Dot nodded.She placed her hand on her radio and then hesitated.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s no backup to call.”Her frustration and defeat were clear.
“What about Sam and Sherlock?”
She shook her head.“The boat is likely the drug smugglers, in which case they’re probably armed.I’m not sending Sam and Sherlock into that.”
“So what do we do?”
“Wedon’t do anything.You get down on the deck and stay hidden until I tell you to come out.”
He bit his tongue to stop himself from arguing.“And what will you do?”
“I’m still working that out.”
Chapter 16
Dot glanced at the scuba tank still on deck.It was an option, though not one she liked.All she needed was to get close enough to see who was on board and get a photo.The tank would allow her to get close, assuming the boat headed for each of the spots the barrels had been submerged.The closest one was about fifty metres away.
But in order to record their actions, she needed light, which would make her an easy target.She wouldn’t be able to get away quickly if they spotted her, and the tank only had about fifty bar in it.It was too dark to navigate around the coral reef without a torch.
Her only other option was to use the spotlight on the boat.It should throw light far enough, but again, they were sitting ducks.She’d learnt recently it was possible to sink a boat using bullets.
The nearby island was a hundred metres in the opposite direction.Oliver could swim there before the smugglers arrived and be out of the way.She could flick the lights, take photos with her camera and then slide over the side and use the boat for cover if they started shooting at her.
There was also a slight chance the boat was full of idiots who didn’t have the correct lighting on their boat, but it wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.Not with Oliver’s life.
“You need to swim to the island,” Dot murmured, her voice sounding loud in the night.
“Why?”
“Because this boat is going to become a target, and I don’t want you shot.”
He shook his head.“What about you?”
“This is my job, Oliver.I need to see who these people are.I have to stop them.You’ll get in my way.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
Frustration filled her.“You’ll distract me.My full focus needs to be on what they’re doing, not where you are.You’ll endanger me if you stay.”
He glanced towards the island and then back at her.
“Please, Oliver.Trust me.Let me do my job.”She had to get Oliver somewhere safe.
He growled.“I don’t like this.”
“I know.The tide isn’t high enough yet for them to get to me, and any gunshots will alert Sam and Sherlock.”She hoped the sound of theOceanid’stender would be enough to make the smugglers run.
The boat engine idled as they stopped at the first location.Time was running out.
“Go.”
Oliver pulled her close and kissed her.Heat zipped through her body and she clung for a second before pushing him away.
“Stay safe.”Oliver zipped his wetsuit and slid into the water, using strong breaststrokes to head for the island.The reef would slow him down in places, but he would make it.
