After a quick trip back to the hotel and into town for supplies, they were back at the marina and on the boat preparing to set sail.
Watching Anthony at the wheel, his legs spread to keep his stance steady on the open sea, Evie was struck by his confidence steering the boat. They slowed as they neared the island.
Evie turned to him and said, “Well, at least we know why she stood you up. He met her early and she thought it was you.”
Anthony shook his head, “I just don’t understand how he can always find information out and stay one step ahead of me for so long now.”
“Me either, but he can only do that for so long. I think we’re catching up to him.”
“I hope you’re right. Based on the information Jake gave us, there is really only two places that you can get close to the island, this is one of them.” He cut the motor. “But we still have to get out and swim through the water.”
Looking at the island Evie shuddered. “Do we really have to search the whole thing?”
“I don’t think we can. He said most of it is too rocky to get too far in without climbing gear. We’ve got to assume that with that short of notice he wouldn’t do that. I’ve never been rock climbing, so it’s not something he would have to learn.”
“Good, let’s do this.” She took her clothes off so that she was in her white bikini. Catching him looking, she said, “Like what you see?”
“And then some.” He proceeded slowly lift his shirt over his head before looking up at her and giving her a wink before unzipping his pants.
All Evie could do was stare. There are men that should never wear Speedos, and then there are men that should only wear Speedos. Anthony was one of those men. Evie didn’t want to see him in anything else. She did have to hold back a chuckle at the fact that both of their suits were white.
Anthony dove into the water first and Evie licked her lips watching his form flow through the crystal clear water. When he came up, she handed him the waterproof bag that would hold their shoes. Thankful for her diving lessons when she was a teenager, she dove in after him. The water was warm as she moved gracefully through it.
They made a quick search of the small part of the island they could get to. Finding nothing, they went back to the boat. Watching him climb into the boat was a beautiful sight, the water dripping down his skin leaving trails of goose bumps as the breeze hit it.
They sat back and enjoyed a cool drink and snack. Looking around Evie wondered about the water. “Do you think he’d dump her in the water?”
Anthony thought about it. “Maybe. The water is really clear around here, I think it would be harder to disguise.”
“But he’d only have to have it disguised for a bit before the natural underwater life would take it over.”
“True, but it would be easier to dump her on the island.”
“You’d think, but there is so little area that we could get to.”
“Let’s look on the other side of the island, and then if we can’t find anything there, we can search the water around the island.”
*
Finding nothing on the other side of the island, they searched the water. At this point, Anthony wasn’t holding out much hope of finding anything. There were miles of ocean where a body could have been dumped.
It was slow work and neither of them knew what they were exactly looking for, so there were many dives down to find out it was nothing. Luckily, they’d brought snorkeling gear.
When they were almost back to where they had begun, Evie shouted, “Stop the boat.”
Watching her shaking finger point to something under the water Anthony was filled with dread. He dropped anchor and hoped it was just the shadows playing tricks on them.
Turning to Evie, he knew he couldn’t let her go down there. They had been taking turns and it was hers. “I’ll go.”
“No, it’s my turn.”
“Evie, please. Tell me, if it is what it looks like do you really want to go down there?”
Folding her arms across her chest, she said, “No, but you know I will.”
He wrapped her in his arms. “Yes, I know you would, but please, just let me do this. If it is her, let me be the one to find her. I’m the reason she’s down there.”
“Fine.”
Chuckling he said, “You’re always so gracious.”
“Go. We’ve been out here all day and it’s going to be dark soon.” She shivered.
“Yes, dear.”
Sticking her tongue out, she handed him his gear. “Be careful.”
“Always, la mia belezza.”