Page 10 of Hearts on the Line
I lean closer, drawn in by the intricate lines of the overlay map. A network of tunnels branch out like veins under the skin, a maze impossible to navigate.
Which tunnels did Nathan go into? What drove him to explore the depths of those caves alone, knowing how dangerous they were?
Denver pads into the room, his black coat shining. He settles in beside Scott’s chair. His presence is as commanding as his handlers. Scott reaches down to scratch behind his ears, and the brief softening of his expression tempers the hard edges of his appearance. I find myself staring at the muscles in his shoulder as they move against his shirt. Oh, my.
Denver’s ears perk up when Ding trots into the room. He sniffs the air as he approaches. The two dogs circle each other, tails wagging, before agreeing to an unspoken truce. Ding flops down beside Denver, resting his head on his paws.
Jamie’s bright blue eyes twinkle when he spots the two dogs. “Ahh, look at that—fast friends. Ding, I think you’ve met a buddy who’s going to whip your ass into shape.”
Ding gives him a blank stare and huffs.
Scott glances down at the two dogs, his expression warming even more. “He’s smart. Knows Denver’s the real deal.”
“Is he part of the team?”
Scott regards me, his hand still on Denver’s head. “He’s more reliable than most people I’ve worked with.” He glances at Liam and Margaret. “Present company excluded. He’s been with me since I left the Navy. A goodbye gift from my unit.”
“Is he military-trained?”
“He was young back then, only about a year old, but already one of the best. He’s saved lives. My SEAL team pitched in to match us at my Hail and Farewell. They thought he’d be good company for the civilian life. They were right.”
Jamie chimes in, a teasing lilt in his voice. “Denver’s the real alpha of this operation. Scott just follows his lead.”
Scott rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. He picks up where he left off. “If we start here and move along this shaft, we’ll avoid the stronger currents and get a better read on these deeper collapse zones,” he breaks off, turning to me. “Do you have a question?” His voice is softer, his expression open.
I hesitate. I don’t want to interrupt the flow of their work. It’s serious—life and death. But I’m intrigued by the technical details of their plan and just how much is involved in it. I’m getting a tangible sense of the dangers of cave diving.
The faint scratch of Margaret’s pen breaks the silence. “Recon tomorrow morning?”
“Early. The current’s been stronger later in the day. I want to be in the water by sunrise.”
He turns his gaze back to me. “On a recon dive, we’re assessing the tunnel entry points. We’ll lay lines, set markers, and do some preliminary exploration of the tunnels to ensure flow and stability.”
Heat rises up my neck. He’s taking the time to explain for my benefit. I soak in every word.
“Do you enter the caves diving open circuit, or do you use rebreathers?”
He stands and moves to the chair beside me, smiling as he glances over the notes I’ve been adding into my phone. His nearness makes it hard to breathe. And those dimples. It shouldn’t be legal for Scott to smile. The heat from my neckblooms and spreads to my chest and face. “Have you done much diving?”
Eagerness zips through me. “I used to, in Sarasota. I was really into it for a time, dive club and all. No closed circuit, though.” I’m excited to share a connection with the team—especially him.
“When’s the last time you’ve been under?”
“Five years ago.”
His expression changes, the light in his eyes dimming. I don’t mention how, after Nathan’s death, I struggled with aquaphobia for years. I’ve only recently been comfortable even approaching water, let alone diving beneath the ocean.
He gives me a moment, then continues. “We usually use our rebreathers, full-face masks and dry suits for all dives. This is more for routine than necessity. It’s more comfortable and makes communication relays topside easier. From time to time, we go open circuit if we don’t have all our gear or are diving with buddies. But we always use rebreathers for the penetration dives. They’re deeper and longer.”
“I don’t know much about cave diving, just what Nathan shared with me. I didn’t want him to do it, especially not alone.”
“Alone?” Scott raises his brows.
“Yes, he told me a few weeks before he disappeared that he’d be doing some diving into the blue hole alone.” I don’t mention he’d promised me he wouldn’t go. “I’m not sure why, but he wanted me to know.”
Scott’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t comment. Instead, he finishes explaining the recon dive procedure and logistics.
Jamie groans, tilting his chair even farther back. I worry that he’s going to fall over. “Before sunrise, really? Are you sure? You know, that’s still the middle of the night.”
