“The Bahamian police contacted us this morning. A local fisherman found a bottle with a message inside. A message they believe might be from your daughter.”
Elena sank into the chair, her knees suddenly weak.
“From Kona? After all this time?”
“We don’t know for certain yet. That’s why we need to get to the Bahamas as soon as possible.”
Aaron leaned against the table.
“I’ve arranged for us to take a sea plane. It’s the fastest route. We’ll be there in under an hour.”
“A sea plane? But…”
“I know it’s sudden,” Aaron said, his voice softening. “But if this message is authentic, time could be critical. The fisherman is waiting for us at the police station in Nassau.”
Elena looked from Aaron to the map and back again.
“When do we leave?”
“Right now. Are you ready?”
Elena thought of the box in her bag, the goodbye she had been prepared to say just an hour earlier. Now everything had changed.
“Yes,” she said, standing up. “I’m ready.”
Within 20 minutes, Elena found herself boarding a sleek sea plane at a small marina, Aaron and Officer Martinez behind her. As the engines roared to life and the plane began to skim across the water’s surface, Aaron briefed her on what little they knew.
“The fisherman’s name is Leo Cartwright,” Aaron had to raise his voice over the engine noise. “He found the bottle early this morning while preparing for a fishing trip. The Bahamian police recognized the names in the message and contacted us immediately through Interpol.”
“And they’re sure it mentions Kona and Daniel by name?”
Aaron nodded.
“It mentions Kona. We’ll know more when we see it ourselves.”
