A low drone hummed in the distance. Max steered the boat toward the dock. Toward her.
Her stomach pitched just before the scope of her vision broadened and she saw the second figure in the boat. Perry Griffin stood beside his boss. They must have penned the dolphins together.
Damn, but she'd become too well versed in Max's work habits the past weeks. The notion left her feeling more than a little uncomfortable. Of course, he had asked her to join him often enough. Some days it seemed the guy wouldn't let her out of his sight.
Max pulled up alongside the dock, eyeing the gear slung over Darcy's shoulder. "I thought we'd planned to meet at the pen."
Was that disappointment she heard in his voice. What a heady notion that he would miss her, too. "I changed my mind. Woman's prerogative and all that."
The boat bobbed and swayed as Perry made his way toward the back to tie off. He nodded to Darcy's gear. "Going somewhere?"
"I was hoping to, if Max is still free." She turned to him. "You said you weren't planning any dives today, just unpenning Lucy and Ethel. The waters are warm enough to dive in swimsuits. So I thought maybe you could show me some of the dive sites if you haven't timed out on underwater minutes yet..." She shrugged.
And if he had? There was a limit per day of how much time a body could stand the depths without succumbing to decompression sickness, the bends...or worse, an air bubble in the heart, a concern for her, as well, if she didn't give herself the proper time between a flight and diving. She prayed her plan for a no-talk day wouldn't be derailed.
She held her breath and waited.
Max turned to his assistant. "Perry, why don't you head on in? I'll join you later."
Darcy exhaled her relief.
His assistant tugged a stark white T-shirt over his head and tucked it into his navy swim trunks, a preppy antithesis of Max. "Sure, boss. We can review our data later. I need to give my wife a call, anyway." He leaped onto the dock and nodded to Darcy. "Take it easy, Darcy."
Darcy waited until Perry's thudding footsteps along the planked dock muffled onto the beach before turning to Max. "Wife? I didn't know he was married."
Max draped an arm along the steering wheel, his chest gleaming deep bronze in the late afternoon sun. "Going on eight years now."
"Wow. That's incredible. Kids?"
"Three." He frowned.
"Problem?" She edged closer to the dock. "If you don't want to go, just say so." Just her luck, the quiet guy would decide he finally wanted a lengthy chat. She needed her farewell. And she needed it uncomplicated.
Darcy dangled the underwater camera between two fingers. "I want us to say our goodbyes with style. Make a cool memory to commemorate a special friendship."
Max's eyes stayed pinned on her for the slap of four waves against he dock before he tipped his head to gesture her into the boat. "Sounds like a plan."
Since the man never said much, she took the sign for an all-out invitation and stepped gingerly onto the nose of side of the boat. Max reached to brace her, but she kept her feet sure this time.
Steady.
No wayward body brushes. She had her battle strategy for the day to forget Max Keagan and move on with her life and mission. If only she didn't want to explore his hidden secrets as much as his muscled chest.
A prospect more dangerous to her peace of mind than the next few hours with a half-naked Max.
Robin stood on the sunning deck of the VOQ, time clock punched for the workday, and watched the bay through binoculars from the higher vantage point. Keagan was nowhere in sight.
But out there. Somewhere.
Anticipation fired. Satisfaction wouldn't be far behind. Hours perhaps.
Through the binocular scope, Keagan's dolphins were making their displeasure known from their bay pen. Their clicking and squawks carried on the breeze as they powered through the clear water in frantic circles.
Did they somehow know the time had come for Keagan to die? Perhaps.
Robin lowered the binoculars and returned them to the case. If only Keagan were visible. What a rush to watch him thrash, try to protect his woman, then watch her die before he joined her.
The order had been given.