Maybe itwasthat bad. And before he spoke, he needed to think about what to say next. More importantly, what todonext.
Tightening his grip on the helm, he kept the trawler’s nose pointed perpendicular to the waves. The sea was doing her level best to work herself into a frenzy, and he knew she would succeed at exactly that within the next few hours. But hopefully, here, on the leeward side of the island, they would be protected from the worst of it.
Glancing around the wheelhouse at the others, he noticed Jace looked as determined as ever. Which, of course he did, it was his neck—or, more importantly, his family’s home—on the line. Fin’s expression was equally unwavering. But Brady? He was as pale as a ghost.
The man had been spleeny ever since they’d settled on this course of action. But that was probably because, of the four of them, Brady had spent the least amount of time on the water. The approaching storm scared the piss out of him.
If Will was being honest, it scared the piss out of him too. He was no dubber. He knew better than to disrespect Julia’s power. But he was confident in the knowledge his father and grandfathers had passed down to him. Confident in his ability to ride out the storm and finish what they’d come to do.
I got this, he silently coached himself.Just another day on the waves.
After secretly boardingWayfarer IIthe night before—and after distracting the bulldog with some beef jerky from Jace’s pocket and shutting the rooster in a closet so it’d stop flying at them and squawking—they’d searched every nook and cranny of the abandoned ship for the treasure. And they’d found? A big ol’ bunch ofpiss all.
Thwarted but not dissuaded, they’d decided the Deep Six Salvage crew must’ve left the loot on the island, probably thinking it was the safest place to store it. Because one, they were working under the false assumption no one knew they’d actually found it. And two, they likely reasoned, even if someone did realize they’d found it, who would be crazy enough to brave a hurricane to try to get it?
Four Mainers who’d grown up on the water and who had withstood their fair share of deadly nor’easters, that’s who. Four seasoned sailors who knew how to talk a fisherman into leasing them his boat after they’d promised to only fish waters far from the hurricane’s path, that’s who. Fourdesperatemen who were hoping to get their buddy out of a jam and, as a bonus, snatch enough of the rich stuff for themselves to make some sort of future for their families.That’s who.
“We’ve come too far to turn back now,” Will said through gritted teeth. The engine whined as they rode the crest of a wave. “The plan doesn’t change.”
“The hell it doesn’t,” Brady swore. “The island was supposed to be deserted.”
“Weassumedit would be deserted,” Will corrected him. “We didn’tknowit would be.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Jace shook his head, his tree-trunk legs braced wide on the rolling decking. “We’re here and the treasure is here. So we might have to do things a little dirty. So what?” He shrugged. “We’ll wear masks and bring our guns. Wasn’t that pretty much the original idea anyway?”
“The original idea, before this wicked wind blew up, was to watch them, find out where they were squirrelin’ away the treasure, and then sneak onto the island in the middle of the night when it was darker than the inside of a pocket and steal a little of the loot out from under their noses with no one bein’ the wiser,” Brady insisted.
“Ayuh.” Jace nodded. “But we always knew there was a chance things might get messy.”
Yes. Theyhadknown there was a chance. Will had just been hoping it wouldn’t come to that.
His conscience tried to rear its head, but he forced himself to remember three very salient facts. One, his oldest needed new soccer cleats. Two, his poor wife hadn’t had a new dress in two years. And three, hedeservedthis, damnit!
He’d struggled for long enough. They’dallstruggled for long enough.
It’s time we get what’s comin’ to us. What we’re due.
Fin had yet to add his two cents. Not an unusual condition with him. He often chose to keep his own council. Which meant, when he finallydidspeak, everyone listened. “Will and Jace are right. The plan stays the same. We’ll make our move once the eye is overhead.”
Chapter 6
3:45 PM...
I want a time machine! I want to go back and change my vote!Dana Levine thought as the winds and the rain continued to roar around the house.
Julia’s leading edges had passed over hours earlier. Since then, the beach house had been bombarded with a continuous, nerve-wracking wall of sound that was so loud she thought it a miracle her eardrums hadn’t burst.
Just as LT had said might happen, the storm surge had pushed seawater under the house. She could hear waves slapping against the pilings holding the structure up. And the whole place smelled like the ocean, briny and raw.
I’m on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere riding out a Category 3 hurricane! What thehellwas I thinking?
She’d been thinking how exciting it was to witness the raising of a treasure unlike anything anyone had seen in decades. She’d been thinking if experienced sailors like John and LT thought it was safe to stay, then who was she to naysay them? She’d been thinking it couldn’t bethatbad.
Jeez-oh-Pete, was I wrong.
John had pulled a wooden rocking chair close to the bed where she was sitting cross-legged with her back against the headboard. When she glanced over at him, she discovered him looking no different than he’d looked all day. As cool as a frickin’ cucumber. Not a whit of worry on his handsome face.
Which should’ve reassured her.
