Dot needed to get hold of Nhiari.On her way out of the marina, she typed a long text explaining what was going on and asking her to get in touch.Then she sent Ryan a message to say she’d been called out and wouldn’t make dinner.
Was it only this morning she’d had coffee with him?
She closed her eyes briefly, letting the wind blow over her, hoping it would brush away some of her fatigue.They had to be getting close.How many more arms of the business could they have here in Retribution Bay?Surely the drugs were the last one.The evidence they’d collected from the hide-out might have something that would point her towards who was behind it all.
Maybe it was Natasha’s parents.Steven had been good friends with Declan, and Declan had been quite involved.
She still hadn’t figured out where the Singapore connection came in either.
But she was almost certain this part of the business had only been in Retribution Bay since the beginning of the year.
If only she had someone to talk to.Someone she trusted.She hoped Nhiari would call her soon.
As much as she’d relied on Sam, Brandon and Sherlock, they were civilians now and shouldn’t be privy to police information.Besides, they’d go off half-cocked on some mission that would risk their lives, and she wouldn’t know about it until bad things happened.
She had no one.
Oliver had once been her confidant, but she wasn’t certain he wasn’t a Stonefish plant.And again, he couldn’t be told confidential information.
Her paranoia had isolated her from her colleagues, but at least she had proof she was right.Colin had been working for Stonefish.Were others as well?
She sighed.
What would it be like to have someone else to confide in?Someone to laugh with and come home to?
Seeing Oliver again had reminded her what she’d had, what she missed most about him.They’d had fun together and even if they were simply watching television together, there’d been a comfort being next to him.
She was lonely.
The realisation brought tears to her eyes, and she blinked them back.All her life she hadn’t been someone people wanted to hang out with.After the academy, the breakup and Nhiari moving back to the bay, Dot had sunk further into herself, not willing to risk her heart again, knowing people would leave, knowing she wasn’t enough to make them stay.
She should be used to it by now.She shouldn’t want it so much.
Dot swallowed hard.Now wasn’t the time to wallow in self-pity.She’d go out, take the barrel into evidence and while she was out there, she’d find the others.Colin had given her a rough map of where he’d put them.
Then tomorrow she’d meet Ryan for dinner and catch up with her old friend.Hear all the news about him and Lincoln and their small town of Blackbridge.Maybe she’d even arrange to visit when Stonefish was caught.
She wasn’t as pathetic as she seemed.
The water was still choppy, and it took longer than usual to get out there.The sun was definitely on its descent, and she had at most two hours before dark.Not much time to locate, record and retrieve the drugs.
TheOceanidwas anchored back closer to Retribution Island and a couple of lights were on in the cabin.Oliver grabbed the rope she threw to him.His wetsuit was pulled down to his waist, and a T-shirt covered his chest.A shame.
“Do you have coordinates?”she called.
“Yeah.I’ll come with you.You might need scuba gear.”
Her muscles tightened.“I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“The barrel might be heavy.You can’t hold your breath for that long and lift something heavy.”
He had a point, and behind him Sam was approaching with his argumentative face.“Get your gear.”
Oliver’s eyebrows raised, but he didn’t comment, just hurried to fetch it.
“There’re probably more barrels out there,” Sam said.
“I know how to do my job,” Dot replied.
