18. Maya

Chapter eighteen

Maya

T he sun is already high when we set out to check the remaining nests, but my mind is stuck on last night. Seeing Levi in a hushed conversation with a man who matched the description of a suspected poacher has left me shaken. Why didn't he mention anything to me? Does he have something to hide? I push these thoughts away, focusing on the task at hand. The turtles need us.

We spend the day moving from one island to another, documenting each nest and checking for signs of disturbance. The rhythmic work usually calms me, but today, my thoughts are chaotic. As the day progresses, I find a moment when the rest of the team is out of earshot and approach Hank, hoping he can shed some light on what might be going on.

"Hey, Hank," I start, trying to sound casual. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Hank replies, adjusting his hat against the glaring sun.

I hesitate, unsure how to phrase my concerns without sounding paranoid. "It's about Levi. Have you noticed anything... odd about him lately?"

Hank frowns, glancing at me with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Odd? In what way?"

"Well," I take a deep breath, deciding to be straightforward. "I saw him last night at Grady's Tavern, talking to a man who looked like one of the poachers. They were deep in conversation, and it didn't seem like a friendly chat."

Hank's expression hardens, and he stops walking. "You're sure it was Levi?"

"Positive," I say, my voice shaking slightly. "And he didn't mention anything about it this morning. Instead, he sent us out here on the smaller boat without any real explanation. It doesn't sit right with me."

Hank rubs his chin, his brow furrowed in thought. "That is strange. Levi's always been upfront with us. Maybe he's trying to handle something without worrying us, but it's not like him to keep secrets."

"Exactly," I say, feeling a surge of relief that Hank shares my unease. "Do you think he's in trouble?"

"Could be," Hank says, his eyes narrowing as he stares at the horizon. "Or maybe he's trying to protect us in his own way. Either way, we need to keep an eye on things. If Levi's mixed up with those poachers, we need to know why."

I nod, feeling a bit more reassured with Hank on my side. "Thanks, Hank. I just needed someone to talk to about this. It's been eating at me."

"We're a team, Maya," Hank says, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure this out together. For now, let's finish our checks and head back. We need to talk to Levi and get some answers."

As we continue our work, I try to focus on the task at hand, but my mind keeps drifting back to Levi and the mysterious conversation. By the time we head back to the dock, the sun is beginning to set, and I haven't heard a word from Levi all day. Something isn't right, I can feel it.

I can't shake the feeling that something is about to happen—something that could change everything. I glance at Hank, who gives me a determined nod.

"Whatever Levi is up to, we'll get to the bottom of it. For now, all we can do is wait and hope he trusts us enough to tell us the truth."

The sun is beginning its descent as we dock the smaller boat. The day has been long, filled with routine nest checks and data collection, but my mind has been elsewhere. I can't shake the image of Levi at Grady's Tavern last night, deep in conversation with that man.

After we dock and tie the boat off I turn to Hank and he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, let's go talk to him. But we need to be careful. We don't want to accuse him of anything without knowing the full story."

We walk back to the dock where Levi is waiting, checking his watch nervously. As we approach, he looks up, a strained smile on his face. "Hey, how did the checks go?"

"Levi, we need to talk to you about something," I say, cutting straight to the point. "Last night after I finished my reports I went to Grady's to grab a sandwich, and I saw you talking to that guy. Who was he?"

Levi's expression hardens for a moment before he forces a laugh. "Oh, that? Just some guy I met at the Tavern. Nothing to worry about."

I cross my arms, not buying his casual dismissal. "It didn't look like nothing. You were pretty serious."

Hank steps in, his tone firm but gentle. "Levi, we're just worried. You've been acting strange, and we need to know if there's something going on."

Levi's eyes dart between us, clearly uncomfortable. "Look, I appreciate your concern, but it really wasn't a big deal. I've got a lot on my mind with everything going on. Can we just drop it?"

I'm about to push further when Levi glances at his watch again, his anxiety evident. "I need to get going, I'll see you guys in the morning."

Hank and I exchange a look, our suspicions growing. "Alright, Levi," Hank says slowly. "But we're here if you need to talk.

Levi nods, clearly eager to end the conversation. "Sure, tomorrow," he says as he turns and rushes off.

We watch as Levi hurries off, his steps quick and determined. My worry deepens. Something is definitely off.

As we stand in silence for a few moments, Hank speaks up. "He's hiding something, Maya. We need to figure out what's going on."

I nod, my resolve hardening. "First thing in the morning, we talk to Sarah. Let's meet at the center early before Levi gets there."

"We can't let this go," I say, my voice resolute.

Hank nods, his face etched with worry. "Agreed. We need to get to the bottom of this."

As I walk to my condo, my mind races with questions. Levi's behavior is a stark contrast to the man I've known and trusted. I replay the conversation with Levi in my head, searching for any clues I might have missed. The way Levi brushed off my concerns only deepens my suspicion. There's a sinking feeling in my stomach, and I can't ignore it.

I can't shake the unease that's settled over me. Levi is hiding something, and it feels like we're running out of time to uncover the truth. What did I see last night, and how does it connect to the poachers? I lie awake, my thoughts a tangled web of doubt and determination. Tomorrow, I need to get some answers.