They turned right outside of the marina parking lot. When they reached the entrance to the building that housed BASRA, Jake said, “Let me talk, okay?”
“I should stand beside you like a helpless missus and wait for you to ask all the questions?”
“That would be good.”
“God, you’re such a jerk sometimes.”
“Yup.”
They entered the building, which looked more like a single family home than an office building, and found a BASRA employee.
Jake explained who they were and told the woman what they were looking for.
“I remember the boat watch. I hear it’s been found in the Turks and Caicos.”
“After BASRA issued a boat watch, did anyone report speaking with Bobby Hall?” Jake asked.
The woman’s high heels clicked their way to the file cabinet. How could she walk and not topple forward? The leopard patterned skirt kept her from taking a full step. Her hair style added an extra foot to her height. This woman was not subtle. She pulled a folder and placed it on the desk. She used the inside edge of a long, painted fingernail to flip the folder open. Blood red was the only way to describe the color.
She glanced through mascara covered eyelashes at the file. “We have no record of him talking to anyone. We did the standard announcement on the radio every morning for a couple of weeks. Then we dropped it to once a week. When his body was found, we stopped the boat watch.”
“Who listens to the daily broadcast?”
“Mostly sailors in the Bahamas needing a marine weather forecast. We announce boat watches at the beginning of the net, and these get repeated on other nets throughout the Bahamas.”
“What other nets?”
“Some areas have a local net on the VHF. The watch would have been put out on all the major Bahamian islands. If the boat had still been in the Bahamas when the watch was issued, someone would have seen it and reported the location.”
Shannon sighed. “Isn’t there anything useful you can tell us?”
“I don’t mean to be insensitive but what are you trying to achieve?”
“Nothing really. We want to trace my uncle’s route. My aunt misses him, and this will help her recover.”
“In that case, I can give you this.” The woman handed Shannon a map of the Bahamas. “The dates indicate where Waterfall was seen.”
“Where’d this come from?” Jake asked.
“Once his body was found but not the boat, cruisers called us with dates and places where they’d seen Waterfall. It’s unusual for us to completely lose track of a boat. I think people wanted to help find it.”
“Can we keep this?” Jake asked.
The woman folded the map and handed it to him. “I don’t see why not, Sugar.”
On their way back to the marina, Jake said, “I thought I told you to let me do the talking.”
Shannon deployed her full dimple smile. “Says you. I got the most useful piece of information. You only found out stuff we already knew.”
Jake turned away from her to hide his smile. She was getting harder to needle.
* * *
Jake and Shannon reached the security gate at the marina, and Shannon grabbed his elbow. “Let’s ask about Waterfall at the office. They must have a record if Uncle Bobby stopped here.”
Shannon opened the glass door, and the woman behind the counter gasped. “I don’t like dogs.”
“This one’s friendly,” Shannon said.
“No, no.” The receptionist fluttered her hands in front of her face. “No dogs in here.”
Shannon pulled Piddles outside.
Jake was distracted by the woman’s nails. Blood red claws, just like the last woman. Must be the style here. The woman bulged out of her clothes, and a colorful necklace made of stones hung above her ample bosom.
“Sorry,” the woman said. “I’m afraid of dogs.”
Jake winked at her. “Not a problem. Shannon,” he nodded in the direction of the door, “thinks the dog should go everywhere with her. Strange, I know.”
The receptionist gifted him with a red lipstick smile. “How can I help you?”
Jake explained the situation.
“Honey, I’m not supposed to give out information on boats, but since you’re so cute and all, I’ll help you.” She flipped through the register. “He was here for two nights last season. January 6th and 7th.”
“Can you tell me if anyone else was on the boat?”
“No. If he checked into customs in Nassau, they might know.”
Jake joined Shannon outside and gave her the dates. “Come on. Let’s go look at the map.” The tide had risen, and the topsides were close to dock height. He was disappointed Shannon didn’t need help getting back on board, then laughed at himself for thinking like a high school kid.
Jake flattened the map on the salon table.
“So we have a choice to make. Either we follow this map or we try to find Nicole Dace.”
Shannon sucked her lower lip and absently scratched Piddles’ ear.
“I don’t know. If we follow the route on the map maybe we’ll find out more about Uncle Bobby.”
“If we find Nicole Dace maybe she knows something.”
Shannon closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Jake let her think.
When she finally spoke, she said, “Let’s email Debi and ask her what she wants us to do.”
“Good idea.”
Shannon typed the email and hit send. “Can you check yours again? Maybe your cousin sent something.”
After finding no email from Kendra, Jake said, “Let me take you to dinner. You seem stressed.”
“Where should we go? I don’t want to leave Peanut for too long.”
A wooden sign advertised a restaurant at the edge of the marina located on the second floor with a balcony overlooking the harbor. Jake pointed to it.
“How about the Aft Deck?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Twenty-Two-Year-Old Man
Somewhere in Canada
Six Years Ago
The bar stinks. Stale beer. Too much perfume. Sweat. The man is dancing with a woman he doesn’t know. She’s grinding her hips into his groin. He ignores the stench and enjoys the sensation.
So different from the joy of his first kiss. He brings back that memory. Susan’s lips touching his, soft like a butterfly. The sweet smell of candy on her breath. He can’t seem to get over her. That was five years ago. He hasn’t met anyone sweet like her since.
The woman in front of him puts her hand on the back of his neck and pulls him close. She sticks her tongue down his throat. The taste of cigarettes burns. He wants to push her away but doesn’t. Who cares? He wouldn’t see her again after tonight. The video stops during sex. He gets some time away from the past.
All he has to do is get started. And to do that, he calls the video of his first time with Susan. That always gets him going. Once that’s in play, his mind switches off. A few precious moments of quiet in his head.
His buddies sitting on stools, with their backs to the bar, clap at his success. They hoot and holler and cheer him on. He likes the attention. He knows he doesn’t deserve it, that he’s being a creep. He presses his hips into hers, wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. Over her shoulder, he hangs his tongue out of his mouth at his buddies.
The woman puts her wet lips to his ear. “Got anywhere you want to take me?”
Not his place. That’s for sure. He doesn’t bring women there. “I’m visiting. You live nearby?”
“My car’s outside,” she says.
And the anger inside him builds. He wants a real relationship. He almost had that with Susan. He’s hidden his memory from every other girlfriend since her, but that only resulted in loneliness. Better than rejection, he thinks. He figures he irritated Susan once too often with his skill at always being right. The last time they spoke, he should have kept his mouth shut.
Susan had been telling a story. Now, he
knows that all couples remember the same event differently. That smart guys don’t contradict their girlfriend’s mid-story in front of her friends. The night before his seventeenth birthday, they’d been standing in line at a movie theater.
Susan said, “And then I said, there’s no way I’m working here anymore. I jumped off the box I was standing on, told the manager to shove it, and left him mid-shift. He doesn’t even know how to ring in a customer.”
“That’s not how it happened. I can’t believe you’re exaggerating so much.”
“I’m not,” she says.
“You know I remember better than you.”
And that had been it. “Don’t come to the movie. In fact, don’t come near me again.”
He understands it wasn’t just that moment. That he’d embarrassed her one too many times. This was just the time she decided to deal with it. He’s better now at controlling his mouth. Most of the time.
The thumping music is hurting his head, and the beginnings of a headache prickle his scalp. The woman in front of him grabs his crotch. He’s disgusted, and he pushes her away.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“I don’t want your hand on my junk. Get lost.”
“Hey, asshole,” some guy from behind yells. “Don’t treat her like that.”
He turns just in time for a fist to hit his chin. He jerks backward, bumping into a person dancing behind him.
“Watch it,” the person says.
He turns back to the guy who punched him. He knows he should walk away, but he can’t. He’s too angry from thinking about Susan. Every piece of anger that filled him that night joins him now.
He’s learned some moves with the police training. He knows how to take a guy down.
The music hurts, but he ignores it. He grabs the guys thumb and bends it backward. He feels a snap.
The guy screams.
This just turns his brain red. He stomps on the guy’s instep, then kicks him in the kneecap. The guy goes down.
The crowd nearby has moved away. They have the floor to themselves. He launches on top of the guy, clenches his fist, and smashes the guy’s nose. His buddies are on him. They pull him away, but too late. The cops have arrived.
He’s arrested and knows this is the end of his dream. He cannot have a record.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Shannon
Nassau, Bahamas
Shannon walked beside Jake toward the Aft Deck restaurant. Peanut barked when they locked her in A Dog’s Cat but quieted after a minute. Shannon’s arm rubbed against Jake’s, and his heat radiated against her skin. What would he think if she intertwined her fingers with his? Would he pull away?
“You think Piddles will be okay?” Jake asked.
“You’re worried about her.”
“I told Debi I’d take care of her, that’s all.”
“Wouldn’t want to admit you like the dog.”
“I’m a cat person.”
They crossed the dock and followed the stairs leading to the restaurant. An empty table sat along the balcony overlooking the water. The lights from across the harbor glistened. Talk about a romantic setting.
With the heat of the evening, Shannon wore a mini skirt and tank top. She’d been living in her flip flops. Quite a change from her stiletto heels and suit she used to wear. Maybe she could figure out a way never to go back to civilization.
Jake sat opposite her and picked up a menu.
“What do you feel like?”
Shannon read through the list of entrées. Grouper seemed like a good choice. But what would Lance think? Why had she thought that? He didn’t have any say in what she ate anymore.
“Steamed grouper.”
“Really, miss vegetarian?”
She chuckled. Somehow when he made fun of her, his words were warm. There was no sarcasm, no meanness.
“A girl can expand her diet, you know.”
Jake ordered the same along with a bottle of white wine.
The server poured the wine. Shannon sipped it and let the flavor sit on her tongue.
“So, have you heard from Lance lately?”
“I don’t want to talk about him.”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. I guess you’re not over him yet.”
“It’s not that. Well it is that. But it makes me angry, and tonight is lovely. I’d like to enjoy the evening and not let him intrude.”
Jake rewarded her with a smile. The server placed their meals on the table, asked if they needed anything else, and left them alone.
“Where did you learn to sail?” Jake asked.
“My first boat was a Laser. The summer after my parents died, my uncle taught me. I didn’t sail on a larger boat until I was eighteen, and Debi and Uncle Bobby took me on a bareboat charter in the British Virgin Islands. I was hooked. What about you?”
“I grew up in Victoria and learned how to sail on the Pacific Ocean. I had some anger issues to deal with and sailing kept me focussed on something positive.”
“When did you get your captain’s license?”
“I was twenty. I’d just done something really stupid, that I thought was going to ruin my career as a cop, so I took the winter off.” He shrugged. “Long story. Anyway, turns out it was a good thing. Do you miss anything about living on land?”
Shannon thought about life in Kingston. What did she miss? “Running.”
“We could run on the beach.”
“Together?” Shannon cut a piece of grouper and tasted it. Divine. The texture and flavor were perfect. Eating fish wasn’t too much of a jump from being a true vegetarian.
“Or I could run a few steps behind you if that would make you happy.”
She laughed and enjoyed the sensation.
“Sure. At least three feet behind should do. Besides, it’s not like you could keep up with me.”
“Ha. How do you know?”
A breeze blew in from the ocean, and her hair tickled her neck. “You don’t have the physique for running.”
Jake’s gaze lingered over her body. “And you do?”
A shiver of delight rippled through her. “I do. You’re made for lifting weights.”
“Are you saying I look fit?”
“Eat your dinner.” Enough with the flirting. This was a dangerous direction for them to take. “Where should we head tomorrow?”
“Back to business,” Jake said. “I guess we should head back south. Debi’s last email said she wants us to keep the boat moving.”
She thought she detected a little disappointment in his voice. “Are you on any kind of time limit?”
“No. I quit my job. I’ve nothing to return for. I’ll keep working for Debi as long as she’ll have me.”
* * *
The noises of Nassau had settled for the night. A few cars could be heard and the odd honking horn, but mostly the water slapping against boats dominated the marina. Shannon strolled beside Jake on the dock. Neither said anything until they reached A Dog’s Cat.
“I guess Piddles is asleep,” Jake said. “I don’t hear any barking.”
“You’re not going to let that go, are you?”
“Nope. It’s my name for her.”
They entered the salon. Peanut hopped up the stairs from Debi’s berth and ran around their legs. Such exuberance for a little thing. Jake and Shannon both headed for the port side. She bumped into him. Awkward.
“You go,” he said. “I’ll take Piddles for a quick walk and lock up.”
Shannon closed her berth door and opened her laptop. Time to find out a bit more about Jake.
She opened her browser and searched his name. The article she found was RCMP Officer Saves Life of Boy.
Her email notification dinged. A message from Lance. She should really delete it without reading it, but he’d never know if she read it or not. She clicked the box at the top of her screen.
I’m really sorry, and I miss you. Veronica’s been fired. The paper called and asked for you. He
r job is open if you want it. Please consider it. We can make things work.
I still love you.
Ha. He didn’t know what love was. Love wasn’t sleeping with another woman the moment your fiancée is out of town. Love wasn’t buying two women the same jewelry. Cheater. Cheater. Cheater. She deleted the email. If only she could delete the pain in her heart just as easily.
She clicked back on the article about Jake. He’d been off-duty hiking with his fiancée. They came across a flipped raft. A group of people had been white-water kayaking and were all in the water. Jake had saved the life of a little boy. His fiancée had died while trying to save others. The article referred to him having been a hero before when he protected children from a black bear.
She searched for his name and black bear.
A group of children had been playing near one of the hotels in Whistler. The theory was the squealing attracted the bear. The bear ran straight for the group. Jake had picked up a baseball bat and ran at the bear, yelling and waving the bat. He’d been within feet of the bear when the bear darted around him in a bluff charge. The bear kept running and disappeared into the forest.
Shannon lay on her pillow and thought about all she knew about Jake. She couldn’t imagine Lance putting himself at risk for another person. He wanted to be an ophthalmologist, but she wasn’t sure of his reasons. Money, most likely. The way he talked about patients was condescending. He could even be disdainful sometimes. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? And did she look at everyone with rose colored glasses? Maybe she was seeing things in Jake that weren’t there.
Footsteps thudded above her head, followed by the clicking of Peanut’s nails.
“Shannon, come and see the moon.”
She crawled off her berth and joined Jake on deck. He held two small glasses of brandy.
“Let’s sit on the trampoline and watch the moon rise.”
She stood on the top step. This was a bad move. Jake worked for Debi. Shannon wasn’t over Lance. They shouldn’t be having a brandy alone in the dark.
He held a glass in her direction and canted his head toward the bow of the boat.
Look the Other Way Page 13