Free Payback (The Canine Handler Book 1) by Maria Hillegas Page B

where base camp stood.
    “Is anything visible?” base camp called back.
    “That would be a negative,” Kellee responded to base, “but it seems very dark and thick here. It’s hard to see more than a few feet into the water, especially in this fading light. There’s not enough direct sunlight to see to any depth.”
    “Maintain your location until we can get a diver out there.”
    “Copy.” Kellee replaced her radio. She pulled out her smartphone and took a few quick pictures to help triangulate their position. She also snapped a few shots of Gunner and Sarah. They would be pictures she would eventually send to the lieutenant as well for their files if needed.
    Sarah knew her dog had located a body. She wouldn’t breathe easy until she actually laid her eyes on the cadaver. The area Gunner indicated was deep, dark and possibly full of vegetation. The visibility sucked. It would make it tough going for a diver as well. Sending one into such a deep area with vegetation and limited light was seriously putting someone’s life on the line.
    Turning to Kellee and the ranger, Sarah spoke. ”Maybe we should wait until morning when there is better light for the dive team to go down.” She knew the divers would be hard-headed. They were skilled in rescue and recovery operations and had certain protocol to follow. But she also knew they were out to prove her wrong and would not wait until the morning.
    She sat down with Gunner in the stern of the boat. Sarah spoke to him in a soft voice as she petted him with long, slow sweeping gestures to get him to relax. She watched as the ranger poked through the water with a pole that had a hook at the end.
    Kellee pulled out water bottles and passed them around. Sarah sucked down a few gulps and watched the dive team’s boat round the cove and head their way. Pulling out a soft bowl, she watered her dog.
    Nerves raw from lack of sleep and being revved up all day, she hoped she could find the energy to deal with the divers. Leaning back against the cushion of the seat, she pressed her eyes shut. She hoped it would be a quick dive and the team would be able to locate the body without any issues.

Chapter 10
Eva
    Eva curiously eyed the search events as they unfolded. She appeared calm on the outside as she sat visible, perched and resting during a few minutes of downtime. Inside, her excitement mounted. It was a game. Kellee might have noticed her earlier. She appeared annoyed; alarmed for some unknown reason? It was just for an instant, a flash of recognition, perchance?
    Eva just smiled in return. Things couldn’t have gone better; her timing was perfect. She couldn’t have planned such excellent results. It had gone so well. Who would have guessed? It was like a well-choreographed production. Camera! Lights! Action! She was satisfied with herself. More like smug, actually.
    She continued to observe, contemplating what would happen when the final results were in. She hoped it would conclude by day’s end. Thoughts turned to incident management and what came next; and to what had also already transpired earlier in the day. Management would continue to move forward as planned, following protocol regarding search tasks, that was a given.
    There was nothing tangible for her to do at the moment but to stay fixed, not draw attention. Inwardly she laughed as thoughts of the morning’s activities played back in her mind. Authorities could be so fucking easy to manipulate and make fools of. The expression on the lieutenant’s face when the drone had pulled the baggy from the bottom of the tackle box made her stifle a gag. Did anyone know where Lorena Bobbitt was lately? Priceless! A moment Eva continued to replay, over and over.
    Sitting in the boat, she seemed almost bored, complacent as she waited. But boredom was furthest from her mind. She wanted events to progress… but not too quick. Eva needed everything to play out as long as possible so she could revel in the ordeal bit by bit.