Caribbean Rescue (Coastal Fury Book 16) - Matt Lincoln (reading tree .TXT) 📗

the idea of being covert,” he grumbled, “and simply strike directly. Last time, Officer Crowley waited outside to not tip them off. I think this time, you should all go in and make it clear that they’re being investigated. I will not stand to have this going on right beneath my nose.”

It was clear that he was taking this very personally. I supposed it was one thing to have a crime going on in the next town over, but another to have it be happening right down the street. Still, I couldn’t help but worry that he was being a little too rash right now.

“Officer Crowley will go in and request to speak with the owner,” Morris declared. “If he refuses to cooperate, arrest him under suspicion of prostitution.”

“Okay,” I replied. “Let’s go and let Olivia know about our plan.”

After finishing our meeting in Morris’s office, Holm, Crowley, and I went back down to the break room where the two women were waiting.

“I can’t say I’m thrilled by the idea of you just barging in headfirst,” she muttered after we’d explained the plan to her. She and I had stepped away from the rest of the group to talk. Jenny had immediately curled in on herself when Olivia had left her side, and she kept glancing anxiously toward where we were standing. “But I didn’t like the idea of you sneaking around pretending to be a John, either, so I guess it’s as good a plan as any.”

“That’s kind of what I was thinking, too,” I replied. “What about you? Will you stay here with Jenny?”

“Yeah, I think I will.” She nodded. “She’s still pretty shaken up. I’ve spoken with my director and arranged for a hotel room for her, so I’ll help her settle in and make sure there’s a patrol nearby to make sure nothing happens. Kenneth Johnson mentioned that one of the men shot at Allison while she was trying to escape. I wouldn’t put it past them to try to kill Jenny to keep her silent about everything.”

“That’s a good call,” I replied as I looked over to where Jenny was sitting on the couch just a few feet away, out of earshot of our conversation. She didn’t look nearly as terrified as before, though her posture was still stiff and hunched, and I could tell she was tense.

“I’ll see you when you get back, then.” Olivia offered me a small smile as she reached up to stroke my arm. Her touch lingered for just a moment too long to be considered strictly friendly, and my arm felt oddly cold and bereft the moment she pulled her hand away.

“Yeah, you will.” I smiled back at her.

Her face turned a shade redder. I wanted to tease her, but she turned and walked back to Jenny’s side before I could say anything. It was obvious how much she cared about making her feel safe. I thought it was admirable how devoted she was to her job of helping special victims.

“You know,” Holm hummed once Olivia had stepped away to go speak to Jenny, “Some people might call it unprofessional to fraternize with every woman you meet while on the job.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I replied dismissively.

“Wait, what?” Crowley blinked at me in apparent confusion. “She’s not your girlfriend? This whole time, that’s the impression I’ve had.”

“Ha!” Holm laughed. “Even people we’ve just met can tell! You’re a lot of things, Marston, but subtle is not one of them.”

“Sounds like someone’s just jealous because he doesn’t have any game,” I retorted playfully.

“That’s a low blow,” Holm replied as he crossed his arms across his chest. “And I’ll have you know that I have plenty of game. I’m just not a walking cliche like you are. Honestly, the two of you looked like something out of a movie just then, staring into each other’s eyes like that.”

“Like I said,” I teased smugly. “Jealous.”

We spent a bit longer trading barbs back and forth while Olivia got Jenny ready to go. Five minutes later, all of us were standing in the parking lot. Olivia was about to head off to the hotel with Jenny and another officer, who would be keeping watch for the time being, and Holm, Crowley, and I were about to head to the Oasis Lounge. We would be taking separate cars this time since Morris wanted to make it clear that this was a police investigation.

The bar was close enough to have walked, but since we might make arrests or need to make a speedy exit, we opted to drive instead. After only about five minutes, I knew we’d made it to the correct spot before Crowley had even pulled in.

A single building stood out among the rest, easily twice as big and lit up like a firework. Even from the outside, I could see colorful lights streaming through the windows, and the closer we got, the more I could hear the music emanating from inside.

“No wonder Jenny said she was sure which one it was,” I remarked as we pulled into the parking lot. “I couldn’t miss this place if I tried.”

I parked the car next to Crowley’s cruiser before getting out. He was already waiting for us, his lips set into a thin, angry line. It seemed he was just as upset about what was going on as Morris was.

“Let’s go,” he said before taking off at a steady pace toward the massive bar.

Holm and I followed closely behind him, the music getting increasingly louder the closer we got to the front doors. As we stepped inside, I realized just how many people there were in here. The parking lot hadn’t had that many cars in it, so I was surprised to find that the place was absolutely packed. Grace Bay wasn’t very large, though, so it was reasonable to assume all of these people had just walked here from their homes and hotels.

The place was surprisingly big, to the point that