Page 98 of Fire and Rain
Charlie let out a primal shriek of rage through gritted teeth. “Coast Guard, get lost, or I’ll blow Eden to hell.”
Eden’s head spun, and she cupped her cheek then touched a hand to the lump on her head. Blood. She struggled to stand. But no one was at the helm, so the boat was now at the mercy of the waves, pitching and rolling in the swells.
Then the helicopter veered off, disappearing above the clouds.
Eden’s heart sank.
They’ll send a cutter. Theywillsend a cutter.
“Haha!” Charlie watched through the sunroof as the helicopter passed overhead, a wide grin on his face. He raised his middle finger at the sky. “Fuckers!”
Did he truly believe he’d won?
Eden grabbed onto the edge of the console with one hand and the pilot’s seat with the other and fought her way to her feet, her thoughts and movements sluggish.
Charlie reached for her but stumbled backward as the boat pitched. “That wasyourfault.”
“Don’t you ever… take responsibility for anything?” She took the wheel, tried to get theSea Nymphunder control once more, but could barely stay on her feet, much less pilot a boat.
Thomp-thomp-thomp
She turned in time to see the helicopter descend from the clouds until it hovered thirty feet above her stern. But this time, there was a man with a rifle leaning out of the cabin door.
James’ voice came over the radio. “Sea Nymph, this is Coast Guard Rescue Six-Zero-Three-Two, prepare to be boarded.”
Eden tried to get beyond Charlie’s reach, but she was closed in on three sides. He grabbed her hair, dragged her painfully toward him, then wrapped a wiry arm around her throat. He forced her, stumbling, out into the rain, pistol against her temple.
Her mouth went dry, her heart slamming in her chest.
He used her as a shield, pointing his pistol at the helicopter. “Back off or—”
BAM! BAM!
Charlie cried out and fell backward, releasing her. Unsteady on her feet, dizzy with pain, she stumbled. But at that moment, a wave hit the boat, pitching Eden over the starboard gunwale and into the frigid water.
* * *
“Person in the water!”Sean’s heart lurched to see Eden disappear beneath the surface. “Eden just fell overboard on the starboard side. She’s not wearing a survival suit.”
“Person in the water on the starboard side, roger.”
Sean exhaled in relief when he saw her surface and look up at the helo.
Hang on, Eden.
No rescue had been this desperate or personal since the night Justin had died. That water was only forty-six degrees, and she was only wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Twenty percent of people without survival suits died within the first minute from cold water shock. Those who survived the initial shock lasted maybe ten minutes.
Santee lowered his rifle. “Before we go after Eden, I need to make sure Crane is no longer a threat. He’s still conscious and holding that pistol.”
Below, Crane lay on the deck of theSea Nymph, holding the pistol and rolling with the boat, his blood mixing with seawater.
They had talked this through and knew what to do. While Trey kept his gaze on Eden, Sean worked his way through the safety checklist and hooked Santee onto the hoist line. Santee left his rifle, but unholstered his pistol.
Sean willed himself to focus on his job. He conned the helo into position. “Forward ten and left. Hold. Agent is leaving the cabin.”
“Roger that.”
He gave Santee a shove out the door and lowered him a bit at a time onto the wildly pitching deck of theSea Nymph. “Agent is on deck. Agent is okay. Retrieving the hook.”
