Flashback (Kendra Michaels #11)

“No, and I’ve been looking. It’s just… I hate waiting around when we should be doing something.”

“I know. I feel the same way. If I thought we could find this Delgado guy right now, I’d set out on our cruiser and track him down.”

Lynch waved his hand toward the ocean. “A needle in a haystack. I’ll keep trying to text and call. Maybe he’ll answer sometime during the night.”

After the meal, they retreated to their oceanfront room, where Kendra expected to toss and turn all night. She didn’t. The soft bed and the sounds of the ocean outside provided her with the best sleep she’d had in days.

She woke in the morning to find Lynch fully dressed and staring at his phone.

“Anything?” she asked.

“I just got a text from Captain Delgado. He said he’d meet us at the dock at noon and he’d discuss renting me his boat for a few days. Though his fee is fairly outrageous.”

“Too bad,” Kendra said. “Tell him to go jump in the harbor. We’ll find out what he knows and hire another captain and boat. Or we’ll take our cruiser and get there ourselves.”

“I want this one,” Lynch said. “Delgado’s. I’ll try to negotiate. It may not be that difficult. Anyway, want to go to brunch? I hear good things about the Avalon Grille.”

“Sure. Let me take a quick shower.” She felt guilty as she headed for the bathroom since she knew Lynch had probably been in protective mode and awake much of the night.

After a wonderful brunch, they walked Harley along Front Street and finally made their way to the berth where Delgado was scheduled to arrive.

Delgado was a small mustached man, and he stood proudly on the elevated express bridge of his forty-foot white boat as it pulled up to its berth. After bidding goodbye to his guests, he turned to Kendra and Lynch.

“So,” he said with a Spanish accent, “you want to rent my boat?”

“I do,” Lynch said, “but I find your terms a bit unreasonable.”

Delgado shrugged. “There are many other boats for rent here. Hundreds, probably. Take one of those.”

“I could, and I might. But I’ve heard wonderful things about Excalibur. Can we discuss this?”

Lynch and Delgado haggled for another fifteen minutes, and by the end of it, Delgado was laughing and hugging Lynch like an old friend.

Lynch turned to her and held out his hand. “This is Captain Delgado, Kendra. He was very cooperative once he understood my problem. Kendra Michaels is going to accompany me on my trip aboard your fine boat. She was a good friend of Todd Williams.”

“Delighted,” Delgado said as he shook her hand. “My sympathy for your loss.” He turned back to Lynch. “But the terms are still the same.”

“He strikes a hard bargain, Kendra. But we’ve come to an agreement. He’s going to let me rent his fine boat for the next few days for an exceedingly expensive amount. Isn’t that kind?”

“If you say so,” Delgado said sourly. “Four days and I get my boat back. Not one more day.”

“Didn’t I promise?” Lynch asked. “Get in the boat, Kendra. Señor Delgado needs to leave for his luncheon appointment.” He helped her on the boat. “Thank you for your services, Señor. You’re a true gentleman.” He handed Delgado a huge wad of cash. “Four days.”

Kendra’s eyes widened as she saw the denominations of the bills. “I believe I gave you a suggestion about that payment. Are you sure that—”

But Delgado was reluctantly stepping off the boat and Lynch was now speeding off across the water away from the docks.

Kendra was looking back at him. “That was a huge amount of money.”

“I had to work fast,“ Lynch said softly. “Delgado was tempted to back out if I hadn’t made it irresistible. Stop complaining. We’ll be safely away from here in another fifteen minutes and I’ll explain everything.”

She made a face. “I detest being held up like that.”

“You’ve made that clear and I’m grateful for your concern. But it’s my money, Kendra. You don’t have to stand guard over me.”

“Someone should.” She glanced at Harley curled up happily by Lynch’s feet. “Where were you when he needed you? Don’t you recognize sheer robbery when you see it?”

Lynch was shaking his head with amusement. “I believe it’s time to change the subject when you’re attacking Harley. Suppose I tell you what I learned from Delgado before we made our deal? His response was basically the same as Darlene Gatwick’s. He said that Williams didn’t mention having any other passengers aboard his rental boat. As far as he knew, the Williams job was going to be a solo fishing trip.”