Apex

10 | black swan

MAY 18

DAKOTA

I was running out of reasons to justify why I allowed Maud to manipulate me.

Being in love with her was a pretty damn good reason, but that no longer applied. I knew all too well that she was great at strong-arming people, and yet I still wound up following her over to the old station wagon parked in the Hamilton's driveway. I took the liberty of sitting in the backseat, assuring myself that this was the last time that I blindly followed Maud's lead.

"Now that you've kidnapped us, can you explain what the hell you're talking about?" Syd asked as Maud reversed out of the long driveway.

"I thought I already did," Maud huffed.

I rolled my eyes, already fed up with her self-important attitude. "I believe what Syd is asking you to do is to drop the sensationalized crap and cut to the chase."

Maud caught my gaze in the rearview mirror. "Whoever killed the orca would've wanted to get off the water as soon as possible, and there are only two marinas near Cape Blue. The West Sound Yacht Club is part of a resort, so there's a lot more traffic." She inhaled an exaggerated breath. "Unlike West Sound, Providence Point Marina is a private establishment and is less than one mile away from Cape Blue."

"How can this prove anything?" I asked, still not following her train of thought.

"By accessing the security footage."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Despite what crime dramas suggest, uncovering security footage isn't a magical solution. Also, membership data is private, so there's no way for us to view the activity log. Only other members and staff have access." 

As the car veered around a sharp bend, the pine tree air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror swung, and Syd made a high-pitched throat noise. "If we're about to break the law, at least go the speed limit, Maud!"

"I know what I'm doing," Maud protested, her voice slightly higher than its usual tone. "Also, everything is going to be perfectly legal. Dad used to dock his boat here, so our name is still in the system."

"And what about accessing the surveillance footage?" I asked, noting that she intentionally left out that detail. "Have you found a legal solution for that too?"

"I made a deal with the guy who works security tonight," Maud explained, her long dark hair tangling in the wind rushing through the open windows. "He's going to be my plus-one at the banquet. Nicki already has his own invitation, so it's a no-brainer."

"But that's still super shady," Syd pointed out, and I couldn't help but smirk. I appreciated having Syd on my side of this dispute.

"Look, I'm not sorry," Maud said, turning down whatever indie song was playing from the stereo. "I know the ethics are a little messy, and I know this might sound far-fetched, but I've never taken a chance that I regret. You can't change my mind."

By now, I was well aware of that fact. Maud was like a hurricane; there was no changing her course, and you can either choose to get out of her way or hunker down to ride it out.

When we arrived in the parking lot at Providence Point, the sun had dipped behind the purple silhouettes of the mountains. The club was relatively crowded for a Monday night, but Maud still had no problem finding a parking spot alongside the wrought-iron fence near the entrance.

"Do we have a plan of attack?" Syd asked, unbuckling his seatbelt.

Maud twisted in her seat and fixed both of us with a stern look. "This is a stealth mission. No monkey-business whatsoever."