess he’s got more formal plans for this evening. With whom, I wonder? My guess is Boarke’s blonde.
    I force a smile onto my face. “Pardon?”
    His grin is just as frosty as mine. “You need to pull Arnie and Emma out of Kamp KidStuff. They’ve been assigned the most strenuous covers. At the same time, they have double duty on this mission, which includes assessing our intel. Their camp duties are slowing down the mission.” 
     “Is that so?” My declaration was rhetorical, but Arnie and Emma seem to have taken it as the answer to their prayers because both are nodding—
    Until they see my eyes narrow in their direction. Then they look at their feet.
    Keep calm. That a girl.  “We’re following Ryan’s orders, remember?” I’m tempted to stick out my tongue at him, but I’m too much of a lady. Besides, that would seem childish.
    Jack loosens his tuxedo tie. “Stop me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you this mission’s leader?” 
    “Yes, of course I am.” Casually I lean against the wall. He knows my body language. To put it delicately, I’m signaling,  better shut up while you’re still breathing .
    “As such, you can change their orders as you see fit.”
    “Oh! Well...I…” Damn it, he’s right.
    And I’m stubborn. “But I don’t ‘see fit’ to do so.”
    “Pardon?” he says as he leans against the wall across the room.
    If he thinks he can mimic me, he has another thing