Paris and her crew had arrived. Her cameraman grabbed footage. The parking lot was bathed in the glow of flickering lights.
The forensic guys had set up battery-powered LED lights to illuminate the crime scene.
“Deputy Wild. What can you tell us?” Paris asked as she approached with her crew.
“All I can say is a fugitive is currently at large. If anyone has information as to the whereabouts of Nova Serrano, please contact the Coconut County Sheriff’s Office.”
I stepped out of frame and kept my mouth shut after that.
We wrapped up at the scene, returned to the station to fill out paperwork, and turned in our duty weapons. We were both put on leave, but I didn't expect that to last long. We had work to do.
My phone had buzzed with a few calls from Ariel during the chaos, but I hadn’t had time to answer or call back.
It was late by the time we returned to the boat. She had dinner waiting for us. It was a nice spread.
"I was starting to worry about you," she said when we found her in the galley.
"Long story.”
"It's a little cold, but you can heat it up.”
"You cook all this?" I asked.
She hesitated for a moment, debating whether to take credit. "No. I ordered in.”
"Looks delicious. Did you already eat?"
She nodded. "I wasn’t going to wait forever.”
JD and I dished up plates, and we ate on the sky deck under the stars. Ariel asked about our adventure, and we told her the story.
"Oh my God, is this like an everyday occurrence for you?"
JD and I shared a look.
I said, "Pretty much.”
"And you think I'm the crazy one…”
We stuffed our faces and tried to unwind. Still in theno alcoholwindow, I took it easy while Jack sipped whiskey.
We kept the evening pretty tame. After dinner, Jack left the boat to reconnect with the redheads. Ariel and I caused another ruckus between the sheets later that evening.
I dozed off again with Ariel at my side and a head full of dopamine. Who needed whiskey?
The sheriff buzzed my phone around 3:00 AM. “Get down here. You’re going to love this.”
48
Lisa Scott sat in the interrogation room with tousled hair and bloodshot eyes.
The sheriff and I watched from the observation room. Usually, he didn't like to be woken up in the middle of the night, but he was gleeful at this particular moment. "Got picked up on a DUI. Blood alcohol content of .22. Once she was printed and in the system, we got a match on that partial found on the bag of fentanyl on Eden Saint’s boat.”
A slight grin pulled my lips, but I played devil’s advocate. "Doesn't mean anything. She could have been aboard at any point in time or touched the bag anywhere at any time. Maybe she found it and wanted to know what Eden was doing with it.”
The sheriff gave me a doubtful look. "It puts her on the boat."
“No, it doesn’t.” He knew that. He was being optimistic. “A competent defense attorney is going to cast a lot of doubt.”
