Chapter 10 #2
“We had some excitement up here, as well,” Teller said.
“A boat with a couple of men played chicken with us and then opened fire.” Devlin grimaced. “I’m sorry, Leilani, but some of those bullets hit your boat.”
“As long as you two are okay, we can fix the boat,” Leilani said as she shrugged out of her BCD. “We just have to get it back to the marina before it takes on too much water.”
“The camera?” Teller asked.
Kimo shook her head. “We didn’t find it.” She glanced toward Leilani, her lips pressing together.
Leilani shook her head. “We didn’t see the camera or the ditched BCD and tank.” She glanced toward the sunset. “We could go back down, but it’s hard enough to search for them in the daylight. We can start again first thing in the morning.”
Kimo faced the west where the sun had sunk below the horizon, leaving them in the gray haze of dusk. “That storm is supposed to hit us late tomorrow night.”
“Already the ocean is stirring,” Angel said. “The waves are growing and will be worse tomorrow. Will it be too dangerous to dive?”
“Dangerous or not,” Kimo squared her shoulders, “I have to find that camera.”
“I’ll be out here at first daylight,” Leilani promised.
Angel frowned his displeasure. “I’ll be with you.”
“As will I,” Kimo said.
Rex wasn’t any happier than Angel about the rough seas and the possibility of running into more trouble from whoever had come at them that day. Kimo wouldn’t be deterred. If Kimo was going down again...
Rex met Kimo’s gaze. “I’ll be here, too.”
Leilani took over the helm and drove the tour boat north toward Lahaina.
Angel held up his cell phone. “I’ll update Hawk on how it went.”
Rex nodded and helped Kimo out of her wetsuit, peeling it down her body and exposing her bright red bikini. His lips twitched at the cheerful color and style that seemed so incongruous with the danger they’d just faced.
Then again, she was an underwater photographer, not a military-trained operator. She shouldn’t have to be worried about attacks from humans. Nor should she have found a container full of dead people.
Kimo slipped her cover-up over her shoulders, twisted her damp braid around the crown of her head and fit the floppy hat over it.
Rex was amazed at the transformation from a serious diver who had just been attacked underwater to vacationing Mrs. Lovejoy.
She seemed so calm and collected. Her Hawaiian heritage gave her an exotic beauty unlike any he’d ever encountered.
He found it harder and harder to pull back and remind himself she was the client. He was the protector.
Rex moved away in an attempt to put distance between himself and Kimo. He stripped off his wetsuit, pulled on the loud Hawaiian shirt and grabbed his cell phone from where he’d stowed it near the helm.
As they neared the marina, Leilani reduced their speed to comply with the no-wake zone and maneuvered the tour boat into its slip. Angel leaped out onto the dock and secured the lines.
Rex’s phone pinged with an incoming text from his father. He frowned down at the message.
JJohnson: If you want to talk to Holte, meet me at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor at 9:00 pm tonight. Dress code formal attire. Come alone
Rex: ?
JJohnson: No questions. Just be there
He glanced up, his gaze meeting Kimo’s concerned one.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I’m not sure.” He showed the message to Kimo.
Teller and Devlin leaned close to read the message as well.
Leilani cut the engine and came to stand close to Kimo, looking over her shoulder.
“Do you think he’s set up a meeting between you and Holte?” Kimo asked.
“Why formal attire?” Devlin shook his head. “Sounds like he’s taking you to an event.”
Angel joined them. “On a marina?”
“Some luxury yacht owners have parties on board their big yachts docked at the marinas,” Leilani said. “He could be taking you to a party your father and Holte have been invited to.”
Rex nodded. That sounded right. “Does Holte have a yacht large enough to accommodate a black-tie event?”
“Ask Swede,” Angel said.
Rex texted Swede, giving him a screenshot of the message his father had sent.
Rex: Does Holte have a yacht moored at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor?
Swede: I’ll get back to you
While they waited for Swede’s response, they gathered tanks and BCDs and carried them to Leilani’s dive and snorkeling shop.
They spent the next thirty minutes preparing for the next day’s dive since they would be leaving before dawn to get to Maalaea Bay at first light.
By the time they had filled tanks and replaced the damaged regulator, seven o’clock was approaching.
If he was to meet his father at nine, Rex needed to get to his apartment, shower and change.
“Do you have formal wear?” Kimo asked.
He nodded. “I have the black suit I wore to my buddy’s funeral. Though I haven’t decided if I’ll go.”
“Why not?” Kimo asked. “It might be our only chance to talk to Holte.”
He grasped her hands in his. “I can’t take you with me.”
“Of course, you can’t.” Kimo shook her head. “Your father said you had to come alone.”
“If you’re not with me, I can’t protect you.”
Leilani walked by at that moment. “That’s not an issue. Angel and I will stay with Kimo until you return.”
Rex didn’t like leaving Kimo for even a minute. It was more than just protecting her. He stared down into her eyes. He wasn’t sure what more it was, but it definitely made him leery about leaving her. “You’re my responsibility,” he said.
Kimo laid a hand on his chest. “You have to do it. Any information about that container has to lead to finding Alana. If Holte has any information, you have to get it out of him. You have to meet with him.” She nodded toward Angel. “Do you trust your teammates?”
“With my life,” Rex said.