Sweet Fortune

trying frantically to reassert itself.
    “We couldn't call the cops in on this,” Alex said from the back of the boat, where he sat beside Jessie. “I promised Susan.”
    “He's right, Hatch. She seemed to think she would be in even more danger if we called in the authorities,” Jessie said. “She just wants off that island.”
    “What can go wrong?” David asked in reasonable tones, his attention on the entrance to the cove. “We just go in, pick her up, and leave. Piece of cake.”
    Hatch heard the thread of excitement in David's voice and groaned. “Haven't you three learned yet that anything that can go wrong will go wrong?”
    “Come on, Hatch,” Jessie said in bracing tones. “Don't be such a spoilsport. David's right. We just get in and get out. No problem.”
    “I'll remember that.” Hatch looked at her. All four of them were wearing dark clothes, on his instructions. But the attire definitely did the most for Jessie. She looked like a sexy little cat burglar in her tight black pullover sweater and black jeans. He suddenly wished she were anywhere but here, somewhere safe .
    “Ready?” asked David. “Here we go.”
    “No.” Hatch gazed at the cove, straining to see something, anything, in the thick darkness ahead of him. The sense of wrongness was heavier than ever. “Not here. It's just a little too damn obvious. Let's put in somewhere else along the shore.”
    “But this is the spot, I'm sure of it,” David said.
    Hatch nodded. “I know it is. But let's see if there's another place we can go in. We can hike back overland to the cove and see if she's waiting where she's supposed to be waiting.”
    Alex left his seat and rushed forward. “We're wasting time. Susan will be scared and cold. We've got to get her out of there.”
    “If she's there, we'll find her,” Hatch assured him. “Sit down, Robin. Let's go, David.”
    David shrugged and fed the engines a bit more power. The boat churned quietly through the cold black water. A few minutes later they were out of sight of the cove.
    “What about here?” David asked, indicating another small indentation in the shoreline that was just barely visible in the moonlight. “We can tie up to those rocks and walk back to the cove.”
    Hatch studied the natural jetty formed by a rocky out-cropping. “All right. Let's try it.”
    David eased the craft slowly and carefully toward the rocks. He called out soft directions to Alex and Jessie, who scurried to obey.
    A few minutes later the boat was bobbing gently next to the jetty. Alex jumped out to secure it with a line.
    David turned to Hatch. “Okay, boss. We're all set.”
    Hatch set his jaw. Now came the hard part. He turned to Jessie. “Alex, David, and I will go ashore and find Susan. Jessie, you will stay here with the boat.”
    The mutiny was immediate and expected.
    “No way,” Jessie snapped. “I'm coming with the rest of you.”
    “I want you to stay here,” Hatch said in his most reasonable tones. “That way, if something happens, you can go for help.”
    “Nothing's going to happen. We're just going to get Susan and leave.”
    “Leaving you behind is what's known as Plan B,” Hatch said.
    “I'm the one who organized Plan A. I have a right to be a part of it.” Jessie looked at the other two men. “I'm going with you.”
    David glanced swiftly at Hatch and then shook his head at Jessie. “He's right, Jess. Somebody should stay here.”
    “Yeah,” said Alex, nodding in agreement. “Makes sense.”
    “Then one of you stay here,” she retorted. “You're trying to leave me behind because I'm the only female in the crowd, and I won't have it.”
    Hatch got out of the boat. “We're wasting time. You're staying here, Jessie. If we're not back in fifteen minutes, you radio for help.”
    “I don't know how to use the radio.”
    “Show her how to call for help, David.”
    David nodded and began giving concise instructions. Jessie listened but she looked distinctly annoyed. When she finally muttered reluctantly that she understood, David leapt out of the boat to join Alex and Hatch. They all stood there gazing down at her, a united masculine front.
    Jessie scowled up at them, her hands on her hips. “This is my big case and you three are taking over. It's not fair.”
    Hatch felt a pang of guilt that lasted no more than two seconds. “They also serve who only sit and wait,” he reminded her.
    “Get out of here before I fire the lot of you.”
    “Right. We're on