As Deep As The Ocean (Vaquita Beach Book 1)

by Cindy Caldwell

  “Thanks for getting to him before he got to my leg,” Cassie said, smiling at Taylor. Turning to the black, disheveled mutt, she smiled and said, “Hi, Whiskers. You worried about me?” Whiskers gave a little whine and sat on the floor, waiting for Cassie or Taylor to give him permission to return.

  “Jimmy must be nearby,” Taylor laughed, glancing out the door looking for the dog’s owner. Whiskers only turned up if it was somewhere Jimmy was going. One of the longest residents of Playa Luna, Jimmy was a bit of a misfit, and there was much speculation why he’d chosen to live most his adult life in Mexico. He’d moved down to live with his parents over twenty years ago and had been to the United States only once during that time.

  Poking his head in the door, Jimmy said, “Hey, ladies. What’s up? Saw you had some trouble down at the beach.” One good thing about having Jimmy around, Cassie thought, was if anything went wrong, he was always there to help. Sometimes she thought he was like a mother hen with all of them in camp. Nothing wrong with having an uncle to watch your back, though, so she said, “We’re in here, Jimmy. This is Alex, and this is Raul. Alex, Raul, Jimmy Martin.”

  The three men shook hands and Jimmy glanced at Cassie’s bandaged leg. “Accident?”

  Taylor threw him a wry smile. Jimmy was a man of few words, and usually short ones. “Yep,” Taylor confirmed. “The Captain here saved her after she lost all ability to swim when the stingray barb got stuck in her leg.”

  Jimmy raised his eyebrows. “You weren’t shuffling, were you, Cassie?”

  Cassie groaned and realized she was never, ever going to live this down.

  Jimmy inspected Alex, his eyes narrowed. “Captain?”

  Alex lowered his eyes, holding his hands up in front of him. “No, not a Captain. I was in the Mexican Navy for a while, that’s all. Just learned about first aid.” He glanced at Taylor, and she wrinkled her nose at him and smiled.

  “Well, it’s a good thing you did,” Jimmy said gruffly. He was a bit of a different sort. His long gray beard and piercing blue eyes made him look a little wild. And he always said exactly what he thought. “Thought you were a good swimmer, Cassie.”

  The air rushed out of Cassie’s lungs and she reddened. He always could get to her. “I am, and you know it. I just got a little distracted when I was under trying to pick up a shell and I forgot what I was doing.” She tried not to sound defensive. Grateful that someone had rescued her, she still wanted to keep her reputation as a competent, capable swimmer.

  “Oh, you know how it is when you panic, Jimmy,” Taylor added, hoping Jimmy would let it die.

  “I’ve seen Navy divers panic during practice exercises and almost drown. No shame in being hit with a new situation and having it roll right over you,” Alex said.

  “Well, don’t let it happen again,” Jimmy said over his shoulder as he and Whiskers walked out of the room.

  Taylor laughed after he’d gone. “Man, he’s a tough one, isn’t he?”

  “And that’s no exaggeration,” Cassie added, grateful he’d gone, but equally grateful he’d checked in on her. It was familiar and comforting, and she didn’t take offense.

  “Is he always that gruff?” Alex asked.

  “Yes. That was actually on the warm and fuzzy side for him,” Taylor said. “Sorry Whiskers jumped on you. I couldn’t get to him in time.”

  “No problem. He missed my leg,” Cassie said, grateful yet again for small favors.

  “This is quite an interesting campo you ladies have here. And this is quite a lovely house,” Alex said, looking about the brick house with its arches and carefully matched Mexican firebrick. “I haven’t seen whale-tail matching of this quality in a long time.”

  He explained to Taylor and Cassie how each set of bricks was fired in such a way they were an exact but opposite match. “It takes a skilled craftsman to do a job of this quality,” he said, his eyes lingering over the handiwork. “They’re called whale-tails. See how they sometimes look like the tail of a whale as it fans out of the water?” Cassie hadn’t noticed before, but now could see them throughout the beautiful walls and patio.

  “My mother said this house was built by a man who was in construction, a craftsman, who built only churches. This was the only house he ever built that wasn’t a church, and he built it for his bride. She died shortly after and we bought it when I was little.”

  “Do you know his name? Or where he came from?”

  Taylor looked at him, her eyebrows raised. “No, I don’t, but I could try to find out. I do know he was despondent after his wife died, and he stayed in the south campos. My mother might know of him, or maybe Jimmy.”

  “Never mind,” he said, turning back to Cassie. “It’s not important. This young lady’s health is paramount right now.”

  Cassie noticed he had been a bit flustered by that information. She would have loved to ask why, but Alex quickly cleared his throat and began to instruct the women on what to do next. “This is important, you two, if you want the pain to stop as soon as possible.”

  He sat on the side of the bed and slipped a gauze bandage around Cassie’s leg, securing it tightly.

  Turning to Cassie, he said, “That’ll stop the bleeding. Soak your leg in a hot bath for at least thirty minutes. Ninety would be better. Make it as hot as you can stand, and the water will neutralize what’s left of the venom. Then take some ibuprofen and get some rest.” It pleased Cassie the directions sounded so simple. She looked forward to a bath in her favorite blue marble bathtub to rinse off the sand and salt.

  He had delivered his instructions clearly and concisely, and he turned toward the door. On his way out, he stopped mid-stride and turned to Cassie. “It has been very nice to meet you both, even if under unfortunate circumstances.

  Alex took the hand of each one of them and gave a slight bow, in the Mexican tradition. “Mucho gusto, Senoritas.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, too,” Cassie said as Raul did the same, and even Taylor showed a little flush in her cheeks. “Thanks for this, for everything. I really owe you.”

  He smiled, his white teeth flashing and his eyes twinkling. “Think nothing of it. Any gentleman would do the same.”

  “Hey, why don’t you guys come back for dinner? Cassie can just sit there with her leg up if she needs to, but we have stuff to make hamburgers. Plenty for all of us. Least we can do after you saved Cassie’s life,” Taylor said, winking at Cassie. “That’s all right with you, Cassie, isn’t it?”

  Cassie’s eyebrows rose as she glanced at her friend. If her leg wasn’t sore and she was honest with herself, she definitely wanted to know more about Alex, his time in the Navy. He was interesting, and a bit mysterious.

  “That would be great, if you can manage the cooking.” Cassie was pretty positive she wouldn’t be up for standing by a stove—or a barbecue.

  His eyebrows shot up with surprise. Cassie had the immediate sense she may have been a bit too honest. She didn’t really understand Mexican men all that well. She was an American girl through and through, and she hoped her invitation hadn’t been a mistake.

  “Are you certain you will feel up to it? I mean, after your injury?” he asked, glancing at the gauze wrapped around her leg.

  Her pain was fading, and even though it still hurt, she was confident that she’d be up for dinner. If someone else made it.

  “I think I’ll be all right after a good soak. I definitely would like to thank you with dinner.”

  Alex nodded slowly. “I think I could manage that,” Alex agreed with a shy grin. “We’re staying at the Rancho Del Sol, and we can go clean up and return after you’ve had an opportunity to thoroughly soak your wound. It’ll give me a chance to look at it later, too, and make sure there are no signs of infection.”

  Taylor and Cassie exchanged quick glances. “Perfect,” Taylor said. “Hope you’re all right with hamburgers and corn on the cob.”

  Raul chimed in with enthusiasm. “One of our favorites. We went to school in the stat
es and are big fans. We love hamburgers, don’t we, Alex?”

  All the arrangements were set.

  “Absolutely.” Alex started for the door behind Raul and took his leave of the two women with another slight bow.

  His amber eyes bore down on Cassie. “I look forward to seeing you this evening. Get some rest,” he said, as he headed out the door.

  Seven

  Raul hopped behind the wheel and Alex didn’t mind at all, just sitting in the passenger seat and looking at the scenery as they drove north toward where they were staying. With the Sea of Cortez on his right, Alex looked at every house, either on a cliff or the beach as the terrain changed, as they drove along.

  “That was eventful,” Raul said after they’d passed the girls’ house and waved.

  Alex turned around in his seat after waving. “It sure was. I had no idea what was wrong in the beginning when Cassie was flailing, only that she was in distress.”

  “You sure got there in a hurry.”

  “As did you with medical supplies. Good teamwork.”

  Raul laughed. “Ever since we were kids, you rushed in and I was on clean-up duty. I know what to do.”

  “I had to rush. She was in trouble.” Alex glanced at his lifelong friend to see if he was teasing—and he was, as usual. Raul had a streak in him where he couldn’t pass up a chance to get a dig in, and over the past few years that Alex had been working at the family business, he’d grown to count on it. It helped him take himself less seriously, and to remember to have fun.

  “Yes, she needed help. And you were certainly rewarded with two grateful young ladies. Two beautiful, grateful young ladies, I might add.”

  “I would definitely agree.”

  “I’m surprised you noticed,” Raul said with a wink.

  Alex frowned. “Have I been out of commission that long?”

  “Longer than long,” Raul said. “It was nice to see you with a woman. You’ve been pretty pre-occupied for—what—a decade?”

  “It hasn’t been that long.”

  “It has,” Raul replied.

  “Look at those round houses. Made of that fire brick. They’re interesting,” Alex said in an effort to change the subject, and it worked. Raul was interested in anything and everything about construction, and passive energy, and Alex truly wanted to see what he thought.

  “This is an unusual part of Baja. No electricity, no community water, no sewer. Odd. Close enough to the border that Americans have been coming here to fish for almost fifty years. These people are locals as much as we are. And pretty hardy, at that. I don’t know many people who would live with no water and no electricity. Although we are getting to where it can be much more do-able. I still hope that the board will be much more aggressive with renewable energy for this project.”

  “Actually, being here I can see why you’d think it was a perfect opportunity to experiment.” Alex said as he turned back toward the sea.

  “What’s that?” Alex pointed to what looked like a speck in the distance.

  Raul stopped the jeep and reached behind him, grabbing the tube of papers he always carried with him. He popped off the top and pulled out his drawings, spreading them out over the steering wheel as he got his bearings. He looked out toward the horizon and back to his drawings.

  “It appears it is a small island, too small to inhabit. It’s called Vaquita Island. I would venture to guess it’s named after those small dolphins.”

  “Ah,” Alex said, nodding. “And Rancho Del Sol, where we’re staying, is what we will tear down to make way for the resort.”

  “Mm-hm.” Raul pored over the plans and looked around. He pointed to the west. “Over there is where the tennis courts will go, and to the north of that is the golf course.” He looked at Alex and smiled. “But you know that. It’s your resort.”

  Alex had, in fact, gone over the plans multiple times but had never been to the site—at least not that he remembered. “Somehow, it looks spartan when you’re here. It’s very different from all of our other properties. It’s mostly desert.”

  “Ah, yes, where the desert meets the sea,” Raul replied, rolling his plans back up and placing them in their protective tube.

  “Hm, yes. That’s catchy—and true. People seem to love it here.”

  “Well, Cassie and Taylor sure do. And that old man—what was his name?”

  “Jimmy, I think. Seems as if they’ve been coming here for a very long time.”

  Raul turned the engine over and started again up the beach. “Yes, and they all seem very attached. This will be a big change for them.”

  “It will,” Alex said as he leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. The sound of the waves and the warm sensation of the sun on his skin brought peace, and he could see why their new friends loved it here. Even with the harsh desert and prickly cacti, it had gentleness he couldn’t remember experiencing anywhere else.

  Raul soon pulled into Rancho Del Sol and Alex shook himself out of his thoughts.

  “Want to grab a beer before we get ready for dinner?” he asked.

  “Sure. I was thinking of asking the restaurant if there was anything we could get to take back down, so we don’t show up empty-handed.”

  “Always the gentleman,” Raul said, nudging his friend with an elbow.

  Alex and Raul grabbed a table by the window, the ice cold beer they’d ordered arriving almost as soon as they took their seats.

  “Salut,” Alex said in a toast, and he nodded at the waitress as she delivered chips and salsa. “Would it be possible to order chips, salsa and guacamole to go,” he asked, and the young lady smiled and nodded.

  “Of course. I’ll bring it right out.”

  They both sat quietly, watching the waves crash against the beach as fishermen came in with their catches of the day. Two older men, clearly American, trudged up the beach and came into the restaurant with an ice chest in tow, and the cook came out of the kitchen to meet them.

  “Great catch today,” the cook said as he took money from the cash register and traded the men for the fish—dorado and grouper, apparently, from what they were saying.

  The fishermen crossed over to the bar and ordered two beers, giving up some of their recent income.

  “Ah, this is the life, eh?”

  His buddy agreed. “Sure is,” he said as he took the ice cold beer that the bartender held out for him.

  “Hey, did you see the big sign out there for the press conference about the resort? I can’t believe it’s really going to happen. That’ll sure be a game-changer.”

  His friend nodded slowly. “I didn’t think it would ever happen, either. At least I was hoping it wouldn’t happen. Hey, Juan, how long before you think this joke will get going. It’ll change everything down here.”

  “Not long, Señor,” the bartender said, and Alex looked away as the man glanced in their direction. “They’re planning to begin soon, from what I understand.”

  The other fisherman shook his head slowly. “You’re right. I never thought I’d see the day. Was hoping it was on Baja time, if you know what I mean. Mañana. Tomorrow. Always tomorrow.”

  “All those letters we wrote, those petitions we signed. Nothing.”

  His friend turned around and rested his elbows on the bar. “You know it’s always about money.”

  Raul and Alex exchanged glances. Raul leaned forward and whispered, “Do you remember letters and petitions?”

  Alex nodded. “A long time ago, in the beginning. But the board decided to go ahead anyway, and it died down. Right about the time we agreed to donate the property and water rights for the vaquita sanctuary, now that I think about it.”

  “Well, they’re not going to like the new change of plan.”

  Alex looked over toward the fishermen and the bartender who were happily in conversation about something different.

  “No. No, they won’t. Seems we aren’t all that popular around here, and they don’t even know who we are yet.”

  “Th
at’s an understatement,” Raul said. “Good thing the girls don’t know why we’re here. I don’t think they’d have invited us for dinner if they did.”

  “No, I don’t think they would have either,” Alex agreed. “All the more reason not to tell them. Not yet, anyway.”

  Eight

  “How are you feeling?”

  “I don’t think I remember ever feeling that way when a man touched me.”

  “Well, that’s nice, but I was referring to your leg,” Taylor said with a laugh. “Sounds like he’s fixed it right up for you.”

  Cassie’s face flushed. “I thought you meant—”

  “Never mind. Let’s get you into the bathtub for that soak he wanted you to take,” Taylor said as she guided Cassie into the marble bathroom. “You love this bathtub, anyway, and we can get you all spiffed up for tonight.”

  “I don’t think spiffed up is required. It’s just barbecued hamburgers.” Cassie leaned on Taylor’s shoulder as they moved toward the bathroom.

  Taylor started the bath and added some Epsom salts. “Right. Okay. You just concentrate on your leg getting better. That was scary, and you’ve only got a few days to get better. Hopefully, there won’t be any infection.” Taylor’s voice trailed off as she left the room, and Cassie dipped into the hot water. xx

  Cassie allowed herself to daydream as the bath worked on her throbbing leg. The beautiful blue and white marble soothed her, and it wasn’t long before she felt much better.

  The aroma of coffee stirred her from her thoughts, and she struggled out of the tub.

  “You need any help?” Taylor shouted from the kitchen.

  Cassie pulled on a white tank top and soft, pink skirt and answered, “No, I got it.”

  By the time she made it to the kitchen, Taylor was slicing the last tomato for the burgers and had everything set out on the colorful tile counter.

  “Wow, nice job,” Cassie said, easing onto a stool opposite the sink.