Ocean Blue (Sea Lab Book 1)

CHAPTER 13

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS

After hauling Sarah and Ben Porter's shot-up craft to the marina, Jake contacted the Royal Police in Nassau and told them about the attack at sea. When he informed the officer who took his call that someone had murdered Sarah's assistant, the man's voice deepened with authority and ordered them to wait at the dock until they arrived. It took the police thirty minutes to cross the bay bridge and make it to the pier where Sarah, Tony, and Jake waited. Officials loaded Ben's body into the back of a 1950s hearse and took him to the morgue.

Upon arrival at Central Division Headquarters, Jake peered up in amazement from the rear window of the squad car at the two-story house. It was bright yellow and reminded him more of a place where someone's grandmother might live than a police station. Emergency lights flashed with the three of them hunched together in the back of the blue cruiser. The driver let them out and they followed the chief inspector up the front porch. Other buildings crowded the house, and another structure connected to it in the back, likely offices and jail space.

The chief inspector, Reginald Cortez, turned to them as he entered the station. "My superior, the chief superintendent, is not available during night hours, but I assure you we will handle the incident with the utmost care."

The lead investigator appeared to be a mix of African and Hispanic descent. He led them up a flight of creaky hardwood stairs and into the waiting room. "I'll make the phone calls to the United States to verify your credentials and return soon."

Jake sat in a chair, placed his elbows on the metal table in the center of the room, and felt a cold chill run through his body. He guessed they had used the drab confines in the past to probe the criminal minds of thieves, murderers, and drug lords. The interrogation chamber had one tiny window, no decorations and the gray walls that boxed them in seriously needed a paint job. The smell of old dust seeped up from the wood floors, forcing him to fight back a sneeze.

Tony sat on one side of the beat-up table while Sarah took the chair facing the door, where they expected Inspector Cortez to enter any minute.

Jake made eye contact with Tony and then glanced at Sarah. He tried to be discreet, but found himself more attracted to her now than six months ago. Maybe it had been too long since he last saw her? Her hair, loose from the ponytail, showed the aftereffects of being bound. She wasn't wearing make-up, and it didn't matter. She possessed a clear complexion and sapphire blue eyes similar to the water surrounding the Caribbean Islands.

He saw something deep in those eyes. She still loved him, but the bottom line was, he betrayed her trust and broke her heart.

Jake leaned back in the chair, remembering the day she walked into the director's office and took her place at the conference table for the first time. Back then, she had recently completed her doctorate at the University of South Alabama while working at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Mobile. Tonight, as much as he hated to admit it, she probably was smarter than him. But was she more determined?

Tony cleared his throat and broke Jake's spellbound stare with his ex. "Maybe we should discuss the attack while we wait."

"That might be a good idea," Jake said.

Sarah gave Tony her attention as if a dividing wall were between her and Jake. She drummed her fingers on the tabletop, something she did regularly without thinking. "Where do we start?"