~Officer Sohmers~ (Orca Bay)

The sun had dipped far enough below the horizon that color had all but faded from the sky. The rolling clouds had gone from orange to purple, and then a deep, flat black that matched the sky and ocean alike. Waves still crashed with anger against the pier, and a cold tailwind kept them agitated. Down on this neglected stretch of dock, the yellow glow of a single lampost, it's light struggling to pass through a carpet of webbing and bug matter trapped within its glass casing, was all that illuminated the pair now. Well, that and the bright beam of Sohmer's flashlight, which the officer would periodically flash across the choppy waters on either side of them, with decreasing frequency.

Ryan had heard the rumble of an engine. He turned to look in the direction of the other boathouse, but didn't attempt to call out or identify the others; the other boathouse was too far down the coast for his voice to carry, and he couldn't leave an active scene before rescue arrived. Besides, it was likely one of the local fishermen who'd sheltered from the rain earlier. A more pressing matter stood before him, as the only witness to what had happened here. And despite Javi's blustery response, the kid did relent a little.

A bit of patience on his end had paid off. At least, that's what Ryan bought in the moment.

After holding back what wanted to be a cocked brow at Javier's gripe at the officer's response time, Ryan recognized a distinct shift in the boy's behavior. The shuffle of a shoe against the planks that could be a sign of anxiety. The deep breath. A tonal adjustment. Taking what he believed was a genuine breakthrough to heart, Ryan's intensity lessened a little, "No one's here to question you or your uncle, okay? We just want to help whoever you saw in the water. You did the right thing in calling, and sticking around, alright?" Jaiver had lucked out in hitting one of Sohmer's rare blindspots. Wading through the few shots that Javi kept taking at him, Ryan clipped his flashlight to his belt and took at a small notepad and pen, "I can work with that, if you can work on your attitude. Here." A neatly printed number was written down and the paper handed out to Javi. And as patient as Ryan's words were, his expression - when it wasn't hopping towards the waters just in case - remained serious and steadfast, "What details can you give me?"

Beyond them and out of sight, the engine continue to rumble in a distant but audible rumble.