Everglades Escape

by Kathleen Tailer

  “Not one of our brightest moments,” Mark agreed.

  “Well, you are Florida Gators...” Whitney gibed, a grin on her face as she hinted at the college rivalry between the University of Florida and the Florida State University. “After all, your mascot is the gator, and here you are, getting bitten by one and destroying your phone all in the same day...”

  “Hey now,” Mark said, a mock frown on his face. “Don’t tell me you’re a Seminole?” he said lightly, mentioning the FSU mascot. The in-state enmity between the two schools was legendary. “I was actually starting to like you, but now I’m not so sure...”

  “If you don’t have a working phone, would you mind if we borrowed your kayak to get to the ranger station?” Theo interjected, stopping the college rivalry discussion before it got out of hand. “I think Whitney is right. There is a storm brewing.”

  She smiled as he deftly changed the subject. It was clear that Theo was in business mode, trying to solve their problems. She liked that he was a planner, thinking three steps ahead, whereas she usually lived in the here and now. It was refreshing to be around someone with a personality that was so different from her own. And he was right. The first order of business was getting them somewhere safe and away from the drug dealers, not joking around with two biologists.

  Whitney sighed. She had already dragged him away from his home and put him in danger on multiple occasions. Of course he was anxious to solve their problems and return to the island as soon as possible. She turned her attention to the issue at hand.

  “It’s really important that we get to a phone as soon as possible. We can leave you the boat, if you can use it and you want to return to the mainland sooner than later. It’s a rental and eventually has to be returned to Plantation Key, but I’d imagine that any marina could take care of that for us.”

  “Why don’t you just use the boat to go back the way you came?” John asked, his voice suddenly laced with suspicion.

  “That’s simply not possible,” Theo answered. “And you’re better off not knowing why, believe me.”

  Mark took a step forward. “Are you two in some kind of trouble?”

  NINE

  “I’m a Deputy US Marshal,” Whitney stated, her tone matter-of-fact. “I’m working on a case, and Theo is helping me. That’s all I’m really at liberty to say.”

  “Do you have a badge I can see?” Mark asked.

  Whitney shook her head. “This whole thing started while I was on vacation. My badge and gun are at home.”

  She watched as Mark and John shared a look then seemed to come to an agreement, even without having a conversation out loud. Suspicious or not, they were apparently grateful for the medical service Theo had performed, and were willing to help them out without pushing for more details to assuage their curiosity. Since Whitney and Theo were running to the ranger station and not away from the FWC, the brothers probably also believed that their guests hadn’t broken the law or done some other nefarious deed, despite her lack of credentials.

  Mark finally shrugged. “We don’t need your boat, but thanks for the offer. We can fit everything back in the canoe when it’s time to go, but for now, we’re going to stay and finish our research—unless that storm keeps growing.”

  John looked Theo in the eye. “I don’t know what kind of trouble you’re in, but you should know, the rangers do patrol this area on occasion. You might be lucky enough to run into one on the way tomorrow. Keep an eye out. As far as the boat goes, the guys from the marina also know the area. We could leave it here. You would just need to report it when you get to the ranger station.”

  “It’s too shallow to use in these waters anyway,” Mark agreed.

  Whitney was relieved that the boat wasn’t an issue. They still had to find a phone, of course, and get to safety. But boats were expensive, and even though the drug dealers had rented the boat in the first place and were ultimately responsible for it, she doubted they cared what happened to it. Still, she didn’t want the marina owners to lose out on thousands of dollars just because they had unwittingly rented the boat to criminals.

  John and Mark shared another look and then Mark motioned toward the kayak. “As for the kayak, yeah, you can take it. John’s not going to be paddling anytime soon anyway, and we can get by with the canoe. All we ask is that you leave it at the marina by the ranger station at the trailhead. That way we’ll get our deposit back on our credit card. In the meantime, let us feed you a nice meal tonight, and we’ll point you in the right direction come morning.”

  “Yeah,” John added as he rubbed his injured arm above the wounds. “It’s too late to be heading back now anyway. You’d end up paddling in the dark. It’s hard enough to navigate these waterways when you can see where you’re going. You’ll get lost for sure if you try to do it at night.”

  Whitney looked over at Theo, who nodded. “Deal,” she agreed. She didn’t like the idea of staying another night out here without finding a phone, but it seemed as if they had little choice. At least they had a plan for the morning. She slapped at a mosquito. “You wouldn’t happen to have any bug spray, would you?”

  “We’re loaded with it, although we’re lucky. We haven’t needed it as much as we thought we would. The breeze flows pretty well down here and sweeps most of them away from the chickees.” He pointed to one of the storage bins. “There’s a bottle in there. Help yourself.”

  She found the bottle and slathered it on her skin, then passed it to Theo, who also applied it. Breeze or not, she didn’t need any more problems with her skin. The sunburn was already bad enough.

  The two brothers fixed a nice meal, preparing some fish they’d caught earlier, as well as some other food they had packed in. Fire wasn’t allowed, but gas stoves were, and the two had apparently made eating well during a camping trip into an art form.

  Whitney hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she started to sample their offerings. All she’d had today was a couple of muffins and some fruit. Once she started, however, she couldn’t seem to stop. She thought back to what she’d eaten over the last couple of days and realized the meals had been rather sparse. There had just been so much going on that it had been hard to even think about food. But now she and Theo were both relaxed and felt relatively safe for the time being. A good meal with new friends was the perfect way to enjoy the evening. Even if they are Florida Gators, she amended to herself.

  After they’d all eaten their fill and cleaned up after the meal, they left John to rest and Mark, Theo and Whitney paddled both the kayak and the canoe over to the beach. They pulled the canoe up onto the sand. Then the three of them carried the kayak over to another area about five hundred feet from the bay where there was a small dock that led into the mangroves.

  Whitney noticed a state park sign posted by the dock that gave some background information about the area and the surrounding wildlife. There was also a map of the canoe trails carved into the wood. Painted green, there was a big red X that proclaimed “You are here.” It looked like a child had drawn a maze on the map, with the X on one end of the game and the ranger station at the other. How were they ever going to find their way out of this mess? she wondered as Theo joined her in front of the signpost.

  “It’s not as confusing as it seems,” Mark reassured them as he noticed their apprehension. He pointed to a wooden stake driven into the ground, the top of which was painted red. Apparently he was a mind reader as well as a biologist. “The trail is marked, but some of the signs are hard to find. Just keep a lookout for the red markers. Some people do get lost back here, but it’s usually because they’re just not paying attention. Are you sure you don’t want to just go back with your boat to one of the Keys?”

  “We’re sure,” Whitney and Theo said together as one and then laughed, despite the seriousness of the situation. The drug dealers were near. She could feel it. And they couldn’t go back. Their only hope was to escape
into the park and evade their pursuers until they could find a phone and call for help from someone they trusted.

  “We sure appreciate you allowing us to take the kayak,” Theo added. He was standing extremely close to Whitney and she could hear his breathing and felt a whisper of it against the back of her neck. Her first instinct was to step away, but she didn’t. In fact, despite her toughness, she found his presence calming and reassuring. Both feelings were oddly surprising to her, but she couldn’t deny they existed. She was out of her element and it was good to have someone nearby that knew a thing or two about how to survive in the outdoors.

  “Are you sure you can do without it?” she asked, stepping back to the kayak.

  Mark shrugged. “We’ll be fine. We’re almost done out here anyway and, like you said, there seems to be a storm brewing. After a couple more days, we’ll be packed up and ready to go, unless John’s injuries start to bother him and we need to leave sooner.” He smiled. “Besides, you two seem to need it more than we do.”

  “Thanks for everything you’ve done,” Whitney acknowledged. She leaned over and checked the kayak one last time to make sure all was ready for them to slide it into the water the next day and be on their way. It seemed simple enough, but she’d never paddled a boat before. She hoped Theo knew how to steer the thing. Straightening, she rubbed her belly, once again thankful for the food. It was amazing how much better she felt now that her stomach was full. “That was an amazing meal. Do you guys always eat that well?”

  “Not always.” Mark laughed. “It depends upon what fish we can catch. Our permit is very specific and only allows us to harvest certain fish. Sometimes, the right ones just aren’t biting.” He pointed into the woods. “I have a surprise for you. There’s a small building back there where you can sleep tonight. It’s not much—just like a little gazebo that people use for teaching, resting off the trail, that sort of thing. Still, it’s screened, which will keep the majority of the bugs away. And it has a bathroom. John still has his hammock in there I think, and I’m sure he won’t mind if you use it.”

  They followed him along a narrow trail that led away from the bay, and suddenly came upon a small building that was partially hidden by the trees.

  They entered and Whitney glanced around. There wasn’t much to it, but three of the walls were solid wood, and the other three were screened in, so it offered some shelter from the elements and the bugs, just as Mark had suggested. There was a desk and a chair, along with three wooden benches, and that was the extent of the furniture. A broom stood in the corner and it was evident that someone had recently swept the floor and also knocked down the cobwebs from the corners. Overall, it was relatively clean, despite the rustic appearance. Mark took the towel from around his neck and handed it to her.

  “Sorry, I don’t have a blanket, but this towel will keep away the chill, at least a little bit.” He motioned around the room. “Are you sure you’ll be okay tonight in here by yourself? John and I won’t bother you, I promise, and there is still that other chickee out on the bay that would probably be more comfortable for you. We could rig the hammock up out there for you instead if you’re interested.”

  Whitney shook her head, grateful for the hammock and the screened-in building that would offer her some measure of privacy. Theo must have explained to the two biologists at some point that they weren’t married and needed separate sleeping quarters, and she was thankful for that, as well. She also felt safer in here than she did out in the open where the alligators and snakes called home.

  “I’ll take the other chickee,” Theo said mildly, apparently reading her thoughts. “I think Whitney wants these screens to keep the bugs away, and I’ll enjoy the breeze.”

  Whitney nodded, relieved that they were on the same page. “This is perfect. Thank you.” She hoped that between the breeze and the bug spray, the insects wouldn’t be too bad for him during the night.

  “I’ve got to check something. I’ll meet you by the canoe on the beach.” Mark said his goodbyes and left, leaving Theo behind.

  Whitney raised an eyebrow and Theo shrugged as he watched Mark disappear down the trail. He turned back to Whitney, a contrite expression on his face. “Well, that wasn’t very subtle. Sorry about that. He still thinks I’m your boyfriend, despite what I told him. I guess he was trying to give us a chance to say good-night in private.” He had his hands on his hips and looked like he was about to say something else. Then he stopped and shook his head as if disabusing himself of the notion. “Are you sure you’ll be okay in here by yourself tonight?”

  Whitney nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. This hammock is great.”

  “Will you be warm enough? It gets kind of chilly in the evenings sometimes.”

  “Yes, I’ll be fine.”

  Again, Theo looked as if he was about to say something. His eyes were studying her intently.

  “What?”

  He said nothing then suddenly reached up and drew his fingers slowly down the side of her cheek. His skin felt soft, despite the calluses on his fingertips. “Nothing. Stay safe, okay? If you have any trouble, just yell. I’ll come running.”

  His blue eyes were mesmerizing, and had turned a dark sapphire color. Whitney was instantly lost in them. She was also so stunned by Theo’s overture and her own reaction that she couldn’t seem to speak. She resorted to nodding instead. Then, as quickly as it had begun, Theo withdrew his hand and turned.

  “See you tomorrow. Sleep well,” he called out over his shoulder.

  Whitney watched him go, her hand touching her cheek where Theo’s fingers had been only moments before. Her skin still tingled from his touch.

  What was that all about? Did he have feelings for her, or was he just trying to make sure she felt safe and protected? Either way, what she couldn’t figure out, was what, if anything, she wanted to do about it.

  * * *

  Theo walked as quickly as he could toward the beach. He was losing his mind. Yes, that was it. That was the only thing that could explain his bizarre behavior. He was a scientist. He operated on facts, and facts alone. He went over the facts as he walked, his feet stomping into the sand. Fact one: his wife and daughter had died in a horrible accident. Fact two: he didn’t want or need a new relationship. Opening up to a woman meant opening himself up to pain, which was unacceptable. Fact three: he felt so strongly about never falling in love again that he had moved to a deserted island to do his research and cut himself off almost completely from the civilized world. Fact four: he was not attracted to Whitney.

  Or maybe he was...

  The more time he spent with her, the more he was starting to learn about her, and there was an awful lot in that beautiful, spitfire package that he liked. He liked that she was tough as nails but touching a slimy frog made her scream. He liked that she said what she was thinking and didn’t leave him guessing. He liked that she was straightforward and honest. He liked the way she hoarded fresh pineapple. He even liked the way her brows drew together and she looked at him with questions in her eyes as she tried to figure him out.

  He stopped for a moment and gripped his hips with his hands, frustration eating away at him. Even if he admitted to himself that he liked her, and that was a big if, what was he prepared to do about it? The question gnawed at him and tied his stomach up in knots. As soon as they found help from a law-enforcement agency they could trust, this whole mess would be over and they would go back to their respective worlds.

  So why did the thought of never seeing her again fill him with loneliness and foreboding?

  TEN

  A hand slipped over her mouth, silencing her and waking her from a deep sleep at the same time. Her body jolted and she started struggling against the other hand that was pushing her into the hammock. She glanced around frantically, but didn’t have enough light to see who was touching her.

  “Whitney? It’s me, Theo.” His voice came as a whisper. “Don�
��t make a sound. The Coast Guard is here. They’re searching for us. We need to disappear. Now.”

  She stopped struggling the moment she recognized his voice and rolled out of the hammock. Glancing around, she quickly gathered her bearings. It still seemed dark outside and she wondered fleetingly how long she had actually been asleep.

  “What time is it?” she asked, even though her heart was beating frantically as the adrenaline spiked.

  “A little after 5:00 a.m.”

  “Is the sun up enough for us to see?”

  “Barely,” Theo answered. “We’ll just have to do the best we can. We need to get to the kayak and get out of here as soon as we can before they come over here and start searching the area. Are you ready to go?”

  She nodded, grabbed the backpack, pulled the gun out and stowed it in her waistband, then took one final look around to make sure she hadn’t left anything behind. Finally, she slipped quietly out of the gazebo and they headed toward the dock where they had left the kayak the night before. Suddenly, she heard shouting coming from the direction of the bay. Whitney stopped and turned, torn. She didn’t want to leave the two brothers at the mercy of a dirty captain in the Coast Guard, even if it meant that she and Theo would escape. She didn’t know the captain, and didn’t know what he was capable of.

  “What about Mark and John?”

  “They’re causing a diversion, giving us a chance to get away,” he whispered. “We heard the boat approaching. It woke us up. I was afraid it might have been the Coast Guard because the boat sounded rather large, so I explained that we couldn’t let them find us because we were suspicious that they might have somehow been involved in your case. I didn’t give them any details.”

  “Good call,” she said approvingly. “The less they know, the better.”

  He nodded. “Before the boat got to the chickee, they told me to get to you and run. They said they’d give the newcomers a song and dance about the boat we’d left behind, but that won’t slow the Coast Guard down for long. They’ll probably be here to search that gazebo any minute. I don’t think they’ll hurt the two brothers, though, as long as they don’t see any sign of us. They’ll just ask them a lot of questions. In the meantime, we need to move.”