Morning and the breakfast carts were at each villa as if nothing had happened. This time the food was enjoyed first, and then the couples gravitated toward Billy and Miller's pool. Clouds, pouting and grey, drifted slowly across the gulf toward the resort island.

"Good morning . . . while it lasts I guess." Miller indicated the sky as the last of the arrivals took their places around the poolside table.

"Glad to see breakfast wasn't withheld. This is so weird," Miller said.

"We have to keep the talk low, that mic could be operating again. We set that radio out there on the lawn so the music will help to cut down the effective range." Gretta sipped some coffee and brought up the topic of the proposed teams.

"Shouldn't each team have someone familiar with weapons?" Miller asked.

"Good point," Jeff said. "Hart should probably be with us or Billy and Miller."

Gretta nodded. "That is a good point. Okay, Arny and I will be with Billy and Miller. Gordon, you and Deb with Verna and Hart."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Gordon asked.

"So far there has been no restriction to movement about the grounds so we should do some pointed exploration . . . find out everything that is around the resort. A marina would be a good find if there is one, since Jess didn't get a response to her questions. That and what other facilities might be here; places that may have a phone or radio."

"You mean snoop."

"Right.

"That would have given us less to listen to."

"Parker."

"He's right. I over explain to people I don't know."

"So, any other ideas, thoughts or comments?"

Miller shifted uneasily on his chair. "What if we're confronted or worse, caught somewhere sensitive?"

"Parker."

"I never said a word!"

"No, but I saw it coming."

Jessica restrained a grin. "Just fake an excuse. We don't want to get into any fights. But don't be afraid to speak to anyone. We're just the excited guests trying to enjoy this beautiful spot."

"But they'll know it's bullshit. And they'll know we know they know." Hart said.

"Yet they have done nothing. I say we just keep up the charade and see what happens. At some point their plan will show itself." Billy bounced on her chair and Miller gave her a questioning look.

"Whatever we do it had better be soon. That sky doesn't look promising." Jeff stood, gathered his camera and jacket and waited for a response. "We can all meet at the resort building for lunch. Let's say twelve-thirty."

The group all shuffled to their feet and stood around, unsure as how to start.

"Our team will cover the resort building since Gretta has already done one turn there." Jessica beckoned to the others and started off.

"I think we should have a look toward the airport," Gretta said.

"That's a heck of a hike." Arny noted.

Miller nodded in hasty agreement. "He's right, Gretta, and the weather . . ."

"You guys out of shape?"

"We're in shape." They both nodded in unison, defensively.

"I guess that's true. Round is a shape." Billy covered her mouth and muffled her laugh.

"Did we have umbrellas in the villa?" Arny asked.

"It's only water, don't be such a wuss."

"We didn't synchronize our watches." Miller complained.

"Miller, for God's sake will you just come along and stop fretting."

Deborah grabbed Gordon's arm and pulled him after Hart and Verna. "Okay then I guess we'll do the opposite direction and check for a marina or whatever."

****

Clouds grew darker and heavier and seemed to drive a gathering wind ahead of them. Tall palms leaned and leaves rattled noisily. The first drops seemed widely spaced as Gretta's team reached the winding road that led down to the airport. In a matter of moments the drops became a shower and the shower became a deluge.

"Holy crap, those drops actually hurt! Miller complained, holding his shirt over his head. Billy was huddled as close to him as she could get.

"This is typical of Gulf storms," Gretta said. "If you look back there to the west a bit you'll see the back of this rain. About ten or fifteen minutes and it'll pass."

"Or I will, hell I'm sopping." Arny stamped a wet shoe.

"The sun will be back and you will wish you had some of this rain. I think we should move down the road."

"In this?"

"Well you can stay here, Arny and I will go ahead."

"I don't want to stay out here alone, Miller." Billy pushed him ahead, following the others.

****

"At least we have an excuse for being in here if anyone comes. Look at that rain!" Desdemona shook out her hair and plucked at her damp top.

"That's actually a nice look, Des." Parker grinned.

"We should take advantage while we're here" Jeff motioned them across the wide verandah at the back of the house where they had taken shelter.

"I don't see any cameras either," Jessica added.

"Are we just going to go in?" Des asked.

"Sure. We'll say we were looking for a shortcut to the front of the place so we didn't have to walk in the rain."

"Won't there be cameras inside, and harder to spot?"

"We can worry about that if we see anything worth examining." Jessica opened the French doors and they all went inside.

****

"We were just out admiring the resort."

"Well this is off limits." The unsmiling man said.

"I didn't see any signs," Gordon said.

"I'm telling you."

"The butler up at the house-"

"Carlton."

"Is that it, Carlton? Well he told us to go and explore the resort when we first got here."

"Then explore . . . somewhere else."

"There's no need to be rude," Deborah huffed.

"Never mind, Deb." Gordon eased her away. "Can we at least stay here until the rain lets up?"

"Out here, then scram." The man went back inside and slammed the door.

"I don't think he got Malcolm's hospitality memo."

"Did you see the bulge under his jacket? He's carrying."

Deborah leaned back, looking at Gordon. "Carrying? Where did that come from?"

"A gun- he's carrying a gun!"

"I know what it means, Gordon, but when did you start talking like- like Hart?"

"I watch TV, I know the lingo."

"Maybe we should move this scintillating conversation somewhere else. The rain has pretty much stopped." Hart rolled his eyes.

They left the front of the house and started down the road a bit to give it a wide berth. Some subtle pointing and muttered words indicated two cars parked well back into the trees, and what appeared to be an outboard motor clamped to a sawhorse, at the back of the house.

"Now that's promising," Gordon said, as they turned around the end of the tree line that now hid the house.

"It sure is. There must be a boat to go with it somewhere near." Hart picked up the pace, heading toward the beach well in back of the house.

"What if we get caught again," Verna asked worriedly.

"He said to explore somewhere else . . . he didn't say where." Deb huffed.

"She's uh, rather determined." Gordon shrugged.