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He couldn't shake the feeling that what he was leaving behind was the one and only woman who'd touched his soul, and he didn't even know her last name.
Was he just going to walk away?
The question ran around and around in his head.
He finally came up with an answer—no.
He had a few hours before his plane left. He would find her, talk to her, maybe get her phone number. Walking outside, he paused, realizing he didn't know where she lived, and the bar/restaurant where she worked didn't open until lunchtime.
Then he remembered that she'd told him she was taking out a boat charter in the morning. He felt marginally better realizing that she'd left early to go to work. Someone at the marina would be able to help him find her, or at least tell him when she'd be back.
The dock was only a short walk away. Colorful sailboats and well-worn fishing boats filled the slips. In the distance was an enormous luxury yacht. He wondered who that belonged to—someone with a lot of money. Probably one of the people who lived in the mountain top mansions that he'd noticed while bodysurfing the previous day. It would be nice to have enough money to have a home on an island. He didn't see that in his future.
Near the entrance to the pier was a small building with a sign that read Sea Charters.
He entered the building and stepped up to the counter. A young Hispanic man with a nametag that read Juan greeted him with a friendly smile.
"Hola, Señor. How can I help you?" Juan asked.
"I'm looking for a woman. Her name is Ria. Do you know her?"
"Si," Juan said with a nod. "Ria is a beautiful girl, very popular with the customers."
"Do you know when she'll be back?"
Juan glanced down at the large calendar on the counter. "A few hours. I have other guides available if you want to go out."
"No," he said, tapping his fingers restlessly on the counter.
So that was that. Ria was out on the ocean and probably wouldn't be back before he had to catch his plane.
"Do you want me to give her a message for you?" Juan asked, a curious gleam in his eyes.
Drew thought about that for a moment, then shook his head. What the hell was he doing? It was a hook-up. That's all. He needed to let it be.
"No, thanks."
As he walked out of the office, a thunderous boom lit up the air, rocking the ground under his feet. He heard a gasp from a group of tourists on the pier. Then the door opened behind him, and Juan rushed out. Together, they looked toward the sea. Over the curve of the nearby hill, they could see smoke racing toward the sky.
"What was that?" Drew asked.
"I don't know," Juan said. He ran down the pier toward the Harbormaster's office, and Drew decided to follow.
A crowd of people gathered outside the office. Rumors were flying, all centering around a boat explosion.
Drew's stomach turned. It was crazy to think the explosion had anything to do with Ria, but he had a really bad feeling in his gut.
"Juan, I've changed my mind," he said. "I need to rent a boat."
The other man looked reluctant. "Better to wait. We should stay out of the way."
"I do search and rescue for the U.S. Coast Guard." He pulled out his wallet and all the cash he had. "I need a boat."
Juan's greed won out. "I'll take you."
It took several minutes for them to launch a boat and maneuver their way through the harbor, as more than a few people had had the same idea and desire to help. It seemed to take forever to get past the breakwater, the reef and then around the island hills.
A good thirty minutes had passed by the time they reached the burning vessel, or what was left of it. It had been completely blown apart, with nothing but fiery debris floating in the water while divers began to search the ocean for survivors.
Drew's chest was so tight he could barely get the words out. "It's not the boat Ria was on, is it?"
Juan's somber gaze said it all. Drew stripped off his shirt.
"What are you doing?" Juan asked.
"I'm going to find her."
"There's nothing left of the boat."
"She could have jumped off before the explosion. How many other people were on the boat?"
Juan shook his head. "I don't know. She made the reservation—probably one or two. I didn't see them board. They left before I got to work."
