EXCLUSIVE: Brian Hooker Appears to Be 'Avoiding Investigation' After Missing Wife Lynette 'Fell Overboard' at Sea — As He Makes Quick Exit From Bahamas, Top Attorney Claims

Brian Hooker may not want to be away from the Bahamas for too long, RadarOnline.com can report, as the investigation into his missing wife Lynette continues.

The sailor has left the island chain to care for his ailing mother. But each day he is gone, new questions about his possible involvement in her disappearance are being raised.

Lynette, 55, has not been seen since falling overboard off their small dinghy and into choppy waters Easter weekend. Bryan, 59, has been labeled a person of interest in his wife's disappearance and was brought in for questioning by the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

However, after several days in custody, he was released without any charges. Almost immediately, he left the islands for an undisclosed location to take care of his sick mom.

Brian's sudden departure seems fishy to maritime lawyer Michael Winkleman, Partner at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A., who told Radar it's not a smart look.

"It sends a message, in my opinion, that if he leaves, he is trying to somehow avoid the investigation," Winkleman said. "Every action Hooker takes plays a role in the court of public opinion."

Before he left, Brian's attorney said her client intended to continue searching for his wife.

"Mr. Hooker's primary focus remains the search for his wife of 25 years," his attorney, Terrel A. Butler, said in an April 14 statement. "He is dedicating his full emotional and physical energy toward coordinating with relevant parties to find her."

The next day, she confirmed he was gone. Yet Brian has denied any wrongdoing in his wife's disappearance from the start.

"I'd never harm Lynette," he told NBC News. "I want to find Lynette."

Bria and Lynette are experienced sailors and documented their trips out at sea on social media. But Brian told authorities that strong winds and bad weather knocked her off their small dinghy while they were sailing to their yacht.

Despite Brian's release, the U.S. Coast Guard has announced its criminal investigation will continue, much to the satisfaction of Lynette's daughter from another marriage, who has her own questions and concerns.

"I hope this was just a freak accident, but I just have a hard time believing it at the moment," Karli Aylesworth, who just arrived in Marsh Harbour, told NBC News. "I just want to know the truth."

"I feel like this was probably preplanned, if anything, like, it doesn’t seem like just some accident," she added.

Brian's attorney fired back, saying he "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing – in particular the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth."

Before leaving, Brian told NBC it would be best if he didn't discuss the search.

"I cannot share anything. As you can imagine, things were chaotic and hectic. And I just don't want to take a chance that anything could interfere with the search as it already has," he said. "I understand the Bahamian police need to [do] their investigation. And I welcome anything that – any attention – that helps me further my goal of finding Lynette."

He has promised his wife not to give up hope of seeing her again.

"I've been told that people have lasted in the Bahamas after falling overboard for days and even weeks," he told CBS News.

"There are so many islands, there are so many sandbars, little atolls and spits of land," he continued. "Of course you think about alternatives to that, but I'm not really capable of just turning away from this."