Page 102 of Wild Fever

She could blow the story wide open. It probably wouldn't matter. Nobody would go to jail. But maybe, if there was enough backlash and political pressure, something might be done about it. I didn’t like the idea that Julian Ashby got to walk around with impunity. The temptation to put a bullet in his head was strong. And I can't say I didn’t wrestle with it. But I was trying to adhere to my rule of only killing someone when justified. Maybe it was justified.

JD and I returned to theAvventura. Piper said she needed to get back to Pineapple Bay.

"I appreciate everything you've done," I said. "What do I owe you?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Don't worry about it. It was for a good cause, wasn't it?”

I nodded and gave her money for gas, food, and a little something extra. She didn't want to take it, but I insisted.

"I guess I’ll see you boys around," she said and gave us both a hug. "Stay out of trouble."

I laughed. "You too."

I grabbed her bags, and we escorted her down the dock to the parking lot and loaded her gear into the trunk. We said goodbye again and watched her drive out of the lot and head back to Pineapple Bay.

"She's a good asset. Comes in handy in a pinch. Where’d you find her?"

"Long story," I said.

We walked into Diver Down, took a seat at the bar, and chatted with Teagan. She poured two glasses of whiskey, and we watched the news with anticipation. The fireworks were about to begin.

"A new bombshell report implicates defense contractor STT-X in fraud, bribery, and even murder. Stay tuned for these shocking allegations," the anchor said.

Paris skewered STT-X and Julian Ashby. Her report detailed everything. She didn't hold anything back. It was all over the Internet in no time, spurring outrage and commentary on social media.

It felt good to expose the truth, but JD and I both knew there would be repercussions. As usual, we figured we could wiggle our way out of it. But this time, we were wrong.

It was a few hours later when we stepped out of the bar, sufficiently lubricated. We ambled back toward the dock, heading for theAvventura.

Four thugs, dressed in all black, with face coverings, approached from the shadows. They shot us both with tasers. 50,000 volts rocketed through our bodies, seizing every muscle.

I hit the asphalt. The next thing I knew, a black bag was pulled over my head, and my wrists flex-cuffed. A van pulled alongside, and the cargo door rumbled open. Somebody grabbed us both and tossed us inside. The cargo door shut, and the tires squealed.

"You dipshits just couldn't keep your mouths shut, could you?" an ominous voice said.