Free The RX Factor by John Shaw

headache and the final words of Pritchard from the night before stuck in his mind:
    And if Dr. Carver is involved in any way, she may not be safe.
    Ryan reached for the bottle of Jameson on his nightstand. There wasn't much more than a few swallows left. He scratched his head, tilted the bottle to a forty-five-degree angle and held it there for a few moments before deciding to set it back on the bedside table, its contents undisturbed.
    As Ryan showered, he pondered Pritchard's statement. He analyzed the facts of the incident and concluded that Pritchard was being overly cautious due to the magnitude of the case. Even so, he decided to change routine and keep on alert. After all, Jordan was the niece of Henry Carver. If the yacht explosion was an act of revenge against the former Wall Street tycoon, then the psycho pulling the strings may not be satisfied until the Ryan wondered what it was about Jordan that intrigued him. He had initially tried to pretend that the bond was formed as a result of her tragic circumstances, but, in a sober moment, he acknowledged to himself that he had been taken with her from the moment he laid his eyes on her. Exuma was a vacation paradise and there was never a shortage of good-looking female tourists, ready and willing for some fun. But up until now, he had had no interest. What was it about her?
    After they had breakfast, Ryan suggested a tour of the island. Jordan was concerned about Pritchard, but Ryan assured her that she was free to move around as she pleased so long as she did not leave Exuma. As Jordan showered, Ryan cleaned up the house and then they set off down the road. Despite the rattling muffler, faded red paint, and healthy layer of dust, the open-topped rig of Ryan's fifteen-year-old jeep provided a fine 360-degree-view riding tour.
    They were a few miles down on Queens Highway before he said, "This old jeep isn't much to look at, but it handles well on these crummy old island roads. Besides, I don't need anything fancier to get to the few places I need to go." He took his eyes off the road long enough to flash her a grin. "To tell you the truth, about the only places I go are Rosey's and the harbor. Once in a great while, I'll take my diving gear and go up the coast to really be alone."
    "Haven't you had enough of the solitude?" she inquired.
    He turned toward her, a note of surprise in his voice. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I have." Then, concentrating on the winding road, he said, "I don't do it for the solitude. Solitude gives you time to think and remember, and I don't need that."
    "Then why hide away?"
    "Good question. I guess I'm doing what comes naturally and not necessarily what's best."
    "Do you miss your work? The research?"
    "Sometimes. On a rare occasion, I'll sit and think up new ideas and rehash old projects that I left incomplete."
    "Have you ever thought about getting back into clinical research?"
    "Not really."
    She frowned, disappointed. "And I thought you were going to apply for a job at my clinic."
    "I still might." Ryan smiled. "But who ever said I was going to apply for a position as research scientist? I'm sure you'll need a maintenance engineer."
    "Ha! I've seen your house and there is no way I would ever hire you to be in charge of sanitation."
    Ryan shrugged. "Touche."
    "Seriously," Jordan continued. "When you rehash old projects, what becomes of that?"
    "Nothing, usually. I wind up drinking and forgetting my ideas."
    "That's a waste of a good research mind."
    "How do you know I'm any good?"
    As they hugged the curve of the road entering Emerald Bay, he said, "There's a five-star resort up ahead, but I just got a better idea." Passing the grand hotel—resplendent and luxurious, yet sterile—he geared down and continued up the road. "Maybe you can tell
me
something."
    Her eyes sparkled. "Try me."
    "Most women as engaging, smart, and . . ." He cut the sentence short, wishing he'd begun differently. "What I want to know is—"
    "Why I'm still single," she