Page 95 of Fire and Rain
Pulse picking up, she throttled back and walked back to the storage compartment that held their ditch bags, waves buffeting the boat. Each bag held two strobes and two Personal Locator Beacons, a pocket-sized version of the EPIRB. PLBs worked in the same way but were used when people needed to abandon ship. That way if they were separated in heavy seas, the Coast Guard would be able to locate them even if they couldn’t see them.
She opened the storage compartment and delved into one of the ditch bags, her hands searching. “Are you hungry? We have emergency rations.”
“Like what?”
“Chips. Candy bars.” She tossed him a Snickers, deliberately throwing it short.
He bent to pick it up, giving her a split second to act.
She turned on the PLB, closing the bag to conceal the flash, then pocketed a strobe with an Almond Joy, Justin’s favorite candy bar.
“What did you just put in your pocket?” Charlie stood, pointed the pistol her way.
She closed the storage compartment and carefully drew the Almond Joy out of her pocket far enough for him to see what it was, using it to hide the strobe. “Are you going to shoot me over a candy bar? The life jackets must be over here.”
She walked back to the storage beneath the rear lounger and took out a life jacket, tossing it to Charlie. Then she set the survival suits and the emergency raft onto the deck. “We really should put these survival suits on before we hit that storm.”
“Quit fucking around and get underway.”
All she could do now was pray that the Coast Guard arrived quickly—and hope that she could keep theSea Nymphafloat when that storm hit.
ChapterTwenty-One
Sean stood in the hallway,listening to the radio traffic, and doing his best not to let the tumult inside him show. He didn’t want the captain to doubt his ability to do his duty because Eden was involved. But he couldn’t even be certain she was still alive.
He sat, buried his face in his hands, wishing tofuckthat he’d told her he loved her. Now, he might not get the chance. If only he could trade places with her…
“How are you holding up?” Santee sat beside him. “I’m pretty sure she tossed that EPIRB into the water to get our attention.”
“I hope so. In the meantime, he could do anything to her—beat her, rape her, kill her.”
Santee shook his head. “I doubt he’ll be able to whip his dick out on a pitching boat, and I don’t think he’ll harm her—not until he reaches Homer. That’s where—”
“Air Station Kodiak, this is Sector Anchorage. We just got a distress beacon from a PLB registered to the Sea Nymph, and it’s moving, over.”
Sean’s heart gave a hard thud. He shot to his feet and strode back into the office.
“Sector Anchorage, this is Air Station Kodiak, good copy. We’re ready to receive those coordinates.” Captain Walcott had taken over as operations duty officer. He frowned as he wrote down the information and checked the charts. “This location is in open ocean. They’re moving east-northeast at a speed of about twenty-six knots, heading toward Homer.”
That meant Eden was most likely on the boat and still alive.
Sean felt almost weak with relief. If she’d been in the water, there would have been no way they could have saved her. “Can we send a helo now?”
“A PLB alarm falls under our mission parameters, whether it’s on a moving boat or in the water. But don’t exceed those parameters.” Walcott pushed the SAR alarm. “Now put the ready helo online. Now put the ready helo online.”
Sean turned to Santee. “You coming?”
“Damned straight.” Santee turned to follow him to the locker room.
Then James appeared, already dressed out. “I’d like to take this one.”
Walcott studied him. “It’s your day off.”
“I know, sir, but Eden is one of ours. After what happened to Justin…”
Walcott nodded. “We treat all rescues the same. But, yes, she’s one of ours, and she’s already been through too much.”
While James gathered intel on the weather and the flight route, Sean, Santee, and Trey quickly dressed out, Santee putting body armor over his survival suit.
