Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

sweatshirt. Sure enough, there was the Calypso , bold as brass, right off her portside.
    Damn it, she was fishing here. Or at least, she was in a fishing period. Once again, too many nosey set netters would be witnesses to the Calypso harassing her. Speculation swam faster than spawning salmon rushing to mate upriver. She opened the window, leaned out, and hollered, “What do you want?”
    “It’s official business, Sonya,” Garrett said, standing strong—and oh so sexy—on deck with his feet braced apart against the choppy waves buffeting the trooper vessel.
    What could have happened now? She had everyone she cared about on board.
    Except her grandparents.
    That thought shook her to the core and had her grabbing her rain jacket, struggling into it while she hurried to the deck. Everyone in the pilot house followed in her wake.
    Garrett stood proud and enforcement-like, decked out in his dark blue uniform with matching raingear. A ball cap shielded his face from the drenching sheets of rain that seemed to assault the rest of them who were hunched over in an attempt to lessen the biting downpour. Only Garrett seemed above the elements, as though nothing, least of all, something as weak as water could bend him.
    Garrett’s face hardened when Aidan stepped up beside her.
    “Did something happen to Grams and Gramps?” she asked.
    Garrett’s face softened and so did his voice, more the lover, than the enforcer. “As far as I know, they’re fine, Sonya. This doesn’t concern them. We’re following up with our investigation into Kendrick’s death.”
    A lot of those words sounded official and caused a shiver of dread to run down her spine. “May we tie up?” he continued.
    She was surprised he even asked.
    “Uh, sure.” Sonya turned to her crew. Wes and Peter grabbed the ropes the Calypso threw over, and Garrett, along with Judd, boarded her boat. She caught a glimpse of Skip’s face from the cabin of the Calypso and it caused another finger of dread to chase after the previous one.
    “Sonya,” Garrett said, interrupting her eye contact with Skip. “We need to talk with you. Alone.” He glanced at her motley crew, his stare dwelling on Aidan.
    “Lana and I should be checking our net anyway,” Aidan said. “You need anything, Sonya, and I mean anything, we’re just a holler away.” They quickly dressed in the rest of their gear and went to the stern to pull in their skiff.
    “Well, I guess Peter and I should do the same,” Wes said, elbowing Peter whose attention had been caught on Lana as she bent over to put on her chest waders.
    “Uh, right.” Peter turned to Sonya. “That is unless you want us to stay.”
    “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”
    “Sure you shouldn’t have a lawyer present?” Her brother sized up Garrett, his eyes narrowed. “I know the law, and she doesn’t have to talk to you unless she wants to.”
    “Peter, I’ll be fine,” Sonya repeated.
    “Don’t give up your rights, Ducky. You didn’t have anything to do with Kendrick and they know it. If things get too hot, demand your right to speak with a lawyer and boot them off the boat.” It gladdened her heart to have her baby brother come so strongly to her defense. Wasn’t this the same boy, who just weeks ago, hadn’t wanted much to do with her? Now he was giving her advice. On legal matters, no less. She hoped he wasn’t thinking lawyer as a career choice. The cost of tuition for a law degree had to be outrageous.
    “Thanks,” Sonya said, “but I can handle this.”
    Peter turned to Garrett and met his eye, man to man. “I know you’re sweet on her, but you hurt her and you’ll have me to contend with, comprende?”
    To Garrett’s credit, he didn’t crack a smile, though Judd glanced away to hide his amusement. “You have my word, Peter. I’ll do everything in my power to protect your sister.” They did some more of that man stare stuff, which must have satisfied Peter, for he nodded, donned his gear, and climbed off the boat into the waiting skiff with Wes.
    “We’ll be watching. Sonya, you need anything, give us a shout.”
    “Got it, Peter.”
    “That’s quite the young man you’ve raised,” Garrett said, after Wes and Peter motored off.
    A blush of pleasure heated her cheeks over the compliment. “Thank you.” She motioned for the men to follow her out of the rain. They entered the pilot house to a mess of empty hot chocolate cups, a half finished bag of peanut butter cookies, and an