Chapter 34
Ifinned below, pulling myself through the inky depths, my flashlight slashing the darkness. I swam around the reef, scanning the nooks and crannies in the colorful coral, looking for a place to stash a dagger or more loot.
It was a popular dive spot with tourists. You’d have to hide something pretty good in a place like this. But it wouldn't take much to bury a dagger below the silty bottom.
I returned to the Raptor, and JD helped me aboard. I slipped the tank from my shoulders and rested it on the deck.
I was tired and over it. I wanted to go home, have a drink, eat dinner, and unwind.
"I told you it wasn't down there," Daphne said.
"The games stop now," I growled. “You're going to tell me where it is."
"It's not here. I can tell you that much."
I toweled off, climbed aboard her boat, then weighed anchor. At the helm, I fired up the engine and headed back toward Coconut Key.
JD followed.
The moon hung low in the sky as we crashed across the inky swells.
"You're going back to jail," I said. "That ought to give you some time to think about cooperating.”
She made a pouty face. "You don't have to put me back in there. I'll tell you where it is.”
"I'm listening," I said.
"Tomorrow, I will take you to it.”
I scoffed. "How about you take me to it right now?”
"It's an involved process, and you look tired. You really should get some rest. I know you've been trying to keep up with me, and that's not an easy job."
I glared at her.
"Besides, this could be an opportunity for you.”
"How so?”
"Brock and Dane will want their cut. I can try to get word to them and set up a rendezvous to give them their share. Fair is fair, right? Bury the hatchet. When they show up, you snag them."
"I don't need the dagger to do that. I just need you to get in touch with them.”
"That's easy enough to do. I guarantee you they are not leaving this island without their cut. They’re probably staying in a crappy motel, on a boat, or at one of those tramps’ apartments.
I'll bet if I start calling those bitches, one of them will get the word to Dane or Brock.” She paused.
“Whatever I tell Rick at the Dutchman will get back to Dane.”
“If he thinks you’re working with law enforcement, he won’t show up to a rendezvous.”
“Why would he think I’m working with you?”
“And just how did you get out of prison?”
“I escaped,” she said with a proud smile. “I cooperated just to get out of jail and bailed at the first opportunity. It’s not a lie. Totally believable.”
We headed back to the station, and panic filled Daphne's eyes. "Whoa, what’s going on? I said I’d cooperate.”
"Oh, you're going to cooperate. I have no doubt about that.”
I tied her boat up in a slip, escorted her ashore, then marched her into the station.
Jack followed with the money.
"What exactly are we doing here?” Daphne asked.
"Something I should have done from the beginning," I said.
We got her fixed up with an ankle bracelet. This time, if she ran off, she wouldn't get far.
The device wasn't pretty, but on Daphne, nothing looked bad.
“In case you get any funny ideas about tampering with it or cutting it off," I said. “That's a felony. You're in enough trouble as it is.”
"You’ll get no trouble from me," she assured.
I'm not sure how she managed to say it with a straight face. Daphne was a good liar.
We left the station, then I helped her aboard the Raptor.
“What about Shelby’s boat?”
“Tell her she can come pick it up from the station any time,” I said with a grin. Would make an arrest easy.
Daphne knew what was in store for Shelby. “Look, it’s not her fault. I forced her to help me. You can’t arrest her.”
“Aiding and abetting a fugitive.”
“Come on, what would you do for your best friend in that situation?”
“I wouldn’t be in that situation because my best friend isn’t a thief.”
She scowled at me.
We cruised back to the marina at Diver Down, tied off in a slip, then transferred the gear ashore.
Daphne's eyes rounded when I escorted her to the Avventura. We crossed the passerelle, and Buddy barked and bounced at the salon door, excited to meet our new guest.
"This is your boat?”
I nodded.
"You guys are definitely on the take." Her eyes narrowed at me with an epiphany. "Are you just playing hardball? Do you want a share of the dagger? Is that what this is all about?”
"No. That is not what this is all about.”
I pulled open the salon door, and Buddy pounced. I tried to hold him back, but I had my hands full of gear.
Daphne knelt down and tried to love on the little guy, but with her hands cuffed behind her back, she couldn't pet him. She got a face full of slobber. Buddy loved it, and I think she did too. He could melt anybody's heart.
I escorted Daphne into the salon.
She took in the opulent appointments. “Nice digs.”
"I've got your monitoring bracelet set to a defined radius. I will get text alerts if you leave the authorized zone."
"What's the authorized zone?"
"This boat. You are not to leave this boat without me or JD.”
"Does that mean you’re going to take these handcuffs off?" she said, batting her eyelashes at me.
I laughed. "Hell no. You'll stay in a below-deck stateroom, and I'll handcuff you to the bed.”
With naughty eyes, she said, “I might like that.”
“How did you get out of the cuffs?”
She smirked. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”
“How?” I demanded.
“You shouldn’t leave paper clips in the glove box.”
I should have looked through the car before I left her unattended. At least she was back in custody.
"What happens if I have to go tinkle in the middle of the night?"
"Hold it. Or call me."
"You took my phone. How am I supposed to call?"
"I'm sure you have the lung capacity for it.”
She gave me a flat look.
"Are you hungry?”
"I could eat.”
I escorted her into the galley, found a menu from Diver Down, and had her look over it.
Her eyes rounded with excitement. "Oooh, I'll take the chicken quesadillas and a margarita."
"Sorry, your margarita privileges are suspended."
She frowned at me.
I took Jack's order, then called Teagan.
"I have some clothes and other items back at the Driftwood,” Daphne said. “And I'd really like to go back to my apartment, if possible.”
"I’d keep your requests to a minimum right now. You’re lucky I didn't leave you in the county jail overnight."
"You need me," she said with a sassy eyebrow. "If you want any chance of catching Dane and Brock, that is."
"I'm still waiting for you to come through. So far, you've been a disappointment."
She frowned at me.
Jack hustled down to Diver Down to pick up the food, then returned. I released Daphne's handcuffs and re-cuffed her in front so she could eat. The three of us chowed down on the sky deck.
The stars twinkled overhead, and a gentle breeze came off the water. Boats swayed in their slips.
JD and I sipped glasses of whiskey, and Daphne looked on with envy. "You know, one drink isn't going to hurt anything. I might become docile and compliant. Maybe not such a handful."
"At least you recognize you have a problem," I said.
She smirked. "Some men find me challenging and exciting. I'm sorry I'm too much for you."
I gave her a look. "After we eat, you're going to call Rick at the Dutchman and tell him to get in touch with Dane. You want to set up a meeting to split the loot from the dagger.”
"No. I'm not going to do that.”
I lifted an eyebrow.
"I haven't been out long enough to realistically recover the dagger, connect with the buyer, and get the money. $30 million is a lot of cash. If I call now, he’ll know something is funny.
Sit on it a day or two. It'll be more believable.
Then we can set up a sting and take him down.
I'll take you to the dagger, then you can let me go. "
Her position wasn't totally without merit.
"So what you're saying is there's really no reason for you to be out of jail for the next couple of days, and I should take you back to jail right now.”
"If you take me back to prison, then word will get out that I'm in prison. The sting will never work. What you need to do is put the word out on the street that I escaped and am still at large.”
I shared a look with JD.
It wasn't a bad idea.
I called the sheriff. "I need you to put a BOLO on Daphne O'Connor."
"Good Lord, Wild. Don't tell me you lost her?”
"No. She’s sitting right across from me. I'm about to call Paris and let her break the news. Word will get out. The fugitives will see it. I need those assholes to think she's loose and draw them in.”
He considered it for a moment. "Sometimes you have good ideas."
I smiled. "I know."
I ended the call and texted Paris. I sent her a mug shot of Daphne and told her the vixen had escaped.
Within 20 minutes, Daphne's photo was all over the news.
We watched the broadcast on the TV in the salon. Daphne looked proud of herself. Most people looked terrible in mugshots, but Daphne didn't look half bad.
After dinner, I escorted her down to a below-deck stateroom. It was one of the smaller guest rooms with two bunks, a private en suite, and a fold-down flatscreen TV. It was enough to keep her occupied.
"Do you need to use the restroom?" I asked.
"I guess I should probably take advantage of the opportunity," she said.
I let her slip into the en suite unattended and waited for her in the room.
She returned a moment later, then I secured one wrist to the bed frame with long-chain cuffs. With the frame bolted to the floor and no paper clips or bobby pins nearby, there was no way for her to escape. Not this time.
"This is not exactly comfortable,” she said. “Do I really have to sleep like this? Where am I going to go? You said if I leave the authorized zone, you'll get a notification. I won't be hard to find.”
"I've already taken too many chances with you."
She smirked, and her mischievous eyes sparkled. "Maybe you haven't taken enough."
I gave her a doubtful look.
"You could sleep in here, keep an eye on me.”
"You're not my type."
She laughed, knowing better.
“Good night, Daphne. Shout if you need anything.”
“How about a bottle of water and maybe a snack in case I get hungry in the middle of the night?”
“Fair enough.”
I headed up to the galley, grabbed a bottle of water, and found a protein bar. I returned and set them on the nightstand by Daphne’s bed. By that time, she had reclined and was watching TV.
I left and climbed the companionway to the main deck. I grabbed Buddy’s leash and took him out for a quick walk before returning to the Avventura and settling in for bed.
I was reasonably certain Daphne couldn’t escape.