***
The marina was on the other side of the shopping center at the far end of the island and faced the sheltered waters of the sound. The boats docked there ranged from small flat-bottomed bass boats to large sailboats and cabin cruisers. Only a handful of cars were parked in the gravel lot, most of them clustered around the rental kiosk. But one at the far end was a black BMW with plates that read: Pastor1.
“That’s Pastor Fleming’s car,” Jorge said.
“Do you know where his boat is docked?”
“No.” He jogged over to the car.
Lucy debated following him but Megan was already making her way to the rental kiosk where a lone attendant watched them. She rushed to join them.
“Have you seen this boy?” Megan asked, showing him the photo of Mateo on her phone.
He frowned, squishing his lips one way then the other. “Nope, can’t say that I have.”
Lucy took over. “Do the Flemings keep their boat here?”
“Of course. We’re the only marina on the island.” He jerked his chin in the other direction, toward the inlet leading to the sound. “That’s him going out now.”
Lucy squinted and shielded her eyes from the sun as she stared west into the sound. The water was a brilliant blue streaked with golden ripples. A mid-sized cabin cruiser was silhouetted against the blue of the water and sky. She couldn’t make out who was at the wheel. “Did you see him? Pastor Fleming?”
“Nope. But it’s his boat. Who else would be driving it?”
Damn. As soon as it reached the end of the no wake area and hit the open water, they’d lose him. She glanced around. “What’s the fastest thing you have to rent?”
“Got a Formula 400 Super Sport. If you’ve got an operator’s license.” Which she didn’t. “Or, if you want something that you don’t need a boat license for, I got wave runners.”
Perfect. “I’ll take one.” He fumbled below the counter for a clipboard and forms.
Lucy ignored him, grabbing a life vest from the rack beside the counter and throwing it over her head. She shook her head at Megan who was also reaching for a vest.
“Wait here. Call Hayden. Tell her to get the Coast Guard out—see if Fleming’s boat has GPS,” she added as an afterthought. Wouldn’t that make everyone’s life easier? She hung her messenger bag over her chest diagonally, made sure her phone and pistol were zipped safe inside where they’d stay as dry as possible.
“Mom, I want to—”
Lucy silenced Megan with a look. The attendant was frowning. “Now see here, I can’t—”
Lucy did something she’d never done before. “FBI. Official business.” She was so full of crap—if word ever got back to the office, she’d never live it down. “I’m going to find Mateo, get to the bottom of this,” she promised Megan.
She climbed on board the closest wave runner without waiting for the attendant’s permission. Megan cast off the line as Lucy started the engine. It’d been years since she’d driven one—last time she and Nick had taken a vacation just the two of them. Cancun. Four days of fun and sun.
Her ankle twinged as she leaned her weight on it, steering the wave runner away from the dock. So much had changed since that vacation. Megan waved. “Mom, be careful!”
The words were devoured by the roar of the engine as Lucy sped away.
Chapter 10
Megan watched her mom ride off on the wave runner and wasn’t sure if she was angry with Lucy for leaving her behind or glad that there was a chance to save Mateo. Both. Plus, a bit of fear—for Lucy and Mateo. Whoever had taken Mateo and Pastor Fleming, it was obvious they were out of control and not afraid to hurt people to get what they wanted.
Mateo’s uncle jogged over to the dock. He showed Megan a cell phone. “Found this near the car but no Mateo.”
“We think he’s out there. That’s the pastor’s boat.” She pointed to the boat that was gaining speed. Lucy was standing on her wave runner, leaning forward as if trying to get the most speed possible from it.
Mr. Romero shielded his eyes from the sun. “I can’t see him.”
“You with that crazy lady, Jorge?” the dock attendant asked. “What’s going on?”
Megan tried her best to make out the figure driving the boat, but it was too far away and shielded by the tinted glass of the cabin. Then she saw a pair of binoculars hanging from a peg inside the attendant’s shack. She grabbed them. “Okay if I borrow these?”
She didn’t wait for his answer, figured Mr. Romero would do the explaining, and ran to the end of the dock. The boat operator had spotted Lucy and sped up, defying the no wake signs. Lucy was struggling with the wave runner as she drew closer to the boat’s wake. Megan focused on the boat, trying to see the man at the wheel but the sun was starting to set, which meant she was looking directly into it.