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Alex and Patti turned to each other with wide eyes. Hope had spent the past few days battling with the insurance company. The bureaucracy on St. Croix was notoriously slow, but he had faith in her. It might take a few months, but she’d prevail. He figured she’d finance a new boat until the insurance company finally paid out.
Alex had been busy looking for a replacement boat, only today locating one in St. Thomas. He’d move heaven and hell to make sure they got another boat, and he was worried about the effect of all of it on Hope. She’d been working nonstop.
“I understand that,” Hope said. “Look, it’s not my fault if you can’t organize any of your crap.”
Alex grinned.
“Fine. I’ll fax over another copy of the police report, and I’m going to call you every five minutes until you tell me you received it. What’s the number? I’ll send it again in a few minutes. You can expect my call shortly after.” The phone slammed down, and he shared another look of mock alarm with Patti.
“Alex!” Hope bellowed. “Are you still out there?”
He turned to Patti with his best expression of horror. “Save me, Patti. I’m scared to go in there.”
She tried not to laugh. “You better hurry. She’ll only get angrier if you make her wait.”
“I’m coming.” He crossed to the office and immediately recognized Hope’s exhaustion.
“Did you send that police report to the insurance company?” Hope was pressing the palms of both hands against her eyelids.
“Yes. I faxed it twice, yesterday and again this morning.”
She lowered her hands and paced. “I knew it. Damn bureaucrats. They wouldn’t proceed on the case until the police report declared it an accident. And now that we’ve sent it, they’re stonewalling again. Thanks. I’ll find it and send it again.”
“Hey, you doing ok?”
“Yes, this is just incredibly frustrating.”
Alex peeked out the doorway to make sure no one was looking, then gave her a brief but very thorough kiss. She softened against him. “I’ve got a lead on a dive boat. Come see me after you’re done.” He drew his finger down the bridge of her nose and returned to Patti. They were hanging the next row with the kitchen and bar staff when Hope got on the phone again.
“Look, I have the confirmation in my hand that says you received it. It has to be sitting right there on your fax machine. Would you please go check?” There was a pause. “What do you mean, you don’t have any more time available to talk to me? Listen, we have sent you that police report a minimum of three times. This is ridiculous. Maybe I need to escalat—no, don’t you dare hang up—”
Silence.
Then, “Oh, you bastard!”
There was a rustle, and Hope stormed out of her office, throwing her purse over one shoulder.
“I’m going to Christiansted. And I’m not coming back until I have our money.”
Alex turned to Patti. “I’m glad I’m not that guy.”
* * *
After hanging the pictures, Alex walked down the beach toward the pier. The loaner boat was moored at the end. It was small but reliable, ideal for using until they found their own. Tommy stood in the stern, hosing down the deck. Alex hadn’t talked to him since the rescue.
Tommy was facing away as Alex stepped on board, but turned as the boat shifted in weight. “Hey, man. Good to see you out and about.”
“Feels good to be out of that damn apartment. I was afraid Hope might kill me if I tried to break out of jail, though.”
“You’d probably deserve it.” Tommy laughed before growing serious. “You doin’ ok? Your hands all right?”
“They’re fine. I had a pulled muscle in my hip. That’s what laid me up the last couple days, but I’m good to go now. I’ll be back to work tomorrow morning.”
Thank God it was only a pulled muscle after all.
“Good to hear. Hasn’t been the same without you.”
Alex sat on the side bench. “Tommy, what do you think happened out there?”
