Jay gasped suddenly, staring at David. “I know what you’re thinking! Believe me, there couldn’t have been a corpse. And if there was…it couldn’t have been Alicia. I mean, she didn’t check in. She was never on the island.”
“Well, if there wasn’t a corpse, it couldn’t have been anyone, right? But I should tell you, Alicia was in Miami a week ago, where she rented a boat and said she was heading down to one of the small private islands in the Keys.”
“Do you know how many small private islands there are down here? Maybe she intended to come here but changed her mind. She must have arranged to go somewhere else—maybe a place that belongs to a friend or something.” His eyes narrowed. “Were you…with her? In Miami?”
David shook his head.
“How do you know what she was doing, then?”
“She called me. Then when I called back and couldn’t reach her I had a friend do a trace on her.”
“Alicia is independent. She knows her way around.”
“When she called me, she asked me to meet her here, at Moon Bay. The way she talked, she was excited about seeing Moon Bay. She seemed very specific. When she called you, she didn’t say anything about her reason for coming?”
“I swear, she didn’t tell me anything. She was pleasant and asked about available dates, and that was all,” Jay assured him, then frowned. They could both see Hank Adamson’s deck shoes, then his legs, as he descended into the cabin.
“Mind if I take a look around her?” he asked David.
“Hell no. I’m proud of my girl and delighted to give you a tour. Jay, how about relieving John at the helm, so he can get a good look at the Icarus, too?”
“Sure. I already know my way around,” Jay told Adamson. There was a note of pride in his voice. David watched him thoughtfully as he headed topside.
Jay Galway had been sweating when they talked. A little sheen of perspiration had shown on his upper lip.
So…
Either he was afraid, or he was lying.
Or both.
Alex had expected Zach to be a problem.
He wasn’t. The teenager duly handed her his dive card, then sat through her reminders and instructions like an angel. His mom had decided to stay on shore, despite the fact that they were going to make a stop on one of the main islands before returning that night.
Doug Herrera was captaining their dive boat, and Mandy Garcia was Alex’s assistant. They all switched between dive excursions and the dolphins. Gil and Jeb were dealing with the morning’s swim, and Laurie was taking her day off. Actually, Alex had expected to see her friend at the docks anyway—Laurie loved to dive, and she especially loved a day when the boat was scheduled to make a stop on one of the main islands when she wasn’t working. It was a chance to check out the little waterside bar where they had a meal and after-dive drinks, for those who chose, before returning to Moon Bay.
But Laurie had still been at the Tiki Hut when Alex left, so maybe the late night and the excitement of the day had caused her to sleep in. And maybe she had decided not to come because Seth Granger was on the dive, and he always made things miserable.
At Molasses Reef, their first dive, Alex noted that the Icarus, David’s yacht, was already anchored nearby. They never anchored on the reefs themselves. Most divers were aware of the very delicate structure of the reef and that it shouldn’t be touched by human hands, much less bear the weight of an anchor, and wouldn’t have moored there even if there hadn’t been laws against it. David was close though, closer than they went themselves.
“Now that’s a great-looking yacht,” Seth commented, spitting on his mask to prep it.
“Yes,” she agreed. The Icarus was a thirty-two footer, and she looked incredible under full sail. Today, however, David wasn’t sailing her. He’d apparently used the motor. The yacht moved like a dream, either way. In side, the mahogany paneling and rich appointments made her just as spectacular. The galley had every possible accessory, as did the captain’s desk. She was big enough to offer private sleeping facilities for up to three couples.
“You should have asked for the yacht,” Seth said, eyeing the Icarus.
“I beg your pardon?”
“In your divorce settlement. You should have asked for the yacht. She’s a beauty. But, hey, you’ve got another chance to ask for her now. Heard you’re not really divorced,” Seth said.
“Where did you hear that?”
He laughed again, or rather, bellowed. “People talk, you know. Moon Bay is an island. Small. People talk. About everything.”
He stared at her, which gave her a very uncomfortable feeling. What else was being discussed?
“I don’t want her. She belongs to David. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get in the water. And so do you. The tour group is waiting.”