There was only one boat left in a slip from what he could see. It looked decent, not as old as the one Di had jumped into the water to check out earlier that morning.
“Can I help you?” A young man wearing board shorts low on his waist, flip-flops, and a holey T-shirt crossed over to them. He couldn’t be more than eighteen or nineteen years old, but he obviously sensed they were potential customers. “Are you interested in renting a boat?”
“Yes, very much.” Di flashed a bright smile. Jarek suppressed a sigh at how the young man nearly melted into a pile of goo at her feet. “How much do you charge for a rental?”
“Ah, well, it’s already going on three in the afternoon, so I can give you a discount.” The kid never took his eyes off Di. “How about fifty bucks?”
“That’s so nice of you,” Di gushed. “Fifty is very reasonable. I can’t wait to get out on the water to enjoy this beautiful day. Does the boat need to be returned at a specific time?”
“Um, yes. By six.” The young man looked flustered when Jarek pushed cash into his hand, as if he was just now noticing him. “Oh, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Jarek’s tone was dry. “Could we get the key?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure.” The kid finally tore his gaze from Di long enough to head back to the booth. He grabbed a key attached to a yellow flotation device and held it out for Jarek. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He was surprised the kid didn’t ask to see a driver’s license. No doubt his brains had been scrambled by Di’s beauty. “We’ll have the boat back in plenty of time.”
“Yes, thanks so much.” Di rested her hand on the young man’s arm. “You’ve been amazing.”
“You’re welcome. I—uh—I’m here every day if you want to take another boat trip tomorrow,” the kid said as they moved toward the boat.
Di simply waved. Jarek could feel the kid watching as they climbed into the boat and tossed their duffels onto the floor. Jarek half expected he’d ask to tag along.
After doing a quick inspection of the vessel, checking the motor, the fuel gauge, and the life jackets, he started the engine. Di smiled and waved at the young man as they idled away.
“Good thing we’re not working undercover, that kid will never forget you,” he said wryly. “We’d better not be late in returning the boat. He’ll provide a detailed description of you to the authorities.”
“It was your idea to act like a couple.” She turned to scan the shoreline. “I was only acting out my part of the charade.”
Since she was right, and he had to admit it would be impossible for any man to ignore her, he didn’t argue. “Find a place to stash our stuff.”
She opened the seat and shoved the lifejackets to the side to make room for their duffels. “Okay, this should work.”
“Thanks.” He nodded, then gestured at their surroundings. “Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious.”
“Of course.” She stood close enough that her arm brushed against his. Her hair blew away from her face as he increased their speed. “It really is a nice day for a boat ride.”
He let out a low chuckle. “Only you would consider this a nice day after a gunman shows up at our so-called safe house. Not to mention being nearly hit by gunfire at the café.”
She shrugged. “Gotta focus on the bright side.”
Considering how she’d lived on the streets as a teen, and served two tours in Afghanistan, he was amazed she could be so positive. It was humbling how his annoyed feelings toward the prickly Di had morphed into deep admiration. That she’d come so far despite the odds stacked against her was amazing. And he felt guilty for judging her so harshly during their first tour together.
“Hey, isn’t that the boat I climbed into earlier?” Di asked, interrupting his thoughts. She gestured to the pier they were approaching. “I’m surprised it’s still there.”
“Me too.” He drove past the vessel, noticing there was another boat tied up alongside it. He wouldn’t put it past Di to jump out of their boat onto the new one, so he increased their speed. “Hang on for a few minutes, I’ll turn around up ahead.”
“You read my mind,” she joked. “I want to get a closer look.”
Of course she did. He admired everything except her impulsive nature. He bit back a sigh and turned the boat around so they could head back upriver. He brought their speed down a few notches so that he could throttle down to stop at the same pier.
Di moved down to the side of the boat to grab onto the wooden post. Then she put the buoy out along the edge of their rental to keep the side of the boat from brushing up against the wood. He killed the engine and pocketed the key.
In a heartbeat, Di hopped out of their boat to get a closer look at the other two. His gut clenched, they still had no probable cause to search either boat, but to his relief, she didn’t jump inside to look for drugs. Instead, she headed up the pier, then climbed the short set of stairs to reach the shore.
Allowing her to take the lead, he followed her up to the street level. The buildings were covered in gang graffiti, and he quickened his pace to keep up with her. “Are you going to the warehouse?”
“Not yet, I thought we’d start with Ignacio’s apartment building.” She gestured to the left. “The second one is down this way.”
