"Dr. Rayne!"

Derek turned to see Jeroen van Dissen rushing up to him, and the precept hid his inner cringe as he grabbed his towel. Water dripped from his hair, and he sat on a chair next to the pool as the Dutchman neared him. He was unsure why, but something about the younger man disturbed him. Rachel thought he was charming, he knew, and Alex saw the man as harmless. Derek wasn't so sure. He was certain the two women thought his reserve was some hint of jealousy. But was it? No, there was simply something about the young man that bothered him.

"Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!" Jeroen said breathlessly.

"En jou, Mr. van Dissen," Derek stood, as the two shook hands. A prickly feeing jolted up his arm but his face remained impassive.

"I'm very happy to run into you." The man smiled. "I wanted to thank you once again for allowing me to join your dinner party last night."

"It was nothing," Derek said, pointing to another chair. "We were glad to have you." He dried the water from his damp hair.

"Still, it was very thoughtful of you, sir, to take compassion on a fellow countryman." Jeroen smiled again. "If you'll allow me, I'd like to repay your kindness by sending you a bottle of Bisschopswijn that I made up myself."

"Bisschopswijn?" Derek's voice softened. "I haven't had that in many years."

"Good, then I'll send you a bottle," Jeroen said lightly. "The consulate has also received a freshly baked batch of speculaas and pepernoten. A fine feast for a traditional Sinterklaasavond."

"It's rather late for that, isn't it?" Derek said, tossing the towel around his neck.

The young Dutchman laughed. "Very true, sir. But as long as a good portion of the world chooses to celebrate the holiday today, why not have we Nederlanders on the island join their celebration. It gives us a chance to educate the ignorant about St. Nicholas." The precept noticed a smirk on the other's face.

"It's funny to run into you again at the hotel." Derek said it casually, but he watched the young man's reaction. "Especially on Christmas Day."

"My work, like your vacation, doesn't care about holidays." The young man held up a briefcase. "Actually I had come to drop off money and various documents for a young couple on their honeymoon. A young American couple." He shook his head and snorted. "Amerikaans. They talk and expect you to jump." He sighed. "The price to be paid for having one of the few consulates on the islands."

Derek nodded. "Yes, they can be a handful at times."

Jeroen snickered. "Ja, you should know, having to live and work with them." The younger man looked at his watch. "I'm sorry, I must get back." They shook hands once more. "Dank u wel. Tot ziens!"

"Tot ziens," the precept said softly as he watched the man hurry toward the front entrance.

The unexpected meeting with the other man only strengthened his suspicions of his fellow countryman. He wasn't convinced that Jeroen was entirely harmless, though he still couldn't say why. Was it due to the minor vision he had first had as he shook the man's hand? The young man had certainly been doing his fair share of schmoozing with his pushing of their common nationality and his offer of gifts. Derek wondered at his motives. At the moment, however, instinct told him that he had to investigate the man further. And that meant a background check.

It would be a little bit more difficult task from Bora Bora. In some small way Derek Rayne wished he was back in San Francisco in his own home. He could simply walk into his office and use the secured line of his computer. That might not be that easy at the Pearl Beach Resort. He hadn't brought anything since he had wanted time away from the Legacy. Now he needed to check on this young man who happened to be more and more under foot each day.

Nick... If he knew his security chief, he'd have a secure line. But was the young ex-SEAL in his bungalow? The precept hadn't seen him as yet this morning, and it was getting closer to mid-afternoon. Had he and Suzette gone back to his room? Derek certainly didn't want to interrupt his younger colleague. He smiled, happy that Nick had found romance on this trip as well.

At that moment the young man he was seeking walked along the pathway toward the hotel. "Nick!" The older man stood and raised his hand.

"Hey, boss," the security chief said as he came closer. Derek's smile widened at the satisfied look on the other's face.

"You appear bright and cheerful today," the precept teased.

"Hey, why not." Nick blushed slightly. "It's Christmas, isn't it?"

"Hmm, yes," Derek placed his hand on the man's shoulder. "It seems that Santa has been good to you." Handing him the damp towel, he indicated his mouth. "Mrs. Claus left a few kisses on you."

"Well, it was..." The ex-SEAL turned a brighter shade of red. "It is a much nicer Christmas than I was expecting."

Derek laughed. "I'm delighted that it is." His voice lowered. "Nick, I need your help. I want to do a background check on Jeroen van Dissen but..."

"You didn't bring anything, and I doubt you'd find a secured line around here," the younger man grinned. "Luckily for you, I did."

The older man chuckled. "I thought you might have. I'd like to do it now, if possible."

Nick nodded. "Sure." They walked outside and headed for his bungalow. "Any particular reason you're doing this?"

"I've... got a few suspicions about Jeroen that I'd like confirmed or dispelled."

Nick stopped and turned to him. "And this has nothing to do with Jeroen's interest in Alex."

"You know me better than that. I just..." Derek shrugged his shoulders. "Something about him disturbs me. I can't say anything more than that. I ran into him by the pool about thirty ago. We shook hands and..." He clenched his hand. "I had a brief... fleeting image of him... holding something..."

"Hey, your instincts have always been good enough for me." Nick opened his door and removed the "Do Not Disturb" sign. They entered to find chaos. Towels, robes, flowers and fruit were strewn about the room and bedcovers were tossed on the floor. "Umm, sorry about the mess."

"Yes, the maid evidently missed your room this morning." Derek's voice softened. "I hope you and Ms. Duprais will be able to see each other again."

Nick pulled out his phone set and headed for the balcony. Setting up the antenna that would jam any inadvertent or prying ears, he glanced at the precept. "She's going to try and make it back for New Year's Eve." Derek saw the question of the young man's face before he asked, "What about you and Alex? You two seem to be getting closer."

"I would like us to be, but I think..." He gave the other man a slight smile. "I think she's being cautious at this point."

"You can hardly blame her," the ex-SEAL said as he stepped aside and signified that the phone was ready to use. "It's a big step."

"Yes," Derek agreed before sitting at the table. He spoke to a London staff member and gave her what information he had about Jeroen van Dissen. She promised to find out what she could and would have the material send to him as soon as possible. The precept thanked her and signed off.

Nick smiled. "You also know that Alex and Rachel won't be happy if they learn that you're doing a background check on this character."

"No, they won't," Derek said before returning the smile. His voice became serious. "Yet I have to follow my instincts. Maybe with everything that led up to the portal... It might have somehow changed me..." He shook his head. "It must be done."

"Are you going to tell Alex?" Nick asked as he disassembled his equipment.

"Certainly not today. It's been a lovely Christmas Day and I don't want to spoil it for any of us." The older man chuckled. "We went to the local Catholic church this morning. It was a beautiful but simple church on the other side of the island. The local people dress in their Sunday finest, and the singing..." He looked out to the lagoon. "To see a view such as this and listen to such exquisite voices. There's no music to accompany them, simply this... heavenly choir." He glanced at his friend. "I think Alex was glad she came with me."

The young woman had treated him a little different than the previous evening, however, and he suspected Rachel's hand in it. There was a bit more of a wall between them. He couldn't completely blame Rachel for it, since he could understand Alex's reticence. Maybe they were taking things too fast. There would certainly be problems for them to overcome. And there was one more thing.

How in the world was he going to tell her the remainder of what happened at the portal?

End part 17