Declan and Murray were conversing on the other side of the boat.
This was his chance.
Sam leapt to the edge of the boat. A shot exploded and so did pain in his right calf, the one he’d just put all his weight on. He stumbled, lunging for the side so he could slip over, but Grant hauled him back. “None of that.” He pointed the gun at his head.
Fuck.
Sam ignored him and the excruciating pain, and stripped off his shirt, ripping it to form a tourniquet and then applied pressure to the wound. The bullet had just grazed his calf, but still hurt like a mother-fucker.
“Don’t waste your time,” Grant said, holding the gun to Sam’s head. “You’re going over soon enough.”
Murray carried an anchor and chain towards them.
Shit. This was not ending well for him.
Behind Murray a light bobbed in the water, coming towards them. Boat. That would delay them.
He nodded in the direction. “You might want to wait until there are no witnesses.”
Declan swore. “I’ll turn off the main light.”
Murray crouched, wrapping the chain around Sam’s ankles and locking it in place with a padlock. A practised move, but his hands shook.
Grant held the gun low, but still hard against Sam’s head and Sam knew he was a dead man if he moved.
“You really want to be an accessary to murder, Declan?” Sam called.
Declan flinched but continued over to the control panel and flicked off the main light. Now the only light came from the cabin.
“You don’t need to do this,” Sam continued, seeing his options rapidly dwindling. “The police will figure out what happened. These two might get away, but you’ve got family. What will they think?”
“Shut up.” Grant pistol-whipped him and his head cracked against the fibreglass of the boat. Stars blurred his vision and he fought for clarity as they hefted him up and pushed his upper body over.
He clung to the edge, desperately kicking out, pulling himself towards the stern. He got free long enough to lunge for the BCD with the scuba tank. Then Murray and Grant lifted his feet and his hands brushed the BCD. He clutched a clasp and hauled it close, getting a better grip as Grant noticed what he was doing.
“Hey!” Grant stretched for the tank, but he was too late. The weight of the anchor pulled Sam overboard and Sam flung himself away with it.
As his head sank underwater, he prayed the tank had air.
Chapter 19
The moment Penelope pointed at the new boat on the screen, Dot and Nhiari leapt into action. Dot barked orders at Colin and the other officers still in the station, and Nhiari left the room only to return moments later with a couple of bags and some keys.
“Stay here,” Dot barked as she and Nhiari headed out the door.
Like hell she would.
Penelope grabbed her damp backpack and ran after them. “I’m going with you.”
“No, you’re not,” Dot stated.
“Either you take me with you, or I follow in the other PAWS boat. Your choice.”
“Get in,” Nhiari said as they reached the police car.
Penelope jumped in the backseat and they sped to the marina. When they stopped, Penelope tried to open the door. Locked. “Let me out.”
Nhiari grimaced. “Sorry. I’ll send Colin to let you out when we’re gone.”
