Sea Haven 01 - Water Bound

Lev said. “We’ve been dive partners on and off for years. Been roughing it in Alaska, but figured if I waited too long, she’d replace me.”
    Rikki’s gaze was cool as it swept over him. “I’m still considering it.”
    She played her part so perfectly he could have kissed her. He dropped an arm around her shoulders and was content with kissing the top of her head.
    “Best damn diver up and down the coast,” he said. “Bossy too. She’s not letting me touch anything on her boat.”
    “I’m still mad at you,” she sniffed and pushed him away.
    Lev laughed and climbed up onto the platform to help Ralph swing the sea urchin nets to the totes while Rikki took her boat back to the dock to tie up.
    “Rikki doesn’t talk much,” Ralph said. “She’s been diving in this area for about four years and has never said more than a few words to anyone.”
    Lev nodded. “That’s Rikki.” He stepped a little closer to Ralph, using a very careful “push” to test the man. “Been a while since I’ve been here.” He planted a vague memory, nothing more than a shadow, laughing together in a bar.
    Ralph immediately filled in the blanks, providing an atmosphere and details, dumping them into the memory to enhance it. “Long time.”
    “Alaska’s wild. Great diving, but cold—and lonely.” Lev grinned at him. “After a while all I could think about was getting back to Rikki.”
    232

    “You’re lucky you came when you did. I was thinking I might ask her out”
    Lev smiled but his eyes went cool, then frosty. “Yeah, I wouldn’t try that, I’m the jealous type.”
    He pushed a little harder, distancing the memory of Rikki bringing back a passenger, so the timeline was vague. Ralph rubbed at his head.
    “Headache?” Lev asked sympathetically.
    “Yeah. Came on all of a sudden. And I’ve got one more coming in.”
    “I hear him now,” Lev said, and stepped off the platform with a lift of his hand.
    It was all the damage control he could do for now, and maybe it would be enough. Ivanov would find Rikki. He would talk to all the divers. It was a fairly common practice for agents to charm their way in, using women as shelters when they needed a safe house. Petr Ivanov would definitely question Rikki and ask questions about her.
    Rikki was scrubbing her boat and equipment with bleach in preparation for the next dive. She glanced up at him. “Thanks for not pulling out your gun and shooting him. I worried a little that you might have gone one too many days and just needed the practice.”
    “Ha ha.” He started to board but she gave him that fierce scowl that told him he wasn’t welcome. “And I wouldn’t have used a gun. I’d want it to appear natural, like a heart attack.”
    She paused again and gave him her look. “I’d better not die of a heart attack. I’ll come back and haunt you.”
    “Well, your boat is looking pretty good. And you don’t share well with others.”
    She laughed softly. The second boat came around the bend in the river out of the fog, looking a little ghostly. The two occupants stared at Lev as they passed the Sea Gypsy.
    Lev crouched on the dock, staying low, bending toward her. Voices carried on the water, so he used the more intimate telepathy. Tell me their names and something about them .
    Dan Ferguson and Mike Carpenter. That’s Mike’s boat. Dan has his own, but the engine is down. Mike’s married. Dan is looking .
    She stepped out off the boat and he took most of the gear from her.
    They walked together, Rikki slightly ahead. The two divers cut off her escape before she could make for the parking lot, as Lev had been certain they would. Divers knew one another. It was a small world and it stood to reason that they would be protective of their only female diver—especially since she was considered “different.”
    233

    Rikki stopped directly in front of the shorter of the two men, her little frown on her face. Lev reached past her, offering his hand. It was obvious to him that she respected Mike.
    “Mike, long time.” He gave a little push, directing the vague shadow into the other man’s mind. Immediately he turned to the taller of the two men, needing to give the shadow time to work. He’d already felt the resistance in the diver. “Dan. Good to see you’re still at it.” The same shadow slid into his head. “Levi Hammond,” as if he was reminding them.
    Mike scowled and rubbed at his temples, regarding Lev with some confusion. Dan picked up