Shit. She tugged on the door handle while they got their bags out of the boot and then strode towards the boat.
Her phone. It might have gone swimming with her, but it was supposed to be waterproof. She dialled Georgie, tapping her palm against the door while she waited for her to pick up.
“Hey, Penelope.”
“Georgie, please tell me you’re still in town.”
“Yeah, I’m just finishing work. What’s up?”
“Stonefish have Sam. Nhiari’s locked me in the back of the police car at the marina while they go after him, but I need to know he’s all right.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Penelope sighed and hung up. Nhiari and Dot were already motoring out of the marina.
By the time Georgie arrived, they’d cleared the rocks. Not too much of a head start. Georgie opened the back door and Penelope clambered out.
“I’ve got the PAWS keys,” Georgie said. “Let’s go.”
Penelope snatched them from her. “You’re not coming. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Sam’s my friend. Besides, someone’s going to need to drive the boat home while you two cuddle.” She grinned as they ran to the PAWS boat.
Penelope didn’t have time to argue.
Georgie drove while Penelope checked the boat tracker to see where they were. They hadn’t moved from the original position. She made note of the coordinates and then searched the cabin to see if there was anything useful. Empty except for a first aid kit and spare life jackets.
The water had stilled, so they sped smoothly over the surface. They followed the police boat, which was far faster, and further in the distance were the lights of another vessel. The main lights switched off as she watched.
She checked the tracker. Definitely Stonefish’s boat. Maybe they saw the police boat approaching.
Not far away, Sam’s boat was anchored, the outside lights still on illuminating the logo. “Go there first,” Penelope called over the engine noise. Further away drifted the carcass of the whale. A problem for another day.
There was a possibility Stonefish might have tied Sam up and left him and Declan on board.
Not a high possibility, but worth checking while Dot and Nhiari arrested the others.
Georgie pulled up next to the tour boat. The lights were on, but no one stood at the captain’s seat and no one was on deck. Georgie put the boat into neutral as Penelope yelled, “Sam! Are you on board?”
Nothing, but if they’d gagged him, he wouldn’t be able to reply.
She glanced over at the other boat some distance away as gunshots popped. She flinched, whirling around, but in the dark and from the distance she couldn’t see what was happening.
Gunshots there meant it was unlikely the bad guys were still here. “Pull up to the marlin board. I’m going to check.”
Georgie did as she asked and Penelope leapt off, moving quickly to check the cabin and then to climb down the steps to the engine room.
Empty.
“Sam!” She listened for a muffled answer and checked the bathrooms as well. She went back to Georgie. “Anywhere I might have missed?”
Georgie shook her head. “Get on.”
The radio crackled. “Penelope, is Sam over there?” Nhiari asked.
Georgie answered. “No one is.”
Penelope climbed back on board. If they were asking where Sam was, it meant he wasn’t on Joy Ridin’ either.
