Page 59 of The Deadly Shallows

She followed the flashlight’s circle as it landed on dead fish—tarpons, black drum, and butterfish—all dotting the sandy bottom of the sound’s floor.

Pulling his underwater camera from his dive pouch, Caleb snapped pictures of the barrels and dead fish. Lifting a lifeless rigid tarpon, he tucked it into his pouch and pointed to the surface.

With hesitation at leaving the barrels without a full examination, she followed him to the surface. He was just trying to keep them safe. Whatever killed the fish could endanger them. They needed to pull the barrels from the water and test the contents, in addition to collecting and testing a surface-water sample. Hopefully, the blood sample Lucy sent from Happy Paws would provide answers as well.

Caleb hopped onto her dock with a quick swoop and extended his hand. “Come on,” he said before she could argue.

She reached out her hand, and he effortlessly pulled her up as if she were a weightless rag doll. She’d never felt particularly petite, but compared to his tall stature, wide handspan, long legs, and broad shoulders, she was certainly feeling so now.

She handed him one of the towels she’d set atop the pylon.

“Thanks.” He swiped it over his face and strode toward shore.

“Are your brothers as tall as you?” she asked, her bare feet freezing in the cold December air.

“I don’t have any brothers.”

“Tall sisters, then?”

“One sister.” He lowered his hand to his side, his grasp tightening on the yellow terry towel. “She’s about your size.”

She narrowed her eyes. “My size?” She couldn’t help herself. She loved arguing with the man, so she took just about every opportunity to provoke him and didn’t feel a bit bad about it. As much as he provoked her, it was certainly mutual.

He raised his brows, looking down at her. “You know what I mean.”

She did, but the furrowing of his brow when he was frustrated with her was oddly appealing.

What was it about this man that had gotten under her skin in the most delightful way?

When he reached Austin’s patio, Caleb immediately started making phone calls.

“Hey, Caleb. Enjoying your day off?” Noah asked.

“I tried, I really did. It’s a long story, but Austin and I found a half dozen barrels of what I’m assuming is chemical waste dumped into the sound behind Austin’s house. I’d bet money there are more littered about the sound.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Caleb sighed. “Yeah, unfortunately, the barrels are corroded, and their contents are leaking into the water. I’d say we’ve found the source of the neighborhood pets’ illness. I’ve called in the Diligence and its support vessels that can fit back into the shallower depths. I know you ordered me to take the day off, but I’d like to stay and see this through.”

“Of course you’d find work to do on your day off.”

Caleb chuckled. “You know me.”

“Don’t worry about leaving to run the samples in. I’ll ask Em to swing by when she has time.”

“Is that your way of keeping me from heading into the station?”

“It is your day off, though I think that concept is lost on you.”

He couldn’t argue.

“Since you did land in the middle of a case though, you should brief us at tonight’s case board.”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s in my room again, for the last time, thank goodness. I’m ready to blow this popsicle stand.”

Caleb smiled. He hadn’t heard that saying since he was a kid. “I’ll be there.”