Page 54 of Raven's Nest
Zain frowned. “If that’s true, it would take a pretty high-ranking officer to sign off on that without drawing suspicion. I don’t suppose you got a name?”
“One did crop up, but before I get to that, there’s something ever odder about Vasquez.” Bodie flashed a certificate on the screen. “It seems the man was declared dead two years, ago. A full yearbeforehe set foot on theVigilant.”
Chase coughed. “Our dead guy’s been killed twice?”
“Lost at sea. Both times. Guess he wasn’t as lucky with bullets as he was with the ocean. But it doesn’t end there…”
He hit a button on his computer, and an image of thesalvage ship appeared. “Going back to Greer’s clue. I was able to track down the ship and the company from the logo. Meet theNexus. One of the largest salvage vessels on the west coast. It specializes in deep-water recovery. It’s owned by a company called Outrigger, which looks completely benign on the surface — until you start digging. Turns out, Outrigger didn’t exist until five years ago” He arched a brow. “That timing seem at all familiar?”
Chase laughed. “It’s when Vasquez started playing teacher’s pet at the Coast Guard.”
“And that’s not the only damning part. The registration leads back to a shell company with only one name on the docket.”
Bodie paused, staring at Zain until he clasped her hand. “It’s Keith Watson.”
A loud ringing sounded in her head, the floor tilting left and right for a few moments until Zain leaned in close.
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “Easy, sweetheart.”
She nodded, pulling herself back before falling into a full-blown episode. “Is he also the name that you found associated with Vasquez?”
“Every extra assignment was under Watson’s command. And since I don’t believe in coincidences, I did a bit more investigating. Turns out, Watson was slated to command theVigilantbefore he landed in jail.”
Saylor inhaled, pieces starting to fall together, and she had to admit, she didn’t like the picture it painted. “But they gave it to Baker because I pressed charges,despite everyone telling me to just let it go. That I’d only end up hurting my career.”
Zain grunted. “Fuck that. They should have stood behind you.”
Saylor palmed his cheek, grounding herself with the brush of stubble against her skin. How he pressed into her touch. “You’re right, they should have. And under similar circumstances, I’d do it again, just the same. Besides, in the end, I landed here. I can’t really complain how that’s turning out…”
Zain kissed her palm. “You’re not the only one.” He shuffled in his seat. “What are we thinking? Vasquez and Watson were playing both sides? Running drugs or weapons. Maybe some kind of racketeering scam.”
Bodie shrugged. “I don’t have enough intel to confirm or discredit those theories, yet. Though, I think it’s safe to say it wasn’t anything legal. What we really need to figure out is whether Saylor was an intended victim on theVigilant, or an unexpected complication.”
“I bet my ass?—”
A loud ring cut Zain off, Greer’s phone chirping in the holder on her belt.
She sighed. “That’s Shirley. I told her to run every call to the station through me, first. In case our friends are listening across the radio.” She swiped the screen. “What’s up Shirley?”
Greer nodded, snapping her focus to Zain and Saylor before glancing at her watch. “He said what?” Greer frowned, shaking her head a few times before she huffed. “Tell Buck to get his ass inside his RV and to keep it there. I’ll be over in twenty.”
Foster stood, shoving his hands in his pockets. He’d been quiet throughout the conversation, looking as if he couldn’t decide if he wanted to shout at the wind or punch his fist through the wall. “Everything okay?”
“I just got a call from our resident conspiracy theorist, Buck Landry. He claims he knows who blew up Saylor’s boathouse. That the men are coming for him.” She sighed. “The guy isn’t exactly reliable — shows up at the station at least once a week spinning some weird idea about government conspiracies and upcoming invasions. But I don’t want to risk discounting it as just another outlandish theory.”
She waved at Zain and Saylor. “He wanted you to come along. Something about an apology. And I’d appreciate it if the rest of you hung around for a bit. I can’t place it, but something feels off.”
Foster glanced at Mac, who looked more than a bit green, before he grabbed his jacket, his cell already in his other hand. He stood, grimacing when Mac raced off toward the bathroom. “Like we’d say no.”
“Just try not to get into any more trouble before I’m back. And keep me posted if anything unusual crops up.”
Foster nodded. “We’ll go grab some coffee at the Lighthouse Café. See if Mac can keep some soup down. And don’t worry. Chase has you on speed dial.”
Greer rolled her eyes but smiled at Chase when he walked by his hand grazing hers as they passed. Zain whispered something to Chase, and his buddy flipped him off before Greer stepped up next to them.
She waved toward the door. “We’ll take my Bronco.Buck’s got a plot north of town. Very secluded. Not quite off-grid, but it’s not the sort of place anyone would go without a reason. Just, let me do the talking to start. Buck’s a bag full of crazy, and he’s just as likely to think we’re the ones out to get him as he is to remember why we’re even there.”
They followed Greer out, sitting in an odd silence as Greer headed north, turning onto a series of dirt roads and old two-tracks before pulling up behind a grimy RV. Tin foil covered the windows, the dark lines along the sides nearly the same color as the dirt smeared across the white panels. A large communications array tilted off to one side on the roof, and what looked like trip wires had been strung around the yard.
