Page 41 of Shallow Remains

Lachlan slowed when they got close, angling the zodiac to come up alongside the other vessel. Both passengers were standing near the higher portside railing wearing life jackets.

Grey moved to the starboard side tube, braced his hands on it as he leaned over to shout to them. “We’re with Skeleton Island Search and Rescue. You both okay?”

“Yeah, we’re good. You guys didn’t have to come out, our friends are already on the way to pick us up.”

“You’re gonna be in the water by the time they get here,” Grey said, stating the facts. They were already up to their knees in it.

“No, they’re only a few minutes… There they are now.”

Grey, Emma and Lachlan all looked to the west in time to see a speedboat cutting around the point of a neighboring island. The stranded passengers raised their arms over their heads and waved up and down to signal it.

The speedboat had been headed straight toward them. But suddenly it cut hard left and did a tight turn before speeding back in the direction it had come.

Grey glanced over at him with a WTF look before turning back to the passengers. Their expressions were priceless as they stared after the retreating boat. Like someone had let the air out of them both.

“Oh. Guess they decided to let the pros handle the rescue,” one of them said in a deflated tone.

Yeah. Guess so. And that maneuver hadn’t been suspicious at all.

Lachlan kept the boat steady and moved in closer, watching the passengers intently. As one of them reached for Grey’s outstretched hand, Lachlan glimpsed the unmistakable outline of a pistol under the man’s lifejacket.

A split second later, something hit the water with a small splash.

“What was that?” Grey said.

“Damn. I think it was my phone,” the man said.

Not a chance. He’d tossed the weapon overboard to get rid of it.

Behind him, the second passenger was hurriedly shrugging into a backpack. Or trying to. Whatever was in it was heavy, given the way he was struggling.

“Leave it,” Emma told him, aiming the searchlight at them so she, Grey, and Lachlan could all see clearly.

“No way,” the man argued. He clumsily scrambled aboard, nearly falling between the vessels in the attempt.

Grey caught the man, steadied him and looked over at Lachlan. Lachlan inclined his head to tell him he knew something was up. They’d clearly caught these guys in the middle of something illegal.

Grey leaned in close to Emma for a moment, said something for her ears only, and she quickly made her way to the pilothouse. “One of them was carrying a nine-millimeter,” she said to him.

“I saw. Did you get a look at what’s in his bag?”

“No. But I think we can all guess well enough.”

Yep. Drugs or cash, or both. It was more common than people around here realized. But considering the recent crime spree on the island and all the weapons and ammo being moved around, this could be the tip of the iceberg.

“I’ll call Rafe. You can stay in here with me on the trip back.”

“No thanks. I’m gonna go hang with Grey on deck. And if either of these assholes so much as twitches in a way I don’t like, they’ll get a throat punch before they even realize what hit them.”

Lachlan smiled, never taking his eyes off the rescued men seated up front. Emma was a former ER charge nurse and a martial arts black belt. She could handle herself. Although Grey would never let it come to that. If either of these guys tried something, Grey would take them down.

He got on the radio to update the Coast Guard about the vessel’s location, kept watch over everyone on board as he turned them back toward Skelly, and called Rafe.

“Hey, man. We just picked up two men from a sinking vessel seven nautical miles west of Cedar Point. Mid to late twenties, one Caucasian, the other Asian. They refused rescue at first, saying they had friends coming to get them. But the instant the boat appeared and saw us, they did a one-eighty and bugged out. The Caucasian guy dropped a nine mil overboard. His buddy refused to leave his backpack behind.” He wanted Grey to search it, but neither of them were law enforcement anymore.

“Well, that’s interesting. What’s your ETA in Whalebone Cove?” Rafe asked.

“Twenty-five minutes, give or take.”