Free Diver Down (Mercy Watts Mysteries) by A.W. Hartoin

wouldn’t zip up either. By this time everyone was in their wetsuits and was watching me. Mauro yanked on the back of my wetsuit and muttered under his breath. I don’t speak Spanish, but I think fat girl was in there.  
    “I can’t do it,” he said. “Your—how you say—top half is too big.”  
    Colin laughed and Joe hit him again.
    “Well, that’s it, I guess,” I said, turning to slink away. “No scuba for me.”  
    Mauro grabbed my zipper lanyard and held me back like a dog on a leash. “It’s okay.”
    “No, it really isn’t.”  
    Marcella said something in Spanish and Mauro agreed. She went to the rack and got another wetsuit that looked enormous. I mean, we’re talking really big. Tent big.  
    “We try another size,” said Mauro.  
    I looked at the tag. Men’s medium. Kill me now. Yes. That one zipped up and as an added bonus, the crotch was at my knees, so I got to walk like a penguin. I would’ve run out of the shop, if I could’ve waddled fast enough.  
    Lucia came over and patted my back. “You look fine. Really. It’s just that you’re so well-endowed. I have a friend who had the same problem. No one will notice in the water.”  
    Oz was right. I did like her. Damn it. Why couldn’t she be a snotty crab that turned up her nose at my penguin suit? It would be so much easier to ignore the bruises. “Thanks.”  
    She started back toward Graeme who was with his bundle of equipment on the bench, but I held her back.  
    “Lucia, I don’t mean to be nosy, but do you have asthma?”  
    “How’d you know?”  
    “I’m a nurse and you packed inhalers.”  
    “Oh. Why do you ask?”  
    “Scuba is contraindicated for asthma sufferers.”  
    “I know, but I got clearance from my doctor. I just have to have my inhaler close at hand.”  
    “Are you sure about this?” I asked. There was that feeling again.  
    “I’m sure it will be fine. Graeme really wants to get certified together,” said Lucia.
    I bet he does.
    Marcella, the shop assistant, came over and handed me a black vest. “This BCD should fit you.”  
    “Oh,” I said. “Bay say day.”  
    She laughed and we looked at Mauro.  
    “What?” he said.
    “Bay say day,” said Marcella with a laugh.  
    He frowned. “I don’t say that.”  
    “You really do,” I said and he frowned deeper, making him absolutely adorable. I turned away before I launched myself at him and packed my own bundle, wrapping my regs, mask, and fins inside my BCD. Mauro had us start loading our tanks into the back of a golf cart parked beside the shop. I came and saw Lucia sitting next to her bundle talking to Todd.  
    “Everything okay?” I asked.
    She smiled. “Just a little nervous.”  
    “Me, too. Grab your stuff. We nervous Nellies will do it together.”  
    We loaded our bundles into the back of the golf cart and followed it down a narrow sand road to the ocean. The shore dive turned out to be a piece of cake. Although every time I cleared my regulator, I got a nice spray of seawater in the mouth. Gag. Mostly, I was just glad Lucia was fine and I didn’t do anything to further embarrass myself, like shoot to the surface in a panic. Todd did that twice. Linda once. Even Mom had a mini freakout when she had to fill her mask. Only Dixie got through it without a problem. When we surfaced, she wore a smile I hadn’t seen since the Easter before Gavin died.  
    “That was amazing,” she said. “Gavin would be so proud of me.”  
    And he would. Dixie did everything perfectly, but he always thought she was perfect to begin with. Me, he would’ve teased. I could just see him sneaking up on me, doing a shark routine.  
    We tromped back to the dive shop, unloaded our gear, and were told to be back there in three hours. I immediately broke my vow and had a Monkey Lala and a huge cheeseburger with Aunt Tenne who looked happier than Christmas. Mom kept watching her and asking how she was feeling. Aunt Tenne finally