Smooth features blank, he stared at me, the sun glinting off the top of his head.

“I’m an independent runner,” I said, shuffling in my waist pack and handing him one of my black business cards. “A pack of Weres kidnapped my old boyfriend and they’re holding him. I need to get over there undetected, and you were in the book. Uh, if I could borrow a second set of gear and tanks for him to swim out with, that would be…great. I’m prepared to pay for it. You, uh, have my credit card on file, right?”

Brown eyes blinking, Marshal brought his gaze up from the business card. Squinting, he peered at Jenks, moving his head this way and that like an owl. An intent look came into his eyes, almost predatorial. Jenks backed up a step, and nervous, I watched. “What are you doing?” I finally asked.

“Looking for the camera.”

My jaw clenched. “You don’t believe me.”

“Should I?”

Disgusted, I felt my anger rise. “Look,” I said as the wake from a passing ship hit us and the bobbing boat added insult to my clenched stomach. “I could have come out here and shot you all with sleepy-time potions and took what I needed, but I’m asking for your help.”

“And because you decided to not break the law means I should?” he said, feet spread wide against the boat’s movement. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t let you swim off like that. Even if I believed you, I wouldn’t let you swim off like that. Not only would I lose my license, but you’d probably kill yourself.”

“I’m not asking you to break your license,” I said belligerently. “I’m asking you to let me borrow a set of gear and tanks.”

Marshal ran a hand over his bald head, nearly laughing in anger. “It took me three years to get my license,” he said with a mixture of disbelief and frustration. “Three years. That was for the dive business. Add on another four to get my earth magic degree so I could make my own amulets and the boat could be cost effective. You’re a selfish little white-bread brat if you think I’m going to jeopardize that because your boyfriend ran off and you want to catch him cheating on you. Everything was given to you, was it? You know nothing about hard work and sacrifice!”

“He did not run off with another girl!” I shouted, and the guy at the front of the boat sat up to look at us. Furious, I lowered my voice and stood so I could poke my finger at his chest—if I had the guts. “And don’t you dare tell me I don’t know anything about hard work and sacrifice. I worked for seven years as a peon in the I.S., busted my butt to break my contract with them, and put my life on the line every day trying to make rent! So you can shove your holier-than-thou crap right back up where it came from. My old boyfriend bit off more than he could handle and he needs my help. The Weres took him,” I said, pointing to the island, “and you are my best shot at getting over there undetected!”