paled.
“Are you telling me she wasn’t found?” Duff asked.
Lisa and her friends all shook their heads as one.
Natalia reached for Lisa’s hands, her own shaking slightly. “What a horrible experience.”
“If we could have a do-over, we never would have gone diving.” Lisa dashed away a tear. “Melody was one of the nicest people I know.”
“Didn’t the dive master look for her?” Natalia asked.
A brunette in a pale pink bikini nodded. “He spent the next two hours searching.”
A sandy-blonde added, “They radioed to shore and the shore patrol came out and helped in the search.”
“Nothing.” Lisa sniffed again. “I don’t know why we came out to the beach today. I don’t think I’ll ever go in the water again.”
The young lady wrapped in the towel, standing in the circle of Sawyer’s arm, stepped away from him and slipped an arm around Lisa. “We can’t leave Cancun until our scheduled flights. Lisa and I thought we’d look around in the water, even though Melody disappeared a long way from here. We kind of hoped the current would have carried her back this way. That’s why we were out so far.”
“It was stupid,” Lisa said.
“At least you two are okay,” Duff said.
Natalia nodded. “You should go back to your rooms and rest.”
Lisa and her friends thanked them again and left the beach to return to the resort hotel.
“Wow, what rotten luck,” Sawyer said. “To lose your friend and almost lose your life all in the space of two days. Not my idea of a great vacation.”
“If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go lie down, as well,” Natalia said.
“If you won’t have dinner with me,” Duff persisted, “will you let me buy you a drink later?”
She gave him a half smile. “We’ll see.”
He watched as the gorgeous blonde left, walking up the beach in her sexy black swimsuit, her long hair drying in soft curls around her shoulders. Beautiful and strong. What other woman would have jumped in to help in such a dangerous situation?
Sawyer made a diving motion with his hand followed by the sound of an explosion. “Turned you down, did she?”
Duff nodded, his gaze on the sway of Natalia’s hips. “The battle’s not over.”
His friend clapped his hand onto Duff’s shoulder. “That’s my man. We’re on vacation here. What’s a vacation without a beautiful woman to keep you company?”
Indeed. And Natalia had captured his interest in more ways than one.
He headed back to the hotel, Sawyer walking alongside him. “Didn’t you say Quentin and Montana were looking into a diving excursion?”
Sawyer nodded. “I hope it wasn’t with the crew who lost the girl yesterday.”
Duff almost hoped they went with the same crew and to the same spot where the girl disappeared. Something wasn’t right about losing a diver and not finding anything to indicate what had happened.
* * *
NATALIE HURRIED BACK to the hotel, grateful she and the two muscular men had been there to help save Lisa and her friend from the strong current. Not only was she glad the girls were still alive, she was also happy it had served as an introduction to hang out with them without arousing suspicion. She’d make it a point to find them at dinner or at the bar that evening. Perhaps someone had seen something they didn’t realize might be a clue to what had happened to Melody.
Deep inside, Natalie believed her sister was alive. Finding her would be the challenge.
She stopped at the excursion planner’s desk and asked about dive trips for the next day. She let the planner, Maria Sanchez, go through the different options and dive companies. When Maria didn’t mention Scuba Cancun, Natalie made it a point to ask.
“Friends of mine came last month and went on a dive with Scuba Cancun. They said if I came to Cancun, I had to book with them. Do you book trips with them?” Natalie blinked her eyes, trying for young, sweet and innocent, when all she wanted to do was to jerk the binder out of the lovely Maria’s hands and make her own arrangements.
“Yes, we do book Scuba Cancun, but the last time I looked, they were full for tomorrow. Let me check and see if they’ve had any cancellations.” She clicked her keyboard and stared at the screen, her brows puckered. Then they smoothed and she smiled up at Natalie. “You’re in luck. They have one space available for tomorrow morning. Would you like me to book it?”
Natalie let go of the breath she’d been holding and nodded. “Yes, please.”
If she thought it would do any good, she’d run around asking questions and demanding answers. But if there was a chance Melody had been kidnapped in some elaborate scheme to smuggle women into the sex trade, the people she wanted answers from would be highly unlikely to talk about anything to do with the missing college coed.
No, she’d have to keep her connection with Melody under wraps. Perhaps her blond hair and English accent would help set her up as the next target. The quickest way to find the kidnap victims might be to become one herself.
On her way through the lobby to the elevator, she made it a point to say hello to the front desk clerk, the bellboys and the concierge. If any one of them was involved in whatever might be going on, she wanted them to consider her as their next target.
On the way up to her room she noted the camera in the top corner of the elevator car. As she stepped out of the elevator onto her floor, she spotted one of the girls from the beach sliding her card into the door lock and hurried toward her. “I’m so very glad I caught you. I’m Natalia, from the beach.” She held out her hand.
“Oh, yes. Thank you for saving my friends.” She took Natalie’s hand. “I’m Kylie.”
“Are Lisa and her friend doing all right?” Natalie asked.
The pretty blonde smiled and nodded. “Lisa and Jodie are sleeping. Their parents were able to book them on a flight back to the States tomorrow morning. I wish the rest of us could have gotten on board, but the flight was full.”
“I hope they have a safe flight back. Are you all going to dinner later? My roommate was supposed to come with me on this holiday, but her aunt died and she had to cancel at the last minute. I would love to have someone to eat with.”
Kylie’s brows rose. “You mean you’re not with the hunky guys?”
Natalie smiled. “I only wish. They are kind of dreamy, don’t you think?”
“Oh, yeah.” The younger woman sighed. “They’re just what I imagined finding here. If only things had worked out differently. Since Melody disappeared, none of us can think of anything else. The vacation is ruined and we’re all ready to be home with our families.”
“I
