Page 109 of Before the Night Falls
“At about ten after twelve, a black SUV pulled up on the road near the house. Olivia got inside—willingly.”
Tyson frowned, even though he’d assumed that much.
“Can you see the driver?” Tyson held his breath as he waited for the answer.
“Unfortunately, I cannot.”
He wasn’t surprised. But if Olivia had left so late, she couldn’t take the ferry off the island.
That only left two options—the airport or the marina.
He knew where he needed to head.
CHAPTERFIFTY-SIX
Olivia squeezedthe straps of her backpack as she stared at the boat.
She didn’t know much about boats. But this one appeared to be a cabin cruiser. It wasn’t huge, but it was nicer than she’d expected.
The boat nestled in its slip, gently rising and falling with each passing wave. The motion created soft creaking sounds as the fenders squeezed between boat and dock. The watercraft’s lines strained with each swell, then slackened while halyards clinked softly against aluminum masts like distant wind chimes.
“How in the world did you manage to get this?” Olivia asked as she stood on the dock, the breeze blowing through her hair.
“My dad was an avid fisherman. He used to come to this area quite a bit. I still had some connections. But don’t worry—I was discrete.”
“Nice.” Wes really had thought of everything, hadn’t he? She’d known she could depend on him.
He stepped onto the boat and extended his hand to help her aboard.
After a moment of hesitation, Olivia placed her hand in his and hopped onto the boat.
It took a moment to find her balance as the choppy water swayed the boat.
Her nerves tightened. “Is it okay to take this out with these waves?”
“We should be fine,” Wes said. “We’ll head out of the harbor and then head into the Pamlico Sound toward the mainland.”
She nodded, knowing she had no choice but to trust him. “What can I do to help?”
“Untie the dock lines while I start the engine.”
She unwound the ropes from the pier where they’d been secured.
A few minutes later, Wes pressed the throttle forward, and they gently eased from the slip.
Then they were off.
Olivia breathed in the fresh air.
She wished she felt relief as she left Tyson behind.
But she didn’t.
She only felt anxiety. But she couldn’t afford to question her decision. She had to believe this was for the best.
When the harbor became mere lights twinkling in the distance, Wes slowed the boat. But the waves continued to rock them back and forth, occasionally splashing over the edge and onto the deck.
She was ready to be out of these rough waters and somewhere more stable.
