Chapter 12 #2
She turned, heart racing.
An airboat rounded the bend, and at the helm was Silas, sunburned and wide-eyed. He spotted her instantly and cut the motor with a hard skid, gliding in.
“Hey, Baily… Oh crap. Jesus. You’re about ready to sink,” Silas said.
“No shit.” She took the hand he offered and climbed onto his skiff.
“What happened?”
“Sabotage,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. It waffled between fear and rage. “Radio’s fried. Bilge pump line’s been cut, and I think there’s a hole in the hull. Tank’s empty. I check this boat every couple of days. I didn’t check it today, though.”
“That boat’s going down fast,” he said. “Don’t think we can tow it.”
“Wonderful. I’m not going to be able to afford to replace that, Silas.”
“I know.” He looped an arm over her shoulder and eased her onto the bench. “I’ll radio Fletcher and Hayes. They’re about thirty minutes past Boone Bend.”
“I’ve got a rental in trouble,” she mumbled. “They’re between here and Boone Bend. They said they were floating dead in the water by Cypress Island.” She lifted her feet and rested them on the console. “We need to let Bingo know what’s going on, too.”
“I got you.” Silas lifted the mic off the handle. “Gatoreater, Gatoreater, Gatoreater, this is Rodfather, come in.”
“This Gatoreater, go ahead, Rodfather,” Fletcher’s voice cut through the thick swamp air like butter.
“Don’t be alarmed, but I’ve got Baily with me. Her boat was taking on water. It’s actually about to be a salvage vessel,” Silas said. “Also, one of her rentals is going to need a tow. They should be around the Cypress bend.”
“Rodfather, this is Flame Tamer,” Hayes said.
“I’m coming around that bend right now. No one’s there.
Not a single boat. Especially not one of Baily’s.
As a matter of fact, I saw one of her boats take the loop around the south island half an hour ago.
They should be south of you. If they were having engine trouble, with the tide going out, they could’ve floated in front of the canal opening by now. ”
Silas snapped his gaze at Baily.
“Hayes, take the starboard loop,” Fletcher said. “I’ll take the port. Silas, get Baily back to the marina. We’ll see you soon.”
“Copy that.” Silas rehooked the mic and pressed the throttle down.
She glanced over her shoulder and stared at the sinking airboat as Silas turned them back toward the marina. “Silas,” Baily started, “I’m gonna ask you a strange question, and I want an honest answer.”
“Of course.”
“Do you think my brother was capable of destroying my dad? Of burying me and him so deep in debt that it would take a flipping miracle to save us?”
“That depends on which Ken we’re talking about.
” Silas raised a brow. “Because the Navy SEAL hero Ken couldn’t have done that.
Nor could’ve the little kid who used to run around these parts barefoot with a frog between his fingers and smile so wide it was contagious.
But the Ken that whispered in dark corners of the street where the lights were broken, or in the back of the bar, with the likes of Benson, yeah, that Ken could lie, cheat, and steal if he needed to.
And the Ken who married Julie?” Silas let out a long breath, running a hand over his white beard.
“Well, that Ken was the kind of man who believed money talked and dollar signs mattered more than family and hard work.”
“Wow,” she said softly. “Have you always thought that, or is this new, and you’re telling me now because I asked?”
Silas squeezed her shoulder and kissed her temple. “I had my doubts and reservations about Ken when Victor went missing because of the way he treated Audra. But hell, I wasn’t much better when that fiery redhead up and left this town.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“No. I haven’t always believed that about Ken,” Silas said over the hum of the engine.
“As time has ticked by, and strange things have happened in our quiet little town, I’ve started thinking about every little thing.
Every tiny detail. Especially after reading those things written in Tripp’s journal.
I started remembering things about Ken. Things that just don’t add up.
I’ve told all of this to Dawson and Fletcher. ”
“Why not me?” She stared straight ahead, focusing on the horizon. On the approach to the marina.
“I didn’t want to add to your stress, but also, it’s all things you already know. Things about how he treated you, or the way his wife just changed him. Or maybe he was already different before he left.”
“I’m starting to think I didn’t know my brother at all.”
“I hate to agree with that statement,” Silas said. “But think about how Fletcher and the boys feel about that. I know he was your brother. Your flesh and blood. But you didn’t go into battle with him. It’s a mind-fuck for sure.”
“It sucks.” She leaned her head against Silas’s shoulder. But it didn’t stay there long. “Hey. That’s my boat and the couple that rented it are nowhere in sight.” She pointed her finger wildly.
“I see that.” Silas navigated his boat toward the docks. He pulled into his slip.
She tied off the stern and jumped. “Bingo? Bingo, where are you?”
“He’s over here,” Keaton called, waving by the gravel path.
She took off running down the dock and up the path. “What the hell…” She skidded to a stop. “What on earth happened?” She stared at Bingo, who sat on his ass, an ice pack pressed to the back of his head.
“I’m so sorry,” Bingo said. “That couple? They pulled in, and I was confused, so I started asking questions. I guess they didn’t like them because next thing I knew, Keaton here was smacking my face and waving something under my nose.”
Keaton knelt beside Bingo. “Dude. You’ve got a bump on the back of your head the size of a golf ball, and when I got here, you were face down in the dirt.” He helped Bingo to a standing position. “I think this guy should get checked out.”
“I’m fine,” Bingo said.
“You were knocked unconscious, and we don’t know for how long.” Keaton held him as the poor boy wobbled.
Baily raced to his other side, wrapping her arm around his waist. “At least go to the station house and let one of the EMTs take a look at you.”
“That’s what I was going to suggest.” Keaton nodded. “Silas? Do you mind taking him?”
“Not at all.” Silas stepped around them, heading toward the parking lot.
“You can take my truck. You both will be more comfortable.” Keaton opened the passenger door and helped Bingo up and inside the cab.
Baily took a step back and wrapped her arms around her middle. The day’s events soaked into her bones. It was no longer about the boat. She could eventually replace that. It was just a hunk of metal. A thing.
But she could have died out there.
And Bingo had been attacked.
This wasn’t about money. It was about control—power—and ultimately, she was in the way. She was collateral damage.
Keaton’s truck engine roared to life. Silas waved as he backed out, turned, and maneuvered onto the main drag.
“You okay?” Keaton rested a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Bingo’s lucky you came when you did,” she whispered, blinking. “Why did you come back? Trinity collected the things you left on the boat.”
“Bingo sent all of us a text message.” Keaton arched a brow. “He was concerned about the fact you’d gone out to rescue a boat that came in less than ten minutes after you left, and the couple swore they never made an SOS. It just felt off to him, and he didn’t know what to do.”
“He’s a good kid, that one. Smart, too.”
Keaton pressed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her back toward the docks. “Did you know he’s going into the ROTC program when he goes to college?”
“I did.” She nodded. “He’s become very enamored by all of you and wants to be a SEAL.”
“It’s not an easy road.” Keaton chuckled. “We’ve seen him lifting weights, training at the gym, and running every morning, but we had no idea. I told him that we’re more than happy to answer questions and help him anyway we can.”
“He’s a humble and proud kid.”
“I think this town breeds everyone that way.”
Baily paused at the edge of the lower docks, where Everglades Overwatch kept their boats. Fletcher and Hayes had pulled in and were currently helping their guests off their vessels.
But that didn’t last long. At least not for Fletcher, as he made a beeline for Baily while Hayes continued with the final few moments of their tour.
“Hey, you.” He tugged her to his chest, pressing his warm lips to her temple. “I’d ask if you were okay, but that seems like a stupid question considering we passed by the boat. Only the very top of the center console was visible from the water line.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “I remember when my dad bought that hunk of junk. I was maybe all of five.”
“He took me and Ken out in that boat the day he brought it home. We went fishing for hours and caught absolutely nothing, but it was the best day ever.” He tilted her chin with his thumb.
“This changes things, and I can’t have you fight me on being alone.
Someone didn’t want to just scare you. They wanted you dead. ”
“I thought about that, and it doesn’t make sense,” she said softly, but with a slight tremble to her voice. “My will leaves everything to you.”
He jerked his head. “I didn’t know that.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t know what else to do after Ken died. I thought about leaving it to my nephews, but that meant Julie would have control, and I figured she’d sell it. I didn’t want that. I knew you’d try to keep it for them. Or at least make an—”
He hushed her by pressing his mouth over hers in a sweet kiss. “The problem isn’t who you’re giving the marina to in your death, it’s who controls that loan, because it might not matter.”