throttle out and speeding back toward the marina.
He glanced back only once. The deck boat was now only a bright dot in the dark. He hadn’t seen dive equipment on board but that didn’t mean there hadn’t been any. In any case, he would return to the spot in the morning before Decker and dive down just in case the bag was still there.
Angie brought out her cell phone. “I don’t have a signal yet. Not even roaming.”
Jason took the phone from her hands, noticing again the strength in her long tapered fingers. “You don’t want to call this in. Just let it go. You’re on vacation. You should act like it.”
“I can’t let it go.” Her voice held an incredulous note. “I can’t let those men get away with intimidation. Not to mention those weapons. They were there to get the body. I have to tell Chief Decker.”
Jason shook his head. “I don’t think you saw a body being dumped.”
“You don’t believe me?”
The hurt in her tone unexpectedly twisted inside Jason’s chest. “I believe you saw something. Something worth sending out armed men to retrieve. And the less people who know you saw anything the better. Believe me—you don’t want to mess with those men.”
“If it wasn’t a body, then what? Drugs? Weapons?”
“Hard to say,” he said in a dismissive tone. The woman wasn’t going to relent, was she? “The Colombian drug cartel has a pipeline to the U.S. through the Keys. Arms dealers are a dime a dozen, especially around the Gulf of Mexico.”
“But wouldn’t the salt water ruin drugs or weapons?”
“Not necessarily, if they were secured in airtight, waterproof packaging.”
She peered at him with suspicion in her eyes. “You’re not a simple boat captain. Who are you?”
Her hand rested on her hip, where her holstered weapon was concealed beneath her waistband. There was no doubt in his mind she wouldn’t hesitate to draw on him if she thought he was a criminal. But for her own good, he couldn’t reveal his identity.
“You don’t think I’m simple?” He placed a hand over his heart. “That warms me. It really does.”
She rolled her eyes and pushed a stray curl out of her face. “Be serious. Who are you?”
“I’m always serious.”
Irritation gleamed in the swirling depths of her eyes. “I want an answer.”
“Bossy, much?”
She stared him down, hard. A look meant to intimidate. He’d bet she’d used that look on suspects and witnesses. Probably got people talking. He enjoyed baiting her. But he really needed her to take the situation seriously. If she kept pushing, she’d find out how dangerous things could get.
The image of Garrett, dying in his arms, shuddered through his consciousness. He banked the memory and sobered. “Look, I’ve been at this a long time. These waters are infested with sharks. The human kind. Trust me, you’ll be safer if you pretend you didn’t see anything.”
“No can do.” She relaxed her stance slightly. “I’ve sworn an oath to uphold the law.”
He let up on the throttle and slowed to the minimum speed as the boat entered the marina limits. “Honorable. But down here, you don’t have jurisdiction. Besides, once Chief Decker searches and finds nothing, you’ll have lost credibility.”
“Exactly why I am going tell him about the men now,” she argued. She held out her hand. “My phone.”
Easing the Regina Lee into her slip, he cut the engine before handing over her phone. “Your funeral.”
She made a face, which he found charming, as she swiped the phone, and then hopped off the boat onto the dock. Jason shook his head with exasperation and admiration. The woman was a spitfire determined to do the right thing. He couldn’t blame her. But she had no idea what kind of hornets’ nest she’d stumbled into.
Whether Picard or some other lowlife, those men on the boat meant business. A lone lady cop out of her element and her jurisdiction wasn’t a match.
That meant it was up to Jason to keep Detective Carlucci safe.
He gritted his teeth to keep from swearing, a habit he’d been trying to break for years. Why did foul words rise so easily when he was frustrated?
Out of the mouths of men came the issues of the heart.
Jason could just hear Garrett’s voice piping into his mind. Even from the grave his friend was trying to save him. Anger and frustration were things Jason and God were working on. Some days there were small victories. Other days, not so much.
After quickly tying off the boat, Jason went after the pretty detective. He found her opening the door of her rental convertible.
“Nice ride,” he commented. “You know how to vacation in style.”
Frowning, she asked, “What do you want now?”
He chose not to take offense at her annoyed tone. “I take it your call to the chief didn’t go well?”
Turning away, she closed her eyes for a moment. “He said I could come in and make a report.”
Not the response she’d obviously been hoping for. “Are you going to?”
Her lips twisted. “Would it do any good?”
“I don’t think so.” He hoped she wouldn’t push this. For her safety. And for his mission. “You did your duty. You informed the local law enforcement. Nothing else can be done.”
“I guess.”
She stared out at the dark ocean. “How long has Decker been Chief?”
“A while now.” Decker had been elected a few months prior to Jason’s arrival. The guy had checked out.
“You think he’s competent?”
“I think this is a small island with a low crime rate.”
“And I’m just a hassle.”
He hated how deflated she sounded. He rather liked her spunk. “Hey, forget about him. How about I buy you a late dinner.”
Peering at him with speculation, she said, “No, thanks. Shouldn’t I be paying you for taking me out?”
“Naw.” He waved a hand.
“Not a very smart business move, don’t you think?”
Oh, but she was quick. And he needed to remember to maintain his cover. “I can afford it.”
He didn’t mention the excursion was on the government’s dime.
“Business that good, huh? Even in this economy?”
“What
