Shane went silent for a moment. "Okay. I can see this is still fresh. Put Tyson on the phone."
Riley handed the device to me and grumbled to herself as she paced around, full of pent-up energy.
"I can't thank you enough for everything,” he said. “I owe you."
"I know you do. And I'm going to collect."
Shane said nothing.
"Put JD back on the phone."
Jack took over. "Where are you?"
I told him.
"I'll call the sheriff. We're en route."
"Hurry up. It's about to get nasty."
I ended the call, and we waited for them to arrive. The angry sky performed with flashing lights and banging drums. Soon, drops of rain fell. Light at first, then more intense.
We took cover in the dilapidated lobby, but the roof was full of holes, and water poured in. The place smelled like mold. I'm not sure it was any better than being outside in the downpour. People had punched holes in the wall and sprayed it with graffiti. Beer cans, hypodermic needles, old mattresses, and all kinds of rubbish littered the area.
We decided to stand under the awning at the main entrance. The two of us looked out over the water, watching the show.
"What happens to my brother now?" Riley asked after she’d had a moment to cool down.
It was a good question, and I wasn't entirely sure. It depended on how cooperative Shane was. Without a confession, I still didn't have enough to make a solid case. Sure, he led us to Garrett. That led us to Brandi and the money. But that still didn't prove he was involved in the heist. I had my doubts about whether Riley would testify against him. She might have been hot under the collar now. But when it came down to it, I didn't know if she could send her brother away for the rest of his life.
43
The storm raged, and the wind howled. The angry sky thundered, and the choppy waves crashed against the beach.
The sound of outboards howled as the Raptor approached. Jack navigated the boat into the surf and ran onto the sand.
Riley and I hustled down the beach to join him. Drenched, we splashed into the surf. I helped her over the gunwale, into the tactical boat. I pushed the boat back, then climbed aboard. Jack reversed, spun around, and crashed into the swells head-on. The bow split the water, and the boat rose and fell.
Shane tried to give Riley a hug, but she wasn't having any of it. "I'm mad at you."
He raised his hands innocently, backing off. "Any idea how long you're gonna stay mad?"
"Probably for the rest of the century."
"That's a long time to hold a grudge."
"It's not long enough," she said with narrow eyes, seething.
We cruised back to Coconut Key amid the chop and returned to the marina at Diver Down. Jack navigated into a slip, and I tied off. I helped Riley ashore, then we hustled to theAvventura. We'd gotten back just in time. The storm kept intensifying.
By that time, we were all sopping wet.
Buddy barked and bounced excitedly at all the commotion. I introduced him to our guests, then grabbed some towels and dealt them out. I wanted to get out of my clothes and into a hot shower. I'm sure Riley wanted the same thing.
"Are you sure you don't need medical attention?" I asked her.
"No. I'm fine. I could use a cocktail, and maybe a joint if you’ve got one."
I laughed. "I can help you with the cocktail."
