Chapter 5 #3
Kimo left the bathroom and went in search of Rex.
He wasn’t in the living room, but there was evidence he had been there.
Overturned furniture had been set to rights and broken glass had been swept away.
Even the black dust the officer had used to lift prints had been cleaned off most surfaces.
In the kitchen, the drawers were back where they belonged, their contents either in the sink or loaded into the dishwasher.
And no Rex.
Noise from the laundry room captured her attention. She crossed through the kitchen and pushed the door open to the small room that served as the laundry room and pantry, where she stored her dry goods.
Rex was in the process of transferring a blanket from the washer to the dryer. When he straightened, he noticed her standing there. “I didn’t think you’d mind if I straightened up.”
“You know, you don’t have to clean my house.” Kimo shook her head. “I’ll get to it eventually.”
“I don’t like standing around when there’s work to be done.” He tipped his chin toward the living room. “The pictures of turtles, coral and fish that were hung on the wall...did you take them?”
Kimo nodded. “I’m afraid they’re too damaged to salvage. And if I can’t recover my files, I won’t be able to replace them.”
“Give Swede time. He’s really good with computers and the internet.” He turned to the dryer, adjusted the settings and pressed the start button. When he faced her, his gaze swept her from head to toe. “Feel better after your shower?”
She nodded. “Almost normal, though it was a challenge to shower with one leg out of the tub. I don’t know why I bothered to hang it out of the shower when I’ll be diving again sometime today.”
Rex frowned. “I thought you said you would tape something over it to keep it dry.”
“I will. But it might not last in saltwater.” She glanced up into his gray eyes, her earlier thoughts in the shower making her look at him in a different light.
No. He wasn’t her type, she told herself. Too intense. Too serious.
Determined to shelve Rex as a potential love interest, Kimo forced a smile, relieved and a little embarrassed that her thoughts had taken that path. Thankfully, mind-reading wasn’t a thing, or she’d really be embarrassed.
She wondered how many female clients he’d worked with and if any had imagined themselves in love with him.
He did have incredibly broad shoulders and smoky gray eyes.
His dark blond, almost brown hair had enough of a wave to make a girl want to run her fingers through it, especially when an errant strand fell over his forehead.
She lifted her hand.
“Ready?” he asked.
Kimo froze, realizing she’d almost reached out to smooth that strand of hair back in line with the rest.
She redirected her hand to tuck an imaginary hair behind her ear. Heat rose up her neck and into her cheeks. “Uh. Sorry. What did you say?” she asked, flustered at her near slipup.
“Are you ready?”
She blew out a breath in an attempt to calm herself and then nodded. “I am.” Ready to find Alana, not to touch Rex’s hair. “Let’s go.” Before I do something stupid.
She needed to be more like Rex and focus on the mission. Exhaustion was really taking its toll on her if she was fantasizing about a man she’d just met.
Rex was first to exit the house, where he paused to study the surroundings. Apparently satisfied she was safe, he stepped out of the doorway.
As Kimo walked by him, all her senses were on alert. So much so, she could smell the plumeria growing on the tree that shaded the porch and the cologne Rex wore.
Yeah, trauma and lack of sleep. That had to be it.
He held the door open to the passenger side of his truck and helped her up into the seat with a hand at the small of her back.
Once she’d settled, she fumbled with the seatbelt.
Rex stepped up onto the running board, reached across her and secured her belt. His shoulder grazed her breast, sending sparks of electricity shooting through her body.
He paused on his way back across her and stared into her eyes. “Are you all right?”
Again, her cheeks heated. “Why do you ask?”
“Your face is flushed.” He reached out and touched his palm to her forehead. “You don’t feel feverish, but our first stop will be the pharmacy for those antibiotics. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to dive today.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Really. Besides, I’m the only one available who saw that container and then escaped the gunmen. No one else could come close to figuring out where I might’ve dropped the camera. The chances of finding it out there are pretty slim—impossible without me.”
Rex touched the bandage on her calf, shaking his head. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“We don’t have much of a choice. No one else is having any luck locating Alana. She’s my friend. I have to do something. She’d do the same for me.”
Rex nodded. “Let’s get those antibiotics and pay a visit to the dive shop. Maybe by the time we get to Jako’s, Swede will have recovered your data.”
“Hopefully, the image of the container will show something useful marked on it to lead us to who owns it.”
“Then we’ll follow that trail.” He dropped to the ground, strode around the hood and slid in behind the wheel. “In the meantime, we’ll play the diving by ear.”
Kimo didn’t argue. It served no purpose. If she needed to dive, she’d do it.