“She’s the perfect size.”Oliver winced as his students laughed.He’d walked right into that one, but Dot had been conscious of her height for a long time.“I’m sure she would have no problem restraining a suspect.”
“You want to be her suspect?”Rajesh teased.
Oliver groaned, even as his cheeks kept their heat.Now was not the time to remember the role play they’d done when Dot had first got her handcuffs.
“Is she married?”Suzyn asked.
“No.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
He did not want to talk about his love life with his students.“We have a history.Now enough about the sergeant.Where should we start our dives this morning in light of the new information we received last night?”
“We should look for the cannons,” Tom said.
Rajesh shook his head.“Nothing should change.We need to be methodical and continue our process as before.”
Oliver let his students debate the merits of both as they drove back into town, glad they were distracted.
But one thing he knew for sure.He wasn’t leaving Retribution Bay without talking to Dot.He needed to find out once and for all why she’d refused to give them a chance.
And convince her to give him one now.
***
Dot was at her desk by six-thirty, working through her notes on Stonefish.She’d told the others not to disturb her unless it was an emergency.Her timeline was shaping up nicely, and a few patterns were emerging.There were a couple of people she needed to visit.
She checked the time.Still only eight o’clock, but she had her museum contact’s mobile number.As she reached for the phone someone knocked on her door.She sighed and called, “Yes?”
Colin poked his head in.“Sorry, boss.There’s a Ryan Kilpatrick here to see you.I told him you weren’t to be disturbed, but he reckons you’ll want to see him.”
Dot grinned.“He’s right.Send him in.”
Colin raised his eyebrows, but went to let Ryan in.
Dot dialled her contact at the museum.“I have a couple of questions about the research group going over the new shipwreck.”
“Oliver’s one of our best,” the woman gushed.“He’s so experienced.We were thrilled when he moved back to Perth and took up the role with us and the university.”
“Is the museum funding the dive?”She waved at Ryan as he walked in and gestured to a chair.Tall and lean with an easy smile, Ryan had become a fast friend when she’d started at the academy.She’d even had a small crush on him until she’d met Oliver and then everyone else had vanished from her radar.Dressed casually in a T-shirt and board shorts, he still looked as good as ever.
“No.A philanthropist called offering to sponsor it.His son is taking Oliver’s class, and his only condition was for his son to be part of the expedition.”
Dot perked up.“What’s his name?”
“Lucas Fitton.He’s on the board or owns Zhenzhu Corporation.”
She made a note to follow up later.“Does that kind of thing happen very often?”
The woman laughed.“Never.I wish it did.”
Interesting.“Did you choose Oliver as the lead on the expedition?”
“Lucas requested it, but it was our choice as well.With the university students volunteering, and Oliver’s experience, it made perfect sense.”
It did, which was a relief, but she’d still follow up Lucas’s details.“Thanks for your help.”She hung up and smiled at Ryan.“I was going to call you.I couldn’t remember when you were due up here.”
“Yesterday.”Ryan studied her.“You look terrible.Have you been sleeping?”
