Hot Water

by Maggie Toussaint

  “One of us will accompany you in the boat.”

  That didn’t suit her purposes. Lester needed to think she was vulnerable. “No need for that. We’ll be safe. You guys already vetted the boat. Lester can’t approach on the water without us seeing him. He doesn’t do frontal attacks. He sneaks around in the dark and sets fires. We’ll be safe in broad daylight.”

  “My boss won’t like that.”

  “Look, I appreciate what you’re doing. I do. But I’m on my home turf. I know the waters. I know the boat. I know the bad guy. Plus I’m a cop. Lester will not get the drop on me. And I’d very much like to spend the day on the water with Wyatt. We need some downtime after all the excitement. You don’t want to disappoint your client, do you?”

  He scowled. “No, ma’am.”

  Laurie Ann navigated the planked dock, the angled ramp, and the tie-up lines without falling overboard, not an easy task with crutches. The added weight of her bulletproof vest and ammo made her movements slow and measured. With any luck, Sloan Harding would order his guys to stand down and her trap would fall into place.

  She glanced across the creek full of water over at the neighbor’s treeline. You in there, Lester? I’m a target. A slow-moving, injured target. Come and get me.

  Once she settled in the captain’s chair, there was a flurry of calls between Tank and his boss. Another heated call followed between Wyatt and Harding.

  Wyatt clicked his phone to speakerphone and handed it to her. “Harding wants to talk to you.”

  “You assured me that this was safe, Dinterman.” Gone was the congenial lover who was sappy over her friend Roxie. In his place was an angry man. “Now I hear you’re taking a shotgun on this boat ride. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t ground this expedition immediately.”

  “The gun is another precaution. I already agreed to wear a bulletproof vest as a precaution. A vest so heavy it could drown me if I fell overboard,” she said. “You guys are miffed because I thought of the firepower. Taking the shotgun along is a great idea, admit it.”

  “It would be better if you take Tank instead.”

  Laurie Ann noticed that Tank had paled. She guessed the big guy didn’t know how to swim. “Tank’s welcome to come along, but his presence is unnecessary. We have two cell phones and a ship-to-shore radio your men tested this morning. Further, I’ve given you a detailed itinerary of where we plan to go and when we’ll be back.”

  “The sheriff won’t let us have the emergency boat unless it’s an emergency, and your charter captain friends are booked with trips today. We were unable to procure a second boat to follow you. Any chance you’ll put this off until tomorrow?”

  “I’m not living under a turtle shell for the rest of my days, afraid of when Lester is going to come after me. We’re going to search the barrier islands for the missing men, men whose lives are in danger until we apprehend Lester. We plan to spend the day on the water and enjoy a picnic lunch. But we’ll be on alert for Lester and James Brown’s missing associates. No way can Lester get a drop on us in open water. If we spot a suspicious boat or see Lester, you’ll be the first person we call.”

  If she found Lester, she intended to corner him like a sorry rat. She could outshoot him any day of the week, but he’d skulk in the shadows and ambush her. She’d bet money on it.

  “I am going on the record stating this is a very bad idea,” Harding said.

  “You’ve taken adequate security precautions. You checked out the boat, you secured our landing zone. I know these waters. We will be safe in the boat. We’re at risk when we return to the dock this afternoon. Knowing your people are guarding the landing is a load off my mind.”

  “I’m expecting hourly status reports, Dinterman.”

  She didn’t crow at his resigned tone, but she sure thought about it. “Understood.”

  Moments later, the boat cleared the no-wake zone by the dock, and they were planing over the slick inland water. Sea breeze whipped in her face. Sunshine warmed her shoulders. Beside her Wyatt scanned the horizon, looking for trouble.

  Game on.

  Chapter 47

  Laurie Ann cast a critical eye at the ballast pile islands first. She idled the motor to talk. “These islands were created when sailing ships came to load Georgia oak nearly two centuries ago. Their ballast, these rocks, stabilized the ships on the way here. The captains dumped their ballast in the marsh and carried the timber away. We ended up with rocks that hailed from around the world. Through time, scrub vegetation grew hold on the ballast island.”

  “You think Spivey and Miles are here?” Wyatt asked

  “Not likely. There’s no freshwater, but I had to check. If their bodies had been dumped here, we’d see scavenger birds.”

  “In that case, I’m glad they’re elsewhere.”

  She aimed the boat across the choppy sound to the barrier islands. Each bounce of the boat brought twinges of pain from her ankle. Standing was clearly a bad idea, but she couldn’t get the visibility she wanted sitting down.

  “Let me take the helm,” Wyatt said, leaning close to be heard over the roar of the motor.

  “What do you know about these waterways? Do you know where the channels and bars are located?” she asked.

  “I know enough. Besides, you can always direct me to avoid us running aground. You need to get that ankle elevated.”

  Making a fuss and insisting she was okay might win her points for toughness, but the truth was, her ankle wasn’t a hundred percent. Resting it would save her strength for later in the day. She eased up on the throttle and swapped seats with him.

  “Line up with that tall pine on the point,” she said. “Follow the channel markers around the point, and we’ll circle around to Blackbeard Creek. It cuts between the islands and will dump us out at a nice inlet for lunch.”

  He nodded and powered up the boat. With the ease he displayed, she was sure he’d spent many hours in boats. Her admiration ratcheted up a notch. Boating skills were essential on the coast. If their relationship continued past this case, he would easily fit into her world.

  But how would she fit in his world?

  As sunshine bathed her face and sea breeze lifted her hair, she realized she’d thought entirely of him adapting to her life. Her friend Roxie had been lucky in that regard with Harding. Her fiancé had moved his base of operations to Mossy Bog.

  Would that be possible for Wyatt?

  She could what-if about her and Wyatt until the wood storks roosted, but that wouldn’t mean diddly unless they had a future. Only fifty percent of that decision was in her realm.

  They circled the northernmost tip of Sapelo Island and entered the creek between Sapelo and Blackbeard. It was high tide, so she didn’t have to warn Wyatt about the submerged bars. He seemed to have a good feel for them though, easily navigating the turns of the twisting creek. The creekside border of marsh grass gradually gave way to sand dunes and live oaks.

  She scanned one side of the creek then the other for trouble.

  No sign of Lester.

  They slowed for two anchored fishing boats. Vacationers. Not much point in asking outsiders about two missing locals. They waved and powered on, winding past sculpted sand dune cliffs.

  Wyatt idled the boat to take in the vista. “This is amazing.”

  “It’s one of our best kept secrets. Atlanta people come down here and see the poverty of the people and think there’s nothing here. But they’re mistaken. We’re rich in scenery and natural resources. We also like the fact that these islands can’t be commercialized. Blackbeard is owned by the feds and Sapelo is owned by the state and individuals.”

  “Are both islands inhabited?”

  “Sapelo still boasts descendants of slaves from the cotton plantation days, but there are others who live over here. Individuals. Researchers for the state. The state maintains ferry service to Sapelo, so its nearly one hundred inhabitants can get back and forth to the mainland easily. Blackbeard is a wildlife preserve.”
r />   “Sweet.”

  She pointed to the next bend, using the opportunity of being stopped to update him. “Around the next bend, the creek will widen. Beach the boat on the left side on the creek.”

  He nodded and eased around the bend.

  She smiled to herself at how quickly he picked up on things. He had potential, that was for sure.

  Like a pro, he nosed the boat onto the sandy shore to offload their picnic lunch and beach gear.

  “Angle the boat around in this cove.” She pushed the boat off and then plunged the oar into the sand where she wanted him to stop. “The water level will stay consistent for the few hours we’re here. The way the spit of sand curls around, the boat is protected from the main current and won’t get beached as the tide drops. Loop the dock tie-up line around this oar to hold the boat fast.”

  “It’s no problem to get the anchor out,” he said.

  “We’ll be right here next to the boat. Believe me. I’ll be keeping an eye on it.”

  Once the boat was secured, he joined her on the beachhead. Further around the point, ocean waves lapped the shore, but here on the creekside of the inlet, all was serene. It was perfect for a picnic lunch.

  “You know your way around a boat,” she said when they were standing on the sandy spit. A flock of sea gulls preened nearby, the only other living beings for as far as the eye could see.

  “I spent several summers at the lake learning to water ski and did my share of operating the boat.” He shot her a wicked grin. “Did I pass the test?”

  “What test?”

  “Seemed like you were evaluating me on the ride out here. Thought I might be impressing you with my boating skills.”

  She felt heat steam from her cheeks. “I was thinking.”

  He didn’t answer right away. “About us?”

  “About the possibility of us.”

  “Anything’s possible.” He caressed her cheek. “If you want it enough.”

  This was the discussion she wanted to have with him, but the words stuck in her throat like a molting crab. Was she wimping out? No. She wouldn’t cave to her fears. “I’m interested. Very interested. But I can’t dial in the image. There’s too much static.”

  He drew her into his arms. “My dad told me a secret long ago. I didn’t realize its worth until recently. His wisdom helped me through a tough spot. It gave me the will to keep going when I lost my best friend. I think it applies to us, too.”

  She searched his face, hungry to salve her fears. “What did he say?”

  “No one knows what the future will bring.”

  The words clunked around in her head, weighty and ill-fitting. In her job, she knew which people were screw-ups. She knew who obeyed the law and who didn’t. Just like she’d known Tom Harlow would quit the force. Her intuition had predicted the future many times.

  Could she even rely on her intuition? It had recently failed in a big way. With Lester. His actions had blindsided her right up until the moment she realized he wanted her dead.

  Were her hopes and dreams for a life with Wyatt based on her intuition or a flight of fancy? How could she choose between a personal life and a career?

  “Laurie Ann?”

  She shook her head to clear it. “Sorry. I got lost in my thoughts. Where were we?”

  “You were on the verge of telling me you wanted to keep seeing me.”

  Was she so transparent? Her thoughts skittered from outrage to practicality. Why deny it? Her hands fisted around a wad of his shirt. “You’re right. That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  “Then we’re in accord. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I want you to be a part of it. Nothing has ever felt so right.”

  Her eyes misted. She chewed on her bottom lip until she got her emotions back under control. They’d committed to giving their future a try. She was officially over her head in relationship waters. Time to change the subject before one of them said something mushy.

  She patted her padded chest. “Let’s be in accord about this bulletproof vest. Lester is a fair shot with a rifle, but we can see for miles. It’s us and the seagulls out here.”

  He grinned. “We’re alone in paradise. I’m all for wearing fewer clothes.”

  The vest came off, and she felt pounds lighter. “Would you like to walk on the beach?”

  “Probably not a good idea for your ankle. We’ll walk the beach next time. How about a quick dip in the water and lunch?”

  The water would feel great on her throbbing ankle. Laurie Ann shucked off her sneakers and laid her array of weapons on the beach blanket next to the shotgun. She unwrapped the fabric bandage around her ankle.

  Wyatt’s eyes widened at the array. “Looks like you picked up some hardware at your dad’s place. You didn’t have all that stuff this morning at the hotel.”

  “I like to be prepared.”

  He gazed at the distant dune line. “Is he watching us?”

  “We’ll run into Lester sometime today. He’s not a beach person. Doesn’t like the whole sand in the swimsuit thing.”

  “Nobody likes that, but a little discomfort is worth it to see hot chicks in bikinis.”

  She sauntered toward the shallows in her shirt and undies. Was he following her? She glanced over her shoulder, pleased to find him directly behind her. “Didn’t bring a suit.”

  His dark eyes gleamed. “Ah, but you wore something even better—a white T-shirt. It’s one of my private fantasies.”

  A delicious idea occurred to her. She shrugged out of the rest of her clothes and tossed them on the shore. “Carpe diem.”

  He glanced around. “What about passing boaters?”

  Feeling as mysterious as the Biblical Eve, she eased down in the knee-deep water. “I’m willing to chance it.”

  He tugged his shirt over his head. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

  Chapter 48

  “Want the Glock or the shotgun?” Laurie Ann asked.

  The warm haze of the best afternoon of Wyatt’s life faded. A glance at his companion confirmed his cop was strapping armament back on. The guns in question lay side by side on the blanket between them.

  “Glock. You expecting an ambush?” he asked, taking another bite of the cold fried chicken from their lunch. Hands down, this was the best chicken he’d ever put in his mouth.

  “Daddy taught me to be prepared,” Laurie Ann said, reaching for the shotgun and stowing it back in the boat. “We have a stop to make on our way home.”

  “We do?”

  “If I told your rent-a-cops everything, they would have tagged along. I didn’t want that, and I’m pretty sure you enjoyed our privacy this afternoon.”

  He ran his hand across her silky thigh and was pleased at the heat flaring in her eyes. “Definitely a high point for me.”

  “We’ll put in at a private landing on Sapelo. If Spivey and Miles are holed up out here, my friend Remy will know. He knows everything about everybody.”

  “Do you expect company?”

  “I expect the worst from Lester. He will find us. I’m sure of that. But whether it’s today, tonight, or tomorrow, I can’t say.”

  “We need to get you a bulletproof helmet.”

  “Forget it. Bad enough having to wear this heavy vest.”

  “Your ankle okay?”

  She tested the wrapped ankle as she stood to don her pants. “Feels good. Thanks for the tape job.”

  “Nice to know my early years of riding the junior varsity bench weren’t completely wasted. I got even better at taping myself up when I was the varsity quarterback.”

  “You’re handy to have around, North. I might keep you.”

  Her teasing tone struck the right intimate note. “I’d like that.”

  Laurie Ann’s eyes went all glassy and for a moment he thought she’d say something more. But his cop had important matters on her mind. She must be saving her emotions for later.

  “Lock and load,” she said, handing him her Glock.
/>   Wyatt tucked the gun in his waistband, same as she’d done for the ride out here.

  He eased the boat into the ocean, rounding the bend and passing a red-and-white striped lighthouse. Next time, he’d like to explore this island and the lighthouse in a leisurely fashion, without worrying about someone trying to kill them.

  They passed thick stands of marsh grass skirting the shore. The vegetation was so green and tall, it reminded him of a cornfield in late summer. Pelicans sat on pilings in the marsh. The sky was cloud free and such a dark blue it made his heart ache.

  This was a moment.

  What his sister Allie laughingly called a life moment, one that you remembered with startling clarity. He had no doubt he’d remember this day and this woman for the rest of his life.

  Hopefully the rest of his life would last more than a day or two.

  Laurie Ann motioned him toward the mud bank. He cut the motor and nosed into the dark goo. As before, she stuck an oar in the mud and looped a dock tie-up line over it. “Easier than fooling with the anchor.”

  “What do you have against the anchor?”

  “It’s heavy. The chain’s heavy too. Daddy will want me to hose all the mud out of the boat if I get it messed up. This will be fine. Trust me.”

  She gestured with the shotgun. “This is the shortest way to Remy’s house, but the trek will ruin your shoes. You can stay here if you like.”

  Let her waltz out of here alone and injured? No way. “Right behind you.”

  “I like that about you,” she said. “You’re always up for a new adventure.”

  He’d walk through ten football fields of mud if it would keep her safe.

  “Bring the other oar,” she said.

  Oars were for rowing. “Why?”

  “Just in case.”

  He got a sinking feeling in his knees. “In case of what?”

  “In case we run across a gator. They usually stay in the water at low tide, but you never know.” She glanced westward where the sun blazed near the treetops. “We need to be quick about this. I promised Harding we’d be back on the mainland by dark.”

  Wyatt nodded, stepped into the oozing muck and made his way to high ground. He used the oar to help him balance. Laurie Ann trudged ahead as surefooted as the little fiddler crabs scurrying around his feet, and he didn’t want to hold her back.