“Do you really think all of the girls are on that boat?” Sophia shrieked when they were all safely back in the conference room with the door closed. “Oh my God! I just can’t believe that would even be possible.” Luke walked over to Sophia and put his arms around her. She was obviously upset that all four of them could still be right here.
Let’s all just sit down and talk about this for a minute. “If you think about it, it does make sense.” Luke said comfortingly to Sophia while helping her into an office chair.
“But how?” asked Ava.
“Well, if they were taken from the beach in a boat they could have been transported right to the yacht and no one would ever know,” Luke answered. “That would explain Lea’s bracelet in the cave. Maybe they held them there while they waited on the boat.”
“It could also be why someone took granola bars as a snack if they had to wait until dark,” David added.
“Yes, that would explain it,” Luke replied while thinking. “Maybe it was Michael and Clark’s job to lure the girls out to the beach and into the cave to wait for the boat. If they worked for Luther, then he paid them to do it. When he thought we were getting too close he sent them away.”
“But who’s yacht is it?” asked Sophia. “Hemi said he was rich and private.”
“Well where have we heard those terms before?” Luke asked. “I would bet money that it is Luther’s confidential investor in the security building. And what if his business there is to meet with potential clients wanting to attend his parties?”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” moaned Sophia holding her stomach and rocking in her chair about to cry. Ava quickly brought her a glass of water. “Those poor girls, just think what they are going through.” Then the anger started setting in. Sophia sat up a little straighter and calmed herself down. “We have to get on that boat!” she demanded.
“What we need is a plan,” David said and they all agreed.
Luke jumped on the phone and called Hemi. “Hey Luke, what’s up?”
“Hemi, can you come in the conference room for a minute?” Luke asked.
“Sure, be there in a sec,” Hemi replied.
When he walked in Luke asked him to take a seat and asked “When will you be taking the food to the yacht, Hemi?”
“Oh, probably tonight after the dinner rush. Why?” he answered.
Luke told him what they thought might be going on and Hemi was visibly upset that he didn’t make the connection. “How could you have known?” asked Luke. “We are not even one hundred percent sure yet. This is all theory at this point, although it’s starting to sound more feasible the more we talk about it. Tell me how you usually handle the food transfer?”
“I load the food on the resort maintenance boat and take one kitchen employee to help me put the food away on the boat once we get there,” Hemi stated.
“Is it always the same employee? asked David.
“No, but it’s always a woman,” Hemi replied.
“How do you get on the boat?” questioned Sophia.
“We pull up to the back of the boat and they lower a hoist to bring up all the food at once,” Hemi answered. “Then they lower a step ladder and we climb to the back deck. The last time I went I asked if the owner was on board and this guy said he only comes out for the parties.”
“How many people did you see the last time you were unloading?” asked Luke.
Hemi thought for a minute then said “A chef, an assistant, and two guys that ran the equipment to bring up the food.”
“OK, Hemi. Thanks for all the info. I am going to call the detective that’s been helping us, but you are not to leave until we have a plan. One of us is going with you…”