The water wasn’t quite as blue on the Gulf side of the Keys compared to the Atlantic side. As they hugged the coast of one island after another, they saw an incredible array of bird life.
Dallas was glad that Hannah and Kelsey were there, because they remembered more than he did about the area.
They knew which ones were the private islands, who lived where, what movie star was rumored to own which massive house, and where there had been trouble with wild parties and reported drug deals.
They’d been out for hours when suddenly Maria Lopez, who had been sitting in the bow, leaped to her feet. “There! There...where the trees are growing in the water. I know that place. I saw it when I tried to get away. If you go that way...” She pointed.
Dallas was piloting the boat; Logan had told him that he was the Florida boy, so he should take the helm.
He followed Maria’s instructions, and there it was.
Close to the edge of Grassy Key, it was hard to see, even from the water, and almost completely hidden by the mangroves surrounding it.
There were no boats in sight, but he couldn’t see whether there was a car out back because of the trees.
“I’ll bring her in as close as I can,” he told Logan, “but we’ll have to anchor and hop out.”
They were prepared, with everyone wearing swim gear and shorts. Dallas drew the boat in as close as he dared and droped the anchor.
“You must be ready,” Maria said. “Tio, the man who watches us, may be old, but he loves guns and knives. He has them everywhere.”
They hopped out of the boat. Dallas was carrying his second weapon, having decided that Hannah shouldn’t go in unarmed. Hell, she’d shot Bentley, so he had to trust that she wouldn’t shoot any of them.
It was slow going, maneuvering over and between the roots. Little crabs scurried out of the way as they drew closer to the shore.
Eventually they made it through the trees. And there, ahead of them, was a roughly hewn fisherman’s cabin. It stood on crude pilings and was surrounded by sea grape trees, blending in completely.
There was no indication that anyone was at home.
“Kelsey, Hannah, stay back,” Dallas said, looking at Logan.
“Front or back?” Logan asked him.
“Your call,” Dallas said.
And he and Logan began moving carefully toward the little cabin.
*
Hannah hung back with Kelsey and watched the men sneak toward the cabin. It was hot, and she was sticky with salt and sweat after struggling through the trees. Something moved a foot away, and Hannah started, but it was only a crane walking curiously past them.
Above them, a giant cormorant moved across the sky.
She jumped again when her phone vibrated in the pocket of her shorts. She glanced at the caller ID.
It was Liam.
She answered it quickly. “Hey.”
Just as he started to speak, the phone went dead. Damn it!” she muttered.
“Someone is coming,” Kelsey said, instinctively stepping around her, ready to face whoever was approaching.
“Hello, there!”
The voice was male, but the speaker was still hidden in the mangroves. It was familiar, but Hannah couldn’t place it, even though the man swore and went on speaking.
“This is ridiculous. Why in God’s name send a man like me out here on my own? You’d think they’d have sent the damned Coast Guard with me or something.”
The speaker came into view at last, and she was relieved to see it was the M.E., Dirk Mendini. His white lab coat was already dirtied and wet. He had his black bag of crime scene supplies in his hand.
Kelsey lowered her weapon and asked tensely, “They? What’s going on?”
“I got a call from the cops. They told me to come out here. Gave me some GPS coordinates. Said there are bodies out here somewhere. But damn it, I can’t get my cell to work. I’m trying to get back to Liam.”
“Liam? He just tried to reach me,” Hannah said. “He sent you out here looking for bodies?”
“I was ordered to come here,” he said. “Ordered to get out here, on my own, thank you very much. They said there was some kind of shoot-out.”
Kelsey turned to look back to the house. “The guys haven’t come out yet, and we haven’t heard any shooting.” She turned to Dirk. “Who did you say called you?”
“I just told you. Detective Liam Beckett.”
“I’m going in,” Kelsey said.
“You’re the only Fed here—you’re not leaving us alone,” Mendini protested.
“Follow me, then, but stay down and keep quiet,” she said.
Kelsey started to move, and they followed, Dirk went first, holding tight to his black bag. Hannah crept along behind him. When they reached the raised porch on its moldy pilings, Hannah’s phone started to vibrate again. She cursed, reaching for it. As she pulled it out and noticed that it was Liam calling, Mendini suddenly lifted his bag and slammed it against Kelsey’s head.