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Dane Maddock breathed in the crisp morning air and let the sound of the rolling surf wash over him. The beach was empty, all was quiet. He was an early riser, and Lanai, the smallest of the publicly accessible Hawaiian Islands, drew very few tourists. He had the place to himself and that was all right by him.
His feet pounded the soft sand as he ran toward the sunrise that painted streaks of orange on the horizon. He tasted the salt air, drank in the gentle sound of the surf.
“I could get used to this.”
He was enjoying a free stay at a beachfront resort, courtesy of his girlfriend, Spenser Saroyan, who was a travel journalist and social media influencer. She had been offered a free trip for two in exchange for reviewing the resort and its amenities. She had placed a particular emphasis on the number two. Bones, Maddock’s best friend and partner in their treasure hunting business, was not invited. Neither was Spenser’s twin brother Dakota, whose softness of heart was matched only by the softness of his brain. But even in his absence, Bones was screwing up Maddock’s relaxing vacation.
“Why did he have to tell me about the lost tomb just as I was leaving?” Maddock said to the sky. “He knows that’s all I’ll be thinking about.”
He heard the cry of a seagull. No, that couldn’t be. There were no seagulls in Hawaii. He shook his head and kept running.
The cry came again and this time he recognized it. Someone was in trouble.
He remembered something he had read in the news. There had been a rash of disappearances among the homeless population of the local islands. Was he hearing a crime in progress?
“Help me!” It was a young woman’s voice. He panned the horizon and spotted a head bobbing just above the surface of the ocean just beyond the breakers.
He dashed into the frigid water until he could run no further, then he began to swim. He quickly closed the distance between them.
Twice the girl went under but fought her way back to the surface. She was gasping, choking. He remembered the old saying- “The third time a swimmer goes under they don’t come back up again.”
“Hold on!” Maddock shouted. “I’m almost there.”
The girl tried to call back, but water filled her mouth. Gagging and sputtering, she sank beneath the surface again.
Maddock poured everything he had into the effort. In seconds, he had reached the spot where she had disappeared. He took a breath, blew it out, and plunged beneath the water.
The saltwater burned his eyes, and the early morning light visibility was nil. He spotted her just a few meters below him, her black hair spread out around her like a halo.
With a few strong kicks he reached her. He wrapped his arms around her chest and swam for the surface. She was surprisingly heavy considering the size of her frame, which was small. She was muscular, probably an athlete of some sort.
Finally, they broke the surface and the girl sucked in a deep breath and began to struggle. As a former Navy SEAL Maddock was experienced in water rescues. Swimmers in danger of drowning tended to panic, fight, and often drag their rescuer down with them.
“Float on your back,” he said in a voice of command. His tone startled her, and she froze for a split-second. “I’ll support your weight and make sure you float. You concentrate on breathing.”
It worked. Her struggles ceased and she permitted Maddock to take her into shallow water.
“Thank you.” She was breathing heavily but otherwise seemed to be okay.
“Can you walk?” he asked.
“I think so. I’m really tired.”
Maddock helped her stand. Her knees wobbled and she grabbed hold of him.
“I guess I’ll need your help a little bit longer,” she said.
“No problem. You got a name?” he asked as he helped her to shore.
“Larkspur, but you can call me Lark,” she said.
“I’m Dane, but everybody calls me Maddock.”
“I think I can walk on my own now,” Lark said when they were ankle-deep in water. She released her vice grip on his arm and turned to face him.
It was the first good look at her Maddock had gotten. She had creamy skin, full lips, jet black hair, and eyes that were deep violet in color. He didn’t know if he would call her beautiful, but her appearance was striking.
“Dane Maddock, you are my hero.” Lark wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Damn, she was strong!
“All in a day’s work,” he said.
“Don’t sell yourself short. Not many people are willing to so much as inconvenience themselves, much less risk their lives, to help someone else.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I’m really sorry to have to do this.” Her voice was a husky whisper.
“Do what?”
Maddock felt a sharp sting over his shoulder blade. He shoved Lark away, sending her tumbling into the water. He reached back and his fingers closed around a small cylinder. He could tell immediately what it was. With a sharp sting of pain, he tugged the needle free.
“What was in here?” He held up the syringe.
“Nothing that will hurt you.” Lark scrambled backward on all fours like a crab. “It will just make you sleep for a little while.”
“Why?” Maddock took a step toward her, but already he felt like he was walking in wet cement.
“We need your help. If you cooperate, you and Spenser will be free to continue your vacation. You will never hear from us again.”
Maddock’s heart skipped a beat. If these people, whoever they were, had taken Spenser, he would take the world apart to find her.
“Don’t worry. She is safe, but she’s under supervision until you provide us with the help we require.” Lark was backing away, keeping a safe distance between herself and Maddock. “Like I said, do what we ask, and nobody gets hurt.”
“What do you want with me?” His mouth was dry and his tongue felt thick.
“We need your expertise. It’s a project that’s right up your alley. You might even enjoy it.”
“Why not just ask me?” His legs were wobbly, and he could scarcely keep his feet.
“I don’t know the full story, but you and the boss have a complicated past. I have to admit, she was right about you. You jog at a ridiculously early hour, and you can’t resist a damsel in distress.”
The light was fading. His field of vision shrank to tiny circles. Maddock wobbled and sank to his knees in the soft sand.
“Who is your boss?” he mumbled.
Lark fixed him with a pitying smile.
“You’ll meet her soon enough.”